[IPSM] Monday May 10th: Kanehsatake Solidarity Rally (Montreal)

[Devin Butler]

PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY

Kanehsatake Solidarity Rally
==>Monday May 10 2004
==>Ministry of Public Security, 393 St. Jacques
      (World Trade Centre, Metro Square Victoria)
==>11:00am-1:00pm

On Monday May 10th, a rally will be held outside of the Montreal office of 
Quebec Public Security Minister Jacques Chagnon in order to denounce the 
ongoing actions of the Quebec and Canadian governments to undermine 
Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination in Kanehsatake, and to show 
our solidarity with members of the Kanehsatake community.

This past week, Minister Chagnon announced that the Surete du Quebec (SQ) 
and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) would be backing Kanehsatake 
Grand Chief in exile James Gabriel's newly created police force as they 
pushed their way into Kanehsatake, against the will of many community 
members.  While such an incursion has been "postponed," it is clear to many 
living in Kanehsatake that a constant threat of invasion by the SQ, RCMP, 
and Gabriel's police force remains until a peaceful process of face-to-face 
negotiation and community mediation occurs. Although such a process of 
conflict resolution has strong support from within the community, James 
Gabriel has refused to participate.

To add to the current climate of fear and escalating tensions, 24 members of 
the community have been charged with “participating in a riot” and “forcible 
confinement of police officers.”  These charges stem from the individuals’ 
presence at a peaceful demonstration outside of the Kanehsatake Mohawk 
Police station on January 12th and 13th.  The prosecution of those who 
participated in this peaceful demonstration is part of larger trend of 
criminalizing those members of the community who oppose Gabriel’s 
increasingly totalitarian governance.

Please come out this Monday to show your support for a peaceful resolution 
to the current conflict in Kanehsatake, and to demand an end to the 
provincial and federal government's continued interference, imposition of 
violence, and backing of James Gabriel.

DEMANDS
1) We demand an end to Chagnon’s and the Quebec government’s support of 
James Gabriel and his police force, including a withdrawal of SQ and RCMP 
forces from Kanehsatake and the bordering region
2) We demand the full support and respect of a process of face-to-face 
negotiation and community mediation; this includes respecting the 
community’s selection of a mediator and providing funding for the payment of 
said mediator without stipulation.  If the provincial government is to have 
any involvement in reaching a resolution to the current conflict, it must 
include the entire community
3) We demand that all charges be dropped against Kanehsatake residents 
related to the protests of January 12th and 13th

Organized by the Montreal Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement (IPSM).  
For more information, contact ipsm at resist.ca or call 514-398-3323.

If you are unable to attend Monday’s rally, we urge you to contact the 
following government authorities and demand that they respect the wishes of 
Kanehsatake community members for a Mohawk-to-Mohawk peaceful resolution 
without the use of state intervention and armed aggression.

Prime Minister Paul Martin:
fax: 613-941-6900
email: pm at pm.qc.ca

Jacques Chagnon Ministère de la Sécurité publique
393, rue Saint-Jacques
Bureau 410
Montréal (Québec)
H2Y1N9
Phone : (514) 873-2112
Fax : (514) 873-6597
ministre at msp.gouv.qc.ca

Minister of Emergency  Preparedness Canada, Anne McLellan:
tel: (613) 944-4875 or 1-800-830-3118
fax: (613) 998-9589
communications at ocipep-bpiepc.gc.ca

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