[IPSM] A call for your support: Katenies defies the colonial US-Canada

[Jaggi Singh]

http://nooneisillegal-montreal.blogspot.com/2007/03/background-katenies-defies-colonial-us.html
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A call for your support and solidarity

-- Katenies defies the colonial US-Canada Border

-- Out of sight somewhere on Turtle Island

Katenies, Bear Clan, is Kanion'ke:haka/Mohawk from Akwesasne. She is a
mother and a grandmother -- her third grandchild was recently born on
February 28, 2007 -- who works to carry out the Great Law
responsibility to take care of the land for the future generations.

However, an official of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA)
recently described her as "lawless". Katenies has questioned the
authority of the Canadian courts, or any colonial courts and border
officials, over Onkwehonwe (indigenous peoples) of Turtle Island.

Katenies is currently wanted on an arrest warrant, from the Superior
Court of Justice in Cornwall, Ontario, for refusing to appear on phony
customs and border violations.

She and her family -- including her daughter and grandchildren -- have
been harassed by border officials, in various incidents that date back
to 2003. To visit her daughter, Katenies needs to make a simple
2-minute drive, but that drive takes her through two provinces, one
state, and two countries.

As recently as November 2006, Katenies was accused of running the
border. She was ordered to court this past January 18, 2007, but
didn't appear. Instead, she earlier served the courts with her own
Motion to Dismiss, demanding that the courts and border officials
address the jurisdiction question: Does Canada, or the US, have any
jurisdiction whatsoever over the Mohawk people?

Katenies' current struggle occurs in the context of wider issues
concerning the "border", or what Onkwehonwe call "the imaginary line".
For example, there have been repeated attempts to introduce biometric
"smart cards" into Mohawk communities.

Simply put, Katenies refuses to submit to colonial authorities, or
abide by an imaginary line over her and her land.

She remains out of sight of the authorities, somewhere on Turtle
Island, but always under threat of being arrested and detained. If she
is captured, she could be in custody until at least August 2007.

Katenies is not alone. A network is being established to support her
and her jurisdictional challenge, whatever might happen in the coming
weeks and months.

-->  To offer your support, please get in touch by e-mail --
support.katenies at gmail.com -- or by phone via Mohawk Nation News at
450-635-9345. We are working to raise awareness about Katenies' case,
and we will mobilize for both court and jail support if Katenies is
captured.


BACKGROUND INFORMATION

* Katenies' MOTION TO DISMISS, demanding that the jurisdiction
question be addressed, is linked here:
http://nooneisillegal-montreal.blogspot.com/2007/03/katenies-serves-court-with-jurisdiction.html

* Katenies was interviewed as part of No One Is Illegal Radio in
Montreal. The interview is linked here:
http://www.radio4all.net/proginfo.php?id=21783

* MNN: Katenies will not "walk the line:
http://www.mohawknationnews.com/news/singlenews.php?en=en&layout=mnn&newsnr=390&backurl=%2Fnews%2Fnews3.php%3Flang%3Den%26layout%3Dmnn%26sortorder%3D0&srcscript=/news/news3.php

* MNN: Katenies in Cornwall Court
http://www.mohawknationnews.com/news/singlenews.php?en=en&layout=mnn&newsnr=381&backurl=%2Fnews%2Fnews3.php%3Flang%3Den%26layout%3Dmnn%26sortorder%3D0&srcscript=/news/news3.php