[Indigsol] reportback from Peace and Friendship Gathering

[mattm-b at resist.ca]

hi,

here is a quick and rough recounting of the peace and friendship gathering
that happened at six nations.

i also plan to write an article that will be a little more readable.

===========================================================================
Six Nations: State of Play

Prsenters: (i didn't get everyone's name)
Leroy Hill, traditional sub-chief
Band Council Chief
Boots
Someone Else

- Land that was granted to Six Nations by the Haldimand Proclamation has
mostly been seized by settlers and the canadian government.  Of the
original 950,000 acres Six Nations currently consists of 46,500 acres. 
That is, 4.9% of the original 950,000 acres.

- Where permissions WAS to use land (leases) was given by Six Nations, the
Canadian Government has mismanaged the leased lands and the money acquired
from the leases.  Six Nations is owed a significant amount of money.

- Six Nations and the Government  are still in negotiations over the land
reclamation at Kanonhstaton and other lands, despte the governments lack
of good faith.

- There are still people on the run due to charges stemming from the land
reclamation.  People are still facing trials, have warrants on them and
are facing charges.  There have been many cases of police brutality.

- Many severe environmental problems faced by people on the reserve.  In
particular the water quality of the grand river, of wells on the reserve
and of the surrounding creeks and streams.

- In 1924 the band council system was forced on six nations.  At the time
of elections there were 27 votes (and some people say that some people
voted twice) for the band council.  The band council os the government
that the canadian governement treats as the legitimate government.

- At this time the band council and the traditional government are working
together in some ways, although it is a delicate alliance.

- There has been another land reclamation started on July 11th.  Ongoing
for 43 days, expanded to stop construction of a hotel on aug. 25th.

Language, Law and Culture

Presenter: Yvonne

- Gave a very short  explanation of some key concepts in Hausenosaunee
language, law and culture.

- in particular, explained the signifigance of several of the wampums,
including the “two row wampum”  which is the treaty between the
Hausenosaunee Confederacy and the canadian government/canadian people.




Tyenidaga, Ardoch

Presenters:
Peter Rosenthal
Chris Reid
Robert Lovelace

Peter Rosenthal:

- the ipperwash report, which was based on an inquiry into the policing of
a (successful) land reclamation where dudley george was murdered by an OPP
sniper, is being ignored by police commissioner Julian Fantino.

- During the policing of the land reclamation at Tyendinaga, a blockade
during the national day of action and another action, Fantino has shown
extreme disregrad for indigenous rights and the rights of protestors; some
of the police officers were following the recommendations made by the
ipperwash inquiry, but fantinos actions went against those
recommendations.  In particular, an OPP sniper team was deployed at the
highway bloackade.  There was a serious danger of a bloodbath on the
highway that day.  The OPP also violated shawn brants rights by
wiretapping him without a judicial warrant.  Shawn Brant was also paraded
naked through the prison intake, something that is illegal, and an
agreement where the blockaders of the highway were offered immunity if
they stopped there protest by a certain time was violated.

- There is a transcript of the conversation between fantino and brant
available on the CBC new website.

Chris Reid

- Despite legal victories, there have been no significant policy changes.

- despite announced changes to the mining act due to the protests of
indigenous people and their allies in ontario, it is unlikely that there
will be any meaningful change for the better; in countrie around the world
similar circumstances have led to changes of mining acts, but in favous of
further liberaliztion, as opposed to protection of indigenous sovereignty,
environment and of all communities to decide whether they want mines in
their region.

- After the blockade was suspended the security company that frontenac
hired moved onto the site.  Reid and lovelace were later contacted by a
former employee of the company who told them that the security company had
been trying to incriminate the protestors by planting evidence at the
blockade site.

- Ardoch wants veto power over mining in its territory.

- Many ardoch protestors are facing contempt charges.  The protests are
continuing.  The canadian government and frontenac (the mining company)
are continuing to try and mine for uranium.

Robert Lovelace, chief of ardoch algonquin.

- the necessity for and effectiveness of non-violent direct action

- legal battles have established algonquin hunting and fishing rights. 
Algonquins “indigenous title” to the land stems from the royal
proclamation of 1763.

- there has been forced relocation of the algonquin in the 20th century.

- In the 1980s the ardoch algonquin engaged in a successful campaign to
prevent commercial harvesting of their wild rice paddies.  They blockaded
access to the rice paddies.  They were raided by the OPP and the lands and
forestry officers.  They engaged in non-violent direct action.

- aboriginal rights are canadian law:  aboriginal rights are colonial law.
 They contradict indigenous sovereignty and self-determination.

- Indigenous nations and people need to be run according to indigenous
laws, one important aspect of which is the replacement of the concepts of
rights with the concept of responsibilities to one another and to the
land.

- Indigenous laws are a part of canadian common law.

- Canadians need to improve our own civil rights, not take away from the
rights of indigenous people.


Concluding meeting

Anouncements:

- T.R.U.E.: two row educating through understanding.  Non-native,
christian, public education organizing in brantford.  Recently focusing on
fighting a major spate of proposed development on six nations land.

- CPT chritian peacemaker teams.

- Amnesty international chapter from kitchener.  Mentioned the “stolen
sisters” report.

- CFS canadian federation of students.  Canadian governments are cutting
funding for indigenous students.  They are fighting for lower tuitions.

- Walk for justice.  In ottawa sept 12 to 15.

- Tyendinaga support committee from montreal.  Calling for a National day
of action on oct. 17th.

- Six nations lawyer:  severe need for money in order to pursue defense of
criminalized six nations protestors.  Also applies to tyendinaga, KI,
ardoch and other struggles.  Need to let people know about the criminal
trials and to go to court for court support.

- Need to contact other indigenous solidarity groups and create a regional
network to get info about different struggles out and to raise funds, etc.

- Anti-war laurier, have been working to supprt grassy narrows, and want
to have a day of action in southern ontario.

- Anti-poverty group from opirg at hamilton.