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<div class="header reader-header reader-show-element"> <font
size="-2"><a class="domain reader-domain"
href="https://orinocotribune.com/colonialism-in-all-its-ugliness-indigenous-defenders-condemn-police-violence-on-camp-blocking-pipeline/">https://orinocotribune.com/colonialism-in-all-its-ugliness-indigenous-defenders-condemn-police-violence-on-camp-blocking-pipeline/</a></font>
<h1 class="reader-title">"Colonialism In All Its Ugliness":
Indigenous Defenders Condemn Police Violence on Camp Blocking
Pipeline</h1>
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<p><strong>“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.”</strong></p>
<p>By Julia Conley – February 6, 2020</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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,” <a
href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qjdjaq/police-raid-indigenous-land-to-help-build-a-pipeline">according
to</a> <em>VICE</em>—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.</p>
<p>“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.”<br>
—Chief Don Tom, Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs</p>
<p>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 <a
href="https://unistoten.camp/wetsuweten-hereditary-chiefs-evict-coastal-gaslink-from-territory/">unanimously
opposed</a> 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.</p>
<p>“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 <a
href="https://twitter.com/pieglue/status/1225498385043599365">statement </a>Thursday.</p>
<p>The Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs <a
href="https://www.facebook.com/wetsuwetenstrong/posts/491403495138775?__tn__=K-R">ordered</a> Coastal
GasLink off their land last month, days after the
British Columbia Supreme Court <a
href="https://business.financialpost.com/commodities/b-c-s-top-court-rules-for-6-6-billion-coastal-gaslink-pipeline-against-indigenous-law">ruled</a> 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 <a
href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/01/08/shameful-day-canada-first-nations-encampment-violently-raided-land-protectors">$6.6
billion pipeline project.</a> The court issued an
order demanding that the Wet’suwet’en leave the
territory.</p>
<p>The hereditary chiefs were in talks with British
Columbia officials earlier this week regarding the
pipeline, and, <a
href="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">according
to the tribe</a>, “Coastal GasLink agreed not to
enforce the injunction for a period of seven days”
during the talks.</p>
<p>“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,” <a
href="https://twitter.com/UBCIC/status/1225494276064370688">said</a> Chief
Don Tom, vice president of the UBCIC, on Thursday.</p>
<p>During Thursday morning’s raid, <a
href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/939b58/iran-arrested-the-man-who-filmed-the-jet-getting-accidentally-shot-down">according
to</a> <em>VICE,</em> 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.</p>
<p><a
href="https://orinocotribune.com/nlg-international-stands-in-solidarity-with-the-wetsuweten-people-defending-their-land-from-pipelines-statement/"
target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">RELATED
CONTENT: NLG International Stands in Solidarity with
the Wet’suwet’en People Defending their Land from
Pipelines (Statement)</a></p>
<p><a
href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/20/monstrous-docs-show-canadian-mounties-wanted-snipers-ready-shoot-indigenous-land">The
police</a> smashed in the window of a truck and
“dragged out a woman who was naked and had locked
herself inside,” <em>VICE</em> reported. At least six
people were handcuffed and arrested.</p>
<p>The land defenders yelled, “Shame on the RCMP! Shame on
the colonizer!” during the raid, according to the
outlet.</p>
<p>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.”</p>
<p><a
href="https://orinocotribune.com/canada-wetsuweten-protests-and-arrests-heres-a-look-at-whats-happening-now/"
target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">RELATED
CONTENT: Canada: Wet’suwet’en Protests and Arrests:
Here’s a Look at What’s Happening Now</a></p>
<p>“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.”</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>“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.”</p>
<p>_________________________________________________________</p>
<p><b style="box-sizing: content-box; font-weight: bolder;
color: inherit; background: inherit; border: none;
padding: 0px;">Learn more here: <a
href="http://report.mnb.email/t.js?s=5e4189d98cddd548af3bba0b&u=42594078&v=3&key=0900&skey=392c0f1090&url=http%3A%2F%2Fienearth.org%2F"
target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing:
content-box; color: rgb(189, 82, 84); font-size:
22px; font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; text-decoration: underline;">ienearth.org</a></b></p>
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<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"><span
style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; font-size: 22px; box-sizing:
content-box; margin-bottom: 0px;">Dear Relatives, </span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"> </div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"><span
style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; font-size: 22px; box-sizing:
content-box;">All eyes are watching as the <span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:
transparent; box-sizing: content-box;">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.</span></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"> </div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"><span
style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; font-size: 22px; box-sizing:
content-box;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
background-color: transparent; box-sizing:
content-box;">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. </span></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"><span
style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; font-size: 22px; box-sizing:
content-box;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
background-color: transparent; box-sizing:
content-box;"><i style="box-sizing: content-box;
font-style: italic;">We have also provided ways
for you to take action.</i> </span></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"> </div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"><span
style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; font-size: 22px; box-sizing:
content-box;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
background-color: transparent; box-sizing:
content-box;">Across the world people are standing
with the Wet'suwet'en and demanding Indigenous
rights are upheld. </span></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"> </div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"><span
style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; font-size: 22px; box-sizing:
content-box;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
background-color: transparent; box-sizing:
content-box;">#IndigenousYouthforWetsuweten are <a
href="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"
target="_blank" style="box-sizing: content-box;
color: rgb(189, 82, 84); font-size: 22px;
font-family: "Times New Roman", Times,
serif; text-decoration: underline;">staging
sit-ins</a> and supporters are occupying the
offices of <a
href="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"
target="_blank" style="box-sizing: content-box;
color: rgb(189, 82, 84); font-size: 22px;
font-family: "Times New Roman", Times,
serif; text-decoration: underline;">elected
officials, </a> blocking <a
href="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"
target="_blank" style="box-sizing: content-box;
color: rgb(189, 82, 84); font-size: 22px;
font-family: "Times New Roman", Times,
serif; text-decoration: underline;">traffic,
trains and ports.</a></span></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"> </div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"><span
style="font-size: 22px; box-sizing: content-box;"><i
style="box-sizing: content-box; font-style: italic;"><span
style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; box-sizing: content-box;"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:
transparent; box-sizing: content-box;">These
actions will continue until RCMP and the
Canadian government leave unceded Wet'suwet'en
territory. </span></span></i></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"> </div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"><span
style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; font-size: 22px; box-sizing:
content-box;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
background-color: transparent; box-sizing:
content-box;">Keep scrolling after updates for ways
to join us in taking action. </span></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;"> </div>
<div style="box-sizing: content-box;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size:
22px; box-sizing: content-box;"><span
style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; box-sizing: content-box;"><b
style="box-sizing: content-box; font-weight:
bolder; color: inherit; background: inherit;
border: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="color:
rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;
text-decoration: underline; box-sizing:
content-box;">Background:</span></b></span></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; font-size: 22px; box-sizing:
content-box;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
background-color: transparent; box-sizing:
content-box;">January 5</span><span style="color:
rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;
box-sizing: content-box;">th</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:
transparent; box-sizing: content-box;">, 2020
Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chiefs representing all five
clans of the Wet'suwet'en Nation </span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:
transparent; box-sizing: content-box;">evicted
Coastal GasLink (CGL)</span><span style="color:
rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;
box-sizing: content-box;"> 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.</span></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; font-size: 22px; box-sizing:
content-box;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
background-color: transparent; box-sizing:
content-box;"> "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, “</span><span
style="color: rgb(27, 27, 27); background-color:
transparent; box-sizing: content-box;">wet'suwet'en
will enforce the eviction of Coastal Gaslink with
any means at their disposal.</span><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color:
transparent; box-sizing: content-box;">”</span></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; font-size: 22px; box-sizing:
content-box;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
background-color: transparent; box-sizing:
content-box;"><span style="box-sizing: content-box;">RCMP
spent $3.6 million in the first three months they
invaded Wet'suwet'en</span><span
style="box-sizing: content-box;"> territory.
They've now been here for 13 months. How many
millions of dollars has RCMP </span></span></span><span
style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 22px;
text-align: inherit; box-sizing: content-box;">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.</span><br>
<br>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",
Times, serif; font-size: 22px; box-sizing:
content-box;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
background-color: transparent; box-sizing:
content-box;"><br style="box-sizing: content-box;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 20px;
box-sizing: content-box;"><b style="box-sizing:
content-box; font-weight: bolder; color: inherit;
background: inherit; border: none; padding: 0px;">Day
Four, February 9th, 2020 :</b></span><br>
<span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 20px;
box-sizing: content-box;"><b style="box-sizing:
content-box; font-weight: bolder; color: inherit;
background: inherit; border: none; padding: 0px;">Unist'ot'en
Camp 66km</b></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: 22px; box-sizing: content-box;">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.</span><br>
<span style="font-size: 22px; box-sizing: content-box;">5:20
pm the road to the bridge is completely cleared. </span><br>
<span style="font-size: 22px; box-sizing: content-box;">At
6:08 pm RCMP return to Chief Woos’ cabin asking if
occupants want a “ride out.” </span><br>
<span style="font-size: 22px; box-sizing: content-box;"> 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.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: 22px; box-sizing: content-box;">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)</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: 20px; box-sizing: content-box;"><b
style="box-sizing: content-box; font-weight: bolder;
color: inherit; background: inherit; border: none;
padding: 0px;">Day Four Video Updates:</b></span><br>
<br>
<a
href="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"
style="box-sizing: content-box; color: rgb(189, 82, 84);
font-size: 22px; font-family: "Times New
Roman", Times, serif; text-decoration: underline;"
target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/unistoten/videos/541202253409028/?v=541202253409028</a><br>
<br>
<a
href="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"
style="box-sizing: content-box; color: rgb(189, 82, 84);
font-size: 22px; font-family: "Times New
Roman", Times, serif; text-decoration: underline;"
target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/unistoten/videos/499849340967645/</a><br>
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