Protecting Mother Earth Against UNSUSTAINABLE Development: ILLEGAL pipeline activity on Traditional Kanehsatà:ke Kanien'kehà:ka Territory

by Ellen Gabriel

(Photo: Kim Dockstader)

Press Release - November 15th, 2013
Peaceful Protest November 16, 2013
Protecting Mother Earth Against UNSUSTAINABLE Development: ILLEGAL pipeline activity on Traditional Kanehsatà:ke Kanien'kehà:ka Territory
Media contact: _ on site at demonstration-
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Parc Nationale d’Oka/ Oka National Park on Kanehsatà:ke Kanien'kehà:ka (Mohawk) Territory

This Saturday concerned residents of Kanehsatà:ke and our allies will gather for a peaceful protest at Oka National Park in an effort to Protect Iethinisté:nha Onhón:sta – Mother Earth, for present & future generations. We are concerned with the various forms of unsustainable development such as the “Energy East” and other gas and pipeline projects taking place on our traditional territory without our Free Prior and Informed Consent. Our protest includes our pursuit of justice and respect for Onkwehón:we peoples’ land rights against the dispossession and illegal occupation of Enbridge, TransCanada and Gazoduc pipelines on the Traditional Territory of the Kanehsatà:ke Kanien’kehà:ka (Mohawks).

For almost 300 years, the Kanien’kehà:ka of Kanehsatà:ke have made strident efforts of peace to protect our lands and resources. Instead our lands have been fraudulently sold and appropriated by Canada and its provinces for unsustainable development which has consequently caused the criminalization of Indigenous peoples for protecting our lands and upholding our customary laws.

Indigenous peoples have land rights that predate the creation of the Canadian State. They are affirmed in Peace and Friendship Treaties, section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 and in authoritative international human rights instruments such as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Canada claims sovereignty over un-ceded Kanien’kehàka &other Indigenous peoples’ lands in a manner that is coercive, racist and based upon Doctrines of superiority which have been condemned by various ecumenical organizations, subnational governments and UN Agencies, and most notably by states themselves as “racist, scientifically false, legally invalid, morally condemnable and socially unjust”. [1]
All state actors including businesses must uphold the highest standards of human rights and the Rule of Law. Canada’s endorsement of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP, signifies a change in how business is conducted in Canada with Indigenous Peoples.

Once again we call upon all levels of government to uphold the “Honour of the Crown” by undertaking their moral and LEGAL obligations to conduct proper CONSULTATIONS with all Indigenous Peoples affected by development such as pipelines and GAS FRACKING. The principle of FREE PRIOR AND INFORMED CONSENT must be implemented & obtained before any kind of development takes place on Indigenous Peoples’ lands and waters.

Mother Earth must be PROTECTED and as protectors of the land, Indigenous peoples and likeminded allies are obliged to ensure that all DEVELOPMENT be done sustainably and not threaten the integrity of the land, nor the quality of life for present and future generations.

As Haudenosaunee peoples, we are obliged under our laws to ensure that we uphold this sacred obligation and right. Our protest today exemplifies this obligation.
We are joined in this protest by IDLE NO MORE QUEBEC; GREENPEACE, EQUITERRE and other environmentally concerned groups. We would like to thank all our allies; Canadians, Québécois, and concerned citizens of Mother Earth for standing with us to protect Iethinistenha Onhonstake tánon Akwé:kon Tetewà:neren- our Mother Earth and All Our Relations.

Skén:nen - in peace – Kanehsatà:ke Kanien'kehá:ka Onkweshón:'a

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Kim Dockstader (Dockstader)
Montreal, Saint-Jérôme
Member since March 2012

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Je suis une journaliste indépendante formée par le travail de terrain des luttes alternatives et radicales. J'ai travaillé collectivement durant la dernière année et je me remets à produire seule certains photoreportages d'événements et enregistrements vidéo de conférences. Je suis préoccupéEs par la défense de la terre et de sa biodiversité ainsi que par la protection et la création de modes de vie soutenables tout comme de relations égalitaires entre les humainEs. Je couvre principalement des événements anticolonialistes, féministes et/ou antispécistes. http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgK0tvTZQbPg43BUa96CmVw http://www.flickr.com/photos/77722734@N08/ (Photo du profil prise par Guillaum Gibault, photographe naturaliste)