[antiwar-van] Tuesday: NYM presentation

[No One is Illegal-Vancouver]

PRESENTATION BY Native Youth Movement- Secwepemc Chapter

Tuesday March 29 @ 6:30 pm
Palestine Community Center
1874 Kingsway (corner Victoria)


For more information contact no one is illegal at noii-van at resist.ca or
call 778-552-2099


Native Youth Movement spokesperson will be speaking on the ongoing
Secwepemc struggle against Sun Peaks Resort and also give updates on
ongoing trials of Skwekwek'welt defenders. One of these trials begins next
week.

Sun Peaks Resort is built in Secwepemc territories, land which has never
been ceded, released, nor surrendered. The BC government and Sun Peaks
therefore has no authority over the Secwepemc people or their lands.
Despite the recognition of the inherent land rights of Aboriginal People
as Aboriginal Title in Delgamuukw, and despite the Haida decision that
requires provincial and private interests to consult, obtain consent and
accommodate Aboriginal interests prior to pursuing development on
Aboriginal territories, federal and provincial governments still insist
indigenous peoples must prove their title within the court system rather
than by abiding by the principal of Title itself.

Still, Canada and BC, with disturbing disregard for the highest legal
authority in Canada, continue to ignore Secwepemc Title and consequently
ignore their own laws. The United Nations has repeatedly condemned Canada
for violating International Human Rights in its treatment of indigneous
communties and the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights recently visited
Secwepemc Territories to document the injustices committed against the
peoples of land.

Since purchasing the resort in 1992, the Japanese holding company, Nippon
Cable, has expanded on site accomodation from 100 beds to 4000. In 1997,
the BC government approved a $70 million development plan, allowing Sun
Peaks to continue to expand their resort to 20,000 beds and put ski runs
on the previously undisturbed Mt. Morrisey. In June 2004 with the Olympic
bid, the expansion now totals $285 million.

The Secwepemc people set up the Skwelwek’welt Protection Center at the
entrace of Sun Peaks resort in order to protect their Aborginal Title. To
date, 54 arrests with charges from criminal contempt and intimidation by
blocking a road to resisting arrest have been made. Charges range from
criminal contempt, mischief, intimidation and obstruction of a police
officer to intimidation by blocking a road, resisting arrest, and breach
of bail conditions.

In January 2003, a BC judge found four Elders NOT guilty for refusal to
obey an injunction obtained by Sun Peaks Resort to tear down the
Skwekwek’welt Protection Center. The judge found that the Crown could not
prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defenders intentions were
criminl. As she left court, Elder Irene Billy stated: "I always knew we
were right, this is our land, and Sun Peaks and the province cannot remove
us.”


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No One is Illegal- Vancouver
web: noii-van.resist.ca
email: noii-van at resist.ca
(604)682-3269 x 7149

The No One is Illegal campaign is in full confrontation with Canadian
colonial border policies, denouncing and taking action to combat racial
profiling of immigrants and refugees, detention and deportation policies,
and wage-slave conditions of migrant workers and non-status people.

We struggle for the right for our communities to maintain their
livelihoods and resist war, occupation and displacement, while building
alliances and supporting indigenous sisters and brothers also fighting
theft of land and displacement.