Wednesday, June 14, 2006

[Reclamation Site] June 12th Update fom Hazel Hill

Sago from Grand River.

Well, the news tonight while it sits heavy on the hearts of some, is a decision that was felt to be the best for all concerned. The remaining barricades around Kanestahton have been removed. The confederacy council has asked the people to support them on this decision. While there wasn't a consensus of the people, the majority of the people felt that it was a decision that we should support.

First of all I have to assure everyone that this does not mean we are giving up our position on the land. The people are not leaving the land, nor do we intend to. We are calling Canada's bluff. The federal and provincial governments all along have stated that they will not negotiate on the issue of land while the barricades remain intact. Now we will see how honorable these people are.

For the people on the site, this is a hard pill to swallow. Continuously throughout history it seems that it is our people who always have to take the high road and it is we who have to give in to the threats and demands of the colonialistic government. They peg us as the criminals but it is they who have the guns, they who stole the land and they who created the barricades in the first place by sending in the riot squad and refusing to talk.   We know that the only reason the true Onkwehonweh government is at the table is because the barricades were up. Will Canada continue with the talks now that the barricades are down or have they played out their hand in order to pull the rug out from under our feet?

At this point it is the trust in our confederacy and in our Creator that is what we are holding on to. It is the trust and knowing that we are upholding the Law of Peace and our responsibilities that lie within that Law. It is the belief in our Sovereignty and our obligation to protect the land for the generations to come. Our negotiators believe that in order for talks to continue, this is the only position that we can take.

For the people on the site, it is the distrust of the canadian government and their ability to speak with truth that concerns us. Who is to say that this isn't another trap and we're playing into their hands. I hope for Canada's sake that this isn't the case. While I write to you, I have just been informed that the police build up around the site has increased. Ambulances are on stand by. Have we made a mistake, or are they merely continuing to keep a presence to prevent the continued racial discrimination, hate crime's and violent actions recently displayed by some of the residents of Caledonia.

This week in the media we have been portrayed as lawless and through the continued efforts of the government to incite a violent reaction, it has resulted in 7 of our people with warrants out for their arrest. These individuals have been brought before our clanmothers and chiefs to be held accountable for their actions according to the protocol of the Kaierenekowah.  They will be dealt with according to our Law, and Canada has to be reminded of the fact that they do not have the jurisdiction to enforce their laws on our people.

The charges to say the least are an exaggeration of the truth. For instance, the beating of the CHTV 11 cameraman that resulted in his having to get stitches, was confirmed on their own sister radio station CHML that the injury was a result of his being hit in the head with a police billy club during the attempt by the opp to diffuse the situation. Yes, the opp did try to intervene. But that is not the way it was led to believe. It was made to look like our men violently beat this man and that the opp stood by and let it happen. I've seen picture's myself taken by one of our local newspaper reporters that showed clearly that the opp did step in to physically stop not just our men, but the CHTV men from throwing punches as well.

It has also been reported that our people swarmed the car of an elderly couple who were only out "sight seeing". They did not report that the racial discrimination and insults that were directed at our people at the front gate of the site or the dangerous driving that resulted in one of our men being hit by this same car and why our men originally followed them to the Canadian Tire parking lot.  It was not reported that while they state that they drove to the nearest place to seek help from the police that they drove right past the opp officers who were stationed only yards from the area where the incident occurred. Yes, our people did follow the couple to the Canadian tire parking lot. But that was because for some strange reason, they thought that they would somehow see justice given and that the deliberate action of trying to run one of our people down would result in charges being laid against the driver. How naïve of our people to think that this was even a possibility.

Attempted murder charges have been made against another of our men who reacted violently at seeing the United States Border Patrol vehicle lurking around the site, having our people under surveillance, with the support and assistance of the opp. This agent, who was learned to be of the ATF (alcohol, tobacco and firearms) had to have been given government clearance to be near the site, not just for the day, but evidence shows that they have been in the area since early April. The ATF agents normally are mandated to deal with terrorists. Obviously the government is trying to build a case against our people as terrorists to justify bringing in excessive force to physically remove us from the site. The government of Canada has yet to explain why, if they are seeking a peaceful resolution to this situation, have they enlisted the services of the United States government agencies to discredit the political positon of the Onkwehonweh on this land and try to peg this reclamation as a criminal activity rather than the political position that it is.

Furthermore, the government has yet to come to the table to deal with the real issues of the Onkwehonweh. The issues are not the barricades, the issues are the Land, Our Sovereignty, Our Treaties and OUR responsibilities to the Kaierenekowah. It is not whether THEY understand them or even believe them, this is about US and who we are as a people. A NATION long before Canada even existed.


Categories:



7 comments:

  1. what do the cops have to gain by spying on u from the street if they really wanted to spy they can do it by helicopter , u people are full of shit

    ReplyDelete
  2. Spying on the street's cheaper.

    Next question?

    ReplyDelete
  3. The US cops and "your" cop have alot to gain on spying on our people because we have the power to show the world just what kind of corrupt government you have and take a look in your back door because the US government is just about to enter into your back door. Just take a look at what the CIA are doing in BC right now and plan to stay. "Your" country you call Canada is not even a country, it still is ruled by "YOUR" precious Queen of England. Study your Canadian history and learn about what they are doing to "OUR" country. The original people who it belongs to, the original people of these lands that have not other lands across the oceans they and their families somewhere come from, we have been here in "OUR" home land, the America's. So learn about the land you now rest your head, because were trying to protect what we have and maybe in the process this JUST may help your people to. Even thou many of my people wonder why we should think about our visitors after what they have done to us for over 500ys.

    ReplyDelete
  4. again there is no such thing as the queen of england

    ReplyDelete
  5. It amazes me the slant you can put on the stories concerning the CH cameramen and the elderly couple. Yes it is possible that the elserly couple yelled some racist remarks. Understandable when you consider that instead of taking your complaints to Ottawa, you chose to hold up an entire towns way of life.
    Maybe the 2 men from CH did get hit on the head by a cops billy club, but as you yourself said it happened while they were throwing fists. Why were they throwing fists? Trying to protect themselves from theives, thugs and law breakers. Like I said, you can twist this thing around anyway you want but the truth be told, it was a few "undesirables" from the reclamation site who were charged.
    I sometimes wonder if that is really sweetgrass you have been lighting as of late or are you just smoking some "Wacky Tobacky"?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think everyone has missed the whole big picture here. The one thing that gets me is all the talk about this being our land our home, everyone else is a visitor or settler, or white man, etc etc etc. Let's not forgot science class and the proven fact that life originated on this palnet many many many years ago. The geographical shape of our earth is very different today then it was when the first human life forms(Homo Habilus) walked the earth over 2 million years ago. We as humans (Homo Erectus) walked the earth over 1 million years ago. Continents were joined, a 7 year old can see that if you take the western continents and the eastern continents across the atlantic ocean and join them together they are a perfect fit, just like a jig saw puzzle. This allowed life to walk across continents and populate the various regions at that time. We all watch tv and have seen shows that depict how the continents split apart thereby creating the earth we now today. So logically we are all natives to Mother Earth, no matter what the background is, we are all technically aboriginals or natives on Mother Earth, actually we may as well consider ourselves earthlings, but i prefer the children of Mother Earth. If life exists somewhere else in our universe, and somehow we come into contact with other forms of life whether friendly or hostile, the colour of ones skin, the beleifs of different races, political systems, land claims, all that is going to be irrelevent if that happens. Sounds far fetched? maybe, but who can say for sure, who can see what tommorow brings? All I know is that when i bleed, my blood is red, when a black man bleeds, his blood is read, when a Chinese man bleeds his blood is red, when an aboriginal bleeds, his blood is red, anyone else see a pattern here? It amazes me how far the human race has come in 1.6 million years, but we still cannot get past colour, race, relegion and values. i wish the Six Nations luck in resolving their land issues, i pray for the residents of Caledonia that have been intimidated by this whole land claim. just thinking out loud to finish this, i wonder what life would be like now, if in 1939 Adolf Hitler was allowed to fulfill his dream of world dominance and an ethnically cleansed population, wonder if North America would have been renamed to Atlantic-West_Germany??

    Peace

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hazel, Hazel, Hazel,

    You know why the ATF is here Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Don't preach like you are the stewart of the land, you're not stupid.

    You and your brothers and sisters are accountable to Canadian law and you know it. If not, you would be protesting for the release of any natives that inhabit the Canadian jails.

    Maybe in April it was about the land but that ideal is long gone. Now it is about intimidation, violence, drugs, guns and Casino revenue.

    That is what the noble warriors stand for, not the land. You may fool yourself, but not anyone else.

    Believe me, I should know.

    ReplyDelete