[News] "Colonialism In All Its Ugliness": Indigenous Defenders Condemn Police Violence on Camp Blocking Pipeline
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Mon Feb 10 13:12:33 EST 2020
https://orinocotribune.com/colonialism-in-all-its-ugliness-indigenous-defenders-condemn-police-violence-on-camp-blocking-pipeline/
"Colonialism In All Its Ugliness": Indigenous Defenders Condemn Police
Violence on Camp Blocking Pipeline
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*“We are in absolute outrage and a state of painful anguish as we
witness the Wet’suwet’en people having their Title and Rights brutally
trampled on and their right to self-determination denied.”*
By Julia Conley – February 6, 2020
Climate action campaigners and Indigenous leaders on Thursday condemned
a violent pre-dawn raid by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at a camp
set up by Wet’suwet’en land defenders in British Columbia.
Dozens of RCMP officers—backed up by dog teams, drones with infrared
sensors, and tactical officers armed with “what appeared to be sniper
and assault rifles,” according to
<https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qjdjaq/police-raid-indigenous-land-to-help-build-a-pipeline>
/VICE/—arrived at the Unist’ot’en Camp near Houston, British Columbia
shortly before 5:00 am, a month after the Wet’suwet’en evicted Coastal
GasLink from their land.
“Using armed force to take Indigenous peoples off their unceded
traditional territories against their will is not reconciliation, it is
colonialism in all its ugliness and hypocrisy.”
—Chief Don Tom, Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs
The company plans to clear a logging road in Wet’suwet’en territory to
make way for a pipeline which all five Wet’suwet’en clans have
unanimously opposed
<https://unistoten.camp/wetsuweten-hereditary-chiefs-evict-coastal-gaslink-from-territory/> under
the tribe’s code of laws, known as Anuc niwh’it’en. In 1997, the
Canadian Supreme Court ruled that the Wet’suwet’en had not given up
rights to their land—more than 8,000 square miles in British Columbia.
“We are in absolute outrage and a state of painful anguish as we witness
the Wet’suwet’en people having their Title and Rights brutally trampled
on and their right to self-determination denied,” Grand Chief Stewart
Phillip of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) said in a
statement <https://twitter.com/pieglue/status/1225498385043599365>Thursday.
The Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs ordered
<https://www.facebook.com/wetsuwetenstrong/posts/491403495138775?__tn__=K-R> Coastal
GasLink off their land last month, days after the British Columbia
Supreme Court ruled
<https://business.financialpost.com/commodities/b-c-s-top-court-rules-for-6-6-billion-coastal-gaslink-pipeline-against-indigenous-law> that
Canadian law trumps tribal law and that the company had suffered
“irreparable harm” when the Wet’suwet’en built blockades and camps to
stop the construction of the $6.6 billion pipeline project.
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/01/08/shameful-day-canada-first-nations-encampment-violently-raided-land-protectors> The
court issued an order demanding that the Wet’suwet’en leave the territory.
The hereditary chiefs were in talks with British Columbia officials
earlier this week regarding the pipeline, and, according to the tribe
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/02/06/%20http://www.wetsuweten.com/media-centre/news/february-4-2020-immediate-release-wetsuweten-territory-smithers-b.c>,
“Coastal GasLink agreed not to enforce the injunction for a period of
seven days” during the talks.
“Using armed force to take Indigenous peoples off their unceded
traditional territories against their will is not reconciliation, it is
colonialism in all its ugliness and hypocrisy,” said
<https://twitter.com/UBCIC/status/1225494276064370688> Chief Don Tom,
vice president of the UBCIC, on Thursday.
During Thursday morning’s raid, according to
<https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/939b58/iran-arrested-the-man-who-filmed-the-jet-getting-accidentally-shot-down>
/VICE,/ RCMP officers told the Wet’suwet’en land defenders they were
acting on the earlier court injunction and that they had 10 minutes to
leave the camp, under threat of being charged with obstruction of justice.
RELATED CONTENT: NLG International Stands in Solidarity with the
Wet’suwet’en People Defending their Land from Pipelines (Statement)
<https://orinocotribune.com/nlg-international-stands-in-solidarity-with-the-wetsuweten-people-defending-their-land-from-pipelines-statement/>
The police
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/20/monstrous-docs-show-canadian-mounties-wanted-snipers-ready-shoot-indigenous-land> smashed
in the window of a truck and “dragged out a woman who was naked and had
locked herself inside,” /VICE/ reported. At least six people were
handcuffed and arrested.
The land defenders yelled, “Shame on the RCMP! Shame on the colonizer!”
during the raid, according to the outlet.
Greenpeace Canada called on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and
British Columbia Premier John Horgan to “immediately order the RCMP to
stand down” and to “engage in peaceful discussions with the Wet’suwet’en
hereditary chiefs.”
RELATED CONTENT: Canada: Wet’suwet’en Protests and Arrests: Here’s a
Look at What’s Happening Now
<https://orinocotribune.com/canada-wetsuweten-protests-and-arrests-heres-a-look-at-whats-happening-now/>
“Greenpeace condemns the violation of human rights underway against the
Wet’suwet’en camps and people, who are the rightful title holders over
their lands and waters and who are peacefully exercising their
Indigenous rights to resist the Coastal GasLink pipeline,” said Christy
Ferguson, executive director of the organization. “It is unacceptable
for Canada to deploy militarized police against Indigenous land
defenders and other peaceful protesters.”
The group also called on supporters of Indigenous rights to display
solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en by contacting Trudeau and Horgan and
attending events including several a rally at the British Columbia
legislature.
“All Wet’suwet’en Clans have rejected the Coastal GasLink fracked gas
pipeline because this is our home,” said the land defenders in a
statement. “Our medicines, our berries, our food, the animals, our
water, our culture are all here since time immemorial.”
_________________________________________________________
*Learn more here: ienearth.org
<http://report.mnb.email/t.js?s=5e4189d98cddd548af3bba0b&u=42594078&v=3&key=0900&skey=392c0f1090&url=http%3A%2F%2Fienearth.org%2F>*
**
Dear Relatives,
All eyes are watching as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) began
their invasion on unceded Wet'suwet'en territory. Yesterday the roads
were cleared to the Unist'ot'en camp and we know a raid today is likely.
We wanted to provide the map above along with a brief update from our
Wet'suwet'en relatives so you can better understand the lay of the land
in the fight against TC Energy's Coastal GasLink pipeline being forced
on the homelands of the Wet'suwet'en.
/We have also provided ways for you to take action./
Across the world people are standing with the Wet'suwet'en and demanding
Indigenous rights are upheld.
#IndigenousYouthforWetsuweten are staging sit-ins
<http://report.mnb.email/t.js?s=5e4189d98cddd548af3bba0b&u=42594036&v=3&key=129a&skey=392c0f1090&url=https%3A%2F%2Faptnnews.ca%2F2020%2F02%2F05%2Findigenous-youth-for-wetsuweten-occupy-federal-ministers-office-in-winnipeg%2F>
and supporters are occupying the offices of elected officials,
<http://report.mnb.email/t.js?s=5e4189d98cddd548af3bba0b&u=42594038&v=3&key=7c82&skey=392c0f1090&url=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F6523209%2Findigenous-youth-occupy-bc-legislature-wetsuweten%2F> blocking
traffic, trains and ports.
<http://report.mnb.email/t.js?s=5e4189d98cddd548af3bba0b&u=42594040&v=3&key=0967&skey=392c0f1090&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbc.ca%2Fnews%2Fcanada%2Fbritish-columbia%2Fwet-suwet-en-supporters-rally-across-b-c-blocking-traffic-trains-and-port-of-vancouver-1.5457220>
/These actions will continue until RCMP and the Canadian government
leave unceded Wet'suwet'en territory. /
Keep scrolling after updates for ways to join us in taking action.
*Background:*
January 5th, 2020 Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chiefs representing all five
clans of the Wet'suwet'en Nation evicted Coastal GasLink (CGL)from their
territories. CGL does not have consent to construct their $6.6 billion
fracked gas pipeline. CGL is trying to push through their project on
unceded Indigenous territories.
"Under ‘Anuc niwh’it’en (Wet’suwet’en law) all five clans of the
Wet’suwet’en have unanimously opposed all pipeline proposals and have
not provided free, prior, and informed consent to Coastal
Gaslink/TransCanada to do work on Wet’suwet’en lands." The Royal
Canadian Mountain Police are invading the land to clear it of Indigenous
land defenders and their supporters so that CGL can continue work.
Hereditary Chief Dsta’hyl (Liksamisu Clan) said, “wet'suwet'en will
enforce the eviction of Coastal Gaslink with any means at their disposal.”
RCMP spent $3.6 million in the first three months they invaded
Wet'suwet'en territory. They've now been here for 13 months. How many
millions of dollars has RCMP spent finding our Murdered and Missing
Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirits? The connection to our MMIWG2S
epidemic and pipeline industrial man camps is well know. We know that
with violence to Indigenous lands comes violence to Indigenous peoples.
*Day Four, February 9th, 2020 :*
*Unist'ot'en Camp 66km*
All day black helicopters flew low over Unist'ot'en Camp to monitor
activities while Unistoten matriarchs drummed and remained in ceremony.
Two RCMP officers knocked on the door of Woos’ cabin at Gidimt’en
Checkpoint refusing to identify themselves or give badge numbers and
left. RCMP/CGL used 1 dump truck, 3 bulldozers, 1 large CAT, 1 large
white SUV ,1 large RV, 1 ambulance, an estimated 6 pickup trucks to
clear the road from Gidimt’en at 44km to Unist'ot'en at 66km. At 4:40pm
a large tow truck reached the gate of Unist'ot'en followed by industry
machinery at the gate and 5 RCMP officers approaching on foot, 3 graders
and 13+ vehicles behind that. 21 personnel in yellow vests at pullout at
65km marker, 9 RCMP in snowshoes at the 65 km mark near bridge. 1
person in plaid coat.
5:20 pm the road to the bridge is completely cleared.
At 6:08 pm RCMP return to Chief Woos’ cabin asking if occupants want a
“ride out.”
6:29 pm - At least 5 RCMP/CGL vehicles have left toward the highway
down from 44km. An ambulance, 1 large box truck, several industry trucks.
Arrest totals from RCMP/CGL invasion on unceded Wet'suwet'en
territories: 6 arrests @ 39km, Feb 6 (released w/ no charges) 4 arrests
@ 44km, Feb 7 (court date today, Smithers) 11 arrests @ 27km, Feb 8
(inc. Legal Observers)
*Day Four Video Updates:*
https://www.facebook.com/unistoten/videos/541202253409028/?v=541202253409028
<http://report.mnb.email/t.js?s=5e4189d98cddd548af3bba0b&u=42594042&v=3&key=7f36&skey=392c0f1090&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Funistoten%2Fvideos%2F541202253409028%2F%3Fv%3D541202253409028>
https://www.facebook.com/unistoten/videos/499849340967645/
<http://report.mnb.email/t.js?s=5e4189d98cddd548af3bba0b&u=42594044&v=3&key=dfd5&skey=392c0f1090&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Funistoten%2Fvideos%2F499849340967645%2F>
--
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