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MNN "Feel the pressure rise" says Canada. "Take it nice & Easy", say 6 Nations People

This is from Kahentinetha Horn, Mohawk Nation News:

“FEEL THE PRESSURE RISE”, SAYS CANADA. “TAKE IT NICE AND EASY”, SAY THE SIX NATIONS PEOPLE



MNN. May 10, 2006. Talks continue between the Six Nations People and Jane Stewart, former Minister of Indian Affairs, and Barbara McDougall, former Minister of Foreign Affairs [They finally got it right. Canada is a “foreign nation” to us]. They are representing the colonial governments of Ontario and Canada.



Thahoketoteh saw Barbara McDougall on the news [they are supposed to be “talking” with us! None of us get to see them unless we watch the colonial corporate media]. She looked perplexed [As if it’s not obvious that she’s not going to be able to do what Canada wants her to do. She’s not going to shut us up].



Mainly they have to find a way to get us in line. We’re not the handy “house boys” that some Ministers of Indian Affairs have gotten involved with. The sole topic we’re dealing with is - they have to restore our land. This is the only way they can redress the centuries of injustices that Canada has supported. This is the only way they can restore the “honor of the crown”.

1. To begin with, they have to back off. They have to stop trying to push us off our land. They have to face up to the fraud they committed when they pretended to give title to Henco Industries. The land was not theirs to give.


2. Our land is non-negotiable. Would you negotiate your mother away? We certainly won’t. Canada is counting on wearing us out and pauperizing us by putting off meetings time after time while they think up some new way to do an end run around justice. We never know what dirty tricks to expect next. So far they’ve been following the old script they used at Kanehsatake/Oka, Gustafsen Lake, Burnt Church and Ipperwash. They’ve refused to try novel approaches like obeying their laws or treating us like human beings.


3. In the late 1950’s the people of Six Nations made the mistake of thinking that Canada was going to treat us like human beings after all. The Minister of Indian affairs at that time said that if they wanted to reinstall the traditional government, they just had to do it. So the people gave it a try. The kicked out the puppet band council and took over the council office. In the end they were surrounded by the RCMP, and the coup of 1924 was repeated. This is one of many incidents that taught us that even if there is occasionally a Canadian official who wants to treat us decently, the rest of them won’t. We can’t trust anything any Canadian official says.


4. They are finding out that we don’t tire easily, are very determined and will take as long as necessary.


5. We demand a moratorium on any further development and exploitation on any of land. Our women are the title holders. The squatters have to have our permission to do anything on it. Canada has to guarantee it will work honestly and equitably with the Indigenous people to resolve this longstanding land issue. Is this too much to ask? Canada has signed international charters, covenants and accords saying that all people are equal and all people have the right to self-determination. We are a “people”. All we are asking is for Canada to live up to its promises. This is the law.


6. A public statement has to be made by Canada and Ontario that they will stop their “gunboat diplomacy” and pull back all their heavily armed military and police forces. These presently surround us on land that is legitimately ours. We want a guarantee that there will be no more attacks on our people at Six Nations. Stop the dirty tricks. Stop trying to instigate “red neck” behavior among the people of Caledonia. Stop trying to resuscitate the KKK to make an excuse for using violence on us. Stop bringing in “skin heads”. Stop using Canadian tax money derived from the colonial exploitation of our resources to incite racial hatred. If Canada thinks its interests are represented by the skin heads and the KKK, then they should bring them into the talks, to sit right beside Jane and Barb. [We’re dying to see Jane and Barb hanging onto guys in leather on motor cycles!]


7. We will not take down our barricades at the site until we’re good and ready. Why should we?


8. There is a procedure set out in the Two Row Wampum, known as the Silver Covenant Chain to the British. Whenever we meet, we must make sure the dust does not accumulate on the wampum and the chain remains polished. This must be resolved on a government to government basis, as equals. We have to meet with the Queen or her representative, the Governor General, whose main job is to maintain the honor of the Crown, which she is neglecting.


9. Instead the Crown is sending us their children. We want to talk to the parents so they can take responsibility for and correct their children’s wrongs that they have and continue to commit. Jane and Barb can sit in the corner and suck their thumbs if they want. But Britain has to face up to its false assertion of sovereignty over us. Canada’s title is as fraudulent as Henco’s. Before there can be reconciliation, there has to be truth. Bring on your clan mother, Queen E. II – and we don’t mean the ship.


10. Let’s face it, Canada is not prepared to give up its illegally usurped jurisdiction over us and our land that it illegally appropriated in violation of international law. Too bad! To right the wrongs they have to.


11. Jane and Barb had their first meeting yesterday with the Six Nations. They demonstrated they are a couple of “one trick ponies”. They had one message. They kept stuttering, “Take down your barricades! Please, pretty please!” There’s nothing pretty about theft no matter how you dress it up. A mugging is a mugging. There is no point in talking to them because we have no intention of taking down our barricades or relinquishing or selling our land to the thieves. We are the aggrieved victims of this fraud and theft.


12. Any information from Jane and Barb must be taken back to our People for discussion. Our representatives at these talks have no authority. They are the ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ of our people. They must tell us what they heard, listen to us and get direction from us. The appointees cannot direct the appointers.


13. We want a “working group” to be put together to work on the land issues. The issue is Rotino’shon:ni land. Canada knows they stole it. We were defrauded through lies and deceit while under duress.


14. This issue cannot be resolved through their colonial courts. Canada’s courts are not impartial. They are part of the institutional structure used to carry out the genocide of our people. Indigenous people throughout Turtle Island are becoming more aware. We are all starting to question Canada about their illegal tactics which violate international law. We want this resolved. We want justice.


15. Some people have been charged by the Ontario courts. More will soon be put on them when they don’t show up for their court date. They will become the “most wanted” in Canada as charges pile up, for sitting on their own land. The injunction is not legal because we never gave the colonial government jurisdiction over us and our territory through a treaty or any means. We were never conquered and we never gave up our sovereignty. We were never British subjects. We never became Canadian citizens. We belong to our nations of the Rotino’shon:ni. Our people have not committed criminal acts. We should not be too concerned about these illegal injunctions perpetrated by an illegal “foreign” occupation. They may end up in jail but as “political prisoners”. Nothing will make us give up our struggle.


16. We will not be pressured by the artificial datelines they set for us to make a decision. If it is necessary to have 250 or 500 meetings with Canada over a period of time, then that’s what we have to do so that we can have a thorough understanding of the issue. There’s no reason for this kind of animosity to continue. If the people take the time to do it properly we can find the path to peaceful co-existence.


17. We want what belongs to us. We have a right to what belongs to us. Our demands to have our stolen land returned to us is not terrorism or a criminal act. We want Canada to become honest. To us, not defending our territory is criminal as we would be guilty of violating our duties and responsibilities. We do not own this land. We hold it trust. It belongs to our future generations under the Great Law/Kaianereh’ko:wa.

Kahentinetha Horn

MNN Mohawk Nation News

kahentinetha@mohawnationnews.com

www.mohawknationnews.com

posted by Annamarie at 12:51 PM