“It was a shameful way to act,” said Chief Arthur Manuel describing what he called " out-of-control RCMP officers" at the Secwepemc McGillivray Lake village near Sun Peaks. Chief Manuel described the arrests as "brutal" but hastened to add the protests will continue, “Our people found their brutality terrifying. But they will not buckle under to police terror tactics. Our Elders, land-users and youth have made it very clear they will not be bullied or intimidated into leaving our McGillivray Lake village.”

Several arrests were made November 16th. Native youths face various charges including assaulting police when the Mounties forceably apprehended them at the McGillivray protest camp site, as the province moved to enforce a trespass notice and plan to dismantle the anti-Sun Peaks expansion protest camps. “They used pepper spray and brutally threw a young woman to the ground,” said Janice Billy, the spokesperson for the Skwelkwek’welt Protection Centre. “It was terrifying to see the hatred in their eyes as they assaulted our people.”

A letter from the British Columbia Assets and Land Corporation BCAL to the lawyer for the First Nations protestors said the RCMP were asked to attend in a peacekeeping role during the seizure and removal operation at Sun Peaks and McGillivray Lake Friday November 16th, 2001. However, eyewitnesses said the police mandhandled the youths and used excessive force to make their arrests.

"Contrary to the statement made in the BCAL letter, the RCMP did not attend “in a peacekeeping role” as they used pepper spray and arrested three individuals. All three have been transported to Kamloops. In addition, the RCMP has issued an arrest warrant for Amanda Soper", stated a joint news release by Chief Arthur Manuel of the Neskonlith Indian Band, and Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs.

Prior to the police action and arrests, Chief Arthur Manuel questioned the unprecedented action of BCAL and said they were on shaky legal ground. He wrote of his concerns in a letter November 16th to RCMP Inspector Sam MacLeod in Kelowna, "It would be a great injustice, and provoke further tensions, if the police allowed themselves to be used to remove Aboriginal peoples from their land without even a court order to do so." Chief Manuel requested the Mounties contact him to let him know when they intended to go to the protest camps, " I believe that if I am aware of this matter I can be very helpful in protecting the safety of your officers and my peoples."

The opposition New Democrats pointed an accusing finger at the province's Attorney General. New Democrat Opposition Leader Joy MacPhail said Geoff Plant, "... should abandon his macho approach to the dispute between First Nations and the government at Sun Peaks Resort in Kamloops and resume negotiations." Reacting to the government's decision to walk away from negotiations, she said, " Mr. Plant may feel that he has to be the 'tough guy' in this dispute. But abandoning negotiations is not a sign of toughness, it's a sign of a short-sighted, simplistic approach to complex issues."

The Aboriginal rights fight has taken on international proportions. Canada's 2010 Olympic Games bid is now the target of Sun Peaks protestors. They say the values of the Olympics are not represented by massive ski resort expansion. Backed by accusations of human rights violations, efforts will be made to lobby the International Olympics Committee against the Vancouver-Whistler bid to host the 2010 Olmypics.

In anticipation of police action against the Skwelkwek'welt Protection Centre at Sun Peaks and camp at McGillivray Lake, Chief Arthur Manuel and his supporters announced the launching of a provincial, national and international Aboriginal rights campaign, " . . . to protect our Aboriginal title and our inalienable right to inhabit our own lands."

The private political talks collapsed, the peaceful efforts failed. The conflict over Sun Peaks resort expansion on First Nation traditional lands, is now expected to escalate.

"Your precondition that my people abandon their traditional territory and return to our federal Indian Reserve before you will consider speaking to us is not acceptable to my peoples," wrote Neskonlith Chief Arthur Manuel today to BC's Attorney General Geoff Plant.

British Columbia's top law enforcement officer and the cabinet minister responsible for justice, as well as ensuring provincial legal respect for and protection of Aboriginal rights, has abandoned negotiations aimed at resolving one of the province's Aboriginal hot spots involving BC's most difficult Aboriginal relations issues.

"I am very disappointed that we have not been able to move forward in our attempts to resolve the dispute through negotiation, " said Geoff Plant. The Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations warned Sun Peaks protestors the province will now take other action - "other remedies".

The latest political confrontation between the BC government and the Secwepemc people follows face to face efforts by Neskonlith Indian Band Chief Arthur Manuel to negotiate with Plant.

With no fanfare, lots of guarded optimism and some hope, they met privately November 2nd, 2001 and had a November 7th, 2001 phone conversation. However, their talks have collapsed and once again are mired in the mud of politics and positional perspectives.

The so-called negotiations were doomed from the outset because of the province's position that it would not continue to talk unless the protestors dismantled their Skwelkwek'welt Protection Centre at Sun Peaks and camp at McGillivray Lake. The First Nations' argument is that these lands are theirs and have never been surrendered so why would they even consider abandoning their camps and the rights fight they represent.

Chief Manuel explained his position, " The problem, from our point of view, is that once again you are demanding that we back up and accomodate settlers' interests before you will even speak to us about our rights. Might I remind you that among the important subjects of the discussion we had was the existence of our Aboriginal title and rights to our land. It is very unreasonable that you insist we vacate our lands before you will even discuss our right to use and occupy our lands."

Muscle flexing and veiled threats are evident in a letter to Chief Manuel, November 8th, 2001. The Attorney General said, "... given the current climate at Sun Peaks and your community's apparent unwillingness to remove the protest camps, I am regrettably of the view that we have exhausted options to negotiate a resolution. Therefore the Province must look to other remedies."

It's not difficult to decipher what that means. Before the so-called negotiations got underway, the Sun Peaks protestors were handed a trespass notice and were ordered to leave the land or else. That suggested the Mounties would be called in to remove the protestors. But all of that was put on the back burner to give the talks between Chief Manuel and the Attorney General, a chance.

Now that they have collapsed the province will proceed with its process of enforcing the trespass order and the inevitable police action. "By copy of this letter, I am advising the BC Assets and Land Corporation that efforts to find a negotiated solution have not been successful," wrote Plant.

The Attorney General's position is backed by politics. The people who voted him and the Liberal government into office are the same people who live and work in the area of Sun Peaks, and they have put pressure on the province to get tough. Plant informed Chief Manuel, " The tension at Sun peaks has escalated to the point where members of the public feel that their safety is threatened, largely as a result of the perception of increased violence and past aggressive behaviour by occupants of the protest camps."

It is no surprise that Chief Manuel's perspective on the issue of safety and aggression is different from the Attorney General's, " In your letter you cite "tensions" in the area as the reason we must vacate our lands and this to me is another blatant use of the double standard. For example, you would not consider me meeting with the Sun Peaks business community because you said you could not "guarantee my security" from violent threats from Sun Peaks supporters. "

In making his decision to refuse to engage in further negotiations, the Attorney General has affirmed the BC Government's position on minority rights . . . they take a back seat to the voice of the majority. This is the same principle that drives the government's treaty referendum.

In anticipation of police action against the Skwelkwek'welt Protection Centre at Sun Peaks and camp at McGillivray Lake, Chief Manuel and his supporters announced the launching of a provincial, national and international Aboriginal rights campaign, " . . . to protect our Aboriginal title and our inalienable right to inhabit our own lands."

The support network is growing. On November 13th KAIROS wrote a letter to the BC Attorney General to express grave concerns over developments at Sun Peaks. KAIROS which includes the nationwide Aboriginal Rights Coalition, is a partnership of the Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, United and Mennonite Churches, as well as the Quakers, Roman Catholic Religious Institutes, the Roman Catholic Organization for Development and Peace and the Primate's World Relief Fund Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives.

"KAIROS is aware of the struggle of the Secwepemc people, and supports their efforts to achieve recognition and reconciliation of their Aboriginal title and rights for which the Churches of Canada have advocated for more than thirty years." KAIROS made it clear to the Attorney General which side they are on, " KAIROS has great respect for the restraint displayed by the Secwepemc people, especially those at the Skwelkwek'welt Protection Centre and at McGillivray Lake. Their perseverance, and ability to maintain a peaceful and non-violent presence in an atmosphere thick with racial animosity, and amid acts of intimidation and provocation, is a testament to the depth of their commitment and dedication. Forcing the Secwepemc peoples out of these areas does nothing to resolve the land rights issue, but serves only to criminalize the Secwepemc peoples."

The churches are worried that the explosive situation at Sun Peaks will once again snowball into the violence seen elsewhere whenever Aboriginals fight for their rights in Canada, "Our apprehension at repeated attempts by your government to forcefully move the Secwepemc peoples is rooted in decades of experience. We have seen what happens when the actions of Aboriginal peoples are "criminalized" - Esgenoopetitj (Burnt Church), Ipperwash, Gustafsen Lake and Oka are only a few examples."

You are not alone, is a clear message delivered to Chief Manuel and the Secwepemc Peoples defending their lands. The church groups acting as an Aboriginal rights watchdog plan to keep an eye on the developments at Sun Peaks and, " will continue to monitor the situation in the coming months and to evaluate the efforts being made to resolve the dispute."

Far right in the picture below Chief Manuel looks on

Chief Stewart Phillip, third from the right is a strong supporter of the Secwepemc Peoples' rights fight

Chief Manuel's Letter to the RCMP
this is a .pdf file

Province moves to dismantle protest camps
this is a .pdf file

Trespass Notice that was Issued Before the Talks Failed
this is a .pdf file

Click Here To read the entire letter from the Attorney General
this is a .pdf file

Click Here to read Chief Manuel's response
this is a .pdf file

Canada's Olympic Games bid now the target of Sun Peaks protestors

There was Hope for a Peaceful Resolution
This is a .pdf file

Letter to the Prime Minister of Canada
This is a .pdf file

( you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader software for the .pdf files )

The following is a description from Janice Billy of what transpired November 16th, 2001

"I was up at our first place just outside the Sun Peaks village when the 4 police cars and 6 policeman, the guy from British Columbia Assests and Lands, and 2 Desert City security men came. They accompanied the BCAl guy to deliver the seizure notice. The 2 Elders and I told them to get out because they had no jurisdiction there and it was our land.

They left and went to MacGillvray. When I arrived there, the guy from BCAL was reading out the seizure notice. He finished and they (him and police) were just about to leave when one of the policeman spotted Mark, one of the youth, he went up to him said, "you're under arrest'and proceeed to take him to the police car. The other youth went over and said "what is he being arrested for" the police said he is not supposed to be wearing camoflauge. Mark was wearing dark green overalls. After this everything went crazy. The police grabbed a 15 year old and pushed him down on the ground and said he was being arrested for obstruction. Another guy was standing there and he was arrested for obstruction. Then the police grabbed Mandy and twisted her arm behind her back and pushed her to the ground. I had to stand in between Mandy and 3 policeman with my arms stretched out so they could not get at her. I was sure they were going to beat her. They let her go but said she was going to be arrested for assaulting a police officer. Another guy, an adult, is now under arrest for obstruction.

So there was a total of 5 arrests. The 15 year old was released and has to go to court on Monday morning. Two of the guys are held in custody. A warrant is out for Mandy and the other adult male.

I was shocked about the police brutality and violence, they used pepper spray on 3 of the youth and was choking one of them. They hurt Mandy's arm. She is going to the doctor to see about it.

I never felt such rage and hate which was exhibited by the police. They went there to keep the peace while the notice was delivered. But they deliberatly set up a situation in order to arrest people. If I and the other adult had not been there, I am sure they would have arrested all the youth. There were 2 females and 6 males there, besides me and the adult male."

Janice says they will be registering a complaint about the police violence.

PRESS RELEASE
POLICE OUT OF CONROL IN BRUTAL SUN PEAKS ARRESTS
“IT’S OUR LAND.” SAY SECWEPEMC ELDERS. “WE WILL NOT BE DRIVEN OFF.”

(Secwepemc Territory. Saturday, November 17, 2001) “It was a shameful way to act,” says Chief Arthur Manuel of the out-of-control RCMP officers at the Secwepemc McGillivray Lake village near Sun Peaks. “Our people found their brutality terrifying. But they will not buckle under to police terror tactics. Our Elders, land-users and youth have made it very clear they will not be bullied or intimidated into leaving our McGillivray Lake village.”

Chief Manuel was referring to an incident that occurred yesterday afternoon when six RCMP officers accompanied B.C. Assets and Land Corporation officials, and officials from Sun Peaks Resort, to seize all of the goods, dwellings and materials of the Secwepemc McGillivray Lake village. After an angry exchange of words with the residents, the police went “out of control” Secwepemc witnesses said, in attempting to arrest a youth for wearing what they said was camouflage clothing.

“They used pepper spray and brutally threw a young woman to the ground,” said Janice Billy, the spokesperson for the Skwelkwek’welt Protection Centre. “It was terrifying to see the hatred in their eyes as they assaulted our people.”

“What makes all this even more frustrating,” Chief Manuel said, “was that it was completely unnecessary. In recent days we have been in contact with both the Attorney General and a Senior RCMP official asking them to continue the dialogue and to use the courts, if necessary, but not naked force against our people.

In a letter to the Honourable Geoff Plant on November 14 th , Chief Manuel had pointed out that the arrest of the Elders, land-users and Youth for “trespassing” on their own territory would “do great harm to the prospect of our peoples reconciling their interests in this part of the Province.” He then suggested the Attorney General take “the more honourable path of open dialogue without preconditions.” Manuel added that “the arrests would not deter us from using our Aboriginal title lands as we have from time immemorial.”

In his letter of November 15 th to a Senior RCMP official, Manuel wrote that “if BCAL thinks they have rights under the Land Act, they should be directed by the RCMP to get a court order and this matter can be heard before a judge. It would be a great injustice, and provoke further tensions, if the police allowed themselves to be used to remove Aboriginal people from their land without even a court order to do so. As peace officers, your duty is to protect the legal and constitutional rights of the Aboriginal people, as well as those of the developers and their partners in government.”

“What we saw with these latest arrests was the RCMP moving in with BCAL officials and Sun Peaks officials and acting outside of the direction of the courts. It is as if they see their job as protecting the interests of one economic sector –and one race of people—against the interests of our people, which have been recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada. We will not be treated like squatters on our own land.”

Chief Manuel said that he had a videotape of the police brutality during the arrests and he would be making it available to the news media. “The people of British Columbia, the rest of Canada and the world should know how far these people are willing to go in their attempt to make an extra- legal seizure of our land.”

For more information, or for a copy of the video tape, please contact: Chief Arthur Manuel (250) 314-7179

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16th, 2001

ARRESTS AT SUN PEAKS

(Vancouver, Coast Salish Territory/November 16th, 2001) Under the authority of Minister Stan Hagen, the BC Assets and Lands Corporation (BCAL) posted Seizure Notices this morning at 11:00 AM at both the Skwelkwek’welt Protection Centre and the McGillivary Lake camps.

BCAL faxed a letter late yesterday afternoon which stated that once the Seizure Notices have been posted that the camps and everything within can be "sold, rented, removed or destroyed immediately following the seizure."

Contrary to the statement made in the BCAL letter, the RCMP did not attend “in a peacekeeping role” as they used pepper spray and arrested three individuals. All three have been transported to Kamloops. In addition, the RCMP has issued an arrest warrant for Amanda Soper.

Today’s action does not address the issue at the heart of this dispute, Aboriginal Title exists and that Aboriginal Title must be recognized at Skwelkwek’welt.

Included for your information is a letter sent to the RCMP from Chief Manuel. (If you cannot read PDF, please respond to this email with a fax number)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Chief Stewart Phillip Cell: (250) 490-5314
President
Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs

Chief Arthur Manuel Cell: (250) 314-7179
Neskonlith Indian Band

Skwelkwekwelt Protection Center
Secwepemc Territory
C/O Box 608
Chase, B. C. Canada
Phone 250-679-3295 Fax 250-679-5306
November 14, 2001

The Honorable Geoff Plant
Attorney General of BC
Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations
P.O. Box 9044 STN
Victoria BC V8W 9E2
Fax: (250) 387 6411

Dear Mr. Plant,

I am writing you as the Spokesperson of the Skwelkwek'welt Protection Center and in the name of the elders, land users and youth who live there and feel a very deep commitment to protecting their homeland. Before stating our substantive concerns I want to make it very clear that we, the people of the Skwelkwek'welt have never been meaningfully consulted or engaged in substantive discussions with representatives of the province of British Columbia. Some of our people attended the meeting on July 12th, 2001 that you referred to just as observers, important representatives including youth, elders and myself were not been present. We feel that your government and administration has never really tried to look at the whole situation from our point of view.

Our peoples have used Skwelkwek'welt in a sustainable way for thousands of years. We witnessed the encroachment of non-Secwepemc and felt the devastating effects on our way of life. One of the mountains are named in your language after "pioneer Todd" the perpetrator of the first genocide on Secwepemc peoples; committed by handing out blankets infected with small pox. Next a ski resort was erected without even consulting our grandparents and again named after Todd. Most recently it was taken over by international investors and renamed Sun Peaks Ski-resort. Our elders immediately informed the new owner of the ski-resort Masayoshi Ohkubo that they did not want to see any further expansion of the resort. Already at its present size it was negatively effecting the entire watershed and the sensitive ecosystem of the area which, in turn, affects our way of life.

Many of us participated and shared our ecological knowledge in the traditional and current use study conducted by the Adams Lake and Neskonlith Indian bands. We understood that our knowledge would be transferred into scientific data in order to be matched up with provincial land use and management plans. This was yet another act of sharing and trying to develop trust with the representatives of the settler people who had never fully understood what our land really means to us on a spiritual, cultural and economic level. Indeed, these deep philosophical differences regarding land still prevail today. To date our traditional and current use information is not being respected and taken into account by your government agencies. It is therefore really insulting to read in your letter the statement that "the protesters have demonstrated that their manner of asserting rights requires that others be excluded from exercising theirs."

It is a mocking travesty to have that said to the traditional owners (we are not protesters) of the area, who have always shared their land with the settlers. Sun Peaks Resort continues to operate in the area. It is time that your people and your government start to learn to take our rights into account and learn to co-exist which will lead to peace and harmony amongst us.

This is what the Supreme Court stipulated in the 1997 Delgamuukw decision making it very clear that: Ultimately, it is through negotiated settlements, with good faith and give and take on all sides, reinforced by the judgments of this Court, that we will achieve what I stated in Van der Peet, supra, at para. 31, to be a basic purpose of s. 35(1) - "the reconciliation of the pre-existence of aboriginal societies with the sovereignty of the Crown." Let us face it, we are all here to stay.

Following this spirit of co-existence how can you make the removal of our homes a precondition for negotiations? Our elders in their wisdom and understanding immediately realized your government's real intentions when you told our chiefs that the Skwelkwek'welt Protection Center would have to be removed in order to have you recognize our rights to the area. You simply want our physical presence removed to continue business as usual and have the disputed land immediately transferred into a new tenure that makes it virtually impossible for our people to return there or have us physically blocked from the land. Our elders have seen this happen over and over again and also our young people are learning fast as they have seen our homes in Skwelkwek'welt removed 4 times in less than a year and more than 50 of our people arrested as political prisoners since your government took office.

On July 23, 2000, you arrested four of our people, including 2 Elders and charged them with criminal contempt for refusing to leave their home. Although we had been living at the site for 9 months, the Provincial Government (BCAL) issued a lease to Sun Peaks in June who then sought an injunction to remove us.

On August 13, 2000, our people were physically blocked from access to Mt. Morrisey, which is one of our traditional hunting grounds and spiritual places. The Ministry of Forests allowed the massive trenching and "de-activation" by Sun Peaks Resort. On August 26, 2000, the Ministry of Highways physically demolished another home at the entrance to the Sun Peaks village.

We also believe the Ministry of Environment has not conducted thorough environmental assessments on the Sun Peaks expansion project. Certainly no assessment was ever done on the impact of our health, cultural, social, and economic conditions that would result from the Sun Peaks expansion project.

Therefore, you can understand our deep mistrust of your government.

We know that we have inherent rights to our land and we know that the courts will uphold them. They will not uphold your government and the police's strategy to criminalize our people in the assertion of their rights. How often do the courts have to reiterate that they find it unfortunate that issues regarding Aboriginal rights and title are often brought before them in the context of criminal trials, making it necessary for our people to defend our rights?

In our ongoing logging cases BC (Ministry of Forest) even asked for the order to be reversed, so that our people would become the plaintiffs and have to carry the cost of the litigation, but the court found in our favor and ordered the costs to be paid in advance by the province of British Columbia (Minister of Forests v. Jules 2001 BCCA 647). Similar decisions can be expected if BCAL decides to proceed on its trespass notice, regarding which we consider them to have no jurisdiction and title.

Our position in defense of our land rights is also protected by international instruments such as the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination that calls on states in its recommendation XXVIII to: Recognize and protect the rights of indigenous peoples to own, develop, control and use their lands and territories traditionally owned or otherwise inhabited or used without their free and informed consent, to take steps to return those lands and territories.

These recommendations were adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1997. Since then Canada has repeatedly been criticized by the United Nations for its land rights policy that was found to be in violation of international human rights standards. This international scrutiny will further increase with Vancouver's application for the Olympic Winter Games 2001.

The International Olympic Committee has repeatedly made it clear that two of its key evaluation criteria are environmental impacts and human rights standards, already in the case of the Toronto bid they paid great attention to the criticism of our Algonquin sisters and brothers. Under the present condition of the violation of indigenous and human rights British Columbia should rethink its Olympic bid if it does not want to get under increased international scrutiny. The recognition of Aboriginal Title and its implementation on the ground will be a necessary condition for a successful application. Our people have and will continue to present their arguments regarding the recognition of Aboriginal Title and the inclusion of our traditional values as the basis for sustainable use and eco-tourism before the relevant international bodies, such as the International Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Environmental Program, where they are received with great interest and concern.

The United Nations have declared 2002 the International Year of Mountains and Eco-tourism calling for sustainable and culturally sensitive tourism especially in such environmentally rich and sensitive areas as mountain regions like Skwelkwek'welt. A lot can be learnt from their critical discourse regarding mass tourism, for example, scientifically proving the negative effects of artificial snowmaking on entire watersheds. Also I want to remind you that in many countries the use of snowmobiles is restricted to transportation and medical emergencies, their use for recreation is prohibited as it is outbalanced by the proven devastating effect on wildlife. In your letter you are therefore propagating, protecting and subsidizing business practices that do not even meet international standards. We stand ready to denounce those deplorable conditions and their devastating effects on indigenous peoples using the appropriate national and international channels. International human and indigenous rights groups stand ready to support us. We are already running an Aboriginal Title campaign and the start of the ski-season might make it necessary to give a special focus to winter-sports and mass tourism.

Your vigorous defense of "business as usual" and therefore exclusive commercial industrial use, in the case of Sun Peaks mass tourism, does not only violate our traditional values, it also runs contrary to international developments. Now is the time to reverse past decisions and start working together with us as the traditional owners of Skwelkwek'welt and under the direction of our elders, together we can ensure the sustainable use of all our homelands. There is no comparison between our basic human right to gather our food and practice our spiritual way of life versus Sun Peaks customers right to ride (snowmobiles).

Our people are ready to take the necessary steps and be arrested in defense of our land, but we will always return to Skwelkwek'welt, because it is our home. We are not merely protesters. We are Secwepemc living on our lands. All our actions are peaceful and the tensions you are referring to are weighing unproprotionally higher on our people than Sun Peaks residents. We are struggling for our survival and defending our traditional economies to ensure the future of our children. We are not a safety hazard and neither are our buildings, they are our homes and you have no right to order them removed as they stand on Aboriginal Title land. There is no comparison between our basic human right to gather our foods and practice our spiritual ways on the land and the Sun Peaks customers right to ride (snowmobiles).

Kukstsemc,
Janice Billy, Spokesperson
c.c. Chief Arthur Manuel, Neskonlith and Chair of Shuswap Nation Tribal Council
Chief Ron Jules, Adams Lake
Chief Felix Arnouse
Chief Stewart Pbillip, Union of B. C. Indian Chiefs
Chief Matthew Coon Come, Assembly of First Nations
Okanagan Alliance Chiefs
Stat'imx Nation Chiefs
Premier Gordon Campbell
Prime Minister Chretein
International Support and Human Rights Groups
Aboriginal Rights Coalition

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 14th, 2001
ABRUPT TERMINATION OF TALKS ENDANGERS ELDERS, YOUTH AND LAND-USERS OF SKWELKWEK’WELT

(Vancouver, Coast Salish Territory/November 14th, 2001) “I am gravely concerned about the safety of the Elders, youth and land-users of Skwelkwek’welt now that discussions has been scrapped by the Province.” Chief Stewart Phillip went on to explain “With recent media reports quoting the operator of a snowmobile tour company as saying ‘Government won’t do anything. We have to pack protection or concede territory. We’re not going to concede.’ it is abundantly clear the potential of a violent confrontation is increasing. Wild West vigilante threats will not solve anything and would in fact ignite an already explosive situation.”

Chief Phillip commented that the nature of the initial discussions between Chief Arthur Manuel and Attorney General Geoff Plant was meant to be exploratory in nature of a sustained process where the unresolved Aboriginal Title and of the Douglas Reserve specific claim were to be discussed. “Unfortunately, the Attorney General stated that both the Skwelkwek’welt Protection Centre and the McGillivary Lake camps must be removed first before discussions could proceed citing that ‘the members of the public feel that their safety is threatened.’ This pre-condition to the discussions does not consider the sustained level of racism felt not only the Secwepemc People but of any Indian who has traveled in the region. Yes there is an issue of safety but it is an issue more urgently pressing for the Secwepemc People than it is for a snowmobile operator.”

Commenting further, Chief Phillip stated, “It is widely agreed that the Government of Canada has to be involved in the resolution of this dispute. Minister Robert Nault cannot pretend to be an innocent party for he is responsible to ensure Canada’s fiduciary and constitutional responsibilities to all First Nations. This is an occasion where Minister Nault can show some initiative and acknowledge his responsibilities by getting involved. All parties have expressed openness to further discussions pending a change in circumstances. Such a change would have to involve the Government of Canada.”

Chief Phillip concluded, “The denial of any obligation to its fiduciary and constitutional obligations Minister Nault’s department is adding to a situation of escalating tensions.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Chief Stewart Phillip
President
Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs
Cell: (250) 490-5314

KAIROS
Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
November 13, 2001

Hon. Geoff Plant
Attorney-General and
Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations
Parliament Buildings, Room 234
Victoria, British Columbia V8V 1X4
250.387.1866
geoff.plant.mla@leg.bc.ca

Dear Mr. Plant:

At a meeting in Vancouver on November 9-10, the Aboriginal Rights Committee of KAIROS: CEJI* learned from Neskonlith Indian Band Chief Arthur Manuel and Union of BC Indian Chiefs President, Chief Stewart Phillip, that there is increased potential for confrontation and violence at the Sun Peaks Resort. One media report on an incident just a few days ago quoted a Mr. Lorne Dunn as saying he was thinking about "packing protection" against "terrorists." This kind of incendiary language threatens the safety of everyone involved.

KAIROS is aware of the struggle of the Secwepemc people, and supports their efforts to achieve recognition and reconciliation of their Aboriginal title and rights for which the Churches of Canada have advocated for more than thirty years.

Our concern is that incidents such as that recounted to us by Chiefs Manuel and Stewart involving Mr. Dunn will increase racial tensions and enhance the potential for tragedy, unless addressed immediately and concretely by your government. How does your government plan to respond to this and other racially motivated incidents? Has your government considered how the uncertainty created by increased violence at Sun Peaks will impact on the welfare of all British Columbians?

KAIROS has great respect for the restraint displayed by the Secwepemc people, especially those at the Skwelkwek'welt Protection Centre and at McGillivray Lake. Their perseverance, and ability to maintain a peaceful and non-violent presence in an atmosphere thick with racial animosity, and amid acts of intimidation and provocation, is a testament to the depth of their commitment and dedication. Forcing the Secwepemc peoples out of these areas does nothing to resolve the land rights issue, but serves only to criminalize the Secwepemc peoples.

Our apprehension at repeated attempts by your government to forcefully move the Secwepemc peoples is rooted in decades of experience. We have seen what happens when the actions of Aboriginal peoples are "criminalized" - Esgenoopetitj (Burnt Church), Ipperwash, Gustafsen Lake and Oka are only a few examples.

KAIROS: CEJI will continue to monitor the situation in the coming months and to evaluate the efforts being made to resolve the dispute. We hope you will keep the doors to dialogue open and are willing to contribute to a just resolution. We ask you to inform us of your plans for a negotiated settlement.

Sincerely,
Sandra DeLaronde
Carl Rausch
Co-Chairs
Aboriginal Rights Committee

Cc:
Chief Stewart Phillip, President, Union of BC Indian Chiefs
Chief Arthur Manuel, Neskonlith Indian Band
Hon. Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia
Hon. Claude Richmond, Speaker of the Legislature, MLA for Kamloops
Hon. George Abbott, Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services
MLA for Shuswap
Kevin Krueger, MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson
Betty Hinton, MP for Kamloops, Thompson and Highland Valleys
Hon. Robert Nault, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Matthew Coon Come, National Chief, Assembly of First Nations
__________________________

* On July 1 of this year, KAIROS: CEJI was formed. KAIROS is a partnership of the Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, United and Mennonite Churches, as well as the Quakers, Roman Catholic Religious Institutes, the Roman Catholic Organization for Development and Peace and the Primate's World Relief Fund. For over 25 years The Aboriginal Rights Coalition (ARC), now integrated into KAIROS, has worked in solidarity with Aboriginal peoples to transform the relationship between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal peoples through creative and innovative education and action initiatives designed to counter racism and discrimination by enhancing awareness and understanding of Aboriginal title and rights.

211 Bronson Avenue, Suite 211 phone: 613.235.9956 Ottawa, Ontario fax: 613.235.1302 Canada K1R 6H5 www.kairoscanada.org

Photos of Native youth at McGillivray Lake
This is a .pdf file

For more details on the Secwepemc fight to protect their rights and traditional lands Click Here