Breaking News on attacks on our people for asserting our rights and jurisdiction:
Squamish Nation territory ("
May 24, 2008
On Saturday, May 24th, a force of twenty taser-armed RCMP officers and band council police forced Chief Kiapilano off his own land yesterday during a peaceful occupation of the Squamish band council office by Kiapilano and his supporters.
On Friday morning, May 23rd, Hereditary Squamish Chief Kiapilano and a dozen supporters had swiftly occupied the offices of the state-funded "Squamish Band Council" in
Chief Kiapilano is leading a movement to expel agencies from his land who are responsible for the genocide of his people. Last March, Kiapilano and Eagle Strong Voice (Kevin Annett) initiated these actions by posting eviction notices on the Roman Catholic, Anglican and United churches in downtown
Chief Kiapilano said in a statement from inside the occupied band council office, "Our people are starving, they're living in dilapidated homes, and these so-called 'chiefs' [representing the colonial government] are doing nothing for them. Now 'chief' Bill Williams has signed a deal with the province [
Bill Williams left and band council member Byron Joseph stayed. Williams called in the RCMP and band council police. Chief Kiapilano then advised Byron Joseph and his staff to leave the premises, and announced his intention to change the locks on the building.
"We're consulting our [colonial] lawyers" announced Byron Joseph, just before he and his advisors left the building for lunch.
"Chief Kiapilano declared a common law jurisdiction over this building, and has reclaimed it for all of his people", said Irene Peace Kiapilano. "We call on all hereditary chiefs to do likewise, and reclaim their land and government from a foreign occupying power."
Then on Saturday, May 24th, led by RCMP Inspector Richard Kennedy, [phone 604-985-1311 mvanrcmp@rcmp-grc.gc.ca] sixteen heavily armed mounties wearing flak jackets surrounded the band council office. Negotiations were going on between Chief Kiapilano and band council staff. After a lawyer from the Smythe-Ratcliffe firm [Phone 604-687-1231 info@smytheratcliffe.com] spoke to band councillor Byron Joseph, the talks were abruptly cancelled. The mounties blocked the doorways and prevented Kiapilano's supporters from re-entering the office.
"They wouldn't let me back into the building where they had the Chief trapped, so I got out my drum and start drumming" said Irene Peace Kiapilano.
"The cops were ready to attack us. They had their tasers out. I told Inspector Kennedy we had served the eviction notice on Byron Joseph and the band council, and he had accepted it. Kennedy said the federal Minister of Justice said they didn't recognize Chief Kiapilano or our document, even though it had been accepted in their own courts!"
Chief Kiapilano and his supporters were then physically forced from the building under threat of immediate arrest, and escorted off the band council land by a line of RCMP vehicles. Native elders from the Downtown Eastside Womens' Centre showed up to support Chief Kiapilano. They were verbally threatened, photographed and ordered to leave by the same RCMP squad.
Before leaving, Chief Kiapilano declared three times to the RCMP and band councillors that his eviction order remained in effect. He and his people would return to enforce the order and remove the [illegal] Squamish band council from office.
"We offered them a hand of peace and they responded with violence" said Chief Red Jacket of
Further actions against the agencies responsible for the ongoing genocide of the Squamish people will continue on Sunday, June 1 at 10 am at the former "holy rosary catholic church" at Dunsmuir and Richards in downtown
Issued under the authority of Siem Kiapilano of the Squamish Nation 24 May, 2008
Posted by MNN Mohawk Nation News