[news] News from the Indigenous Struggle Across Canada

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-----Forwarded Message-----
From: No One Is Illegal - Van <noii_van at hotmail.com>
To: redwire at lists.resist.ca
Subject: [Redwire] News from the Indigenous Struggle Across Canada
Date: 09 Sep 2003 11:47:32 -0700

September 9, 2003 -
The public inquiry into the death of Cree teenager Neil Stonechild began 
Monday, September 8, 2003. He is one of three indigenous men found frozen to 
death just outside Saskatoon over the past decade. In all three cases there 
is strong evidence to suggest that Saskatoon police officers kidnapped the 
men and dropped them off on the outskirts of town.

September 2, 2003 -
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) shot and killed a 17 year old member of the 
Grassy Narrows (Anishnaabe) Nation named Geronimo Fobister on August 27. The 
Provincial Police Emergency Repose Unit and a K9 dog unit tracked down the 
armed young man and shot and killed him on a trail.

Since December 3, 2002, the Anishnaabe community of Grassy Narrows have been 
blockading a logging road at Slant Lake, 80 km north of Kenora, Ontario, to 
prevent logging trucks from entering cut blocks on their traditional lands. 
Until the blockade was set up, members of the Grassy Narrows community had 
been protesting through official channels clear cutting by Abitibi 
Consolidated.

"Grassy Narrows News - Day 269

Ahneen Kakinna,

I have not been able to write any sooner as a result of a family urgent 
matter I had to attend. My adopted daughter was involve in terrible head on 
vehicle accident with her 4 days old son. They were hit by an OPP cruiser on 
the Grassy road. She had to be air lifted to WPG Health Science Center and 
she was on a life support system for 3 days. The baby was not hurt. It 
appears that the police were on wrong side on this one . They just passed 
another vehicle on an up hill. SIU from Toronto are conducting the 
investigation. Charges are pending. For Alana it will a long recovery as she 
still in the hospital. 2 other people were also injured but were not life 
threatening they had broken ribs and facial cuts. There were no injuries 
with the 2 OPP officers.

As of this morning an angry troubled young man by the name of Geronimo 
Fobister took a gun after he was AWOL from a youth correction 
detentioncenter in WPG and made it to Grassy. The stand off with the OPP 
tactical task unit lasted throughout the day on this small reserve bush. 
About 5:00 pm two shot could be heard by on-lookers and it was over.

Grassy is in state of confusion and alot of anger is ringing with the youth. 
Some of the youth gathered at the blockade to give Honour song to the 
falling youth. He was armed with shotgun and half a bottle of 60 oz whiskey. 
Police reported they had tried to negotiate with the youth for two hours. He 
had requested to talk with his 7 year old surviving sister and one point he 
blamed himself for his mothers death 2 years ago and did notwant to return 
to jail. SIU will be called to investigate this tragic ending.

There is a lot of anger from the youth and they are asking why isn't there a 
protocol between the leadership to try to have people from the reserve, 
someone close to have tried to talk to him to give up. Where is this going 
to lead now! Some are trying to encourage everyone to move forward even 
harder towards what we are standing for. You try to climb this mountain but 
we can't reach the top.

Grassy had just celebrated last week that Treaty 3 Aboriginal Police just 
took over from the OPP. What ramification will this bare on them? Will there 
be a Inquest remains to be seen.

The department of Indian Affairs will be meeting the Chief and myself in his 
office on Sept. 4 to discuss the blockade issues, Possible Litigation 
against the Ontario Government for abandoning and walking out from mercury 
pollution negotiation.

Chief Simon Fobister and myself have agreed to meet with Abitibi president 
on September 11 in Montreal. The meeting will focus on our positions and 
what their position is. Chief Fobister is not prepared to negotiate with 
Abitibi until clear cutting on the Grassy Narrows Traditional land is no 
longer happening. We will be prepared to go to their customers and tell them 
about what they(Abitibi) are doing to the land and environment and the 
people who have depended on that land.

Treaty #3 will also be holding their strategy session Sept 15 prior to our 
trip to the World Forest Congress Conference in Quebec city Sept. 20/2003. 
Arthur Manual and other BC groups and chiefs will also be with us......asa 
Steve"

September 1, 2003 -
50 members of the Swan Lake Nation in Manitoba occupied the band 
administration office for several days last week over the misuse of band 
funds and the improper care of buffalo and elk. The band members also 
demanded the resignation of the band administrator and economic development 
officer.

August 29th, 2003 -
Water Wanted : Round Lake First Nation Delcares State of Emergency
Residents of Round Lake First Nation protested yesterday in a plea to the 
Department of Northern and Aboriginal Affairs to do something about their 
water supply. More than 800 residents on the fly-in community located 325 km 
North of Sioux Lookout, have been without more than one hour's worth of 
water for over a week. Chief and council have declared a state of emergency. 
Cutbacks to services and design flaws with Round Lake's water treatment 
plant have resulted in a "third world" water supply. High concentrations of 
micro-organisms and total and dissolved organic carbon in the lake water are 
overwhelming the plant's capacity to provide clean water.

photos at:
http://thunderbay.indymedia.org/news/2003/08/8129.php

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