[IPSM] April 22: Celebrating the Defence of Mother Earth: A Fundraiser for the Six Nation Land Defenders Legal Defence Fund

[mattm-b at resist.ca]

Celebrating the Defence of Mother Earth
A Fundraiser for the Six Nation Land Defenders Legal Defence Fund

Movies, Speakers, Music and Free Food!

Monday, April 22, 6:00 to Midnight
Rideau Curling Club, 715 Cooper Street
Free – suggested donation $10 - $20
Wheelchair Accessible
Contact us about ASL/LSQ
http://ipsmo.org/
ipsmo at riseup.net

Food will be provided by Food Not Bombs Ottawa, and there is a bar in the
Curling Club


The IPSM is organizing a fundraiser for front-line land defenders from Six
Nations this Earth Day!


All of the money raised will be going directly to the Six Nations Land
Defenders Legal Defence Fund.


The night will feature 3 short movies: 1) Day Zero, about the Six Nations
Land Reclamation; 2) Rough Cut: Toad: Onkwehonwe Land Defender and 3) the
National Film Board film, Six Miles Deep (subtitled)


Speakers will include Francine “Flower” Doxtator – a Haudenosaunee land
defender, grandmother and member of the April 28th Coalition, and other
speakers from Six Nations, To Be Announced

Finally, there will be music from Tru Rez, the award winning hip hop group
from Six Nations who have been making music together for past 10 years.
And we will have other performers and/or DJs To Be Announced.

In 2006, activists from Six Nations reclaimed a part of their territory,
“Kanonhstaton” that was going to be developed by several construction
companies who had, illegally, invested in Douglas Creek Estates. For most
of the summer of 2006, the land reclamation was highly publicized. Since
then, although it has not generated the same media attention,
Haudenosaunee activists have continued to fight to protect their lands and
waters. Due to this fight, the last six years have seen harsh
criminalization of Haudenosaunee Land Defenders. Dozens of people have
faced criminal charges and several have served substantial time in jail.
In Brantford, an injunction was passed making it illegal for anyone from
Six Nations to be involved in land claims protest within the city.

Several Six Nations activists have also been arrested and charged of
serious criminal offences due to the actions of Gary McHale, a racist
right-wing demagogue with ties to overt white supremacists. On February
18th several Six Nations land defenders were arrested for allegedly
“obstructing” and “assaulting” OPP officers. That day anti-native rights
activist, Gary McHale, marched onto Kanonstaton and succeeded yet again in
instigating conflict by unexpectedly marching towards the house at
Kanonhstaton and disturbing the Haudenosaunee people living there. Later,
on April 28th, the police claimed that by being at Kanonhstaton on April
28th, Flower had breached conditions stemming from the charges on February
18th.

We must continue to build support for Six Nations land defenders and
resist the actions of the colonial courts in criminalizing Six Nations
land defenders. Flower is still not legally allowed to return to
Kanonhstaton and in order to avoid jail she had to agree to live with her
surety in Toronto – away from her home, her community and friends, her
daughter, and her four grandchildren. All of us living on this land are
treaty people, and we as treaty people must overcome such outrageous and
heartbreaking violations of treaty and human rights by building support
for our friends and allies at Six Nations.

In terms of a legal strategy, money is still urgently needed.

The April 28th Coalition is asking for your help to support Flower in a
number of ways:

• Pass a motion within your union or political organization denouncing
this political repression of indigenous land rights activists.

• Invite Flower and other members of the April 28th Coalition to come and
speak to your group about her case and the larger issues of Six Nations
land rights and activism in support of treaty rights.

• Raise money to help cover the legal costs of appealing the court’s
decision to ban Flower from Kanonhstaton.

• Send money to help Flower cover the cost of replacing the glasses the
police broke while arresting her and to aid with her living costs while
she is in Toronto.

• Come to Flower’s next court appearance at 2pm on June 26th in Cayuga,
Ontario.

• Get involved in the April 28th Coalition.

Email april28info at gmail.com to get in touch with us and tell us how you
can help with any of these matters. Cheques can be made payable to “First
Nations Solidarity Working Group” and mailed c/o Laura Lepper to 193
Tansley Rd., Thornhill, ON, L4J 2Y8. You can also donate money via credit
card or paypal by clicking on the “donate” button at the
http://www.april28.net/ website.

For more information about the legal defence fund:
http://april28coalition.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/support-flower-stop-the-criminalization-of-six-nations-land-defenders/

For a preview of Six Miles Deep:
http://www.nfb.ca/film/six_miles_deep/clip/six_miles_deep_clip_1

Image credit: Jesse Purcell with the Just Seeds collective:
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/just%20seedsSee more
"...education alone will not raise mass consciousness to the point
necessary for resistance." - Kevin 'Rashid' Johnson, Minister of Defence,
New Afrikan Black Panther Party - Prison Chapter