[IPSM] (Toronto) rally in support of Six Nations

[liisa_s at riseup.net]

*Please forward widely.*
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RALLY AGAINST COLONIALISM AND
IN SUPPORT OF THE SIX NATIONS BLOCKADE:
Minister of Indian Affairs Jim Prentice speaking in Toronto!
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This Friday, April 28
6:30pm at U of T, King's College Circle
(in the field north of College St., west of University Ave.)
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For almost 60 days now, the community of the Six Nations Haudensaunee
Confederacy has held a blockade to defend land that is rightfully theirs
from further encroachment by real estate developers and the Canadian
government. Last Thursday, OPP forces mounted a pre-dawn raid to assault
those taking this stand, deploying cops with guns drawn to pepper spray,
beat and arrest community members. The government had hoped to remove
resistance to the development of Six Nations land by real estate
developer Henco Industries Ltd. The Six Nations community mobilized in
response and drove the OPP out. The community's determination to assert
its national sovereignty and legitimate treaty rights, like the blockade
itself, has only strengthened since.

Audaciously, less than a week after this unprovoked attack, the Harper
government's Minister of Indian Affairs is speaking in Toronto on the
topic of "Native Self-Government." No First Nations leader has
authorized Minister Jim Prentice to speak on this topic, and it is an
issue that he clearly does not understand in even the most basic terms.
In fact, since Ontario's McGuinty government has actively distanced
itself from these OPP actions, the possibility that federal hands were
in on this operation is a very real one. Meanwhile, the threat of
possible RCMP or military intervention continues to hang over the Six
Nations community. The government of Minister Prentice and Prime
Minister Harper still refuses to uphold its treaty obligations and
respect the legitimate leadership of First Nations people. Until they
do, there is nothing Jim Prentice can say that is worth listening to.

It is imperative that this government understand that people will not
tolerate further attacks on the sovereignty of the Six Nations
Haudensaunee Confederacy or other First Nations communities. Come out
this Friday to join in sending this message, and talk to friends and
allies to ensure that we do so in the maximum numbers possible.
Solidarity actions and demonstrations have already been organized in
Tyendinaga, Kahnawake, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and elsewhere. But
the Canadian government remains two-faced, and especially given the
underlying racism of last Monday's demonstration in Caledonia, it is
extremely crucial that solidarity activities spread.

For more information, call 416-997-1562 or email:
amadahy at rogers.com / ocap at tao.ca

For quality, up to date information regarding the Six Nations struggle, see:
http://sisis.nativeweb.org/actionalert/index.html


(If you get the chance, also weigh in on the online poll at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com)
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