[IPSM] Skwelkwek'welt Update

[antoine libert]

INTERNATIONAL STATEMENT
SECWEPEMC'ULECW
NATIVE YOUTH MOVEMENT
DECEMBER 1, 2004

The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) is trying to put another railway in on
Secwepemc land. The CPR workers found some of our ancestors in an
ancestral burial ground and dug them up on Friday, November 19th, 2004.
The elder's and traditional people got together and had a ceremony and the
ancestors told them to rebury the remains at the original burial site.

How would the white man like it if we went in their cemetery and dug up
their remains? They already had their ceremony long ago before any of us
arrived and they should be respected where they were buried. They were
there even before the railroad was built.

We believe in something stronger and that is spirituality. If we believe
in it so much they will help us and show us the way and which actions to
take. We also believe in helping our people to open their eyes and help us
protect the land. We know what's right in our hearts and that's all it
takes is one person. But also remember to stay humble.

CPR did not stop their expansion when they found the first set of remains
and continue to dig, they found another one of our ancestors on Saturday,
November 27th, 2004.  These remains are over 6,000 years ago.  These
remains were given to the Neskonlith Band and they have not been given to
the proper spiritual people and they lay in a box, in a room in the band
office.  The ancestors have already spoken, they must be returned to
the original burial site so they may rest.

Today the Kamloops Daily News wrote a front-page story about this and CPR
said they have stopped work indefinitely.  We heard from a source that
they will continue again in the spring, but we haven't had anything in
writing from CPR.  They are just stalling so they can build up a good
public image but the bottom line is the CPR makes millions per minute by
shipping all the stolen resources off Indian Land.

We need as much support as we can get.  We need to stop this railway
expansion and we need to rebury the ancestors where they  belong.

To see how you can help contact Sawses (250) 679-3451 or at
mindy_2001_1 at yahoo.com
or nymcommunications at hotmail.com

Secwepemc'ulecw NYM

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

SUN PEAKS CORP. AND PROVINCE STAY CHARGES AGAINST THREE SECWEPEMC NATIONALS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

( November 29, 2004, T'kumlups, Secwepemcul'ecw )

In Kamloops bc Supreme Court today, Sun Peaks Corporation, provincial
prosecutor Stephen R. Harrison and bc Supreme Court Justice Lamperson
issued an uncontested stay of proceedings against 3 Secwepemc Nationals
who have been representing themselves; Henry Saul ( Saw - Ses ) George
Manuel Jr. ( Sen XeXe7 t'e Spelqweqs ) and Arnie Jack.  With a packed
courtroom, Justice Lamperson gave no reason for the stay of proceedings,
immediately called for a two minute recess and ran from courtroom 5B.
The three were originally charged as a result of their uncompromising role
to occupy, use and enjoy their un-ceded land in a month-long standoff with
provincial RCMP from August 29, 2004 through to the time of their arrests
at Skwelkwek'welt ( aka Sun Peaks Ski Resort ) on September 21, 2004.

During the standoff, while citing International Law and even contradictory
canadian constitutional law, Saul, Manuel, and Jack maintained that they
were only instruments of their traditional elder's policy and were jointly
authorized by a signed July 11, 2003, Sewepemcul'ecw Traditional Peoples
Government Traditional Territorial Occupation Resolution to occupy, use
and enjoy their un-ceded traditional territory in a physical effort to
halt the immoral and environmentally destructive practices of Sun Peaks
Corporation as dictated by their owners, Masayoshi and his father Masafumi
Ohkubo, top CEO's of Nippon Cable Inc. from Japan.

"At Skwelkwek'welt we were not protesting, we are not protesters, we were
exercising our Inherent Secwepemc Title and Rights to this land and we
will not stop.  This is only the beginning of how we will continue to
pursue a Title case within the setter governments illegal court system
when they drag us to court again. Immediately filing a Notice of
Constitutional Motion/Issue/Question, representing ourselves and
continuing to ask for a deed will be our preferred defense from now on...It
works!" George Manuel Jr. stated with a smile on his face.

In a related Sun Peaks matter, in another courtroom today in Kamloops, a
Secwepemc mother of 2 young children and a member of the Native Youth
Movement - Secwepemc Chapter, Niki Manuel, was found guilty of Mischief (
Section 430 CCC ) stemming from June 24, 2001 at Skwelkwek'welt.   A one
month conditional sentence and 8 months probation was sought by the crown
and granted by Justice Rohrmoser.  Rohrmoser imposed conditions of a
curfew, a 10 kilometre radius restriction from Sun Peaks, no camouflage
and no facemasks.

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