[IPSM] Desecration of Secwepemc burial site by Canadian Pacific Railway

[Dan ngh!]

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

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