Support Aboriginal Land Rights

April 29, 2008

The Canadian Peace Alliance (CPA) joins the calls for an immediate halt to the repression of the Tyendinaga Mohawks. The actions undertaken by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) – tacitly approved by the McGuinty Ontario government and Stephen Harper – are unacceptable and have threatened to escalate into yet another tragic incident such as the murder of Dudley George at Ipperwash. While the situation has become more calm, the threat of police violence against peaceful protesters shows an unwillingness by the provincial and federal governments to negotiate in good faith with Indigenous peoples.

Deploying armed force against people asserting their right to self-determination within the Canadian state gives the lie to the statements of the Harper government that Canada is in Afghanistan to assist the Afghan people. The same repressive forces that are being used against the Tyendinaga are serving Canadian foreign policy interests by acting as “trainers” for the police forces of the installed regimes in Haiti, Afghanistan and Iraq. Indigenous people in both Central Asia and here at home have seen the real face of Canada’s use of police and armed force – the road to Kandahar passed through Gustafsen Lake and Oka.

News recently leaked about the forthcoming Canadian Forces Counter-Insurgency Manual, that specifically targets Aboriginal peoples as military opponents. An early draft of the manual cites “ambush, deception and killing” as potential tactics that may be used against the types of “insurgents” discussed. It is time to stop demonizing, threatening, and arresting Aboriginal people and begin upholding their human rights.

The CPA, recognizing the Harper government's shameful act of voting against the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, applauds the majority of Parliamentarians who passed a motion adopting the wording of the original declaration. The CPA calls on the Harper government to respect the will of the House of Commons and the rights of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.

Specifically, the CPA calls on the Canadian and Ontario governments to uphold Aboriginal people's rights to say no to "development" on their traditional lands. The CPA also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Robert Lovelace of the Ardoch Algonquins and the six leaders of KI (Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug) who have been imprisoned for exercising their fundamental human right to peaceful protest. The CPA also calls for elimination of all imposed fines, which in addition to the imprisonment, are nothing more than a heavy-handed tactic to stifle legitimate protest.

The CPA urges the people of Canada and Quebec to support the next National Day of Action in solidarity with Aboriginal peoples on May 29, 2008. See http://www.afn.ca/nda.htm for details.

The Canadian Peace Alliance is Canada's largest umbrella peace organization, with 140 member groups and a combined total membership of 4 million people.

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