[antiwar-van] (Tues April 25) Emergency Rally in Support of Six Nations]

Tue Apr 25 01:44:14 PDT 2006

see press release and backgrounder below

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: EMERGENCY ACTION in Support of Six Nations!
From:    "sixnations solidarity" <sixnationsolidarity at gmail.com>
Date:    Sun, April 23, 2006 10:46 pm
To:      sixnationsolidarity at gmail.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

*EMERGENCY ACTION* *in Support of* *Six Nations!*

Tuesday April 25th 12:30 PM
Gather at the Vancouver Art Gallery (Georgia & Howe)

WEAR RED! BRING YOUR DRUM!

*Deterrence Rally to Prevent Another Police Invasion of Six Nations Land!*

Under the direction of the Clan Mothers at the Six Nations Territory, this
action is being organized in solidarity with the Six Nations, and in
support of their demands for an immediate cessation of all construction by
Henco Industries on Six Nations territory and for resolution to the
current standoff to be conducted on a nation-to-nation basis.

On April 20th, OPP invaded the re-occupied Six Nations territory and
attempted to remove the Six Nations people from their land with brutal
force. In the end, this invasion was successfully repelled, and there are
now hundreds of Six Nations community members and their supporters at the
site.

Since then, negotiations have been going on, but the situation is still
urgent. The threat of another police invasion against Six Nations is
imminent. We need to take immediate action to help deter any further
intrusions by the police into Six Nations Territory. We need to send a
strong, clear message to the Canadian government to show our support for
the Six Nations and their demands for a just and peaceful resolution to
the dispute over the Haldimand Tract, which clearly belongs to the Six
Nations. This is an attack, not just against Six Nations, but against the
rights of all indigenous people, and we must stand together against these
colonial attacks.**

For More Information Contact:
778-229-1264 | 604-868-4283 | sixnationsolidarity at gmail.com*

===========================

MEDIA ADVISORY
Vancouver Native Community Supports Six Nations with a Solidarity Rally
RALLY ON TUESDAY APRIL 25TH 12:30 AT VANCOUVER ART GALLERY

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, April 23rd, 2006) Over 100 concerned
members of the Vancouver Native community met at the Vancouver Aboriginal
Friendship Centre on Saturday, April 22nd , to show solidarity with the
Six Nations in Caledonia. Vice President of the United Native Nations
David Dennis from the Nuu Chah Nulth states, "As a collective, we decided
that in order to ensure the safety for the Six Nations women, children and
families, we will have a peaceful demonstration on Tuesday, April 25th,
2006 at 12:30 pm at the Vancouver Art Gallery.  We will unite with our
brothers and sisters all across Turtle Island."

The Six Nations camp is unarmed and any police violence against the clan
mothers and youth is unacceptable. On April 20, 2006 at around 4:30 AM,
the camp was swarmed by 150 heavily armed police in cruisers and vans,
using batons, tear gas cannons, and tasers with 16 arrests. One woman was
brutally beaten by five OPP officers.

Organizer Annita McPhee from the Tahltan Nation further states, "We want
to send a clear message to the federal and provincial governments that
they must stop criminalizing our people who are standing up for our land
and against injustices that been brought upon by the colonizers. Canada
must stop using guns to resolve its disputes with the indigenous people ."

Simply because the Ontario and federal governments have committed to
negotiations, the threat of another police invasion is not over. The Six
Nations have stated that the blockades will only end when the people at
the camp decide for themselves whether enough progress has been made in
ensuring an end to the ongoing theft of Six Nations land.

This rally in Vancouver is intended to serve as a deterrence to prevent
any further police escalation against the Six Nations. We stand in support
of the demands of the clan mothers for an immediate cessation of
construction by Henco Industries on Six Nations territory which has never
been
surrendered and was formally recognized by the Crown as part of the 1784
Haldimand Deed and for peaceful resolution to the current standoff to be
conducted on a nation-to-nation basis.

Elders from the community encouraged everyone "to pray for the safety of
the Clan mothers, children, traditional teachers, and hereditary chiefs.
This is a time for all Nations to stand together."

=======================

==> BACKGROUND

On March 3rd, 2006, members of the Rotinoshon’non:we (“Iroquois”) people
set up camp on the Haldimand Tract, located at the entrance to Douglas
Creek Estates, a 71-lot subdivision under construction by Henco Industries
Ltd. on Six Nations territory. This land has at no point been surrendered
to Canada, and was formally recognized by the Crown as Six Nations
territory as part of the 1784 Haldimand Deed. The Plank Road Tract was
subsequently registered as a land claim with the federal government in
1987. The Six Nations, in their submissions to Ottawa, stated that the
reserve was never properly compensated for land sold to non-natives and
land that was taken to build the Hamilton to Port Dover Plank Road. The
Six Nations reserve now covers less than 5 per cent of the original tract
of six miles each side of the Grand River from the mouth to the source.
Meanwhile, the province of Ontario passed legislation allowing this tract
of land to be developed as part of a scheme to draw 4 million settlers
into the Golden Horseshoe area.

Henco Industries successfully obtained a court injunction last month to
have members of Six Nations who are camped out on the territory forcibly
removed by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). A revised injunction
issued by an Ontario Supreme Court Judge on March 28th states that those
who refuse to vacate the property are guilty of criminal and civil
contempt, and will be fingerprinted and photographed as part of a
probation order. In delivering his judgment, Provincial Court Judge David
Marshall said this to the Clan Mothers: “What’s the matter with you
people? Why don’t you forget all about the past and listen to me?” On the
evacuation deadline of March 22 issued by Justice Marshall, there were
roughly 300-500 people lined up at the road in support of the Six Nations
and the Clan Mothers held an action that had 50 women blocking the
construction crews

==> POLICE VIOLENCE AND CURRENT SITUATION

On April 20, 2006 at around 4:30 AM, the camp was swarmed by 150 heavily
armed police in cruisers and vans, using batons, tear gas cannons, and
tasers.  Police confirmed 16 arrests and one woman was brutally beaten by
five OPP officers. The police hold a news conference and say they
conducted the raid because an "escalation of activity" posed a risk to
public safety but didn't provide any further details, and it is well-known
that the Six Nations camp is unarmed. "Canada must stop using guns to
resolve its legal disputes with the indigenous people," states Jacqueline
House.

The people at the camp courageously resisted and forced police to retreat
and supporters from across North America arrive at the camp in solidarity.
Deputy Commissioner Maurice Pillon says that the OPP has no immediate
plans to go in again, but that they intend to maintain a perimeter around
the camp and continue their command post in a school near the area. On
April 21, the RCMP joined the OPP presence around the camp and one media
outlet has raised questions about federal military forces in Hamilton.

Simply because the Ontario and federal governments have committed to
negotiations, the threat of another police invasion is not over. The
Haudenoniso have stated that the blockades will only end when the people
at the camp decide for themselves whether enough progress has been made in
ensuring an end to the ongoing theft of Six Nations land. So the Six
Nations blockades remain up and the OPP and RCMP have not been withdrawn.

==> CLAN MOTHERS STATEMENT

The Women, being Title Holders to all lands of Turtle Island, assert our
constitutional jurisdiction over the Haldimand Tract.  We have never and
cannot ever give up our land or our sovereignty.

1. The Six Nations are distinct original nations.  We are to be dealt with
on a nation-to-nation basis by the Crown and all other nations.

2. The Crown must respect our original relationship as set out in the Two
Row Wampum, our jurisdiction as provided in our constitution, the
Kaiannereh’ko:wa, and as respected by Sections 109 and  132 of the BNA
Act, 1867 and according to international covenants that  Canada has
signed.

3. We are to be dealt with on a nation-to-nation basis, as was the custom
before Canada separated from the British Empire. Respect for the
independent international status of the Six Nations by Canada was
established before Canada achieved recognition as a state or gained the
ability to sign treaties on its own.  The independent international
identity of the Six Nations identity has never been legally extinguished.

4. The band councils were established with procedures that violated
international law.  They continue to function as colonizing institutions.
We have never consented to their establishment or their representation.

5. Canada and all its politicians, bureaucrats, agents, assignees and
appointees should cease and desist immediately their attempt to
criminalize and apprehend our people for defending what is rightfully
ours, the land to which we hold title.  Any further action by Canada,
Ontario and their agents shall be viewed as being a direct violation of
the Two Row Wampum, the constitutional accord between the Ratino’shon:ni
and Canada and international law.

6. The claims of Canada and the province of Ontario to have a right to
legislate for the Rotino’shon:ni Six Nations and to grant private title to
our land has no foundation in law.

==> SUPPORT THE SIX NATIONS! FREEDOM FOR COLONIZATION

The racist colonial legacy of Canada continues to devastate the lands and
lives of indigenous peoples and standing in support of the Six Nations
community is a tangible way to stop the settler government’s interventions
in the continued illegal expropriation and exploitation of indigenous
lands and territories.

Please contact government representatives to call for a resolution to the
standoff through political means, rather than policing. Demand for
immediate cessation of all construction by Henco Industries on Six Nations
territory and for resolution to the current standoff to be conducted on a
nation-to-nation basis.

* Ontario Provincial Police, Haldimand County Inspector Brian Haggith
Phone 905-772-3322; Fax 905-772-5815
* Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty
Phone: 416-325-1941; Fax: 416-325-3745; Email:
dalton.mcguinty at premier.gov.on.ca
* Attorney General of Ontario Michael Bryant; Phone: 416-326-2220 or
1-800-518-7901; Fax: 416-326-4007
* Federal Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice
Ottawa Office: Phone 613-992-4275; Fax: 613-947-9475
Constituency Office: Phone 403-216-7777; Fax 403-230-4368; Email:
prentice.j at parl.gc.ca
* Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Phone: 613-992-4211; Fax: 613-941-6900; Email: pm at pm.gc.ca
* Governor General Michaëlle Jean
Phone: 1-800-465-6890 or 613-993-8200; Fax: 613-998-1664; Email: info at gg.ca

==> STAY INFORMED ABOUT THE SITUATION:

- CKRZ 100.3 FM is the Six Nations radio station and live webstream is at
www.ckrz.com
- Regular updates are available at http://sisis.nativeweb.org or
http://auto_sol.tao.ca/
- Email orakwa at paulcomm.ca (Mohawk Nation News) to subscribe and receive
regular updates.
- Send messages of support to the Camp: Dick Hill: 519-865-7722,
519-445-1351 or Hazel Hill: 519-717-4292, 519-445-0719,
thebasketcase at on.aibn.com or Jacqueline House: 905-765-9316;
jacqueline_house at hotmail.com

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