police violence at peaceful barier lake blocade

[SuzzeQ4]

please remove thread

[Miss_Nish]

There's so much information BEHIND all of this. I live in that community. It has been hard for my family and other families to take a stand against mismanagement, corruption, intimidation tactics, and violence. Behind all of it are TWO people: a lawyer and a consultant. These two have been controlling our People for so many years. They are unhappy because they have been collecting millions and millions from our community for a plan that has not shown any progress except to leave our people with moldy houses, high-employment rates, high-drop out rates and NOTHING. The former Council let them dictate what should be done in the community. Basically, the focused all their efforts on the "trilateral" that nothing else ever happened. We tried to open a Gas station BUT the former Council said no because it would interfere with the trilateral.

The idea behind this trilateral agreement is great. BUT in reality, the logging companies are still clearcutting our territory. The former Council let one family get arrested last year. Why? Because they protested a loggin' company from clearcutting near their cabin/home. The clearcutting was approved by the Council.

This lawyer and consultant replaced the PEOPLE. Hidden agenda? If the lawyer and the consultant did not approved or felt that it would interfere with their plan, then nothing happened.

Not anymore. My people have finally taken a stand. In January, my community selected a NEW Chief and Council according to our Customary governance. The Chief is my brother.. so.. my family has been a target many many many times. The lawyer and the consultant were fired in March.

The REAL reason they set up this blockade: TO GET A RE-SELECTION.

In March, they had another blockade but this time it was to try and keep out 4 families. They hosed people in the middle of the night and attacked a group of people that were making sure EVERYONE was allowed free and equal access to the community. Elders were attacked and women were beaten. My Auntie was pushed to the ground, kicked and spit on by her nephews and another woman.

The former Chief said no when he was asked by the new Chief and Council to take down the blockade to try and resolve the issues.

After five days of the blockade, over half the community chose to evacuate. One Elder had to be rushed to the hospital. When the ambulance came, the former Chief sent young men to go cut down trees along the only access road to keep the ambulance from leaving. My mother collapsed as well. I was crying cuz |I was scared that we might lose her. She had to get IV and the nurse told her she was under to much stress and dehydration. Her pressure was too high.

When we got back to my brothers house, we had to pack up quickly and we all left together. Women that supported the former Chief came running tot he cars to bust car windows. It was unreal. It felt like I was watching a movie. I couldn't believe it. I didn't know if we were going to come back to a house or not. All I had was what I had in the car. My suitcase with my feathers and regalia and a change of clothes.

When we came back a couple of days later, my brother found his house empty and items thrown out in the yard. They had peed on his clothes, beds and blankets. My brother had to move into my parents home because the former Chief told people to move into the "empty" houses. His family, two sons and girlfriend (who was pregnant at the time), were homeless. My nephews were victims. They had all their clothes and toys stolen. In our house, the heater that kept our house warm during the winter was stolen from the basement.

Another home was also vandalized. All his clothes and beds were also peed on. They also left crap in the tub.

The hardest hit came in June when our house was burned down while were away at a pow wow. The person who did it taunts our family and brags to other community members that he did it. He's threatened witnesses to prevent them from coming forward. So, we are left without a home. I knew it was coming. There were nights we couldn't sleep because people would come and throw objects such as beer bottles at our house. We've had tires slashed, windows broken and items stolen from our home.

It's hard to watch that video of the blockade because it brings back memories of the blockade they had in March. Waking up at 2-3-4am with someone knocking on the door saying.. they started attacking again. My mom and I would listen from the house at the screams and shouting. Those were my People fighting. I got scared one night when 6-7 men came and pushed my brothers car away from the house so they can trash it. I opened the door to yell for them to stop but two of them came running towards the appartment. THey were thowing objects at the door. They broke his mirror but they stopped when the police came by. The next morning a pregnant lady walked over from the blockade and slashed 3 of the tires on my dads car with this big knife that she pulled out from her jacket. Then she casually walked back to the blockade.

When I look at that video I see children being used a HUMAN SHIELDS. You hear the adults telling them to go stand in the front; to go stand in harms way. They used and have used the children as political hostages so many times. Do they mention that they closed our elementary school in November? Do they mention that they put on this blockade because they're not happy because THE PEOPLE selected a new Chief and Council back in January? Of course not, its all part of a political strategy which involves using Elders, women and CHILDREN to get attention... even if that means.. letting them get hurt. Young people are being arrested. Their futures of compromised with a permanent record.

I read an article once that said.. People are saying "I would die for my children"... but the man in the article said.. "I would rather live and work hard for them"....

As much as it hurts to see My People get treated the way they did... it makes me even sicker to know they did this on purpose.. "TO MAKE NOISE"

We have customs... and they don't wanna follow those customs to hold a leadership review because they know it won't change the selection that was made in January.

It's time for change. Stop putting our kids through this!!

[SuzzeQ4]

Miss Nish. I am so sorry that this has all been so awful for you. I know enough to know that what's behind local issues is rarely clear to others. That's why my post focussed on the treatment the protestors recieved & not the validity of their issue. Sorry about the painful memmories I will try to have this removed.
Take care & I hope things get better.

[Paul G]

Miss Nish, you have posted quite a bit of info. Do you want this deleted? Or should it stand so others can read?