[Onthebarricades] Indigenous protests, October-November 2008

[global resistance roundup]

WEST PAPUA:
* Women's groups call for dialogue
* Rally honours Theys
* Papuans unhappy with regime
* Papuan students call for troop withdrawal, zone of peace
* Papuans reject military presence
* Protesters damage Wamena election office
* Jayapura - thousands march for independence
* Jakarta - Papuans protest
* Police arrest 15 at independence rally
* Papuans join "porn bill" rally
* Timika, Nabire, Yogyakarta - five arrested for flag-raising; flags raised
* Jakarta - Papuans rally against corruption
* Jakarta - solidarity protest

* ECUADOR: Mass protest is peak of week of action by CONAIE
* COLOMBIA: Indigenous people in protest march to Bogota
* LIBYA: Indigenous rebels clash with soldiers
* TAIWAN: Aboriginal groups protest demolition notice
* INDIA: West Bengal - adivasis protest police harassment after bombing
* PERU: Indigenous protesters target oil companies
* CANADA: Tyendinaga Mohawks protest police station, landfill
* AUSTRALIA: Brisbane - indigenous protests face police repression
* INDIA: Karnataka - adivasis protest SEZ
* INDIA: Tamil Nadu - indigenous peoples rally against Sri Lanka, Orissa 
violence
* PAKISTAN: Indigenous group launch protest
* PHILIPPINES: Mining abuses focus of campaign
* CANADA: Community opposes tarsands development over deaths
* MEXICO: Six killed as police attack occupation of ruins
* PHILIPPINES: Indigenous farmers launch protest campaign over land claims
* INDIA: Adivasi revolt over communalist shutdown
* INDIA: Adivasi protest over Arcelor Mittal plant
* INDIA: AP - mining protests spread
* CANADA: Indigenous blockades against Olympic train
* CANADA: Police violently attack Algonquin road blockade
* US: California - Indigenous people protest Columbus Day
* US: New York - protests for, against sales tax on Indian stores
* SPAIN: Herdsmen hold annual protest






http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/11/26/papuan-women039s-groups-call-dialogue-end-decades-clout.html

Papuan women's groups call for dialogue to end decades of clout
The Jakarta Post | Wed, 11/26/2008 11:09 PM | National
The Papuan Women Working Committee has demanded the central government 
to open a dialogue with them on underlying problems facing Papuans 
including human rights violations, corruption and regional autonomy.

Committee member Frederika Korayn said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com 
Wednesday, Papua had been integrated with Indonesia for 42 years but the 
living standards of Papuans had
not improved, with more than 80 percent of women on the island poorly 
educated, in poor health and living in absolute poverty.

"If the government is willing to talk with the government of Aceh, then 
why not with the people of Papua?" she said during a seminar in Jakarta 
which heralded the theme "Fostering
Constituency and National Support for the Rights of Papuan Women".

Further evidence of the low quality of life in Papua was shown by 
population growth figures. Last year only saw 1.5 percent growth, far 
lower from the 10 percent growth recorded in 1971.

She also questioned the benefit of regional autonomy since no clear 
results had been felt directly by the majority of the population.

Another committee member, Hanna S. Hikoyabi, said bridging the gap by 
engaging in more intense dialogue would serve everyone's interests 
better than passing ineffective legislation on regional autonomy.

"Don't let our feeling of trusts and hope toward Indonesia diminish. 
That's why we're asking for dialogue," said Hanna, who is also vice 
chair of the NGO Papuan People's Assembly.

Another seminar speaker, Yenny Rosa Damayanti of the Association of 
Indonesian Legal and Human Rights Aid (PBHI) said problems Papuans face 
could not be detached from how the rest of Indonesia regards Papuans.

"Because we have different skin color and hair, we feel they are 'the 
others', not brothers," she said.

Such a view, she said, was clearly manifested in how the army was 
operating in Papua. The majority of Indonesians oppose military measures 
to solve conflicts, but they somehow applied a different standard when 
it comes to matters involving Papuans.

She proposed Indonesians redefine what constitutes Indonesianness. "Is 
it only the Malay race? Is it only Muslims?" (and)







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Pro-independence group honors Theys

Jakarta Post - November 13, 2008

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura -- On Wednesday some
100 people, calling themselves the Papua Human
Rights Awareness Coalition, commemorated the
seventh anniversary of the death of Theys Hiyo
Eluay, leader of the Papua Presidium Council, who
was killed by government forces on Nov. 10, 2002.

The crowd, led by Buchtar Tabuni, staged a rally at
the Papua Provincial Legislative Council building
after traveling from Abepura city. Earlier, they
marched to the Theys Hiyo Eluay memorial, where
they removed a garbage bin which had been placed
there.

"Why has a garbage bin been placed at the memorial
of a Papuan freedom fighter," yelled someone,
followed by jeers from others. They rolled the bin
in to a ravine. The crowd then marched to the
legislative council office in Jayapura while
chanting "Freedom for Papua".

"Theys was killed, but other Theysus live on, like
me and all Papuans, who will rise and fight for our
freedom," exclaimed Buchtar.

For Buchtar and other Papuans, Theys was a freedom
fighter, despite being branded as a traitor by the
government, due to his wish to withdraw Papua from
the unitary state of Indonesia.

Theys was shot and killed by elite Kopassus
military troops on Nov. 10, 2002, as he returned
from the Kopassus command station in Hamadi,
Jayapura, to commemorate National Heroes Day.
However, his body was not found until the next day
in Koya, a village near the border with Papua New
Guinea.

Theys was a leader to those who wished for an
independent Papua state. They consider the
Indonesian annexation of Papua through the Pepera
referendum in late 1960s invalid as it was not
carried out through a one-man-one-vote system, but
by using a representative method. They demand
independence for Papua.

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Papuans voice discontent with government

Jakarta Post - November 12, 2008

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta -- Anyone who thinks the
discussion on Papuan independence is over should
listen to Hans Gebze and other young Papuans.

"We're not feeling like free people. We are still
poor and alienated while many of us experience
injustice on our home soil. So how can we rule out
trying for independence?" Hans, a member of the
Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association
(PBHI), said on the sidelines of a seminar on Papua
here Tuesday.

More than 100 Papuans attended the seminar, which
quickly turned into a forum for the Papuans to
express their disappointment with Jakarta's
policies.

The purpose of the seminar was to discuss the
situation in Papua since the establishment of the
International Parliamentarians for West Papua
(IPWP), a caucus that aims to gather support for
Papua from the international community. The group's
ultimate aim is a self-determination referendum for
Papua.

The Indonesian government has dismissed the
organization, established in London on Oct. 15, as
nothing more than a tiny collection of Papuans who
lack international support.

Papuan member of the Regional Consultative Council
(DPD), Ferdinanda Ibo Yatipai, said she could
understand the animosity as Jakarta had treated
Papua unfairly. She was referring to alleged human
rights violations against Papuans and exploitation
of Papua's natural resources for the enrichment of
Jakarta.

"We must unite to support the IPWP. Where's the
money the government said had been given to the
Papuans? We must find the embezzlers of the funds,"
she told the seminar.

Rights activist Syamsudin Radjab talked about the
failure of the special autonomy for Papua since its
inception in 2001. "We estimate Rp 26 trillion in
special autonomy funding has been given to Papua
since 2001. But many Papuans aren't enjoying it.
The government must explain where the money has
gone," he said.

Syamsudin urged the government to initiate a
comprehensive program that involved all
stakeholders, such as NGOs and Papuan leaders,
while opening a national dialogue to address
Papua's problems. "Indonesia must learn from the
Timor Leste lesson. We can't pretend that
everything is OK down there in Papua," he said.

Ibo said the IPWP had been established because
Papuans were no longer able to make themselves
heard by the government. "We established a special
committee for Papua at the DPD. But when we wanted
to hold a dialogue with the President, the DPD
chairman simply told us he did not want to attend
the event. What can we do?" Ibo said.

University of Indonesia international relations
expert Hariyadi Wirawan said the threat of
disintegration was real. He said Papua today looked
like Timor Leste before the 1999 referendum when
the government believed the province would remain
with Indonesia.

"That's why the government can't solve the problems
in Papua with military might or by sending more and
more soldiers to the provinces. Instead, the
government must gather sociologists,
anthropologists and NGOs to help them find the root
causes of the problems," he said.

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=================^==================================
I N D O L E F T - News service > >
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Papuan students call for troop withdrawal, zone of
peace

Detik.com - November 3, 2008

Muhammad Nur Abdurrahman, Makassar -- Scores of
students from Papua demonstrated in front of the
Mandala monument on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman in the
South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar on
November 3. They were demanding that the government
immediately withdraw the 6,000 Indonesian military
(TNI) troops stationed in Papua because they have
been intimidating the Papuan people for decades.
This would be in order to create a zone of peace in
Papua.

According to action coordinator Mape, large numbers
of Papuans have been terrorised and accused of
involvement in separatist activities. Yet, according
to Mape, they were simply struggling for the rights
of indigenous Papuans. “Papuan citizens have been
arrested, even killed as a consequence of being
accused of separatism,” said Mape.

Aside from the repressive actions by military forces
in Papua, the protesters also called for the repeal
of Special Autonomy Law Number 21/2001 because it
has failed to bring any benefit to the Papuan
people.

In speeches the demonstrators also protested against
government injustice against Papuans since Papua
became part of Indonesia in 1965 (sic). They also
cited the many health epidemics that have broken out
in various parts of Papua that have been ignored by
the central government in Jakarta.

Following the speeches, the demonstrators held a
theatrical action depicting the repressive actions
by soldiers against Papuans. Accompanied by
traditional Papuan music, the protesters were also
carried away by the unique Papuan music of Waita.
Following the protest action, the students returned
to their dormitories on Jl. Lanto Daeng Pasewang.
(mna/asy)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

****************************************************






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Papua rejects heavy military presence

Jakarta Post - November 4, 2008

Nethy Dharma Somba, Papua -- Around 100 protesters
from the International Parliament for West Papua
(IPWP) staged a rally Monday against an alleged
increase in militarism in Papua outside the
Provincial Legislative Council building.

"We reject militarism in Papua. We see more and
more fully armed Indonesia Military (TNI) soldiers
milling around in villages and towns," IPWP Papua
coordinator Buchtar Tabuni said in his speech. "The
soldiers are supposed to ward off expansion threats
from outside, not watch people in towns."

Buchtar said the number of armed troops in Papua
gave the impression there was a war taking place.
He said the military presence was particularly
strong on Oct. 16 when a rally was staged to
celebrate IPWP's establishment.

The organization was founded in London by two
British parliamentarians with the aim of revising
the 1969 Act of Free Choice, or Pepera referendum.
The IPWP believed the act was unfair because it was
based on a representative system rather than the
one-person-one-vote principle.

"There were so many soldiers conducting searches on
the day, when it is the duty of police to secure
public order," Buchtar said.

The TNI is fighting a low-level armed rebellion
waged by the Free Papua Movement (OPM) separatist
group.

Buchtar also asked the Papuan legislative council
speaker John Ibo to arrange a meeting with Papua's
provincial police chief and the Cendrawasih
Military Command chief regarding the increasing
number of soldiers in Papua.

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http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/nasional/2008/09/30/brk,20080930-138223,uk.html

Crowds Damage Wamena Election Office
Tuesday, 30 September, 2008 | 19:29 WIB
TEMPO Interactive, Timika:Thousands of supporters backing candidates 
running for Wamena regent who did not pass the verification stage 
yesterday went into a violent protest, damaging the General Election 
(KPU) and the Regional Government Council (Bapeda) offices in Wamena, 
Papua.
They all came to the KPU office at Yos Sudarso Street and, because there 
were no KPU officials in sight, they broke windows of the building.

The crowd then moved to the Local Planning Agency (Bapeda) office and 
again broke the windows there. They also burned a honay (Papuan 
traditional house) located on the grounds of an official’s home.

Papua’s Police Criminal Investigation Division director, Paulus 
Waterpauw said his team was monitoring the situation in Wamena. “The 
Wamena Police has not given any reports. I have just landed in Timika,” 
Waterpauw said.
He said that the Papua regional police had not decided whether or not 
they will add more personnel in Wamena given the unsettled situation. 
“We are still investigating,” he said.

However, there has been no information regarding the regent candidates 
who failed to pass the verification stage.

Candidates vying to be regent of Wamena who will go to the next phase of 
the elections are Bartolemus Parayage – Daud Wanma, Musa Mabel – Dani 
Panggabean, Budiman Kogoya – Yunus Metlama, Wempi Wetipo – John R. 
Banua, and Nikolas Jigibalom – Ribka Haluk.

The mob had previously threatened the Wamena KPU, which it accused of 
‘conspiring’ with the Papua KPU. They asked for the Wamena election to 
be postponed but the demand was ignored.

Tjahjono EP






http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE49F1ZB20081016

Several thousand Papuans march for independence
Thu Oct 16, 2008 7:56am BST

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JAYAPURA, Indonesia (Reuters) - About 2,000 people rallied in the 
capital of Indonesia's Papua province on Thursday, calling for 
independence for the remote, resource-rich area in the far east of the 
country.
Shouting "freedom," some protesters carried banners saying "Review the 
act of no choice in 1969," referring to a disputed vote that led to 
Papua being formally incorporated into Indonesia.
Papua, which occupies the western half of New Guinea island, was under 
Dutch colonial rule until 1963, when Indonesia took over. Jakarta 
formalised its rule in 1969 in a vote by community leaders which was 
widely criticised as flawed.
Protest organisers said the march was timed to coincide with a gathering 
of parliamentarians in the British capital London on Wednesday in 
support of self determination for Papua.
About 10 trucks of police sought to block the marchers, although there 
were no reports of violence.
Separatist groups have stepped up protests in Papua in recent months. 
There have also been several small bomb blasts, including at an airport 
in Papua and near a copper mine run by the local unit of U.S. mining 
firm Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.
Police also arrested five people this week after an unidentified group 
hoisted a banned separatist flag in front of a local government office 
in Navire.
(Reporting by Oka Barta Daud and John Pakage in Timika; Writing by Ed 
Davies; Editing by Paul Tait)





http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/16/asia/AS-Indonesia-Papua-Protest.php

Indonesian protesters call for Papua independence

The Associated Press
Published: October 16, 2008

JAYAPURA, Indonesia: Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets 
in eastern Indonesia on Thursday demanding independence for 
resource-rich Papua province.
Riot police watched over the demonstration in the provincial capital of 
Jayapura as protesters denounced a 1969 referendum that gave Indonesia 
control over the former Dutch colony. That ballot, which Jakarta still 
holds up as a valid expression of self-determination, is now widely 
regarded as a sham.
More than 600 students, activists and residents yelled "Free Papua" as 
they headed toward the local parliament, said protester organizer 
Forkorus Yaboisembut.
They were blocked by riot police, who set up barricades on the road 
leading to the legislature and the main university.
Agus Rianto, a police spokesman, said the rally dispersed peacefully.
Indonesia took over Papua from the Dutch in 1963 and formalized its 
sovereignty over the region six years later through a stage-managed vote 
by about 1,000 community leaders.
A small, poorly armed separatist movement has battled Indonesian rule in 
the impoverished province ever since. About 100,000 Papuans — a sixth of 
the population — have died in military operations.







Protest actions to add to Jakarta’s traffic woes

Detik.com - October 20, 2008


Ken Yunita, Jakarta -- It has become like a ‘regular
customer’, traffic crossing Jl. Warung Buncit Raya
in South Jakarta from Ragunan in the direction of
Mampang Prapatan is invariably congested in the
mornings.

This situation will be worsened today, Monday
October 20 by a protest action in front of the
offices of the Justice and Prosperity Party’s (PKS)
central leadership board, which is located on this
stretch of road.

According to the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic
Management Centre website, the demonstration by a
group calling themselves the Papua National
Coalition (KNP) will take place at 8am. The
demonstrators will fill almost half of the road and
result in traffic being even more chaotic than
usual.

Following the protest in front of the PKS offices,
the protesters will switch to the Department of Home
Affairs on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara in Central
Jakarta.


In addition to the KNP, after protesting at the
State Palace at 9am the Papuan Traditional Social
Community Against Corruption (Kampak) will also hold
a demonstration at the Department of Home Affairs.

Following this at 10am, the South Sumatra Social
Alliance of Concern for the Organisation of Clean
Elections (AMSSPPPB) will be holding a protest
action at the offices of the General Elections
Commission on Jl. Imam Bonjol. (ken/nrl)

[Translated by James Balowski.]







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Indonesian police detain 15 over independence rally

Reuters - October 20, 2008

Indonesian police detained at least 15 people and
stopped over 2,000 people from participating in a
planned independence rally in resource-rich Papua
province on Monday, a Reuters witness said.

Police blocked roads as hundreds of Papuans began
streaming in for the rally in Jayapura, capital of
remote Papua, where independence activists have
waged a campaign for nearly 40 years to break away
from Indonesia.

The coordinator of the rally, Buchtar Tabuni, said
he had sought police permission for the rally.

Separatist groups have stepped up protests in Papua
in recent months. The province has witnessed
several rallies to demand a referendum on Papuan
independence and Papuans have hoisted the outlawed
separatist "Morning Star" flag in public places on
some occasions.

There have also been small bomb blasts, including
at an airport and near a copper mine run by the
local unit of US mining firm Freeport McMoran
Copper & Gold Inc..

Freeport's Grasberg mine in Papua -- believed to
have the world's third-largest copper reserve --
has been a frequent source of controversy over its
environmental impact and the share of revenue going
to Papuans.

Papua, which occupies the western half of New
Guinea island, was under Dutch colonial rule until
1963, when Indonesia took over. Jakarta formalised
its rule in 1969 in a vote by community leaders
that was widely criticised as flawed.

[Reporting by Oka Barta Daud and John Pakage;;
Writing by Olivia Rondonuwu; Editing by Bill
Tarrant.]

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Papuan separatist leader arrested

Jakarta Post - October 21, 2008

Nethy Dharma Somba and Dian Kuswandini,
Jayapura/Jakarta -- Police on Monday arrested
separatist leader Buchtar Tabuni as he was about to
attend a massive rally in Jayapura, Papua, to show
support for the newly created international
parliamentarian caucus for West Papua in London.

In Jakarta, a leading legislator said the House of
Representatives would file a protest against the
British Parliament through the British Embassy for
supporting separatism.

Buchtar and 17 other Papuan separatists were
arrested by police at Imbi Park and taken for
questioning to Jayapura City Police headquarters
some 30 meters from the park.

Buchtar was later transferred to Papua Provincial
Police headquarters to be questioned as a witness
in Thursday's rally to celebrate the establishment
of the International Parliamentarians for West
Papua (IPWP) in London.

The provincial police accused Buchtar as the rally
organizer of violating Articles 106, 110, 160, 212
and 216 of the Criminal Code on sedition, agitating
the public and resisting security officers.

Buchtar was released after complaining of illness.
His questioning will continue next week.

Lawyer Latifah Anum Siregar, representing the
separatists, said she regretted the way police had
summoned the separatists to testify. "They were
beaten in public and then forced at gunpoint to
enter police cars," Latifah told The Jakarta Post.

The IPWP was launched with the aim of revising the
1969 Act of Free Choice, or Pepera referendum,
calling it unfair because it was based on a
representative system rather than the one-person-
one-vote principle. However, not all Papuans
support the IPWP, with three prominent Papuan
chieftains -- Amandus Mabel, Dasik Asso and Jimmi
Asso from the Central Mountain Range area -- saying
Papua's choice to be a part of Indonesia was
already final.

"There was no such thing as the establishment of an
international caucus for West Papua in London. It
was just an issue created by an irresponsible group
aiming to destabilize Papua," Jimmi told the local
Cenderawasih Pos newspaper published Monday.

In Jakarta, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said
he had not been informed yet about recent events in
Papua, in which Free Papua Movement (OPM)
supporters reportedly held separatist activities
over the last two days.

"All I know is the Office of the Coordinating
Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs
is currently handling it," Juwono said Monday at
the House.

He called on the public not to label all activities
in Papua as separatist acts. "Don't correlate every
activity there as something that will lead to
disturbances," he said.

Theo L. Sambuaga, chairman of the House's
Commission I overseeing defense, information,
foreign and political affairs, said the protest
would be sent to the British Embassy in Jakarta on
Monday evening.

"We can't accept any efforts to support such a
separatist movement, because it indicates foreign
intervention in our country's affairs," he said.

"The House will also bring the case to the Inter-
Parliamentary Union, which has stated it will not
tolerate any separatist movement."

Dismissing the fact the caucus was supported by
only two British MPs -- Andrew Smith and Lord
Harries -- legislator Abdillah Toha said such
partial support could lead to a bigger movement.

"The government must be aware of 'small waves'
because they can turn into bigger ones," he said.

National Development Party (PPP) legislator Ali
Mudatsir said the government had always been weak
in responding to such issues. "The government must
take a firm stance because this has to do with our
sovereignty," he said.

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Anti-porn bill rally clogs Denpasar streets

Jakarta Post - October 13, 2008

Dicky Christanto and Luh De Suriyani, Denpasar --
More than 5,000 people from various occupations,
religions and organizations stormed Denpasar's main
thoroughfares Saturday with one goal in mind -- to
protest against the pornography bill, currently
being deliberated by lawmakers in Jakarta.

Among the rally participants were several noted
figures, including Regional Representatives Council
(DPD) member GKR Hemas, who is also the wife of
Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, film
director Garin Nugroho and folk singer Franky
Silahatua.

"We want all of you here to know that we,
Yogyakartans, have also refused the porn bill
deliberations as it deeply harms our pluralism.
Therefore you are not alone in this struggle. Let's
unite to get rid of this dangerous bill once and
for all," Hemas told the participants who gathered
at the Bajra Sandhi square in Renon.

"And if the lawmakers insist on passing the bill
then it can have only one meaning: that they have
seriously violated the country's legal system," she
added.

After listening to Hemas' speech, the crowd then
marched five kilometers through the city to Puputan
Badung square, in front of the Denpasar mayor's
office.

The participants in the rally, which was organized
by the Balinese People Component (KRB), carried a
red-and-white flag about 230 meters long as they
cheered the speeches given by several activists
during the march.

At first glance, the mass rally resembled a
national independence day commemoration carnival,
usually held in August in cities such as Jakarta
and Surabaya.

The protesters were welcomed at the Puputan Badung
square by a troupe of female dancers. Their 10-
minute energetic yet sensual modern dance
performance apparently managed to attract most of
the participants' attention as they pushed to get
to the front, near the stage, waiting for more.

After viewing the sexy dance, the crowd was
entertained by a music performance by local rock
band the Geekssmile, whose song lyrics criticized
the government's policies.

Next was a traditional Papuan dance performed by a
group of Papuan students wearing their traditional
dress: koteka or penis gourd.

"Most of the performances on this stage today would
be in violation of the law if the porn bill were
passed, so are we supposed to agree with the bill?"
student activist I Gusti Agung Jelantik asked from
the stage after the Papuans had finished their
dance performance.

"No way do we agree with the dangerous bill,"
someone from the crowd yelled in response.

"If that's so, then we agree that this rally is not
our last. We will continue to protest against the
bill whenever the lawmakers try to deliberate it,"
Jelantik said.

"We will," the crowd answered in unison.

The KRB reiterated its position that the definition
of "pornography" in the bill was too vague, meaning
anybody could be named a suspect and their acts
deemed pornographic.

"The bill has the potential to cause disintegration
because not a single tribe in the country wants to
be humiliated simply because its culture is
considered to be 'pornographic'," said KRB
coordinator I Gusti Ngurah Harta.

Some critics have said the bill is offensive to
women because it considers them simplistically as
the cause of sexual lust. "So let's oppose this
bill which underestimates the role of mothers and
women," the KRB statement said.

A special team from the House of Representatives
drafting the bill is scheduled to hold public
hearings in regions that strongly oppose the bill,
namely Bali, Papua and North Sulawesi, from Sunday
to Tuesday. The team is in Bali on Monday.

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Five arrested for raising banned flag in
Indonesia's Papua

Agence France Presse - October 15, 2008

Timika -- Five men have been arrested after an
outlawed separatist flag was raised in Indonesia's
remote Papua province, police said Wednesday.

A group of people unfurled the outlawed "Morning
Star" flag early Wednesday at in four places
including in front of the local assembly and
government offices in Nabire town, local police
chief Rianto Jatmono said.

"The five people are under police investigation.
Those proven to have raised the flags will be named
suspects on charges of plotting against the state,"
Jatmono said.

Anyone convicted of displaying separatist symbols
faces a maximum of life in prison in Indonesia, a
sprawling archipelago with a history of
secessionist rebellions.

Indonesia won sovereignty over Papua, a former
Dutch colony on the western half of New Guinea
island, in 1969 after a vote among a select group
of Papuans widely seen as a sham.

Many Papuans accuse Indonesia's military of
violating human rights in the province and complain
that the bulk of earnings from its rich natural
resources flow to Jakarta.

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Police seize four raised separatist flags in Nabire

Antara News - October 15, 2008

Jayapura -- Police early Wednesday motning pulled
down and confiscated four Bintang Kejora (Morning
Star) flags of the separatist Free Papua
Organization (OPM) which unidentified people had
raised at four different spots in Nabire.

Nabire District Police Chief Adjunct Senior
Commissioner Rianto said the outlawed flags were
apparenly hoisted as the town was in a total
blackout due to heavy rain.

He said two of the flags were found fluttering in
front of Nabire Regional Legislative Assembly
building and two others in ooutside the Nabire
district admnistration office.

"The perpetrators remain at large but we have
questioned five security guards from the Nabire
district administration office, the Nabire Regional
Legislative Assembly and the Nabire tourist office
as witnesses," Rianto said.

He said the flags were discovered and lowered at 5
am by police officers on patrol duty.

Wednesday morning's incident was the third to have
happened in Papua in less than a month.

On September 17, a group of unidentified locals
also raised the separatist OPM flag at Timika's
Kwamki Lama square but it was then taken down again
before police arrived.

Again on September 23, or less than a week
afterward, another group of people hoisted the
Bintang Kejora flag again before dozens of others
at Cemara street in Timika's Kwamki Baru
subdistrict at a sport only about 100 meters from a
police precinct.

According to Wikipedia free encyclopedia, the
morning star flag represented the territory of West
New Guinea from December 1, 1961 until October 1,
1962 when the territory came under administration
of the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority
(UNTEA).

The flag is commonly used by the West Papuan
population including OPM supporters to rally self-
determination, human rights support and is usually
raised on December 1 each year in defiance of
Indonesian domestic laws.

The flag consists of a red vertical band along the
hoist side, with a white five-pointed star in the
center. The flag was for the first time raised on
December 1, 1961 and used until the United Nations
became the territory's administrator on October 1,
1962.








---------------------------------------------------

Papuans rally at police HQ

Jakarta Post - October 15, 2008

Jakarta Post, Jakarta -- About 100 people from the
Anti-Corruption Papuan Society Alliance Community
(KAMPAK) rallied at the National Police
headquarters in Jakarta on Wednesday, demanding the
police clamp down on what they claim is rampant
corruption throughout their region.

The rally's coordinator, Julius S., said corruption
in Papua had cost the people dearly and left many
of them struggling in poverty.

"We demand the police move in and arrest those
suspected of corruption who are still roaming free
in Papua," Julius said at the rally, as quoted by
Antara news agency.

Police personnel supervised the protesters, some of
whom were wearing traditional Papuan costumes. The
police then invited about 10 of the protesters into
the police building to meet senior police officers.

The protesters said they would continue their
demonstrations and would next visit the Attorney
General's Office and the Home Ministry office.
(rid)

---------------------------------------------------







---------------------------------------------------

Thousands rally for Papuan independence

Agence France Presse - October 16, 2008

Thousands of Papuans demanded a referendum on
independence from Indonesia during a peaceful rally
watched by hundreds of riot police.

At least 5,000 people gathered in the Papuan
provincial capital Jayapura to denounce the 1969
referendum that handed sovereignty of the resource
rich former Dutch colony to Indonesia.

Carrying banners demanding "freedom" and calling
for international attention, they tried to march on
the provincial parliament building but were blocked
by police.

"We refuse the 1969 referendum and urge the
Indonesian government to organise a new referendum
of independence for Papuan people," protest
coordinator Bucktar Tabuni said.

One speaker told the crowd through a megaphone:
"Our children weren't born to be tortured and
killed by Indonesia's security forces. Our only
wish is for Papuans to be treated well as human
beings."

Many Papuans accuse Jakarta of stealing the rugged,
largely undeveloped province's natural resources.
Indonesia's military is also accused of rights
abuses and corruption, especially around foreign-
owned mines.







---------------------------------------------------

Several thousand Papuans march for independence

Jakarta Post - October 16, 2008

Jakarta -- About 2,000 people rallied in the
Jayapura, Papua, on Thursday, calling for
independence for the remote, resource-rich area in
the far east of the country, Reuters reported.

Shouting "freedom", some protesters carried banners
saying "Review the act of no choice in 1969",
referring to a disputed vote that led to Papua
being formally incorporated into Indonesia.

Papua, which occupies the western half of New
Guinea Island, was under Dutch colonial rule until
1963, when Indonesia took over. Jakarta formalized
its rule in 1969 in a vote by community leaders
which was widely criticized as flawed.

Protest organizers said the march was timed to
coincide with a gathering of parliamentarians in
the British capital London on Wednesday in support
of self determination for Papua.

About 10 trucks of police sought to block the
marchers, although there were no reports of
violence.

Separatist groups have stepped up protests in Papua
in recent months. There have also been several
small bomb blasts, including at an airport in Papua
and near a copper mine run by the local unit of US
mining firm Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.

Police also arrested five people this week after an
unidentified group hoisted a banned separatist flag
in front of a local government office in Nabire.

Separately on Thursday, a group of Papuan students
hoisted the Papuan separatist flag the Morning Star
(Bintang Kejora). The students claimed nine other
flags were also hoisted at none other places across
Indonesia.






---------------------------------------------------

Morning Star flag raised in Yogyakarta

Tempo Interactive - October 16, 2008

Bernarda Rurit, Jakarta -- The Free Papua
Organization flag the Morning Star reportedly
hoisted in Yogyakarta on Thursday morning to
coincide with a convention on West Papua held in
London.

The flag was reportedly raised at a dormitory for
Papua students belonged to the Papua Province
administration on Jl. Kusumanegara Yogyakarta at
about 4 AM. No flag were seen at 7:20 AM at the
student complex.

A spokesman for a Papua student association in
Yogyakarta Roy Liqua said the flag was raised to
coincide with the meeting of International
Parliamenter for West Papua in London. The
convention claimed by the students started on
Wednesday and will end on Friday.

Students also said the flag was raised
simultaneously in several region in the country,
and they were planning an action in Jakarta.

Indonesia won controll of Papua from the Dutch
Colonial in 1969, twenty four years after the
country declared independence from Japan.







---------------------------------------------------


Seven protest actions to enliven Jakarta today

Detik.com - October 16, 2008

At 10am, the offices of the Central Leadership Board
of the National Awakening Party on Jl. Sukabumi, in
the Menteng area of Central Jakarta will be visited
by the Jakarta Papua Social Solidarity Forum
(FSMPJ).






http://ecuador-rising.blogspot.com/2008/11/mass-indigenous-protest-in-defense-of.html

Friday, November 21, 2008
Mass Indigenous Protest In Defense of Water Caps Week of Mobilizations 
in Ecuador
Written by Daniel Denvir for UpsideDownWorld

Thursday, 20 November 2008

Photo Courtesy of Comunicación CONAIE
Over 10,000 indigenous people from hundreds of Ecuador’s Northern Sierra 
(highlands) communities gathered to present the native movement’s 
proposed Water Law. Protesters chanted, “Water is not for sale, it is to 
be defended,” as speakers excoriated President Rafael Correa’s draft 
Water Law, saying that it could lead to privatization and pollution by 
mining companies.

The protest was organized by the Confederation of Peoples of the Kichwa 
Nationality (Ecuaranari), the Sierra regional block of the Confederation 
of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE). Marches left from the 
North, South and West to converge on the Pan-American Highway, blocking 
the country’s central artery for over six hours.

The march also showed the indigenous movement’s capacity to mobilize 
large numbers of people, a sign that the CONAIE is recovering from past 
internal divisions and political defeats. Correa has regularly insulted 
indigenous leaders and anti-mining activists, claiming that they do not 
represent a real political base. But indigenous people at
Wednesday’s protest were passionate about defending their access to 
clean water.

Maria came to the march from the community of Santa Anita, in the 
Central Sierra province of Chimborazo: “We are here to defend the water. 
We take care of the páramos (Andean wetlands) to get our water. We don’t 
get our water for free. They say they’re going to take away our water, 
and we’re not going to let them.”

The protest came two days after thousands of campesinos and coastal 
fishers staged nation wide protests and road blockades against Correa’s 
draft Mining Law and support for large-scale shrimp farms. Activists 
contend that the law would allow companies to undertake damaging 
large-scale and open pit mining in ecologically sensitive areas, 
contaminating the water supply with heavy metals. Fishers demanded that 
Correa overturn Decree 1391, passed on October 15th, which handed 
thousands of marine hectares over to large-scale shrimp farmers. This 
will lead to the further destruction of mangrove forests, critical 
habitat for the area’s fish, crabs and conchs. Participants in all of 
this week’s marches have emphasized the importance of natural resources 
to their communities.

Five people were arrested during Monday’s protests, including Jorge 
Sarango, a former Constituent Assembly member from the indigenous party 
Pachakutik. While Sarango has been released, the other four activists 
remain in jail.

Ceaser Quilumbaquin came to Wednesday’s march with over 400 people from 
San Miguel del Prado, a community in the province of Pichincha.

Photo Courtesy of Comunicación CONAIE
”We’re fighting for our water because they want to privatize it. We are 
indigenous people and the majority of water comes from our páramos. 
Water is life, and the government wants to sell water to private 
entities,” said Quilumbaquin.

This week’s mobilizations are an important demonstration of growing 
social movement unity and independence from the government of President 
Rafael Correa. Activists say that this week’s mobilizations are the 
beginning of a larger movement to confront Correa’s environmental 
policies. Correa scored a huge political victory in September when 
voters overwhelmingly approved a new constitution, weakening the 
traditional political parties and business elites. Social movements, and 
the indigenous movement in particular, were instrumental in mobilizing 
their members to vote “yes”—but they have
in recent months increasingly distanced themselves from the government.

Although the Left has been in conflict with Correa since he took office 
in January 2007, September’s defeat of the right wing has emboldened 
social movements in taking on government social and environmental 
policies. Indeed, water and anti-mining activists invoke the new 
constitution’s strict environmental provisions in demanding local 
control over community territory.

Ivonne Ramos of Acción Ecologica, said, “The constitution prioritizes 
the use of water to ensure food sovereignty, for small livestock and 
agriculture, and for human consumption. Water for industry comes last.”

And, in an interesting move, legislators usually close to Correa—from 
the Popular Democratic Movement (MPD) as well as Correa’s own party, 
Alianza País (AP)—showed up to speak in support of the Water Law. While 
the MPD has become increasingly critical of Correa in recent weeks, it 
seems likely that AP lawmakers’ presence has more to do with posturing 
than a real political shift.

Indigenous delegates from Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala and Mexico addressed 
the crowd and, recounting their own struggles in defense of water, 
expressed their solidarity with Ecuador’s indigenous people.







http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=231903&CategoryId=14089

Indians continue protests
Quito (EFE) – Ecuador’s powerful federation of Indian groups defied the 
national government Wednesday,
vowing to press ahead with its highway-blocking protests against a 
free-trade pact with the United States despite imposition of a 
state-of-emergency prohibiting such actions.
Luis Macas, head of the group known as Conaie, told foreign journalists 
in Quito that the Indians are protesting to block any trade deal with 
Washington, to press their demand for the nationalization of Ecuador’s 
oil, and to force authorities to convene a constitutional convention 
aimed at radical structural change.
Soldiers in armored personnel carriers and on bulldozers deployed in six 
provinces of central Ecuador on Wednesday to remove barricades blocking 
highways and enforce a rights-suspending state-of-emergency imposed to 
quell the protests.
But Indian leader Humberto Choyán declared at midday: “Our mobilizations 
remain unchanged.”
Macas said that Ecuador’s contracts with foreign-owned oil companies, 
“besides infringing on the rights of indigenous communities, damage the 
interests of the country.”
Therefore, he said, Quito should proceed with nationalization of the oil 
sector, and should start by canceling its contract with U.S. firm 
Occidental Petroleum.
Both the attorney general’s office and state-run PetroEcuador have 
sought the expulsion of Oxy from oil fields in the Amazon region, 
claiming that the California-based company – which pumps and sells about 
20 percent of Ecuador’s oil – has violated its contract.
Crude oil is Ecuador’s chief export, funding about one-third of the 
annual government budget, and most of the petroleum it lies in the 
overwhelmingly Indian-populated Amazon provinces.
Macas also reiterated Conaie’s 16-year-old demand for a constitutional 
convention.






http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/6046572/Colombian-Indians-in-protest-march-to-Bogota

Colombian Indians in protest march to Bogota
Published: Monday 10 November 2008 22:05 UTC
Last updated: Tuesday 11 November 2008 10:31 UTC
Thousands of Colombian Indians have set out on a 500-kilometre march to 
the capital Bogotá in protest against President Alvaro Uribe's policies. 
The Indians are demanding the government adhere to earlier agreements on 
the restitution of land to indigenous tribes. They are also protesting 
against a free trade agreement with the United States and against human 
rights violations against Colombia's indigenous peoples.

Most of the protesters departed from the city of Cali on Monday, and are 
expected to arrive in Bogotá in more than two weeks. At the end of last 
month, more than 30,000 Indians went to Cali in a failed attempt to 
force the president to meet them.








http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7012974144

Eleven Dead In Southern Libya Clashes
November 10, 2008 8:53 a.m. EST

The Media Line Staff
Al-Kufra, Libya (TML) At least 11 people have been killed in clashes 
between government forces and rebels in southern Libya since protests 
broke out there last week, rights organizations say.
Human-rights groups say security forces began battling rebels and 
civilians in Al-Kufra, in southeast Libya last week.
Clashes involve members of the Tabu tribe, who were protesting against 
discriminatory laws and a lack of medical services. Military units and 
helicopters were soon dispatched to the region to quell the mutiny, 
opposition groups say.
The reports are hard to authenticate because of the closed and secretive 
nature of the Libyan regime. Reports of the clashes have largely been 
leaked by bloggers and opposition groups.
There has been no mention of the clashes in the Libyan media, which toes 
the line of the regime.
Libyan opposition groups contacted by The Media Line said they had 
accounts of the events but asked not to be mentioned by name so as not 
to risk their sources in Libya.
A critic of the regime told The Media Line there was a deliberate policy 
of media blackouts when such incidents occurred.
Tension with the Tabu tribe began in December when the government 
accused their leaders of siding with Libya's rival, Chad, and stripped 
them of their citizenship.
One organization said the tribe was involved in illegal weapons trading 
over the borders of Libya, Chad and Sudan and this had put them at odds 
both with the regime and with other members of the Tabu tribe.
What the regime is doing is a blatant human rights violation because its 
forces are targeting unarmed civilians, a Libyan opposition activist 
said. He added that recent reports suggest that roads leading to and 
from Al-Kufra have now been cut off, essentials such as food are not 
arriving in the area, and that a "humanitarian catastrophe is on the 
horizon."
Libya is trying to patch up relations with the West after decades of 
diplomatic isolation and the latest incidents cast a shadow over 
Tripoli's efforts to show a positive image to the West.
Libya is paying $1.5 billion to a fund as compensation to American 
victims of Libyan-linked terror attacks in the 1980s. The payment 
removes one of the major hurdles to normalizing relations between 
Tripoli and Washington.
Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice paid a historic 
visit to Tripoli. Rice is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit 
Libya in more than 50 years.
In 2003 Libyan President Mu'ammar Al-Qadhafi announced his country was 
abandoning its Weapons of Mass Destruction program, a move that began 
Libya's rapprochement with the West.
The release of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor from a 
Libyan jail last year after being accused of infecting Libyan children 
with AIDS was another step towards reconciliation with Western powers.
Despite a thaw in relations with the West, critics say the regime is 
still stifling opposition and is dealing with any expressions of dissent 
inside the country with an iron fist.





http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/11/13/2003428528

Aborigines protest demolition notice
By Loa Iok-sin

Thursday, Nov 13, 2008, Page 2
Frightened by a demolition notice posted by the Taipei County Government 
on Nov. 5, residents of the Sanying Aboriginal Community shaved their 
heads in front of the county hall yesterday, asking officials to live up 
to an agreement reached in March.
“We came from our faraway home villages into the city for our survival. 
The government never came to our aid, and is trying to kick us out of 
our homes,” Sanying residents and their supporters sang to an ancient 
Amis tune.

Five people sat on stools with a banner that read “Fight until the end” 
while having their heads shaved.

Tears ran down faces of some of the protesters.

The Sanying Community is located on the banks of the Dahan River (大漢 
溪) in Taipei County.

Most of the residents are Amis Aborigines from Hualien and Taitung 
Counties who work as construction workers in Taipei.

Unable to afford living in the city, they built their own homes with 
abandoned construction materials some 20 years ago.

However, contending that the community could be flooded, the county 
government ordered that the people be evicted and the community’s 
buildings be demolished, with the most recent demolition in February.

Determined to stay, the residents rebuilt their homes.

Weeks before the March presidential election, Sanying residents, along 
with Aborigines from other communities that were to be demolished, 
demonstrated outside the campaign headquarters of Chinese Nationalist 
Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), asking him for 
help.

Soon after the demonstration, KMT Taipei County Commissioner Chou 
Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) reached an agreement with the Aborigines during a 
meeting on March 13, promising to leave the Aboriginal communities 
untouched until “the county government finds a piece of land that is 
acceptable to both the government and the residents for the Aborigines 
to rebuild their communities,” a transcription of the meeting conclusion 
reads.

But a demolition notice posted by the county government on Wednesday 
last week frightened the residents.

“The Sanying residents build luxury homes that they can never afford by 
day, then return to their small, miserable houses at night, and never 
complained,” Chiang Yi-hao (江一豪), a Sanying Self-Help Association 
spokesman said. “Why can’t the government just leave them alone?”

A low-level county Water Resources Bureau official surnamed Lin 
explained that the demolition notice doesn’t include the residents’ houses.

“It just means that we wanted to remove structural garbage along the 
river that may block the flow of water,” Lin said.

However, both Lin and the Indigenous Peoples Bureau director Chu 
Ching-yi (朱清義) would not comment on whether the March 13 agreement is 
still valid. A source speaking on condition of anonymity said that a 
demolition of the Sanying Community could take place next month.






http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/tribals-protest-harassment-after-salboni-landmine-blast_100118691.html

Tribals protest harassment after Salboni landmine blast
November 13th, 2008 - 7:39 pm ICT by IANS -
Kolkata, Nov 13 (IANS) Thousands of tribals staged a demonstration 
Thursday in West Bengal’s Lalgarh, a backward tribal-dominated region in 
West Midnapore district, to protest against the police, alleging 
harassment after the Salboni landmine blast Nov 2.Armed with improvised 
weapons, tribals, including women and children, squatted on dug up roads 
in Maoist-hit Lalgarh.
They cut off the area from the rest of the district, protesting the 
alleged harassment of local people. The villagers also blocked all 
approach roads with huge tree-trunks.
“The area is on boil since the landmine blast. We’re trying to iron out 
the impasse through a process of dialogue,” West Bengal Home Secretary 
Ashok Mohon Chakraborty told reporters here.
He said the district magistrate Thursday held a meeting with all 
political parties and tribal communities in that region to resolve the 
issue.
According to officials, the Bharat Jakat Majhi Marwa Juan Ganta, a 
tribal body, was spearheading the agitation in the area.
Trouble began at Lalgarh last week after the district police arrested 
some school students and allegedly heckled tribal women in connection 
with the landmine blast that went off when the convoy of Union Minister 
Ram Vilas Paswan and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee 
was passing near Salboni. Both the ministers had a narrow escape in the 
incident.
The road connectivity between Lalgarh and Salboni was blocked at 13 
points near Jhitka forest with big trees. The road leading to Jhargram 
was dug up at several places at Katapahari.
“The Chief Minister told us to intervene into the situation and if 
anything happens we’ve orders to immediately start investigation,” said 
Chakraborty.
Villagers alleged the police often arrested people living in that area, 
mostly tribals, on the suspicion of being Maoists. They claimed that the 
police broke open tribal homes at midnight and beat up women in course 
of their investigation.
A landmine had exploded close to Paswan’s security vehicle near Salboni 
and injured six policemen of a pilot car.
The incident took place shortly after chief minister’s convoy passed 
through the area. The convoy was returning after inauguration of JSW 
Steel’s mega 10-MT steel plant in West Midnapore district.






http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/west-bengal-tribals-protest-police-harassment-lead_100118781.html

West Bengal tribals protest police harassment (Lead)
November 13th, 2008 - 11:44 pm ICT by IANS -
Kolkata, Nov 13 (IANS) Thousands of tribals, including women and 
children, squatted on dug up roads in Maoist-hit Lalgarh in West Bengal 
Thursday to protest alleged police harassment and the arrest of some 
school students following the Nov 2 landmine blast targetting the convoy 
of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and two union ministers.The 
tribals blocked all approach roads to Lalgarh, in West Midnapore 
district, by placing huge tree trunks on the roads.
Meanwhile, a meeting between the civil administration, police officials 
and the agitating tribals Thursday failed to find a way out of the impasse.
“The Bharat Jakat Majhi Marwa Juan Ganta (BJMMJG) tribal group reached a 
consensus with us and decided to withdraw the agitation. But a few 
Maoists have taken the upper hand and don’t want to call off this 
agitation,” R.K. Singh, superintendent of police, West Midnapore 
district, told IANS.
The Maoists are warning the BJMMJG against withdrawing the agitation, he 
said.
“The area is on the boil since the landmine blast. We’re trying to find 
a way out through dialogue,” West Bengal Home Secretary Ashok Mohon 
Chakraborty told reporters earlier in the day.
Trouble began at Lalgarh last week after the district police arrested 
some school students and allegedly heckled tribal women in connection 
with the landmine blast that went off when the convoy of Union Ministers 
Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitin Prasada and West Bengal Chief Minister 
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was passing near Salboni. Both the ministers had 
a narrow escape in the incident.
Villagers allege that police often arrested people on suspicion of being 
Maoists. They claimed that the police broke open tribal homes at 
midnight and beat up women in the course of their investigation.
A landmine had exploded close to Paswan’s security vehicle near Salboni, 
injuring six policemen of a pilot car.
The convoy was returning after inauguration of JSW Steel’s mega 10-MT 
steel plant in West Midnapore district.
On Friday the civil administration and police will meet the tribal group 
at Lalgarh to find a consensus over the impasse.






http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/tribals-protest-police-excesses-in-west-bengal_100119171.html

Tribals protest ”police excesses” in West Bengal
November 14th, 2008 - 9:01 pm ICT by ANI -
Midnapur (West Bengal), Nov 14 (ANI): Tribals in Jhargram-Lalgarh belt 
of West Midnapore district of West Bengal staged a protest against the 
alleged ”police excesses” in the area on Friday.
The residents of Jhargram-Lalgarh belt are incensed as they allege that 
policemen investigating the November 2 landmine attack on West Bengal 
Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee have been torturing women and 
making “indiscriminate” arrests.
The tribals cut off almost four blocks in the district from the rest of 
the state by digging up roads and felling trees across them.
The protesters have also blocked different entry points into the 
Jhargram-Lalgarh area for more than a week now.
The protesters, wielding sticks, bows, arrows and choppers allege that 
innocent tribal residents in villages like Chotopelia, Kanta Pahari, 
Dehijudi, Khejua, Bandhgadha, Amalavati were being labeled as Maoists by 
the police and harassed.
“The police officials are coming to the villages and arresting the men. 
They come in the night. If they have to come, they should come during 
the day time. If people are guilty they should come with warrants. They 
should not come without arrest warrants and they should come during the 
day not at night. They call us Maoists. They themselves are Maoists. 
That is why they come at night,” said Sangita Murmu, protester.
Despite several parleys between the locals and the District 
Administration, a solution to the problem has remained elusive.
“The administration cannot take hasty steps. It could lead to more 
trouble or misunderstanding. Some people have some problems and are 
angry. The district administration and police have assured them that 
action would be taken against those guilty if complaints are filed. 
Discussions are going on even now,” said Ashok Mohan Chakravorty, Chief 
Secretary, West Bengal Government.
Trouble began at Lalgarh last week after the district police arrested 
some school students and allegedly heckled tribal women in connection 
with the landmine blast that went off when the convoy of Union Ministers 
Ram Vilas Paswan, Jitin Prasada and Bhattacharjee was passing through 
Bhadutala. They had a narrow escape.
Villagers allege that police often arrested people on suspicion of being 
Maoists. They alleged that the police entered tribal homes at midnight 
and beat up women in the course of their investigation.
The landmine exploded close to Paswan’’s security vehicle near Salboni, 
injuring six policemen of a pilot car.
The convoy was returning after the inauguration of JSW Steel’’s mega 
10-MTsteel plant at Salboni in West Midnapore district. (ANI)






http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=428033

West Bengal tribals protest 'indiscriminate' arrests
________________________________________

IANS Sunday 9th November, 2008
The West Bengal government Sunday held a series of meetings with tribals 
and residents of West Midnapore district who are up in arms against 
alleged police atrocities and 'indiscriminate arrests' after landmine 
ambush of the chief minister's convoy here Nov 2.

Reports from Salboni said District Magistrate N.S. Nigam has agreed to 
consider withdrawing cases registered against three students for their 
suspected involvment in the attack by suspected Maoists.

'Few tribal religious leaders were present at the meeting. All of us 
will try to persuade residents and the tribals to stop the protests and 
withdraw the siege on Lalgarh police station,' Nigam told IANS by phone.

However, in Kolkata, Inspector General of Police Raj Kanojia said: 
'There were long and positive discussions.'

Six policemen were injured in the incident, with union ministers Ram 
Vilas Paswan and Jitin Prasada and Chief Minister Bhuddhadeb 
Bhattacharjee having a close shave while returning from groundbreaking 
ceremony of the JSW Bengal steel plant.

Red-faced over the attack, despite the presence of scores of security 
personnel, the police cracked down on the adjoining villages to get 
clues and rounded up eight people.

Irate people and tribals dug up roads, put up road blockades and laid 
siege to the Lalgarh police station after the arrest of three students 
Thursday. All three were freed on bail the next day.

The tribals also complained of police brutalities, saying even their 
womenfolk were not spared during repeated raids on their villages.

Holding rallies, displaying their traditional weapons bows and arrows, 
the tribals also snapped power supply near Khoirasol village, plunging 
surrounding areas into darkness.

The tribals have demanded that the police apologise for the 'atrocities' 
and release all residents of Lalgarh held after the attack.

During the first round of meeting Sunday, the opposition parties staged 
a walkout as the state's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist accused 
them of being 'hand-in-glove' with the Maoists.







http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/25/stories/2008112555641000.htm

Opposition parties join tribal protests against police
Special Correspondent
KOLKATA: Opposition parties staged demonstrations at different places in 
West Bengal on Monday protesting alleged police excesses on tribals in 
Paschim Medinipur district. Parts of the district have remained 
virtually cut off for more than a fortnight following an agitation by 
locals in Lalgarh, demanding action against police for highhandedness.
Fresh roadblocks were set up by protesters in the Jhargram sub-division 
of Paschim Medinipur district as well as in parts of adjoining Bankura 
district, according to reports reaching here.
Procession
A group of tribals led by Trinamool Congress leaders took out a 
procession at Asansol in Burdwan district in protest against the alleged 
police atrocities.
Those leading the agitation alleged that police excesses had been 
committed on Lalgarh villagers during police raids to track down those 
responsible for the IED blast that narrowly missed Chief Minister 
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s convoy on November 2.
Supporters of the Congress and its youth wing staged demonstrations in 
the Jhargram subdivision against the ‘police excesses.’ They squatted 
for two hours on the highway that links Kolkata to Mumbai, causing 
severe traffic disruptions.








http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5337802.stm

13 September 2006, 10:13 GMT 11:13 UK

Amazonian tribe protests at oil pollution
Indigenous communities of the Peruvian Amazon are stepping up their 
campaign against oil companies, as the BBC's Dan Collyns reports from 
the capital, Lima.

Some feel the rights of indigenous populations are not taken seriously
Peru's Amazon state, Loreto, takes up almost a third of the entire country.
A vast expanse of rainforest divided by tributaries of the Amazon river, 
even its main city Iquitos is only accessible by boat or plane.
But its inaccessibility has not discouraged oil companies from hunting 
for black gold, and they have been doing so for the last 35 years.
During that time, the Achuar people, who have lived in harmony with 
their environment in this part of western Amazon for thousands of years, 
say their way of life has been systematically violated.
The Federation of Native Communities of the Corrientes' river (FECONACO) 
says that for every barrel of oil there are nine barrels of contaminated 
water produced as a by-product - a total of more than a million barrels 
a day.
The water contains high concentrations of hydrocarbons and heavy metals, 
like lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic.
The Achuar people say it is destroying the fragile eco-system in which 
they live, killing the fish and wildlife, contaminating their water 
source and seriously damaging their health.
Health problems
Geanina Lucana is a nurse who has been working with indigenous 
communities in the area for six years. She says the contamination 
affects every part of the human body, causing a chronic breakdown of the 
immune system.

The Achuars say high levels of toxins in the water are damaging their health
"The toxins affect the central nervous system, causing a complete mental 
and physical breakdown. I've seen a person die but the doctor was not 
able to determine a single cause of death," she said.
It is widely acknowledged that high levels of heavy metals, hydrocarbons 
and chlorides can cause serious physical and mental health problems, 
including cancer and genetic deformities.
A survey carried out by Peru's Ministry of Health in May found that 
cadmium levels in the blood of more than 98% of the Achuar exceeded safe 
levels.

The oil companies, with the complicity of the state, are systematically 
violating our human rights

Robert Guimaraes, vice president of AIDESEP
And more than 66% of children had levels of lead in their blood which 
exceeded the maximum permissible.
Yet despite the evidence of its own health ministry, the Peruvian 
government has been slow to act.
Different worlds
Last week, Achuar leaders, with the help of two not-for-profit groups, 
brought their fight to Peru's capital, Lima.
At one end of a large boardroom table, two apus - or community leaders - 
sat dressed in western clothes but with their traditional head-dresses.
At the other end of the long table sat three suited officials from Peru 
Petro - the state-run body which issues licences to foreign oil companies.

For a short time these people from different worlds inhabited the same 
space, while the community leaders from the jungle spoke of their 
outrage in their own Achuar language.
"I represent 31 communities and we all say we don't want more oil 
companies on our land," said Cesar Dawua, leader of the Providencia 
community.
"You live happily here in Lima working for the Peruvian state," he told 
the state officials. "We too want to live happily in our community of 
Rio Corrientes - but we can't because of the contamination.
"That's why we've come to say to you loud and clear that this is the 
last opportunity that we have to try to resolve this issue - you can't 
allow this to drag on any more."
The issue was not resolved, however, despite the appeals of the 
community leaders.
Extreme poverty
Both FECONACO and the Inter-ethnic Association for the Development of 
the Peruvian Jungle (AIDESEP) have appealed to their government to make 
the oil company, in this case Pluspetrol, re-inject the contaminated 
water back into the earth.
Pluspetrol say they plan to be able to re-inject 20% of the waste water 
by 2009.

The region is classified as being in extreme poverty
However, Peru's vice-minister for energy and mines, Pedro Gamio, says 
the government is pressing Pluspetrol to re-inject 100% of the 
contaminated water by that date.
He added that the oil company stated this would be impossible because it 
lacked the correct equipment to carry out the work.
Mr Gamio went on to say he could not order them to stop production 
because this would affect the country's economy and in turn a portion of 
the company's royalties, which are returned to the Corrientes region.
The region provides 60% of the oil consumed in Peru. At the same time it 
is also officially registered as a zone of extreme poverty.
The Peruvian government says the oil and mineral companies are bringing 
wealth and helping development in the country.
But those representing indigenous communities say they pay too heavy a 
price.
Robert Guimaraes, vice-president of AIDESEP, says: ""The Peruvian state 
is incapable of imposing sanctions on those who pollute our rivers and 
our land. Where is the justice?"





http://intercontinentalcry.org/tyendinaga-mohawks-charged-for-protesting/

7 November

Tyendinaga Mohawks Charged for Protesting

More than a dozen Tyendinaga Mohawks in southern Ontario are facing 
arrest for opposing an expensive new police station, paid for in part by 
the Federal Government of Canada, and for demanding the closure of a 
second landfill that is believed to be destroying and contaminating 
local water sources. An estimated 80 per cent of the community’s water 
wells are currently contaminated.
A total of 27 criminal charges have been laid, all of which are said to 
be in connection to a set of protests that were held on October 27 and 29.
However, as a November 5 statement from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory 
explains, the charges seem moreso aimed at silencing those from the 
community “…who maintain scrutiny over Band Council operations and 
spending.”
“[It] amounts to an unprecedented attempt to criminalize and jail any 
effective opposition that exists in the community. This is an attack on 
our families, our children, our culture and the way we think. This has 
moved beyond a simple community dispute. The federal government is 
making a final push to eradicate those people who believe in the 
strength and power of the Mohawk Nation and who will stand in its 
defence,” the statement reads.
As for the police station, the community’s concern is that the 
Tyendinaga Band Council, with the support of the Federal Government, is 
ignoring the water crisis. They say the money used for the needless 
building, which cost $1.9 million, should be allocated toward providing 
safe water and for addressing poor housing conditions in the community.
Concern over the quarry operation, on the other hand, is stemming from 
“the tremendous speed with which [it] has been established and grown in 
size,” continues the November 5 statement. “Community members are aware 
of the extremely rigorous environmental study and assessment practices 
that are required before quarries and aggregates can be established 
elsewhere in the province. Such laws do not apply on reserves and 
concern as to whether environmental and safety assessments have been 
properly conducted and meet recognized professional standards.”
“These fears have increased in recent weeks as households in the direct 
vicinity of quarry operations have experienced water problems and 
collapsed wells for the first time ever.”
“The quarry is operated by Build-All Contractors, a company owned by 
[Tyendinaga] Police Chief Maracle’s brother. The site preparation and 
overseeing of the building construction at the site of the new police 
station was also awarded to Build-All, the Police Chief’s brother, in an 
untendered contract.”
“With army helicopters and fighter jets circulating the Territory today, 
the Federal Government of Canada is making it clear that it intends to 
exercise what it views as its interest in community affairs.”
For background and more information, please head over to the Tyendinaga 
Support Committee website, www.ocap.ca/supporttmt/.






http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/11/07/7335996-cp.html

Arrests in a pair of protests at reserve near Belleville
By THE CANADIAN PRESS

BELLEVILLE, Ont. - Thirteen people are facing charges for protests last 
week on the Tyendinaga Mohawk reserve, east of Belleville.
Police have laid a total of 27 charges against 11 adults and two youths 
for protests at the Buildall quarry on Oct. 27 and another demonstration 
two days later at the proposed site of a new police station.
In the Oct. 29 demonstration, protesters managed to block trucks 
carrying the modular building that was supposed to serve as the 
reserve's new police station.
Some of the reserve's residents are upset that the $1.9 million set 
aside for the station isn't being used for other projects, such housing 
and water improvements.
Charges were also laid against another three people for a protest at the 
quarry in September.
Tyendinaga police say they expect to make more arrests over the next few 
days.






http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/01/2407626.htm

Indigenous protesters demonstrate in Brisbane
Posted Sat Nov 1, 2008 2:19pm AEDT
• Map: Brisbane 4000
Indigenous protesters have gathered in Brisbane, venting their anger on 
a range of issues.
There has been a rally underway in Queen's Park in the CBD over the 
bashing death of an Aboriginal man just south of Brisbane last weekend, 
the conviction of Palm Island rioter Lex Wotton and a planned ceremony 
to recognise police involved in the 2004 riot.
The riot was sparked by the death in custody of Palm Island man Mulrunji 
Doomadgee.
Aboriginal activist Sam Watson says a petition will be delivered to 
Parliament House this afternoon calling again for a Royal Commission 
into his death.
"We believe that a high level Royal Commission is the only true forum in 
which we can expose all the issues," he said.
Police officers will receive bravery awards in Townsville on Monday for 
their actions in the Palm Island riot, four days before Wotton is due to 
be sentenced.






http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=32952863226&topic=7835

QLD Police Target Lex Wotton Benefit Gig
Displaying the only post.

Post 1
Lauren wroteabout an hour ago
*media release 23/3/09 Police Target Lex Wotton Benefit Gig

On Saturday night 21st of March two arrests were made following police 
harassment of a Palm Island Indigenous man leaving a benefit gig held to 
support Lex Wotton’s family. Lex Wotton is currently serving a six year 
jail sentence for his part in a community protest in response to the 
cover-up of the death in custody of fellow Palm Island resident Mulrunji 
Doomadgee in November 2004.

The gig was an alcohol free all ages live music event held as part of 
regular Saturday night activities at Blackstar Coffee Roastery in West 
End, none of which previously had attracted any police interest.

“From the start of the benefit gig, which included performances about 
black deaths in custody, uniformed police in unmarked cars patrolled the 
street, driving past at least five times before stationing two police 
cars and a police wagon at the end of the street. Despite no incidents 
at the event the police clearly expected to make arrests” said Robert 
Nicholas, one of the organisers from the Aboriginal Rights Coalition.

An Indigenous man from Palm Island who had attended the event was 
walking home when he was stopped at the end of the street by ten police 
officers who questioned why he was at the event. Several concerned 
people walked up the street and asked police why they were not letting 
the man go home, to which they replied that he needed an ‘escort’.

“We told them that one of us would walk home with him, and that he 
didn’t require a police escort or presence. At this point they started 
becoming very agitated and calling us ‘ignorant left-wingers’. The 
harassment was clearly politically motivated and meant to intimidate” 
said David Stone, one of the arrestees.

After further questioning the man was allowed to walk home. Our small 
group then attempted to go back to the gig but Owain Jones was stopped 
and police said they wanted to search him because his ‘backpack smelt 
like cannabis’. When he objected police threatened to take him to the 
police station. When asked why he was being searched police told us 
‘walk away or be arrested’. Another man, David Stone, repeated the 
question and was grabbed by two police and arrested. When we protested 
that we hadn’t done anything wrong four police then wrestled an 
unresisting Owain Jones to the ground and violently held his arms behind 
his back.

It was only when a cameraman taping the Benefit Gig arrived to take 
footage of these two unprovoked arrests that one police officer yelled 
‘camera, camera!’ and the other officers restraining the men stopped and 
escorted them inside the police wagon. A police search at the watchouse 
revealed nothing illegal on either person. Both were charged with 
‘obstruction’ which they will be challenging in court.

These actions on behalf of Queensland police show the extreme abuse of 
the amended ‘police ‘move-on powers’ which allow police to enforce 
search directions and use ‘move-on’ directions to avoid scrutiny by the 
public. Their violent and antagonistic behaviour prior to there being a 
camera present demonstrate the lack of accountability for acts of 
intimidation based on the political motivations of some officers.

Witnesses and arrestees will be filing complaints regarding the 
harassment and abuse of police ‘move-on’ powers with the CMC.

Contact: Lauren Mellor (Aboriginal Rights Coalition) 0413 534 125
Thomas Day (Event Organiser, Blackstar Coffee) 0423 412 171








http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/07/stories/2008110759750300.htm

Karnataka - Mangalore

Activists return to Kudubi-Padavu, stage protest against MSEZ
Staff Correspondent
The disputed 15.34-acre plot has been flattened by the company
________________________________________
Some Kudubi tribal people say they have not received compensation
Decision taken to intensify the agitation in the coming days
________________________________________

VOICING THEIR OPPOSITION: Activists taking an oath that they will not 
allow their land to be acquired by Mangalore Special Economic Zone at 
Kudubi0-Padavu on Thursday.
MANGALORE: The activists of the anti-Mangalore Special Economic Zone, 
who had gone into hiding following alleged threats to their lives, 
returned to Kudubi-Padavu village for an agitation on Thursday only to 
find that the place had completely changed.
The Kudubi-Padavu village, which was popularly known as emerald green 
farmland until a few days ago, now resembles a barren playground. The 
Mangalore Special Economic Zone Ltd (MSEZ), which is seeking 15.34 acres 
of land here for the construction of some temples, has flattened the 
land, allegedly without the permission of its owners.
The activists, who, led by the Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti, held a 
meeting here on Thursday, vowed to retrieve the land that had been 
allegedly taken over by force. The members of the Jamat-e-Islami Hind, 
seers of the Kollya and Khemaru maths and the Nagarika Seva 
Trust-Guruvankere, a non-governmental organisation, also participated in 
the meeting.
But, some of the Kudubi tribal people told The Hindu on Thursday that 
the resurgence of theses activists might have come a tad too late. “When 
the company’s contractors were running bulldozers on our lands there was 
nobody to support us. Our fertile farmland land is now under tons of 
infertile soil; everything is ruined,” said a Kudubi tribal woman.
Vidya Dinaker of the Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti (KBSS) told The 
Hindu that she had received threats from contractors and proponents of 
the MSEZ. While she abstained from attending the Thursday’s meeting out 
of fear, Natesh Ullal, a KBSS activist who attended the meeting, said 
that several Christian members of the samiti were living in fear of the 
police. One of the Christian members of the samiti said: “The police 
lathi-charged some Christians in this region, when they were on a 
peaceful protest against the attacks on churches. Now, there was a 
feeling of mistrust towards the police. That is why we were reluctant to 
openly support the Kudubis’ cause.”
Honnappa Gowda of the Kudubi community said: “I have never taken any 
money from anybody in exchange for my land. Still the company 
contractors are forcibly entering my land.” He claimed that the company 
officials refused to furnish any proof for the company having taken over 
his land. “They are maintaining that they have bought my land. But, they 
are not revealing who did they pay the compensation to,” he said.
Theresa Bai, a land-loser, said: “All the documents pertaining to to my 
land are with me. Yet, the company officials entered my land in my 
absence and filled it with soil.”
Those who spoke at the meeting told the residents here that they would 
support them in their struggle, henceforth. The over-500 activists 
decided to intensify their agitation in the coming days.





http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/02/stories/2008110253530300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Dharmapuri

Kuravas stage demonstration
DHARMAPURI: Members of the Tamilnadu Kurava Tribal Association and the 
cadres of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) staged a 
demonstration before the Dharmapuri Collectorate condemning the attack 
on Tamils in Sri Lanka and attack on minority Christians in Orissa. Mr. 
P. Devakrishnan, State Deputy Secretary of the Tamilnadu Kurava Tribes 
Association and State Dy. Secretary of the Ezhuchi Pasarai of VCK 
presided over the demonstration.
They raised slogans against the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka and 
attack on Christians in Orissa. Demonstrators also demanded that the 
district administration should evict the the caste Hindus who had 
encroached on the land allotted to the Kuravas in Survey Number 102 and 
103 in A. Reddihalli. About 50 persons participated.






http://www.dawn.com/2008/11/06/rss.htm#e6

Protest launched against the Zardaris Thursday, 06 Nov, SANGHAR: Dozens 
of people belonging to Chakrani tribe staged a protest against the 
Zardaris here on Wednesday. They were carrying dead body of a woman, 
Hazooran 40, wife of Dhani Bux Chakrani. The protesting Chakranis 
blocked Mirpurkhas road in front of a local press club. (Posted @ 05:12 PST)






http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/11/06/news/international.group.protests.mining.in.macambol.html

Thursday, November 06, 2008
International group protests mining in Macambol
By Ben O. Tesiorna

INTERNATIONAL group Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (Cafod) 
protested the alleged irregularities committed by the two mining 
companies in their mining operation in the City of Mati.

What's your take on the Mindanao crisis? Discuss views with other readers

The protest action was conducted in United Kingdom last week and a 
launching of its report is set in Davao City on Thursday.

In its report entitled "Kept in the Dark", Cafod accused BHP-Billiton 
and its estranged local partner, Asiaticus Management Corporation 
(Amcor), of committing errors in getting their Free and Prior Informed 
Consent (FPIC) from the indigenous community in Barangay Macambol, where 
the mining area is located.

"The process between 2001/08 to secure approval for the project from 
Macambol's indigenous peoples, as required under Philippine law, was so 
seriously flawed that it cannot be considered valid.

The authority of the indigenous leader who gave consent for mining is in 
question.

This indigenous leader was allegedly on the payroll of Amcor, 
BHP-Billiton's joint venture partner.

Individuals were prevented from speaking out and some indigenous groups 
known to oppose mining were deliberately excluded from the process," the 
report stated.

The report also accused Amcor of bribing local community leaders and 
government officials to get support for the mining project and silence 
opposition to mining.

"Amcor and Philippine government officials allegedly offered bribes to 
community leaders to buy support for the project and to silence 
opposition to mining. BHP-Billiton's code of business conduct, which 
applies to all of its joint venture partners, strictly prohibits 
bribery. Cafod has no evidence to suggest the BHP-Billiton staff were 
involved, but believes that the company has a responsibility to ensure 
partners and contractors it has chosen to work with do not partake in 
bribery or corruption. On the basis of this research, Cafod believes 
that BHP-Billiton has applied insufficient due diligence over its joint 
venture partner Amcor," it said.

Macambol Mandaya leader Rufino Mapinogos, meanwhile, denied any bribery 
made by Amcor to his community. He said what the Filipino-owned 
corporation gave the lumads in Macambol were programs and projects that 
are part of the company’s social responsibility.

"Para kanamo, dili bribery ang pagtabang kanamo aron makasustiner, 
ma-organisar ang katawhan. Dawat namo ang responsableng pagmina. Gitudlo 
na kanamo sa among partner nga local mining company ang mamahimong ilang 
buhaton kun ugaling makasugod na ang operation (Helping us sustain the 
livelihood and organize our people is not bribery. We support 
responsible mining. The local mining company has briefed us on what it 
intends to do once operation starts)," Mapinogos said.

Cafod said that BHP-Billiton has also failed to give people sufficient 
information about the project and all of its potential impacts.

"BHP-Billiton has failed to give people sufficient information about the 
project and all of its potential impacts. The community is not well 
informed and has not had access to independent analysis of the social 
and environmental impacts of mining. This has limited people's ability 
to make an informed decision. The reality of life below the poverty line 
has left people easily swayed by hope of work and promises of community 
development assistance from BHP Billiton, without evaluating the 
longer-term impacts of mining on their future livelihoods and the 
environment that supports them," the report said.

Lastly, Cafod said the project's potential dangers to the environment 
and to local livelihoods are undeniable.

"The Hallmark project falls between two nationally designated protected 
areas: Pujada Bay and the Mount Hamiguitan wildlife sanctuary. Mining 
development in this area of rare and endangered species, including the 
Philippine Eagle, could lead to irreversible loss of biodiversity," it 
said.

"Mining could lead to increased soil erosion, landslides and 
flashfloods. Pollution from mine waste or chemicals could endanger the 
livelihoods of the 65,000 people from communities that border Pujada 
Bay," the report added.

The group said that making things worse is the fact that the Philippine 
government agencies responsible for monitoring the environmental impacts 
of mining are "under-resourced and lack independence."

Mines and Geosciences Bureau chief for Southern Mindanao Edilberto 
Arreza meantime described as premature the demand for the mining 
companies doing exploration in Mati City to make public their 
environmental protection program.

Arreza said that since the mining companies are still in exploration 
stage, they have not yet submitted any environment protection plan 
before the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). He 
said the environment protection plan will only be submitted after the 
exploration stage and once the company fully decides to mine the area.

"Still premature pa for them to judge or comment that the environment 
will be destroyed," Arreza said.







http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/11/24/7513861-sun.html

Community protests tarsands
Oilsands development a danger to aboriginal community: Band member
By KEVIN CRUSH, SUN MEDIA
The Edmonton Sun

Mike Mercredi, a community member of Fort Chipewyan, was on hand 
yesterday at Edmonton’s Native Friendship Centre to talk about the 
impact an oilsands development is having on his First Nations community. 
(KEN ARMSTRONG/Sun Media)
EDMONTON -- Fort Chipewyan is facing a "genocide" from oilsands 
development, says a member of the First Nation.
"It's a slow, industrial genocide and Fort Chipewyan is a sacrifice," 
Mike Mercredi, 33, warned attendees at the Everyone's Downstream 2 
conference at Edmonton's Native Friendship Centre yesterday.
Mercredi, who works for the band studying traditional land use, said 
after his speech that this is a case of history repeating itself.
"It was biological warfare with smallpox (after the European settlers 
arrived) and now we're almost facing that again," he said.
"We're facing another form of biological warfare and it's killing us 
off. It's genocide. They know it's there but they're denying it."'
Upstream from Fort Chipewyan, oilsands companies are busy mining the 
area around the Athabasca River.
Their sites are each allowed to release small amounts of waste into the 
water, which Mercredi says is collectively building up and devastating 
his tiny community of 1,200, located 610 km northeast of Edmonton.
Approximately 40 people attended the conference yesterday morning.
Put on by the Indigenous Environmental Network and Oilsands Truth, the 
conference tried to highlight the impact of oilsands development on 
First Nations communities.
"We have got to create space like this to bring together all these 
different interests that, in our opinion, truly represents the 
majority," said organizer Clayton Thomas-Muller, an Ottawa-based 
tarsands campaigner with the Indigenous Environmental Network.
While the conference highlighted Fort Chipewyan, it also drew attention 
to the impact of an oil refinery being built near a First Nations 
community in North Dakota and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Thomas-Muller said the effects of development are hurting more than just 
aboriginal populations.
"Anyone living below Canada's poverty line who can't afford $3,000 rent 
in Fort McMurray is going to be impacted."
But it's further north where Mercredi sees the damage. A former truck 
driver with Syncrude Canada, he said he quit a year ago when he realized 
he was part of the problem that was destroying the community he grew up in.
As a child, he said the community could go years between funerals, but 
now they are held almost monthly.
Since 1990, 108 people have died and Mercredi claimed much of it is 
being caused by chemicals in the water.
Studies have refuted that, but Mercredi said those studies never 
questioned the people who were actually sick.
He said Fort Chipewyan is a sacrifice to development and no one seems to 
care.
But he suggested the circumstances would be different if the river 
flowed south to Edmonton.
"There's only so much that people would say about a First Nations 
community and help out, but once it's in a capital city and people there 
were dying, it would be an epidemic."






http://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-10-04-2710996370_x.htm

6 villagers killed in clash at Mexico ruins
Posted 10/4/2008 8:59 PM | Comment | Recommend

by Moyses Zuniga Santiago, AP

A man looks at damaged state and federal police vehicles after clashes 
broke out a day earlier near the entrance to the Mayan archeological 
ruins of Chinkultic in southern Mexico, Saturday Oct. 4, 2008. Indian 
protesters occupying the entrance say six of their comrades were killed 
in violent clashes with police trying to re-open the entrance to the 
ruins, while state officials have not confirmed the exact number of dead 
but acknowledge that several people died in the clash. Indian 
inhabitants took over the entrance in September to protest what they 
called excessive entrance fees and a lack of maintenance. (AP 
Photo/Moyses Zuniga Santiago)

By Manuel De La Cruz, Associated Press Writer
SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, Mexico — Police clashed with hundreds of 
villagers who seized the entrance to a Mayan archaeological site and six 
protesters were killed, state officials said Saturday.
Hundreds of villagers had occupied the entrance to the Chinkultic ruins 
for nearly a month, saying they were protesting excessive entrance fees 
and a lack of investment in the area.
The protesters fought police with sticks, rocks and machetes, according 
to the state Justice Department. Protesters managed to wrest guns away 
from some officers and poured gasoline on others, threatening to set 
them on fire, the department said.
Six protesters were killed in Friday's raid, and two dozen other people 
were injured, including 16 police, the department said.
Irma Trinidad, an indigenous leader who participated in the clash, said 
six of her comrades were shot to death by police. She said 10 other 
protesters had bullet wounds and 28 were arrested.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Mexico | Justice Department | History | Guatemalan 
| Montebello | National Institute of Anthropology | Tzotzil
Chiapas state Justice Secretary Amador Rodriguez Lozano ordered 300 
state police who participated in the raid to be detained for 
questioning. No charges have been filed.
Chinkultic is a Mayan archaeological site about 1,200 years old, located 
near the Montebello lakes near the Guatemalan border.
The villagers, most of them from the Mayan Tzeltal and Tzotzil cultures, 
drove administrative workers off the site on Sept. 7 with sticks, but 
allowed the archeologists to keep working.
The protesters charged visitors 20 pesos (US$1.80) for entrance rather 
than the official 35 pesos (US$3) and said they would use the money to 
fix roads and make other infrastructure improvements.
Tourists continued to visit the site during the takeover. At a booth 
outside the entrance, officials from the National Institute of 
Anthropology and History warned tourists about the protests but said the 
site was still open to visitors.





http://i.abcnews.com/International/wireStory?id=5960805

5 Police Held in Deadly Clash at Mexican Ruins
5 Mexican police arrested in death of villagers during clash at Mayan ruins
By MANUEL DE LA CRUZ Associated Press Writer
SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, Mexico October 6, 2008 (AP)
The Associated Press

Five state police officers were arrested in southern Mexico on Sunday in 
connection with a deadly raid to dislodge protesters from a Mayan 
archaeological site.

Villagers sit in a police truck prior to being released in Chiapas, 
Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 5. 2008....
(AP)
The five officers led an operation on Friday to remove hundreds of 
mostly indigenous villagers who had occupied the entrance to the 
Chinkultic ruins for nearly a month, the Chiapas state Justice 
Department said. The officers could face homicide charges.
Protesters fought back with sticks, rocks and machetes, the department 
said. They wrested 75 guns from the officers and poured gasoline on 
others, threatening to set them on fire.
State Justice Secretary Amador Rodriguez Lozano said four villagers were 
killed and two are missing. Two dozen other people were injured, 
including 16 police officers. Indigenous leaders said the two missing 
protesters were found dead, bringing the toll to six.
The villagers, most of them from the Mayan Tzeltal and Tzotzil cultures, 
were protesting what they call excessive entrance fees and a failure to 
reinvest gate revenues in local infrastructure and environmental 
protection. They also demanded a role in the administration of the ruins.


They invaded the site on Sept. 7, driving away administrative workers 
but allowing archeologists to keep working. They had operated the front 
gate ever since, charging visitors 20 pesos (US$1.80) rather than the 
official 35 pesos (US$3) and saying the money would go to fixing roads 
and other infrastructure improvements.
Another 295 police who had been held for questioning were released by 
Sunday. But the Justice Department said more could be arrested as 
investigations continue.
Lozano also said authorities are considering an offer from the villagers 
to hand over the stolen weapons in return for the release of 30 detained 
protesters.
Chinkultic is a 1,200-year-old Mayan archaeological site near the 
Guatemalan border.






http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20081020-167465/Bukidnon-farmers-protest-delays-in-pacts

Bukidnon farmers protest delays in pacts
By Grace Cantal-Albasin
Mindanao Bureau
First Posted 17:47:00 10/20/2008

Filed Under: Protest, Forest and forest management
MALAYBALAY CITY, Philippines—Bukidnon farmers belonging to indigenous 
communities are protesting delays in the processing of their 
applications for forest management agreements.
The issue raised by Bukidnon indigenous farmers comes after the 
decade-old struggle of Sumilao farmers under the Comprehensive Agrarian 
Reform Program.
The farmers, who have been occupying expired and canceled ranches 
located in Maramag town in September, staged a protest rally at the 
Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in 
Pangantucan town on Monday to protest the alleged slow-paced processing 
of their forest management applications.
The farmers, belonging to the Alliance of Landless Farmers and Rural 
Poor in Bukidnon -- Task Force Mapalad (Alyansa- TFM), complained of the 
alleged incompetence of Elpidio Magday, the CENRO chief in Pangantucan, 
after their application for a Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) 
agreement got stuck on the required documents.
The farmers alleged that Magday has been deliberately stalling their 
applications because he had yet to ask the National Commission on 
Indigenous People for the conduct of the Free Prior Informed Consent 
(FPIC), a requirement for a forest management agreement.
The informed consent is a community consultation especially among the 
indigenous peoples who live in the area and who are applying for a 
forest management agreement.
The community-based forest management scheme will serve as the tenurial 
instrument of Alyansa farmers who now occupy the cancelled ranches.
Oscar Mañiego, Alyansa-TFM chairperson, said there was no reason for the 
CENRO to delay their papers because they had filed their application 
right after Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza cancelled the forest 
land grazing lease agreements of ranches belonging to Allan Uy and the 
Ocaya family on August 20, 2008. The farmers who took over the Villalon 
ranch had applied for a community forest management agreement as early 
as last year.
"How can Secretary Atienza grant our CBFM application when this local 
environment office is not responsive to our request? In so doing, it is 
not working in consonance with his advice," said Mañiego.
The protesting farmers were told that Magday was only waiting for the 
90-day grace period given to the leases and that CENRO has also been 
waiting for the order from the central office.
The farmers, however, vowed to continue to demand for the speedy 
approval of their application and warned of another camp-out at the 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional office next week.
Mañiego said Atienza advised them to start occupying and tilling the 
area pending his approval of their CBFM.
"In fact, the local government through our respective barangays 
(villages) already filed resolutions endorsing our application," Mañiego 
said.
Farmers belonging to the Panalsalan Dagumabaan Tribal Association 
(Padata) occupied the 520-hectare ranch in the villages of Panalsalan 
and Dagumbaan, which was owned by former Kibawe Mayor Ernesto Villalon.
The Baclig Farmworkers Association (BACFA) occupied the 472-hectare Alan 
Uy Ranch while the Danggawan Landless Farmers Association (DLFA) 
occupied the 820-hectare ranch of Circle T Development Corporation owned 
by the family of the late Governor Timoteo Ocaya.
If approved, these groups under Alyansa-TFM will be allowed to develop 
with sustainability a specific portion of the forest land for 25 years 
which could be renewable for another 25 years.
Data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources show that 
of the total 669,576 hectares forest land area in Bukidnon, 187,548 
hectares are identified production forest where the community based 
forest management agreement can be applied.
But only 15 percent or 26,977.9 hectares have forest management 
applications. The rest have not been distributed to targeted beneficiaries.







http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/04/stories/2008100455240700.htm

Other States - Rajasthan

Prohibitory orders imposed in Dungarpur after clashes
Special Correspondent
JAIPUR: The district town of Dungarpur in south Rajasthan was brought 
under prohibitory orders on Friday following clashes between two 
communities and a mob attacking the police force during a bandh call 
given by the Bajrang Dal. Incidents of stone-throwing were reported from 
some parts of the town. Eight shops were also set afire.
The day’s violence was in continuation of strife the Adivasi town had 
witnessed four days earlier. After a brief lull, tension ran high again 
on Thursday night when two groups armed with swords clashed, injuring 
four persons of one side. Following the clashes the Bajrang Dal had 
issued an ultimatum to the district administration to arrest the accused 
or it would hold a bandh on Friday in protest.
“We had arrested three of the seven accused in the night itself. 
However, against our appeal the Bajrang Dal went ahead with the bandh,” 
said Inspector-General of Police (Udaipur Range) N.R.K. Reddy talking to 
The Hindu on phone from Dungarpur.
Friday’s trouble started when a 400-strong mob of bandh supporters got 
on to the streets around 9-30 a.m. and started attacking the police 
personnel deployed. “As the police started disbursing them, they fled 
but on the way set fire to a few shops,” Mr. Reddy said. Half a dozen 
policemen sustained injuries in the attack, he said. The police arrested 
24 persons. “The situation is under control,” he maintained.
Women and Child Welfare Minister Kanakmal Katara visited the town and 
addressed a peace meeting of the representatives of both the communities 
at the Circuit House in the presence of Zila Pramukh Tara Chand Bhagora. 
The authorities in Dungarpur clarified that the Garba dance programmes 
going on in the town in connection with the Navaratra festivities would 
continue despite the prohibitory orders.






http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/DEL169034.htm

Indian tribals protest against Arcelor Mittal plant
20 Oct 2008 09:05:14 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Nityanand Shukla
RANCHI, India, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Thousands of villagers marched in 
eastern India on Monday to protest against a proposed Arcelor Mittal 
<ISPA.AS> <MT.N> steel plant, police said, the latest in a series of 
confrontations over industry on farmlands.
Armed with bows and sickles, the villagers, members of poor local tribes 
in thestate of Jharkhand, held banners that said: "We need food, not 
steel". They shouted slogans, swearing they would give up their lives 
but not their farmlands.
The world's largest steelmaker is planning an $8.2 billion plant in the 
mineral-rich state, which it hopes to build over four years.
The company needs 11,000 acres (4,450 hectares) for the 12 million tonne 
plant and an industrial town.
But angry villagers say they will not give up land for the project.
"We will not give an inch of land to Mittal steel," Dayamani Barla, a 
protest leader, said. "We will further intensify our agitation, if the 
Mittals make any effort to grab our land."
A company official in Ranchi, the state capital, said they were trying 
to defuse the situation by talking to villagers.
The protest reflects a larger stand-off between industry and farmers 
unwilling to surrender land in a country where two-thirds of the 
population depends on agriculture for a living.
Experts say state governments and companies will have to pay more 
attention to the needs of farmers in a country where industrialisation 
pressures are mounting.
Violent protests by farmers and political opposition forced India's Tata 
Motors Ltd <TAMO.BO> to move the factory for its low-cost Nano car out 
of West Bengal state earlier this month.
The communist government also had to abort plans to set up a Special 
Economic Zone for a chemicals complex in the state last year.
Angry protests by farmers have delayed construction of a steel plant in 
Orissa state by South Korean steel firm POSCO <005490.KS>, which could 
be India's single biggest foreign investment to date.
An alumina refinery by Vedanta Resources PLC <VED.L> in Orissa has also 
been delayed due to tribal protests.
The villagers in Jharkhand opposing the Mittal project distributed 
15,000 fliers in dozens of villages around the proposed plant site, 
urging people not to part with their land. (Writing by Bappa Majumdar; 
Editing by Simon Denyer and Alex Richardson)







http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/19/stories/2008101955640400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Protests against mining spread to East Godavari
Staff Reporter
Demand for alternative means of livelihood for the tribal groups
RAMPACHODAVARAM: Protests against bauxite mining are going on in 
Visakhapatnam district because of the availability of a huge quantity of 
540 million tonnes.
The Left parties are fighting the mining lease given to the Jindals and 
another company.
The heat now is slowly spreading to the East Godavari Agency.
There is 30 million tonnes of bauxite in 70 hamlets of 35 Revenue 
villages of five major panchayats in Y. Ramavaram mandal of the Agency. 
The panchayats are Daragadda, Gurthedu, Kanivada, Patakota and Vadda 
Gandi. The main reserves of bauxite are in “Katamarajula Konda”.
As far as the district is concerned, this is a huge quantity, but 
compared with Visakhapatnam it is small.
In the 70 hamlets, four primitive tribes -- Konda Reddy, Konda Kammara, 
Koya and Gutti Koya -- live.
There are 15,000 primitive groups which will be dislocated if mining is 
allowed.
Officials of the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation and 
Mining Department officials undertook several trips to Katamarajula Konda.
But, during the last six months, they have not visited the place as the 
CPI (Maoists) and CPI (M) are holding agitations separately.
Once a month
The Maoists are conducting meetings once a month in one panchayat.
The CPI (M) took up an agitation, led by M. Babu Rao, MP, for over three 
months. They warned against any mining in the absence of an alternative 
means of livelihood for the tribal groups.
Gurthedu is the centre of the CPI (M) agitations. The Maoists are 
keeping their activities a secret as police thwart their meetings if 
announced in advance. They are addressing meetings during nights. 
However, in the last one month, they have intensified the agitation.






http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/10/12/train-block.html

Ontario protesters end bid to block train promoting Olympics
Last Updated: Sunday, October 12, 2008 | 9:13 PM ET Comments19Recommend9
The Canadian Press
Protesters briefly barricaded a rail line north of Toronto Sunday 
evening and threatened to stop CP Rail's Olympic Spirit Train, but 
police quickly persuaded them to end their protest after about an hour.
"They listened to reasoning and they're dispersing," said Sgt. Mike 
Sterchele of York Regional Police. "We always like to negotiate these 
things to a peaceful end."
The group issued a news release earlier Sunday vowing to block the 
train's cross-country route to bring attention to what it called 
unresolved issues with aboriginals, the poor and the environment related 
to the staging of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
"This is an act of solidarity with those First Nations on the West 
Coast," protest spokesman Dan Keller told the Canadian Press in a phone 
interview.
About 20 activists assembled on the railway line and one woman chained 
herself to the tracks, Keller and police said.
"The ultimate aim of this is, of course, to stop the Spirit train," 
Keller said.
Keller did not immediately return phone calls after the protesters 
dispersed.
The train left Port Moody, B.C., on Sept. 21, on a trip to promote the 
Games. It spent Saturday in Sudbury, Ont., and was scheduled Sunday to 
travel south to Mississauga, west of Toronto. It was not clear exactly 
where the train was at the time the protest started.
CP Rail touted the train as a "mobile ambassador moving the Olympic 
spirit to Canadian communities."
Keller said the protesters hoped they could stop the train from 
spreading what he called propaganda about the Games.
Target of opposition
Opposition to the Olympic Games has been constant since Vancouver was 
awarded the bid in 2003 but some protest groups say their membership is 
getting stronger as the Games near.
First Nations activists have been vocal in their opposition to the 
Games, saying they are being held illegally on traditional territories.
This is an attitude organizers have worked hard to counter. The federal 
government has signed agreements worth billions of dollars with the four 
bands whose traditional territories are home to the Games and with whom 
Olympic organizers have also built official relationships.
Both CP and the Vancouver organizing committee have said they are 
prepared for protests.
CP Rail, as the official rail freight services supplier to the 2010 
Vancouver Games, paid somewhere between $3 million and $15 million for 
the sponsorship, in exchange for access to tickets and the use of 
Olympic trademarks for such promotional events.





http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081012.wwtrain1012/BNStory/National/home

Protesters block rail line hoping to halt Olympic Spirit Train

Canadian Press
October 12, 2008 at 7:55 PM EST
VAUGHAN, Ont. — Protesters say they have barricaded a rail line north of 
Toronto in hopes of stopping CP Rail's Olympic Spirit Train.
Protester Dan Keller says about 20 non-violent activists have assembled 
on the rail line with one woman having chained herself to the tracks.
At this time, York Region police are monitoring the situation.
The group is attempting to block the Spirit Train's route to bring 
attention to unresolved, issues with aboriginals, the poor and the 
environment related the staging of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
The Spirit Train left Port Moody, B.C., on Sept. 21, on a cross-Canada 
voyage to promote the Games.
The train spent Saturday in Sudbury, Ont., and was scheduled to travel 
south to Mississauga on Sunday.







http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2008/10/07/ot-blockade-folo-081007.html?ref=rss

Algonquin protesters, Quebec police trade accusations of force
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 7, 2008 | 5:11 PM ET
A group of Algonquin demonstrators is accusing Quebec police of hurting 
a man and a little girl while breaking up a peaceful highway blockade on 
Monday, even as police accuse the protesters of violence that made tear 
gas necessary.
About 50 protesters of all ages from the Barriere Lake reserve, about 
300 kilometres north of Ottawa, shut down Highway 117 for most of the 
day near Grand-Remous, where the highway joins du Lac Rapide Road in La 
Vérandrye wildlife reserve.
The highway is the sole direct route between the Abitibi region and the 
rest of Quebec. Riot police used tear gas to break up the protest late 
in the afternoon.
Quebec provincial police spokeswoman Melanie Larouche said police used 
tear gas only after giving protesters a verbal warning.
"We did a line in front of them and they became very violent at that 
time," she said. "They took cement blocks and they broke them on the 
road, and they took the pieces of cement in their hands."
Michel Thusky, a spokesman for the protesters, maintained that police 
were not being provoked when they began launching tear gas at the group, 
which included children, the disabled and the elderly.
Protesters said a three-year-old girl was hurt when she was hit by a 
tear-gas canister, as was a man who had to be hospitalized. Others 
required oxygen treatment, they said.
The group was protesting because they say the Canadian and Quebec 
governments are not respecting economic development and resource 
management agreements within their territory. They were also demanding 
that the federal government appoint an observer to oversee the selection 
of a new chief for the reserve, and said the blockade would continue 
until those demands were met.
Thusky said Tuesday that protesters were forced to reopen the road 
because their children were being hurt, but he added that the community 
will keep using pressure tactics until the provincial government agrees 
to meet with them.





http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2008/10/06/ot-blockade-081006.html?ref=rss

Quebec police arrest 9 Algonquin protesters, end blockade
Last Updated: Monday, October 6, 2008 | 6:09 PM ET Comments58Recommend27
CBC News
Quebec provincial police have broken up a blockade set up Monday by a 
group of Algonquin protesters on a western Quebec highway and have 
arrested nine people.
An activist at the scene alleged that police used tear gas to disperse 
the protesters, who were from the Barriere Lake reserve, about 300 
kilometres north of Ottawa.
About 50 protesters set up barrels and logs around 6 a.m. ET Monday on 
Highway 117, which connects the Abitibi region to the Outaouais and 
Montreal regions. The blockade was at kilometre 362, near Grand-Remous, 
where the highway joins du Lac Rapide Road in La Vérandrye wildlife 
reserve. It remained peaceful into the afternoon.
However, the highway is the sole direct route between the Abitibi region 
and the rest of Quebec. The only other option is to circle around 
through Ontario.
The Algonquin protesters alleged that Canada and Quebec are not 
respecting agreements concerning economic development and resource 
management within their territory. They were also demanding that the 
federal government appoint an observer to oversee the selection of a new 
chief for the reserve.
They said the blockade would continue until those demands were met.






http://intercontinentalcry.org/riot-police-target-algonquin-blockade/

Riot Police Target Algonquin Blockade
October 7, 2008 at 12:16am | 916 views and 0 comments, leave your own

Monday morning, families from the Algonquin community of Barriere Lake 
set up a blockade on highway 117 in northern Quebec to demand that the 
Federal and Quebec governments uphold the agreements they signed with 
the community, and for Canada to appoint an observer to witness a 
leadership reselection in the community, and then respects its outcome.
Half way through the day, the Sûreté du Québec’s anti-riot squad was 
called in to break up the blockade. They were said to overrun the 
families, launching tear gas, one of of which hit a child in the chest. Nine
people, including an elder, a pregnant woman, and two minors, were arrested.
Here’s an urgent call for support that the Barriere Lake Solidarity 
Collective sent out before the arrests. The blockade is over now, but 
it’s not to late to speak up in support of the Algonguins. Updates and 
further information can be found at their website, 
barrierelakesolidarity.blogspot.com
Algonquin Blockade: Urgent Call for Support
Starting at 6am this morning, families from the Algonquin community of 
Barriere Lake have blockaded highway 117 in northern Quebec. They are 
demanding that the Federal and Quebec governments uphold the agreements 
they signed with the community, and stop imposing illegitimate 
leadership on the community in order to avoid their responsibilities.
As of 12:30pm on Monday, the police are saying that the Montreal police 
have been called in to clear the highway, and arrest those who resist. 
There are currently 50 community members and 20 non-native supporters 
peacefully blockading the highway. The community needs members of the 
broader public to make it clear right now that this is unacceptable, 
that they have suffered enough division at the hands of the government, 
and that the agreements need to be honoured.
What you can do right now to help
We need people to let the government know that they support the demands 
Barriere Lake has been fighting for for decades.
Please take 15 minutes to phone or fax a letter to some of the following:
• Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada ( fax: 613-941-6900 )
• Lawrence Cannon, Transportation Minister and MP for Pontiac (613 
992-2940 Fax: 613 944-9376 )
• Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs ( 819 997-0002 Fax: 
819-953-4941 )
Use some of the following points (along with your own):
• The government should immediately cease its intimidation tactics and
threats of violence
• The Federal government should honor the trilateral agreement it signed
with Barriere Lake
• Express support for the Barriere Lake community’s struggle for the right
to choose its own leadership
• The federal government should immediately stop interfering in Barriere
Lake’s internal affairs
More information
• Demands, and a list of groups that have endorsed them:
http://barrierelakesolidarity.blogspot.com/2008/03/mission.html
• Photos of the current blockade:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31135244@N07/sets/72157607795831835/
• A quick visual introduction to the community:
http://www.dominionpaper.ca/articles/1947
• More information on how to support the Barriere Lake Algonquins:
http://barrierelakesolidarity.blogspot.com/2008/03/donations.html








http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=49094

Indigenous People Peacefully Protest Columbus Day
Posted By: Cristi Jessee 3 months ago

NEVADA CITY, CA - Some people had the day off to relax this Columbus 
Day, but in Nevada City, others gathered in peaceful protest at the 9th 
Annual Indigenous Peoples Days.
The festival began Friday night with a special land dedication in 
downtown Nevada City. Nevada City and Nevada County donated a parcel of 
land, 1,100 square feet, back to the Tsi-Akim Maidu people.
The Maidu tribe heavily populated the Nevada City area up until the Gold 
Rush days. Festival chairman Don Ryberg said his ancestors, who were 
scattered when the miners came looking for gold, would be proud of the 
dedicated land's prime location.
"This little piece of land is very significant to us. When people give 
land to Indians, it's generally in a swamp or toxic dump. This is right 
downtown in the middle of the community," Ryberg said.
On the land, located at the corner of Union and Broad streets, sits a 
sacred grinding rock. Ryberg recently found the rock on nearby private 
property near Squirrel Creek. The land owner gave the rock to Ryberg, 
and now it's prominently displayed for the community to see.
"Hundreds, if not thousands of generations have been grinding on this 
rock," Ryberg said. "This rock has heard all the songs, it's heard all 
the prayers and it actually has Maidu blood in it where they scraped 
their hands while they're doing this."
The Maidu primarily used the grinding rock to grind pine nuts and acorns 
to be used in bread and soups. Ryberg said the granite rock has seven 
holes in it and weighs about 1,000 pounds.
Ryberg wants to educate the community about the importance of such 
rocks, and the importance of honoring and respecting them.
"Indian people believe that everything has a spirit. Everything is 
alive, even rocks," Ryberg said. "We need to respect that."





http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=9126805

Protests over Indian taxes pass each other by

Associated Press - October 5, 2008 3:55 PM ET
SENECA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) - Protests for and against imposing state sales 
taxes on Indian reservation stores passed each other by peacefully this 
weekend in central New York.
On Route 89 in Seneca Falls, outside the Cayuga Indian Nation's LakeSide 
Trading gas station, a motorcade organized by the Cayuga-Seneca Chapter 
of Upstate Citizens for Equality urged Gov. David Paterson to collect 
sales tax from Native American businesses.
In response, the Cayugas offered $10 in free gas Saturday morning and 
mounted a counter-demonstration in support of Indian sovereignty with 
supporters lined up along the road with signs.





http://www.euronews.net/en/article/26/10/2008/spanish-shepherds-protest-in-streets-of-madrid/

Spain Spanish shepherds protest in streets of Madrid 26/10/08 17:58 CET
world news
The following article has been retrieved from the archive and no longer 
contains the original video.
On a normal day, you would find wool in expensive sweaters gracing the 
shops of Madrid’s elegant avenues. But on Sunday, it was trotting down 
the streets of the Spanish capital. In what has been an annual event for 
the past 15 years, Spanish shepherds and their livestock marched in 
Madrid to draw attention to their dwindling numbers.
They are calling for the protection of ancient grazing routes which are 
increasingly threatened by the growth of cities. The demonstration 
coincides with the annual livestock migration from cool highland 
pastures in summer to low-lying land in winter.
For centuries, herdsmen and their cattle were allowed free access to 
some 125,000 kilometres of paths, in what is now becoming an 
increasingly unfamiliar sight in the Spanish countryside.