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“I WANNA GO HOME. I WANNA GO HOME…” DAY 62, SIX NATIONS UPDATE: SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 2006.

MNN. April 30, 2006. Late into the night we can hear singing from the nearby OPP camp, “I wanna go, I wanna go home .. to Hamilton, Toronto, Brantford, Oakville, Burlington, Guelph, Kitchener, Waterloo, London … I wanna go to my home on Rotino’shon:ni land". We hope they’re starting to see the illegality and futility of their mission to sit like a bunch of ground hogs watching and waiting in the hope that we’ll do something that will give them an excuse to attack us. How can the public afford to have 1000 OPP, 250 RCMP and the Canadian army at the ready when Canada is completely in default? They should just sit down and work out with us how to right the wrongs.

Lenin says that you are in a "police state" when the cops earn more than the teachers. They say in Toronto a beginner cop with a high school education before police college gets $82,000. A teacher gets $38,000. So, folks, wake up and look at what’s happening. Tasers are worse than truncheons.

This is day 62 of our protest. Today the OPP has a barricade 30 ft. in front of ours at the site of the illegal Henco Industries housing project at Caledonia. We go over and chat with to them and share coffees. They stop all vehicles coming and going, especially emergency ones. The bigger reason is to stop the angry Caledonia residents from rushing our barricade and attacking us, so they tell us. They must be really happy that the locals got out of hand. They seem to have forgotten that there were no problems between us until the cops showed up.

We have had many threats to take us down. The OPP advanced over us in a predawn attack on April 20^th. We fought them hand to hand, took our land back and kicked them off. They went away mad and got reinforcements of more heavily armed OPP, RCMP and the Canadian Army. They formed a 50 sq. mile perimeter around us. Helicopters are flying overhead constantly. Parabolic microphones listen to everything we say. Infra-red imaging follows everyone, including the dogs and the gophers. There’s high tech everywhere. They treat us like animals in a zoo! Is that what they think we are? Our people need night vision goggles just like the police so we can watch their movements too. The Caledonia rioters have come a few times to try to rush our barricades. We remain unarmed and vigilant. More than ever we continue to need your support and to come and stand with us in solidarity at the site (Highway 6 and 6^th Line, 20 minutes south of Hamilton Ontario Canada).

We want Canada and Ontario to obey the laws and promises that were made that there would never ever be any encroachment on our territory. They were to never steer our canoe and they would always remain in their boat. Today we are squeezed onto 5 % of our land base, while Canada’s largest cities and towns are illegally sitting on our land. Besides the outright theft, there are outstanding rents, leases and unfulfilled obligations we have been fighting for in the last 200 years.

The media is still concentrating on the angry Caledonia residents probably hoping for an incident that would justify moving the army closer. The people of Six Nations and our allies behind the lines and the scenes continue to make progress of a more significant nature.

We’d like to assure you that we are not sitting idly. Our Law is alive! We can see it working on many levels. We are using our own process. Clans, chiefs, men and women and the people are working together. We are all carrying out our responsibilities. We continue to support those people who are under a great deal of pressure at this time. With everything that is happening, we are listening to the people. They are speaking and having their voices heard.

As snipers continue to point guns at us, we continue our colonial Canadian style negotiations. It takes a lot of courage to deliberate while heavily armed police practically breathe down our necks. Talks will resume on Monday with the OPP and our delegates will be sitting at the table. It is the beginning. We have won on so many levels. Don't be discouraged, keep the vigils going and continue to support us. What we are doing affects all Onkwehonweh people and our allies as the law is intended for all.

Janie Jamieson is one of our articulate spokespersons. The OPP have stated they will arrest her if she attends the negotiations. Their injunction is illegal and should be set aside.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty appointed former Ontario Premier David Peterson to be the negotiator for Ontario. He’s a lawyer and so he will probably try to impose foreign laws on us. Our position is that the clan mothers have to be at the table; our designates from the site need to be at the table; and we want a letter of confirmation from the Crown that the federal and provincial representatives are delegated to speak on Her Majesty’s behalf on a nation-to-nation level. Mr. Peterson better have his letter from the Queen. Otherwise we have no business talking to him.

So far the Six Nations blockade has received messages of support from our brothers, sisters, friends, allies and organizations all over the world – Canada, United States, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, New Zealand, Australia, China, Phillipines, Palestine, Iran, Punjab, Germany, France, Britain, Guyana, South Africa and all cross Turtle Island.

The Six Nations people and those who are standing in solidarity with us are still on the site of the illegal housing project in Caledonia. There have been blockades, protests and rallies in Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal , St. John’s Newfoundland and New York City. We have told our story around the world on regular and internet radio. We have received written support from unions like the Canadian Auto Workers, Canadian Labor Congress and many native and non-native organizations. The alternative media has been updating and keeping the details out there. Listen to “Native America Calling” on 106.5 in Toronto or www.aboriginalradio.com at 6:00 EDT to get an update.

We're trying to get a little rest. Aw, do we have to listen to the OPP moaning and groaning, “Gee, ma, I wanna go home. I’m tired and I wanna go to bed. I got ordered to fight the Injuns about a week ago, and it went right to my head. So now I want another order so I can go home”. Our chorus is, “Gee, guys, why don’t you just go to your home on native land?”

Nia:wen to all.

Kahentinetha Horn

MNN Mohawk Nation News

www.mnn.mohawknation.news

kahentinetha2@yahoo.com