Aboriginal Rights

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Information from Chief Terrance Nelson

Roseau River will peacefully blockade two railway lines for exactly 24 hours starting Thursday June 29th at 4:00 p.m. and ending Friday June 30th at 4:00 p.m. One of these railway line blockades will be north of Dominion City, four miles east and one and half miles north of the main Roseau River reservation, the other railway line to be blockaded is north of Letellier, which is approximately two and half miles west of Roseau River and one mile north of Letellier. Both railway lines move goods and services into and from the United States and will affect business in North Dakota, Minnesota and beyond. Both railway lines run on our traditional territory, we hold underlying title to those lands.

At noon on Thursday June 29 in front of the Roseau River Community Hall, two Roseau River drums will begin singing. People will gather to hear from the elders, the leadership and from the people themselves why First Nations are angry enough at Canada to initiate this action. Roseau River’s traditional territory was over 2000 square miles in south central Manitoba prior to the signing of Treaty # one on August 3rd 1871.

The Crown promised, that no white man would ever be allowed to set foot upon the reservation without our permission. The Crown pledged on their honor that if we agreed to the treaty giving them access to our 3 million acres of land that the reserved lands would be ours forever. Just 32 years later on January 30th 1903, the government would force the surrender of 12 sections or 70% of our reserve. Mr. Atkinson would be shot and killed for refusing to leave his home. It takes the Minister of Indian Affairs, twelve days to recommend an Order in Council and in just 26 days by February 25 1903 the white farmers have full ownership of 12 sections of our reserve with a signed Order in Council.

In 1993, we had RCMP snipers in our fields when we tried to open a casino that could have bought in 100 million dollars a year for us. Once again our jurisdiction, our right to govern ourselves was denied by force of arms. We could not enjoy the same rights as our Anishinabe relatives in the States. We still have 77% unemployment. We are denied any recognition of our right to lease our 3 million acres of traditional lands and each year we receive less and less funding. It took us 125 years to get Treaty Land Entitlement recognized. Eight years we have waited to have our TLE land converted and still we have to wait, but it took the white farmers only 26 days to get an Order in Council taking our 12 sections of reservation lands away.

Roseau River is owed at least 60 million dollars from the 1903 land claim. We have been peaceful, we have been patient, we have waited 103 years for justice but meanwhile in Caledonia the white people got compensation already, millions of dollars have already been pledged by the government, yet the white people only had to wait 100 days, not a 100 years for the government to act.

Yes we believe that there are two sets of laws in Canada, one for whites and another for the Indians.

The Supreme Court of Canada decided in Haida that “Knowledge of a credible but unproven claim is enough to trigger a duty to consult.” In spite of the law as decided in Mikkisew, where Justice Binney of the Supreme Court wrote that it was illegal for government officials to be indifferent, it is exactly what the Government of Canada does, Liberal or Conservative, they ignore the law if it is in favor of the Indians. Why do you think that in 1982, Premier Lyons of Manitoba would absolutely refuse having the Right of Property recognized in the Charter? They tried to stack the law in their favor but it didn’t work so they ignore the law when it is convenient for them to ignore it.

Over five hundred murdered and missing First Nation women in Canada. Our people fill the jails and prisons in Canada. Over 50% of the people killed at the hands of police in Canada are First Nations people. Over 6000 land claims in limbo because Canada refuses to put in place a process that will deal with these matters. The Conservatives refused to deal with the Kelowna accord despite the fact ten provincial premiers, three territories and the previous federal government had agreed to it. In Six Nations/Caledonia land claim, it was the people who took action, it was the people who finally had enough and decided not to be sidetracked by a useless Canadian government process, they, the people took direct action.

So I ask the question, are the people tired? Are you tired of watching hundreds of billions of dollars of resource wealth paid to the governments of Canada, while you, the original owners are denied a share of your own wealth. Are you tired of the housing problems, the lack of education opportunities, the denial of health coverage, the injustice, the brutality, are you tired of being the poorest of the poor in Canada. Are you tired of watching immigrants to our lands taking our resource wealth, while at the same time they call you down for not paying taxes to their government?

We at Roseau River will stand up as we have always done. We will not be ignored. We will not obey any white court injunction that the railway companies might try and get imposed upon us, an injunction that will be unilaterally imposed, an injunction that would deny our right of property.

We signed a treaty with Canada. They are obligated by the terms and conditions of that treaty. The immigrant to our land gets their title from the Crown but the Crown got their rights from us, the indigenous people of these lands. We were here first, these are our lands. We hold the underlying title to all these lands including under the rail lines.

At 3:30 p.m. vehicles will pull out of the reserve headed to the blockade sites. At exactly 4:00 p.m. cars will be driven onto the rail lines and we will stay exactly 24 hours to send a message to Canada, that we will no longer tolerate our rights being ignored. The Okiijida Society will provide security and will not tolerate any acts of violence from anyone. We will welcome all peaceful people to join us on June 29th and 30th 2006. We ask that you get there at noon in order to ensure everyone knows their responsibility.

Chief Terrance Nelson

-- posted by woorama

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Update from Hazel, Friday, June 22nd 2006.

Sago from Grand River!

We're still here at Kanenhstaton [the Six Nations reclamation site near Caledonia]. A lot has happened since the barricades came down. Most of it is internal. It has kept us busy! We are still maintaining our position on our land. In spite of the anti-Six Nations propaganda by the colonists, we're not re-routing Caledonia's water, we haven't built bunkers or stored ammunition, we’re not toting guns or terrorizing the citizens of Caledonia. These made up stories are distressing [and sometimes we laugh about them]. Throughout we have remained peaceful, even in the face of racist acts and hate crimes committed against us. We continue to act in good faith, even when the politicians threw only ultimatums at us. We are waiting for nation-to-nation dialogue. We will carry the spirit of truth and justice for Creation, as well as upholding our responsibilities to
our Law, our Land and our People. Judge David [Who-has-land-on-the-Haldimand-Tract) Marshall is still asking why his illegal orders to remove our people are not being carried out.

Today, Premier McGuinty suggested that the province has agreed in principal to purchase “our” land from “Henco” [who got their false title from the province of Ontario]. He wants to hold the land “in trust” [nobody should trust him to hold anything]. Then he wants us all to go home now [Where? We are at home!] Someone should remind Mr. McGuinty about Kanehsatake [another Mohawk community near Montreal that Corporate Canada is always trying to tar and feather]. McGuinty seems to be following the blueprint used after the 1990 Mohawk Oka Crisis. That was another case where we were told that the land would be returned or held in trust. The situation has still not been resolved. In keeping with established colonial North American practice, they never followed through on any of their promises. Are we supposed to believe they ever meant to?

Our position has never changed. We the Title Holders as recalled by Wampum 44 of our constitution, the Kaianereh’ko:wa, retain jurisdiction over our land. As set out in the Haldimand Proclamation, the British promised to respect this. Canada’s would-be colonizers pretend that land held in trust is “Crown” land. This is an old hoax which is enforced at gunpoint. The British Crown has no legal jurisdiction over our land or over us. We were here first. We never agreed to join Canada. So what are you colonists doing here?

As the Ontario Parliament nears its summer recess, the Opposition Party is pushing hard to do something about the Caledonia situation. They should be reminding the government of it’s Inherent responsibilities commemorated by the Two Row Wampum and the Silver Covenant Chain agreements with us. They should also read their own Constitution. Instead, they’re demanding the unlawful removal of us from our homelands.

They say the Caledonia citizens are living in fear, can't sleep at night and can't even barbeque in their backyards! [Since all the rowdy behavior is has been created by non-native outsiders, we have to wonder what would they do if we actually did say “boo” to them. Would they all just crumble into dust?] All politicians should use common sense before shooting their mouths off about something that they haven’t bothered to read up on. They grand stand by passing on malicious gossip! Especially the one who represents Caledonia. According to Canadian mythology he also represents Six Nations. Those politicians need to stand around in some of those people's backyards, bring their steaks and barbeque them. They’ll notice how quiet we are and that we are not bothering anyone. The children are not afraid to play in their school yard. They laugh, play and wave to us on the site. When the frisbee comes flying across the fence onto our site, we don't hold it hostage. We give it back!

The politicians should have stood with us Friday night when the lawless Caledonians held their racist rally [carrying their commercially produced signs saying, “Bring in the army”. We still haven’t found out who supplies the signs.] They were boozing publicly, many were drunk out of their skulls, throwing their empties at us (thanks, by the way, for the 10 cents a bottle. It’s the only financing we get to counter the millions of dollar in subsidies the Caledonians are getting. This is the only help we’re getting except for the donations we receive from our supporters, who, without exception, are well-educated people who want law and order), flinging stones at us, shouting vile racist remarks about our alleged “welfare cheques”, yelling “the only good Indian is a dead Indian” [which is a colonial policy slogan], and threatening to go home and get their shot guns.

Who reported to the OPP about the “incidents of continuous gun fire” and “burning of fences” that we were supposed have done? As one reporter found out, there were no such incidents. Or the politicians could talk to the principal of the school, as that reporter did. They would have learned that the children are not afraid of us. They don't hide under their desks or tables to eat their lunch. The only gun fire sounds were the fire crackers the Caledonians shot off around the May 24 weekend and those fireworks they shot directly at us on the night we took down the first barricade.

Has someone sent a copy of the minutes of the Caledonia Citizens Alliance CCA group meeting to Parliament? They discussed arming themselves and that the OPP gave them the nod of approval. The OPP says this is utter nonsense. The CCA planned to use their children as “a cover” at their next rally. Their strategy was to "create chaos, continually dial 911 and rush toward the fence, but do not cross the police line".

They call us, who are their victims, the “lawless militant faction”! Did anyone ever wonder why the TV footage of those violent "stand-offs" always show the OPP facing the Caledonians, not us, the Onkwehonweh? Isn’t it obvious the cops know that we aren’t going to stab people in the back? The violence is coming from ‘their’ side at us.

The colonists continuously provoke to disrupt the Peace. Government and police public relations constantly pegs us as "terrorists". The rioters are rewarded by the state for their unlawful behavior. They are the real state-sponsored terrorists. Canada is handing out millions of dollars to Caledonia for their real and imagined business losses due, they say, “to the barricades”. Settlers, check the stats! How many Six Nations people are no longer doing business in Caledonia because of your racist attitudes? These have grown deeper and more open in the last 100 days. Don’t you realize that it isn't the barricades that have decreased your sales? It’s your antagonistic attitude toward and attacks on our people – your customers.

The Caledonians turned their hatred on our children and barricaded them out of the arena. Talk about shooting yourselves in the foot! We pay rent for that facility! You created your own dreadful situation. Now you want compensation for it! And you’re getting it, which is the worse part of it! The government obliges [probably because they orchestrated it in the first place]. They think it’s better value to keep pouring money into racial warfare to try to defeat the Six Nations [and continue the land theft] than it is to actually uphold the honor of the Crown and pay their debt to the Six Nations. As long as the state keeps paying to instigate these attacks on us, they think they won't have to deal with the real issue – the promises they made to us that there would never be any encroachment on our land ever and that our sovereignty would always be respected! That’s the solemn deal that was made between two allies, the Six Nations and Britain. Another fellow said, “It's like dealing with a ‘bad little kid’.” Bad behavior should not be rewarded by giving them candy. When that's all gone, they're going to want more and their behavior gets worse!

With respect to the 7 Indigenous people charged, two have been arrested and released. The Confederacy Council is still conducting our investigation with respect to the alleged “illegal activities”. These individuals are still required to stay off of the site. Why are our people being tried twice for these so-called crime? They are being held accountable to our traditional government, as required by our Law, the Kaierenekowah, and being forced to go through the colonial justice system. We've established it clearly has no jurisdiction over our people. Our investigation has revealed that these attacks on our people and these phony charges were all colonial set ups! We will give all the details after we've gathered up all evidence.

The Concert held at Chiefswood Park on June 16th in support of the Kanenhstaton Land Reclamation was an overwhelming success. Big Nya Wehs to David and Kimberley Maracle, Tuesday Johnson of TAP Resources and all the other volunteers who worked so hard to make this happen. Nya Weh to all of the artists who donated your time and
shared your music, artwork and other talents. This concert was a great experience. We can't thank you enough!!!!!!!!! We haven't got a total on how much the concert raised for Kanenhstaton. As soon as we do, we will let everyone know. I even got to sing with my sister ElizaBeth. We didn't clear out the park so we must have done good! We all had FUN and an awesome experience. David and Kimberley have already been approached to have another one. We can't wait! Good Work Everyone!

At Kanenhstaton, we are continuing our cultural examination of possible burial grounds on the site. A well-known archaeologist and friend, Professor Bill Noble and his wife Jacquie, paid us a visit. The sad news is that Henco’s [the construction company which tried to build illegally on our land] archaeological study possibly destroyed crucial evidence on the existence of villages and other points of interest to our people. However, they did provide us with an 8 page report which we immediately sent to Ontario Premier McGuinty. It outlines several laws which they broke during this archaeological study. We have asked that it be forwarded to the appropriate ministries to be dealt with according to their laws. Henco is ultimately responsible and accountable for those inconsistencies before any money is paid to him [and for reparation of their total destruction of the environment at the site. It looks like someone dropped a bomb on it]. This should have been monitored but was conveniently ignored.

We’ve updated enough for tonight. It's getting late and time for some rest. Hopefully we will have other news to report soon so that you won't have to wonder if we got buried in those “bunkers” that everyone says we have, even though we don’t know where they are! Take care,

In Love, Light and Peace, Hazel

thebasektcase@on.aibn.com Donations: %Janie Jamieson, RR #6, Hagersville, Ontario Canada N0A 1H0

-- posted by woorama

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from Kahentinetha Horn

MNN Mohawk Nation News

www.mohawknationnews.com

kahentinetha2@yahoo.com

RATS CAN TEACH US SOMETHING - INDIAN SUMMER COLONIAL STYLE

MNN. June 25, 2006. Summer is the season when Canada likes to work on taking care of its “Indian problem”. Now is the time for us to ponder what is before us. We would like to sit outside and shoot the breeze beside the lakes and streams. But the colonial bureaucrats are sitting in their air conditioned 'war rooms' atop the tower of power.

This year their insulting tactics are really off the wall. First, they honored “Aboriginal Day” by dumping a truckload of manure on all Indigenous women. But it slid right off us like water off a duck’s back. They can say anything they want. It doesn’t bother us anymore. We’ve become almost immune to racism. Their trick was to have the RCMP pick up Sharon Simon of Kanehsatake and make as if she was the “Queen Pin” of the whole Hell’s Angels. She and her daughter were the only natives among the 35 arrested all the way from Montreal to Saskatchewan. The way they told it, everything happened at Kanehsatake.

Next, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said he wants all of us Indians to “get off” our land and “go home” – What? We are home! He made this announcement on his last day in the legislature so nobody could question him. When asked what he would do if we stayed, he just said, “We’ll see”. Then he ran away for the summer. Member of the Legislature, Toby Barrett, brought a busload of paid Caledonia provocateurs to the Ontario legislature just before it closed. Something’s being set up, right!

If history repeats itself, the summer months are when we can expect the big action. According to what has become a Canadian tradition, swarms of heavy duty cops and army troops will descend on Indian country. The Kanehsatake Oka Crisis was from July to September 1990. Gustafsen Lake and Ipperwash both finished in early September 1995 - just before the fall sessions of the provincial legislatures and Parliament.

We weren’t born yesterday! We can see what’s coming. We’ve cornered the rat. Our land has been reclaimed by the Six Nations people. Everything we’ve done has been legitimate. They can’t get out of it. What does a rat do when it can’t escape? He stands up on his hind legs and bares his teeth. What do we do? Take off his head, of course.

The rat we are facing is the quagmire called “Canada” and all its slimy tentacles – cops, judges, government, bureaucrats, corporations that control everything - ALL tied into their global control agenda.

What is it about us that they don’t like? We own the land. Canada, the gig is up! Your “crown land” hoax has been exposed. The Rotino’shon:ni/Iroquois and our friends and allies are the true United Nations. Our law, the Kaianereh’ko:wa/Great Law of Peace, is meant for everybody. Your law is just for you. And you wonder why you have to use guns to get your way?

We are getting some clues foreshadowing the coming events. The “powers that be” are scared that we Indigenous people everywhere are losing our fear of them. We are freeing our minds. What’s worse, their peons trapped in their society – the ones they thought were enslaved forever - are joining us.

When we have no fear we are in the perfect state, the natural reality. We can face all obstacles and resolve them using our minds. This is what scares the rat the most. He has all the weapons of mass destruction which the rabid rat is ready to use. What we have to do is take the rat’s head off by waking the people before they get rabies too.

When the politicians leave for the summer, the bureaucRATS and the police are in charge. That’s when the shit really hits the fan.

The rat survives by lying, twisting the facts, making false public displays in the media, bluffing, using the ignorant masses to do their dirty work so they can blame them and walk away smelling like roses. Of course, behind all that is the gun. They take out phony charges in the courts, cajole, and deceive everybody. The rat sneaks around doing all kinds of bad shit.

There never were rats on Turtle Island. The “old world rats” came with the colonists. It was a sign of trouble when the rats jumped ship in 1775. They were actually a breed of sewer rats. They are opportunistic survivors who live with or near humans, parasiting off them. In the English language calling somebody a “rat” is an insult. To “rat on someone” is to betray them.

This is what we are up against.

By most standards rats are considered beasts or vermin. They can be very destructive to crops and property. Rats can quickly “populate” when they have no predators or have killed them all off. It is likely that between one-fifth to one-third of the world’s total food output is either spoiled or destroyed by rats and other rodents. Who does this sound like? BureaucRATS are even worse. They take half the economy and more when they can.

Rats are nocturnal. They hide from the light. When rats are seen out and about in the daytime, it can mean their nesting areas are being disturbed or there is an overpopulation of them in the local area. This must be what’s happening in Caledonia.

We need a vermin control measure or super rat catchers to stop the spread of the diseases they carry, such as colonialism and genocide. Rats are rarely seen in the open preferring to hide in dirty places and dark holes like air conditioned offices. When they’re cornered, they take sick leave or go on long summer breaks.

We need a “Pied Piper”, like they had in Hamlin, dressed in red, yellow and black to guide the rats back to where they came from. Just like the story of July 13th 1336, the corporation and the mayor did not keep their promises [sound familiar?]. As a result all their children were lured away and never seen again. History is repeating itself. The colonial rats too may lose their children. Their children may end up following the ways of the Indigenous people. The cat, the Great Law of Peace, is out of the bag. Look out rats. Here comes the cat!

-- posted by woorama