[IPSM] SUN PEAKS RESORT CONTINUES DESTROYING SECWEPEMC LAND

[mandeep]

Subject: SUN PEAKS RESORT CONTINUES DESTROYING
SECWEPEMC LAND
>
> [Skwelkwekwelt-news]
>
> ...from the Skwelkwek'welt Protection Centre.
>
> Secwepemcul'ecw Traditional Peoples Government
>
> Box 837, Chase, bc V0E-1MO ( 250 ) 318 4290 
>
> http://www.skwelkwekwelt.net
>
>
>
> INTERNATIONAL STATEMENT
>
> T'kumlups, Secwepemcul'ecw - Thursday, June 16, 2005
>
> SUN PEAKS RESORT CONTINUES DESTROYING SECWEPEMC LAND
AND SENDING 
> SECWEPEMC
> NATIONALS TO JAIL IN PROCESS
>
> In Kamloops Supreme Court today, Justice F. Cole
jailed four 
Secwepemc 
> Nation
> members Nicole Manuel, Rose Jack, Trevor Dennis and
Mark Sauls for 
> their
> participation in a 4 hour roadblock on August 24,
2001 at 
> Skwelkwek'welt (Sun Peaks Ski Resort).
>
> Sentences ranged from 45 days for 28 year old
Secwepemc mother of 2, 
> Nicole
> Manuel, to 90 days for three other Secwepemc
Nationals, Trevor Dennis 
> 26, Rose Jack 25 and Mark Sauls 24.
>
> Two other Secwepemc Nationals in today's
proceedings, Beverly Manuel 
> and
> Miranda Dick were given suspended and conditional
sentences, 
> respectively.
>
> Following an established pattern since December 15,
2004, Justice 
> Cole denied
> all attempts by the defence to have numerous
constitutional questions
> submitted to his court concerning the BC Lands Act
dealt with before
> sentencing in this matter was administered.
>
> "Since December 15, 2004, we have targeted the
patently 
> unconstitutional 1874
> BC Lands Act as the center of our legal actions and
defense. Canada's 
> 1875
> Duty of Disallowance reaffirms this illegal
definition," stated 
> defendant
> Beverly Manuel.
>
> Secwepemcul'ecw Traditional Peoples Government
spokesperson Janice 
> Billy
> said, "I deplore the imprisonment of my people for
upholding our 
sacred
> responsibility to protect our land from destruction
by Sun Peaks 
Resort
> Corporation."
>
> She added, the "the imprisonment of our people is
just one of the 
> many immoral
> tactics used by the BC provincial courts,
government, and 
corporations 
> to
> continue the theft and destruction of our unceded
lands. Rather than 
> deal
> honorably with us, the government uses the RCMP,
courts, and media to 
> carry
> out their theft and destruction. The young people
jailed have shown 
> tremendous
> courage to stand up to this oppressive and racist
system."
>
> Attending court for the sentencing, Bonnie Andrew,
councillor of the
> Neskonlith Indian Band, said "The government has to
respect our 
rights 
> to this
> land as Indigenous People and quit it's 'business as
usual' 
approach."
>
> Despite the continuing desecration of our
traditional territory and 
> the
> governments refusal to respect our Title to
Secwepemcul'ecw, 
Secwepemc
> Nationals will continue to 'occupy, use and enjoy
all lands within 
our
> Nation'. This is the exact principle which was
mutually agreed upon 
by 
> the
> Secwpemcul'ecw Traditional Peoples Government and
the Shuswap Nation 
> Tribal
> Council on September 20, 2004 prior to the arrests
of three other 
> Sewepemc
> Nationals on September 21, 2004 at Skwelkwek'welt.
>
>
>
> For More Info contact
>
> Janice Billy (250)3184290
>
> jrbilly at mail.ocis.net

"Our system is one of detachment: to keep silenced people from asking questions, to keep the judged from judging, to keep solitary people from joining together, and the soul from putting together its pieces." (Eduardo Galeano)
"Sigan ustedes sabiendo que, mucho más temprano que tarde, se abrirán las grandes alamedas por donde pase el hombre libre, para construir una sociedad mejor." (Salvador Allende, 11 de sept. 1973)

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