[Indigsol] Reminder: TONIGHT: Celebrating the Defence of Mother Earth - A Fundraiser for the Six Nations Land Defenders Legal Defence Fund

[ipsmo at riseup.net]

Celebrating the Defence of Mother Earth
A Fundraiser for the Six Nations Land Defenders Legal Defence Fund

Movies, Speakers, Music and Free Food!

Monday, April 22, 6:00 to Midnight
Rideau Curling Club, 715 Cooper Street
Free – suggested donation $10 - $20
Wheelchair Accessible
Contact us about ASL/LSQ
http://ipsmo.org
ipsmo at riseup.net

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The IPSM is organizing a fundraiser for front-line land defenders from Six
Nations this Earth Day!

All of the money raised will be going directly to the Six Nations Land
Defenders Legal Defence Fund.


Movies:

1) Day Zero, about the Six Nations Land Reclamation
2) Rough Cut: Toad: Onkwehonwe Land Defende
3) the National Film Board film, Six Miles Deep (subtitled)

Speakers:
- Francine “Flower” Doxtator (a Haudenosaunee land defender, grandmother
and member of the April 28th Coalition(
- Tom Keefer (a member of the CUPE 3903 First Nations Solidarity Working
Group and of the Two Row Society  who has been working in solidarity with
land defenders from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory over the
past seven years. He is on Twitter @tomkeefer.)
- Bob Lovelace, Defenders of the Land, TBC

Music:
- True Rez, award winning hip-hop artists from Six Nations
- Balam Santos
- Mosha Folger

Food will be provided by Food Not Bombs Ottawa, and there is a bar in the
Curling Club


BACKGROUND

In 2006, activists from Six Nations reclaimed a part of their territory,
“Kanonhstaton” that was going to be developed by several construction
companies who had, illegally, invested in Douglas Creek Estates. For most
of the summer of 2006, the land reclamation was highly publicized. Since
then, although it has not generated the same media attention,
Haudenosaunee activists have continued to fight to protect their lands and
waters. Due to this fight, the last six years have seen harsh
criminalization of Haudenosaunee Land Defenders. Dozens of people have
faced criminal charges and several have served substantial time in jail.
In Brantford, an injunction was passed making it illegal for anyone from
Six Nations to be involved in land claims protest within the city.

Several Six Nations activists have also been arrested and charged of
serious criminal offences due to the actions of Gary McHale, a racist
right-wing demagogue with ties to overt white supremacists.  On February
18th several Six Nations land defenders were arrested for allegedly
“obstructing” and “assaulting” OPP officers.

That day anti-native rights activist, Gary McHale, marched onto
Kanonstaton and succeeded yet again in instigating conflict by
unexpectedly marching towards the house at Kanonhstaton and disturbing the
Haudenosaunee people living there.

Later, on April 28th, the police claimed that by being at Kanonhstaton on
April 28th, Flower had breached conditions stemming from the charges on
February 18th.

We must continue to build support for Six Nations land defenders and
resist the actions of the colonial courts in criminalizing Six Nations
land defenders. Flower is still not legally allowed to return to
Kanonhstaton and in order to avoid jail she had to agree to live with her
surety in Toronto – away from her home, her community and friends, her
daughter, and her four grandchildren. All of us living on this land are
treaty people, and we as treaty people must overcome such outrageous and
heartbreaking violations of treaty and human rights by building support
for our friends and allies at Six Nations.

In terms of a legal strategy, money is still urgently needed.

The April 28th Coalition is asking for your help to support Flower in a
number of ways:

• Pass a motion within your union or political organization denouncing
this political repression of indigenous land rights activists.

• Invite Flower and other members of the April 28th Coalition to come and
speak to your group about her case and the larger issues of Six Nations
land rights and activism in support of treaty rights.

• Raise money to help cover the legal costs of appealing the court’s
decision to ban Flower from Kanonhstaton.

• Send money to help Flower cover the cost of replacing the glasses the
police broke while arresting her and to aid with her living costs while
she is in Toronto.

• Come to Flower’s next court appearance at 2pm on June 26th in Cayuga,
Ontario.

• Get involved in the April 28th Coalition.

Email april28info at gmail.com to get in touch with us and tell us how you
can help with any of these matters. Cheques can be made payable to “First
Nations Solidarity Working Group” and mailed c/o Laura Lepper to 193
Tansley Rd., Thornhill, ON, L4J 2Y8. You can also donate money via credit
card or paypal by clicking on the “donate” button at the
http://www.april28.net website.

For more information about the legal defence fund:
http://april28coalition.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/support-flower-stop-the-criminalization-of-six-nations-land-defenders/

For a preview of Six Miles Deep:
http://www.nfb.ca/film/six_miles_deep/clip/six_miles_deep_clip_1


This event has been endorsed by:

CUPE 4600
The Industrial Workers of the World
Opirg-Carleton
Opirg-Ottawa