Category Archives: kahnawake

SQ CORPORAL LEMAY’S DEATH IN OKA IN 1990

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MNN. Sept. 18, 2006. In 1991, a year after the 1990 Mohawk Oka Crisis, a reporter from the Montreal Mirror met with some Rotiskenrakete at the Mohawk Nation Office in Kahnawake. He had information about the death of SQ Surete du Quebec Corporal Marcel Lemay during the para-military attack on the Mohawks of Kanehsatake on July 11, 1990.

In early 1990 there had been a so-called “civil war” stirred up between the Rotiskenrakete and anti-warriors in Akwesasne. The anti-warriors were supported by the US and Canada.

SQ Internal Affairs had launched an investigation into illegal sales of weapons to the anti’s without proper permits by a shop in Valleyfield, Quebec, west of Montreal.

It appears that the SQ had given the Akwesasne Tribal Police a check to buy guns. They went to Valleyfield with some anti-warriors. Instead of cashing it beforehand, they gave the check to the storeowner to pay for the guns. Several days later two Mohawk men were shot and killed. These killings remain unresolved.

SQ Internal Affairs found information about the financing and supply of weapons to the anti-warriors in Akwesasne to destroy the Rotiskenrakete.

Corporal Lemay was in charge of the internal investigation. He went to the gun store in Valleyfield. The books showed an SQ check had paid for the guns. Lemay was ready to report his findings.

On the morning of July 11th, 1990, three of the four SWAT units in the Montreal district were assigned to the Oka region. They were to launch a para-military attack on the Mohawks in the ceremonial grounds known as the Pines. The SQ has never told who issued this order.

Corporal Lemay worked behind the desk investigating police misconduct. On this day he was ordered to suit up with a bullet-proof vest, helmet and M-16 to take part in a military style attack on Mohawk men, women and children. Minutes after the attack, Lemay lay dead.

A bullet had entered his left side just below his armpit between the unprotected area of the vest and his body. Lemay never got beyond Mohawk lines and never had any Rotiskenrakere behind or beside him. They had retreated into the woods for better defensive positions. The SQ had tried to attack from the front and side to catch Rotiskenrakete in the crossfire in a “flanking maneuver”.

Lemay was on the main front assault line. He was killed outright. The reporter questioned the SQ’s investigation into Lemay ’s death. Normally when an officer is killed in the line of duty, someone must pay the price. The SQ treated the death as a civilian casualty.

Immediately following the attack SQ Internal Affairs descended on Lemay’s home and seized all his documents. Mrs. Lemay told the media, “I don’t hold the Mohawks responsible for the death of my husband”.

The reporter concluded that the incident was a setup and cover up. Along with disposing of Lemay, the assault on our people was the “final push” by the Quebec, Canada and US governments to choke the Mohawk people into submission and to criminalize us. They were trying to destroy our economic independence.

The reporter was discredited and threatened to “leave well enough alone”. Lemay’s discovery of SQ involvement in Akwesasne’s so-called “civil war” would have implicated the SQ top brass and brought down high government officials.

Kahentinetha MNN Mohawk Nation News, www.mohawknationnews.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com For more news, books, to donate and to sign up for MNN newsletters go to www.mohawknationnews.com See Categories “Kanehsatake” & “Akwesasne”.

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20 YEARS AFTER MOHAWK OKA CRISIS

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20 YEARS LATER

MNN. Sep. 15, 2009. July 11, 2010, will be twenty years since the Canadian military attacked the Mohawk Nation at Kanehsatake, Kahnawake and Akwesasne. We did not want the nearby town of Oka to extend its golf course over our ceremonial site and burial grounds. The Quebec police opened fire with automatic guns and tear gas on Mohawk men, women and children. For 78 days we faced the combined firepower of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Quebec Police and the RCMP.

We found ourselves fighting for our identity and defending ourselves against oppression by Canada and Quebec. The Mohawk defenders were brought to trial on criminal charges.

The following is a synopsis of the first day of the first year-long trial after the crisis. [MOHAWK WARRIORS THREE – The Trial of Lasagna, Noriega & 20-20]. This was followed by another year long trial of over 50 other Mohawks and our allies. We were all acquitted.

The trial started on Monday, October 21, 1991, in the St. Jerome Court, north of Montreal.

Our 3 Warriors/Rotiskenrakete faced 59 charges: assaults, mischief, mischief and theft, beating and mischief, and mischief against the Canadian Army. Generally, they were mischievous.

The 12 all-white English jury sat silent. The crown’s lies were totally confusing. The Quebec cops refused to speak English and had a squad of translators. Oui! Oui!

The screaming racist Crown prosecutor, Francois [Petticoat] Briere, opened the trial by saying, “I will prove that these three are criminals against everybody [in the world]!”

The first witness for Canada, Evergreen, was a short portly middle-aged Mohawk woman with a pug nose. She wore a brown leather full length coat. Her husband was Chief Jungle Jim of Kanehsatake. She was known as Woodpecker because, as a kid, she jumped other kids and beat them on the back, tah-tah-tah-tah!.

On July 31st she drove through the warrior checkpoint with a pizza and some videos to spend a quiet evening in the “war zone”. As she came through, a Warrior suddenly jumped on top of her car and disappeared!

On August 1, 1990, her husband, Jungle Jim, went to Ottawa with fellow councilor, Buddy Elm. They met with George Erasmus and Ovide Mercredi, of the Assembly of First Nations AFN [collaborators of Canada], and Tom Porter, a snitch from Akwesasne, to get instructions from their colonial masters.

As they were returning home, Evergreen heard on the scanner, “Chief Jungle is coming with Buddy”. A few minutes after they got home, four Rotiskenrakere in full fatigue showed up at her house.

One Rotiskenrakete yelled, “Buddy Elm, get your fat ass out here. We want you!”

The next one repeated, “Buddy Elm, get your fat ass out here. We want you!”

Evergreen declared, “No one is going out there.”

Two warriors broke the front door window. One got in and slapped Buddy Elm while another said, “Why can’t you be reasonable. Why don’t you resign?” Then they left.

Evergreen said that “honestly” she never once discussed this incident since then to this day. She admitted Crown Prosecutor Briere had given her some papers to study before testifying.

She became confused about the many conflicting declarations she had signed, “because the SQ officer did not speak English”.

On August 1, 1990, the Canadian Army had closed in on Kanehsatake. She left the next day. The police wrote out the statements which she signed. They put her, her husband and Buddy Elm in a motel all expenses paid.

When asked how her husband was selected to be Grand Chief, she admitted they were colonial government supporters.

Buddy Elm, a former councilor, was the next witness. He was wearing a brown leather jacket and sunglasses in the windowless court.

During the incident, Chief Jungle was in the bathroom, Evergreen was moving around and Buddy Elm did not see who was at the door.

Someone yelled, “Where’s Buddy? We want to talk to him!” Then the window was smashed and the door was kicked open. A warrior apparently kicked Buddy Elm on his ample left thigh and tapped him on the left side of his head.

The trial continued for almost a year with an army of army, police and snitch witnesses. The 3 Warriors did not put in a defense. All charges were dropped except for minor ones on Lasagna.

The trial shows how the Canadian political and legal systems are stacked against us. The Three did not recognize the jurisdiction of the white man ‘s court and remained silent. After the verdict one of the Three said, “I would do it again” [defend the People, Pines and burial grounds].

Kahentinetha MNN Mohawk Nation News, kahentinetha2@yahoo.com For more news, books, to donate and to sign up for MNN newsletters, go to www.mohawknationnews.com See Category “Kanehsatake”.

 

QUEBEC BRIDGE DISASTER AT KAHNAWAKE? Urgent Action Needed!

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QUEBEC BRIDGE DISASTER AT KAHNAWAKE? Urgent Action Needed!

MNN. Nov. 15, 2009. The Mercier Bridge is 1.4 kilometers long, spans the St. Lawrence River and Seaway between Montreal and Kahnawake on the south shore. It was built in 1932 beside the CPR Bridge which was built in 1885. www.pjcci.ca

Mohawk Nation, Quebec and Canada contracted the Mohawks to strengthen the steel structure and replace the reinforced concrete bridge deck of three access ramps on Mohawk Territory. It is the largest bridge repair project in Canadian history. Canada is paying $57 million and Quebec $9 million. Over 1000 direct and indirect jobs are being created per year. Work started on April 25, 2008.

The Montreal Iron Workers Union Local 711 is trying to kick the Mohawks out because they don’t have the CCQ cards. Commission de la construction du Quebec cards are issued by the government which controls the union.

CCQ rules and regulations violate the Union’s international charter. Quebec is the only place on Great Turtle Island where a union card is worthless.

Local 711 gives Mohawks union books but tells them to work in the US or other provinces. Retired ironworkers say 711 doesn’t let those who have books from locals 40 or 361 from NY City work in Quebec or Kahnawake, even though they are considered to be highly skilled ironworkers.

Wayne Rice, is head of the local Mohawk Bridge Consortium, a group of contractors in Kahnawake. He had a meeting in August 2009 with Pierre Desroche, the 711 business agent.

711 is trying to invade our sovereignty by disqualifying the Mohawks that don’t have CCQ cards. Desroche urged Rice to send his workers without cards home and hire non-natives. This would put 80 Mohawks out of work.

Jacques Dubois, President of the union’s District Council of Eastern Canada, sent letters to certain men threatening loss of their union books and never working again if they work on the Mercier Bridge project. 9 men quit. 8 had cards and one was promised one. None have been provided jobs or a card.

Rice is trying to protect the men, women and the community now and in the future from jurisdictional encroachment by foreigners. Rice sees other trades in the community being forced under Quebec’s control so that jobs will go to non-natives and taxes can be extorted from us.

Quebec is getting caught in a web of lawlessness. Rice is apparently writing to Joseph Hunt, General President, of the AFL-CIO Iron Workers International Union in Washington DC about these racist practices. He is looking into setting up a local in Kahnawake.

MBC continues to put Mohawk workers on the bridge. Union members elsewhere say it is highly unusual to improperly deny jobs and should be investigated at the highest level.

The Mohawk Nation is inherently sovereign. Kahnawake is on unsurrendered Haudenosaunee land. In 1974 Jean Chretien, the Minister of Indian Affairs, illegally signed an Order in Council declaring it a reserve. He violated internationally recognized standards for respecting political, economic and human rights as set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, UN Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other international legal instruments. UN General Assembly Resolution 1541 [XV] requires the informed consent of the people before they are included in another state. We have never legally or voluntarily become part of Canada.

The Mohawks’ position supported by international law is that when anyone comes into our sovereign territory, they must abide by our laws and can’t force their authority on us.

711 recently filed an injunction in Montreal Superior Court to enforce their laws in Kahnawake. As we are a nation, this issue belongs in the International Court.

Supporting this position is the recent ruling in 2008 by the FCC Federal Court of Canada. A Mohawk woman was beaten by Canada Border Services Agents at Akwesasne. She requested an investigation. FCC ruled that the victim must pay for the Crown’s costs because she lives in Kahnwake and is not a resident of Canada. FCC declared that Kahnawake is sovereign and not in Canada.

Based on this ruling, in June 2009 the Maliseet of Tobique in New Brunswick took over and kept the dam and electric generating plant that was built in the middle of their territory.

Dubois tried to unfairly tarnish the reputation of the Mohawks. He prejudiced the Mohawk Bridge Consortium and the workers on the Mercier Bridge Project by stating they are not qualified to do the work and it is a catastrophe.

On August 29, 1907, we lost most of our ironworkers when the Quebec [City] Bridge collapsed into the St. Lawrence River. We later learned this was due to deficiencies in material and construction by the contractors. We don’t want another bridge disaster, especially since we cross it every day. We are a nation and must be legally dealt with as such.

Contact: Wayne Rice, Mohawk Bridge Consortium tel. 450-635-6063 pwrind52@yahoo.ca www.mohawkmbc.com

Kahentinetha MNN Mohawk Nation News, www.mohawknationnews.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com Note: Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Or go to PayPal on MNN website. Nia:wen thank you very much. Go to MNN KAHNAWAKE category for more stories; New MNN Books Available now!

FCC Federal Court of Canada Prothonotary Mireille Tabib order, October 23, 2008, Mohawks residing in Akwesasne and Kahnawake are not residents of Canada. Two supporting FCC orders: Judge Francois Lemieux, January 29, 2009; and Claude Morissette, March 16, 2009. [FCA t-1309 and T-288-09].

Iron Workers International Union, % Joseph Hunt, General President, AFL-CIO,400 – 1750 NY Ave. NW, Washington DC 202-383-4810 jhowell@iwintl.org. PRESSURE SHOULD BE PUT ON LOCAL 711 AND QUEBEC TO STAY OUT OF KAHNAWAKE AND LET THE MEN WORK UNMOLESTED ON OUR TERRITORY.

Local 711 Montreal, Ville d’Anjou, QC. H1J 2Y7 514-328-2808 Tollfree 1-800-461-0711 montreal@local711.ca; District Council of Eastern Canada, President Jacques Dubois 514-328-1482.

Mercier Bridge Deck Replacement Project, 1111 St. Charles St. W, West Tower, Suite 600, Longueuil, Quebec J4K 5G4 450-651-8771, managed by Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridge Inc., Andre Girard, Federal Bridge Corporation Ltd. 450-468-5775 andre.girard@pontsfederaux.ca; Serge Valliers Cell 514-892-7205, Communications 514-849-7000 [230] jvl@agccom.com.

John Baird, Minister, Transport Canada www.tc.gc.ca 613-990-2309 bairdj@parl.gc.ca: Media 613-993-0055; Karine White 613-643-3804, Daniel Desharnois 613-418-643-6980, Natalie Sarafin 613-991-0700 & Danny Kingberry 613-993-0055.

Michael M. Fortier, Public Works, Federick Baril 613-868-1128; Jean Marc Fournier, Quebec Minister of Monteregie Region; Harold Fortin, Revenue Canada 418-643-3804.

 

O KANADA, BEHIND THE LINES IN OKA

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 1990 MOHAWK CRISIS ON YouTubeMNN. Apr. 30, 2009. At dawn on July 11, 1990, the SQ [Quebec Provincial Police] opened fire with automatic guns and threw tear gas on Kanion’ke:haka Mohawk men, women and children of Kanehsatake. One policeman was killed by friendly police fire. We had been protesting the nearby town of Oka’s plans to expand a golf course over our burial ground and common ceremonial site called THE PINES. Nearby Mohawks of Kahnawake quickly responded to fellow Mohawks by blocking the Mercier Bridge, which connects the south shore with the island of Montreal over the St. Lawrence River.

The RCMP and then thousands of Canadian Army with heavy armaments were sent in. The world watched in amazement as a small Indigenous nation faced the combined fire power of these three forces for 78 days.

It was a fight for Mohawk identity and territory against the oppressive designs of the colonial occupants of our land. We found ourselves in the middle of a struggle for identity, respect and resistance to oppression by Canada and Quebec.

Fifty-two men, women, children and 10 journalists held out in the Treatment Center that we called Concentration Camp TC. We were surrounded by razor wire manned by heavily armed soldiers, guns and tanks. We were without communication with the outside world, little food was coming in and the weather was getting cold. The army was stepping up its psychological warfare tactics. The colonists wanted to end the Mohawk Crisis that had plagued the summer of 1990. They wanted us to surrender. No way!

On September 26th 1990, the Ahserakowa gave us a coded message in Mohawk over the Kanehsatake Radio Station. He warned us to immediately vacate Concentration Camp TC because “something was coming down that night”.

We broke into clans – bear, wolf and turtle – to make our final plans. Some felt we should stay until Monday when Parliament would start its fall session. The gravest political confrontation in modern Canadian history could then be debated.

At 5:00 pm our clans convened. We had all decided to leave in an hour. As two army helicopters hovered above us, everybody went into a flurry of preparations. Everything was thrown into a huge bonfire. A final purification ritual was performed before the sacred fire that had never stopped burning throughout the crisis. We said our good-byes to each other. We did not know what was going to happen when we would walk head-on into the Army.

Thousands of people and media had rushed to Kanehsatake. The whole finale was being televised live.

We tried to walk out of Concentration Camp TC to freedom. We crossed over the stretchers that had been placed over the razor wire. Immediately soldiers and cops grabbed us and began to kick, punch and beat us with their fists, guns and stabbed one child with a bayonet. In the end we were all captured.

The colonists maintained their false position that the Indigenous defenders were criminals and terrorists who threatened the public security of all. The colonists quickly brought us to trial on criminal charges. We were all acquitted except for Lasagna who was found guilty of breaking into a non-native home in Kanehsatake. We had transcended the colonial boundaries set up by Quebec, Canada and the U.S. under a European nation-state model on our territory.

Next year it will be 20 years since this attack. The 33 minute film – O Kanada: Behind the lines in Oka – is available on YouTube. It was made by Albert Nurenberg, a reporter who sneaked through the army lines with a camcorder and taped the event from inside:

OKANADA: Behind the lines in OKA
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=okanada&aq=f

For the coming year MNN will publish other stories on this siege leading up to the 20th anniversary.

Kahentinetha MNN Mohawk Nation News www.mohawknationnews.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com katenies20@yahoo.com

Note: At this time your financial help is urgently needed and appreciated. Please send your donations to PayPal at www.mohawknationnews.com, or by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Nia:wen, thank you very much. Go to MNN “World” category for more stories on this; New MNN Books Available now! Purchase t-shirts, mugs and more at our CafePressStore http://www.cafepress.com/mohawknews; Mohawk Warriors Three $20 including postage.

poster: katenies

 

CSIS SHOPS FOR MOHAWK “STOOL PIGEONS” IN KAHNAWAKE

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MNN. Nov. 11, 2008. A “stool pigeon” is an information “carrier pigeon” inside a community. They give intelligence about us to our enemies, like police, government, social scientists or academics who pretend to study us. Let’s not forget those “5th column” scumbags – the band or tribal councils and “aboriginal” police forces – that have been forced on us by our enemies. We Mohawks are officially number 3 on the “terrorist” list put out by Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Canada, after Alqaeda and the Tamil Tigers. Doesn’t it look like the state is setting us set up for something?The Canadian Secret Intelligence Service CSIS didn’t want to twiddle its thumb. It’s picking on us to justify its existence, or they’re very bored. They are recruiting informants among our people. A CSIS woman, Nancy Demarais, called Tewhonwasonte. He writes a column for the Kahnawake Eastern Door newspaper and is a member of the 207 Long House where some of the traditional people meet.

This CSIS Wanna-be “Mata Hari” with a bag of money wanted a secret rendez-vous with Tewhonwasonte in a restaurant outside the community. She wanted to talk about ‘Mohawk’ stuff, like the tobacco industry and especially about our sister community of Tyendinaga. It was a thinly veiled attempt to gain “strategic” information about us. In exchange Mata Hari offered to give him some “interesting” information. “I think you will have a smile on your face”, she said. Tewhonwasonte told her he would get back to her.

Tewhonwasonte called the Long House who said, in effect, “This is nation business. If she wants to talk to us, she should come to the Longhouse and tell everybody what she wants”. Tewhonwasonte called Mata Hari. She was not interested in an open and honest nation-to-nation relationship. She was probably already writing an impressive report to her superiors on how she “tricked” us into giving her “information”. She said, in effect, “Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll keep shopping”.

Why is Canada skulking around spying on us instead being above board and meeting us face-to-face? Is Canada trying to depose our government? Remember, evil is always covert and truth is for everyone. Last Friday the Eastern Door carried a front page story on this search for Mohawk “007s”.

Spies are everywhere! Even companies have spies to keep an eye on everybody. When an MNN editor worked at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino, an executive asked her to spy on her fellow employees. She declined. Another was asked to spy on her fellow employees at the animal shelter where she volunteered. She was even asked to spy on the animals and report any “mad dogs and Englishmen”!

States commonly use assassins, spies and secret agents. They are called “rats”, “snitches”, spooks”, “confidential informants” or an “anonymous source”. Spying is the act of obtaining, delivering, transmitting, communicating, fabricating or receiving information about how we defend ourselves from the onslaughts of the colonizers. The information turned over to the outsiders is used to injure us.

State espionage is usually done for military purposes. Canada is continuing its military operations and threats against us today even though military approaches to social problems are illegal according to international law. In our opinion, domestic terrorism is being done in Canada aimed at us.

How are informants cultivated? Someone can become an informant after an arrest, threat or torture. “If you spy for us, we’ll protect you” [from us], so the story goes. They send them back to blend into the target community. They may even let them conduct crimes like dealing drugs so long as they give information about the community to their handlers.

The spy known as the “asset” is directed by a “cover” or a “handler”. In between are the “cut outs” or “couriers” who deliver the messages and who may not know the asset or the handler. The CIA model is a clandestine cell system where the players don’t ever meet, except on a need-to-know basis. A “safe house” is a refuge for spies.

The cover can be stationed in the middle of the community where they recruit and supervise their agents who spy on us. They try to recruit someone who is trusted and has access to sensitive information. A spy who tries to infiltrate the target is called a “legend”. They can also be long time “moles” or “defectors” who stay within the community and even have families.

Some agents could be the janitor who digs through people’s trash. This gives new meaning to the term “bottom feeders”. They are also known as “dumpster divers”. Sometimes the lowest person in the organization is actually the head of the spy ring.

Some “stool pigeons” start out as volunteers who think they are doing the right thing for our enemies. If they develop a good rapport with the cops or outside assets or handlers, eventually they might get paid for “stooling” on us.

The spies bring in fake information to the targeted community and also put out propaganda against us to the outside. “Oh, the RCMP is gonna make a raid”, just to put us on edge. The information is meant to demoralize us and make us look bad. They try to convince us that the enemy is stronger and that “it’s no use” to assert our rights or the law.

The Belleville Intelligencer vilified us by publishing the list of Mohawks who are going to be charged for “protesting” the recent delivery of the mega prison that Canada and the OPP want to illegally put in the middle of Tyendinaga. Freedom of expression is not a crime! Their deliberate misinformation is meant to have a serious affect on us. We can’t get a job, our kids are mistreated at school or we have difficulty going about our normal activities like shopping, going to the arena or the hospital without being hassled.

Presently spying is done in person, by GPS linked to satellites or aircraft, misleading reports, planting bugs or taps to listen to people’s conversations, watching us through binoculars or following us, taking our pictures or computer hacking into emails. Espionage technology and tactics have become very sophisticated, like concealment devices, covert listening instruments, monitoring and tracking contraptions, one way voice links, surveillance and remotely activated phones. Now “Drones” UAVs can follow us and attacks can be set off by remote from Ottawa.

What motivates someone to betray their own people? It’s either money, greed, blackmail, ideology, compromise, ego, threats or for “something beneficial”. There are those who feel that life has cheated them. They want to get back at the society that misunderstood them and did not appreciate them. Other levers of coercion for recruitment are homosexuality, bribery, excitement, romance and sex.

Espionage is a violation of the Kaianerehkowa, the Great Law, our constitution. A spy breaking their own nation’s laws can be imprisoned. Wampum 58 provides that, “any persons who submit to laws of a foreign people are alienated and forfeit their birthright and claims of the Rotino’shonni:onwe and territory”.

Sorry, allies, friends and supporters! We need you and appreciate your help. However, the way things are going we have to watch for any stranger that strolls into our midst. We need to check their background, ask a lot of questions and not get suckered by fast talkers and their gifts. We have to watch out for another “pretext event” which, if in Canada, will implicate the Ongwehonwe. It’s like 911 which implicated the people of the Middle East.

Our philosophy sustains our families, communities and friends. Our ties are so strong that we help each other without hesitation for no payment. We must be alert to all the tricks our enemies are using to recruit one of us to work against us. For those who have already been recruited, better start worrying. No one anywhere in the world likes a traitor in their midst.

Karakwine & MNN Staff, Mohawk Nation News www.mohawknationnews.com katenies20@yahoo.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com

CSIS: http://www.csis-scrs.ca; Manon Berube – Media 613-231-0100;

Go to MNN “Kahnawake ” category for more stories;

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Note: These challenges of abuses at the border require support and money. Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations to PayPal at www.mohawknationnews.com, or by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Nia:wen thank you very much.

poster: katenies

 

WHAT DOES THE “RULE OF LAW” MEAN IN KAHNAWAKE? :BAND COUNCIL ATTACKS “COUNCIL OF ELDERS” AS PART OF GENOCIDE PLAN

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BAND COUNCIL ATTACKS “COUNCIL OF ELDERS” AS PART OF GENOCIDE PLANMNN. Sept. 24, 2007. Every community has a set of rules to conduct its affairs. One of these in Kahnawake is the Membership Law.

Before the European invasion the Mohawk lived according to the Kaianereh’kowa, Great Law of Peace. Many still do. In 1897 the colonial government of Canada illegally imposed foreign laws known as the “Indian Act”. Today the majority object to the illegal band council system and will not take part in their elections. However, this system is the only way the Mohawk can get access to the portion of our assets that these foreigners stole from us.

The people of Kahnawake spent more than 20 years developing the Membership Law. The people wanted to decide for themselves who could be a member of our community instead of letting Indian Affairs impose foreign notions that are destructive to us and our culture. On May 14th 2004 the people established a Council of Elders at a public meeting. Their task was to apply the people’s Membership Law. So far over 90% of the applicants have been found to meet the requirements.

This isn’t good enough for band council chief, Mike Delisle. At a closed meeting, without notifying the public, he unilaterally suspended the activities of the Council of Elders.

Is this legal? No way. Not unless you believe in dictatorships. Mike Delisle has completely sidelined the people of Kahnawake and cut them out of taking part in the decision-making process.

This brings to mind a situation that occurred in 2002 in Venezuela , a country with great oil wealth that has been held under the thumb of an oligarchy that kept most of the people in poverty. The 5% minority monopolized the resources, power and wealth.

When President Hugo Chavez was democratically elected, he educated the people about their democratic constitution. He began to reorganize Venezuela so that the assets were fairly distributed. This infuriated the oligarchy. They organized a CIA backed coup. They invaded the Presidential Palace and abducted President Chavez. They declared that the elected government was disbanded. They immediately started a brutal crackdown, trying to disband popular institutions. The army was ordered to shoot anyone who objected.

The people refused to accept the return of the old dictatorship. A huge crowd gathered around the Presidential Palace. The soldiers would not take orders from the usurpers to shoot the people and decided to defend the constitution instead. Within two days the usurpers were kicked out of the Presidential Palace and President Chavez was returned by the people. He did not take revenge. He simply confirmed that the country was a popular republic and would continue to be ruled according to the people’s constitution. No one has the power to suspend the operation of the law. Hugo Chavez said, “If anyone does not like what I am doing, they can vote me out of office”. Only the people can change the law.

Mike Delisle was not been as brutal as the Venezuelan oligarchy but he has grabbed power like a dictator. He took it upon himself to suspend the Membership Law. Mike Delisle has managed to create a climate of fear. This is why he’s been able to push the Council of Elders around. Let’s take a closer look at what Mike Delisle and the band council did.

At the beginning of September 2007 the Council of Elders was called by Jenny McComber of the Registrar’s office to pick up “your envelope” at the band council office. No explanation was given.

Under threat of suspension Mike Delisle ordered us to attend an “urgent” meeting at 6:00 pm on September 5th at the “Golden Agers’ Club”. Mike Delisle spoke in a hostile and angry tone of voice as if he was scolding kids instead of speaking respectfully to the community’s elders, some of who are in their late 70s.

Mike Delisle reviewed a “secret” 24-page document entitled “A Review of the Kahnawake Membership Law”. This document was not the result of consultation with the community. The Council of Elders was not given copies of this list of allegations. There was no indication who wrote it.

On behalf of the Council of Elders T.B. carefully summarized the allegations that had been made by unnamed persons. T.B. asked for a copy of the document and time to discuss it.

Then band councilor, Rhonda Kirby, a former member of the Council of Elders, repeated the allegations. She was followed by Timmy Norton, a member of the Council of Elders who used to be a band councilor. He stood behind us and made further allegations, in the course of which he admitted that he had breached the oath of confidentiality. He’s the one who told the television station about a decision before the applicant had been notified. He punctuated his tirade by resigning from the Council of Elders. The Council of Elders agreed to suspend application hearings until such matters were cleared up.

Friday morning, September 7th the Council of Elders was shocked to read in the Eastern Door newspaper that Mike Delisle had suspended the activities of the Council of Elders. The elders were given no opportunity to see the evidence or to defend themselves against the charges. Just like the Venezuelan oligarchs, Mike Delisle made a public announcement of his “fait accompli”.

On Monday, September 10th T.B. of the Council of Elders supposedly received an email from Alexis Shackleton of the Membership Registrar’s office declaring that the Council of Elders would no longer receive any support services from her office and that we would have no access to a lawyer. The Council of Elders is required to keep minutes, write letters and review all administration and files that are kept by the Registrar.

The band council has followed a procedure that seems to have violated our tradition in a number of ways. The issue to be considered was not formulated by a neutral party. Mike Delisle told the elders that he is selecting a third party [maybe with the help of Indian Affairs?] to conduct his investigation. He is also hand picking the three members of the Council of Elders who will be involved with him.

According to Haudenosaunee practice, a council serving the public must be neutral and cannot be removed once they have been appointed. Mike Delisle seems to think the Council of Elders can be neutral so long as long as it does what he says. Councils serving the people are given a support staff that must remain neutral and may not take part in the decision making process.

The Council of Elders was appointed to conduct a quasi judicial function. Its neutrality is important. Members should be protected from arbitrary removal from office, just like any judge anywhere else in the world.

Before this matter erupted, the Council of Elders had run into some problems. The Registrar, Alexis Shackleton, whose role should be purely clerical, was giving the Council of Elders written instructions on how they should decide a case before the applicant was even heard. She also was placing persons on the membership roll who were not qualified, which were subsequently overturned by the Council of Elders.

The Council of Elders must make decisions based on the laws and customs of the people as set out in the Membership Law. There is no provision to usurp their decision making role. As it turns out, Alexis Shackleton is one of the authors of the report that Mike Delisle relied upon in his attempt to disband the Council of Elders.

Mike Delisle’s suspension has no legal force or effect under any known concept of legality except totalitarian dictatorship. There was no evidence presented, no legal argument and the Council of Elders was not allowed to present its points of view. This violates the basic principles of procedural fairness that are recognized by most nations under international law

If the community doesn’t like the rules, it should change the law. Mike Delisle is a member of the community. He has no more authority than anybody else to change it or to dictate how the Council of Elders applies it.

There has always been pressure from Indian Affairs as to who can be a member. What are Mike Delisle’s motives? We understand that almost 4,000 people want to be enrolled. Perhaps many may or may not qualify according to the Membership Law. This reminds us of the situation that happened at Kanehsatake when James Gabriel was handing out membership cards prior to the 2005 election in the hope that it would garner him votes. This was done through Alexis Shackleton’s counterpart, Jean Vincent, the Registrar at Kanehsatake.

The band council also wants more voters because it will get more money. The would-be Mohawks want tax free status, land, health and education benefits, to vote and take over Kahnawake. Is Indian Affairs planning to relocate the Mohawks to stop opposition to the expansion of the St. Lawrence Seaway , to build a ten-lane bridge right through the middle of Kahnawake and who knows what else! Somebody’s got a long term plan here.

The band council hopes to “cash bleed” the Council of Elders. On September 24th the Elders paid for a meeting room from their own pockets. T.B. read the most recent dictate from the band council which appeared to declare that the Council of Elders can no longer meet except with the band council. This is a violation of the right of freedom of association that is guaranteed under international law. Mike Delisle seems to infer that it is “unlawful assembly” [according to who?]. Remember how the RCMP used to break up our longhouse meetings? Indian Affairs must be laughing at how they now have our own people suppressing us.

This looks like a hostile corporate takeover of Kahnawake by the powers that think they are. What kind of future is in store for our children and the generations to come? A dictatorship under the direction of Indian Affairs and Mike Delisle? The Mohawks of Kahnawake better speak up quick. Delisle and his cohorts have put a noose around our necks.

Kahentinetha Horn
MNN Mohawk Nation News

Contact Mike Delisle with your comments concerning his behavior at communications@mck.ca; send your concerns to loudspirits@hotmail.com and easterndoor@axess.com

poster: katenies

 

IN SUPPORT OF THE SIX NATIONS DEFENDERS OF THE LAND

Posted on by
KAHNAWAKE MOHAWK “ROTISKENEKETEH”
PEACEFULLY WALK ACROSS CPR TRACKS MNN. Sept. 20, 2007. Message from Rotiskeneketeh, “We will be walking peacefully on the CPR tracks from the “border” of Kahnawake at St. Constant off Highway 132 at the intersection
of Highway 30. From there we will walk to the Train Bridge over the tunnel in the village of Kahnawake.”

“We are standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Six Nations who have just been kidnapped by the foreigners forces of the Ontario Provincial Police, Hamilton City Police and the RCMP. Ontario and Canada have walked away from the “talks”. This has always been an international matter of colonial Canada invading the Indigenous sovereign people of Six Nations.”

“Our people have been victimized by attacks from colonial government agencies. This use of force must stop. They must obey international law. We are standing together in support of all of our Six Nations Territories .”

“Defending our land is not criminal.”

poster: katenies