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MNN "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition": Six Nations

6 NATIONS: PRAISE THE LORD AND PASS THE AMMUNITION – QUESTIONS ON ONE SIDE, BULLETS ON THE OTHER.


MNN. May 1, 2006. These are questions we are asking the so-called authorities who are standing ready to attack us at the standoff at Six Nations. Since when can you, Canada, use the military on your own people? You claim us as Canadian citizens. But you line up the army in front of us as if we were the invaders. What gives? Some countries like the United States declare martial law all the time. It’s their way of dealing with natural disasters like floods. But where’s the flood here? Make up your mind, Canada. If you want to point your guns at us, then you should admit you don’t see us as citizens. Then we can get down to brass tacks and start negotiating on a nation-to-nation basis. It’s obvious that your approach is a violation of domestic and international law.


We are not as confused as you are. It’s obvious by the way you’re treating us that you are an occupying force and do recognize us as a state foreign to you. You’re trying to get away with violating international law by telling the world that we are your citizens. If we are, could someone please show us which one of the Father’s of Confrauderation was a Mohawk! Remember from 1876 and 1972 we were excluded from your legal definition of a “person”.


To come onto our territory to place us under siege is a violation of international law as defined by anyone but George Bush and Stephen Harper. Who gave the order that sent in the OPP, RCMP and Canadian Army? Canada says it’s not their responsibility. Ontario says it’s not their responsibility. You both say it is a police matter. Are the police a power unto themselves? Can it turn its guns on anyone it chooses? Is Canada a police state? Who are the police accountable to?


What act of the Canadian Parliament allows you to send your armed forces into what you call an internal domestic property dispute? You say property is under provincial jurisdiction according to Canada’s Constitution? Is this an invasion of our nation by Canada? You must have declared war on us. Otherwise how could Canada deploy its armed forces against us? Why was there no attempt to mediate through the United Nations?


There are OPP, RCMP, army, undercover, CSIS and all kinds of high tech armaments and helicopters over and around us while you say you are negotiating with us. Are we supposed to believe that there is no coercive influence here? There is no law that allows Canada to attack us while standing on our land?


Are the Canadian armed forces engaged in a rebellion or a coup d’etat? A peaceful legitimate protest is not an emergency. There was no riot, only Indigenous people sitting on lawn chairs. Why send in a bunch of adolescents with guns? All we want is for Canada to obey its laws. If the Crown is supposed to protect us from its settlers, why are all these military toys turned on us ready to wipe us off the face of the earth?


By what legal domestic or international covenants can you put us in a stockade and tell us to give up our cause, otherwise we are going to be shot or imprisoned? You are giving us no choice but to stay until you decide when you will start following your own laws.


The armed forces are here to do their job, which is obviously to attack us, given the direction your guns are pointed. We’re being criminalized because we don’t like to have your guns pointed at us?


The guys with the itchy trigger fingers seem to be suffering from paranoia. They are ready to plant evidence on us so they can come in. This is not a new tactic. In the 1920’s when we tried to use our Agricultural Hall, Indian Affairs was trying to find a legal excuse to attack us. Just check out the Canadian Archives if you care to look.


We know you’re trying to plant weapons in the site. We had a young woman get in touch with us. She said the OPP contacted her at her school. Apparently the photo studio where she had her pictures developed contacted the OPP. They demanded she turn over her photos that showed we had weapons. She didn’t have any because it wasn’t true. We don’t have weapons.


Yes, our men would like to have the security of knowing that they have a fair and even chance against your up-to-date state arsenal. Our men have respected the women, men and people and have no weapons. If OPP even suspect there are weapons here, it’ll be used as an excuse to attack us. We are not going to let that happen. So beware. We’re telling everybody about this so that if anything happens, you’ll know who fabricated it to discredit us. We have plenty of pictures of the cops with their M-16’s and whatever else you call those big guns they carry.


Are you pointing guns at us to set a trap for our men? You’re trying to incite them to go and get weapons to defend our mothers, grandmothers and children. They have not done this at the request of the people, even though some of our grandmothers have already been beaten up by the OPP. There has been no offer to investigate or apologize to date. Your guns are still pointed at us.


We don’t have enough manpower to figure out all of this. Those of you who are unambiguously Canadian citizens have a right of access to information about what your government is doing on your behalf. Do you think you could get it for us?


We’re dealing with people who have shown no scruples or honor. Its not new. They've never lived up to treaties and promises. We've been attacked when you said you would not. So how can we trust or believe you?


Kahentinetha Horn

MNN Mohawk Nation News

www.mnn.mohawknationnews.com

posted by Annamarie at 3:26 PM