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Fwd: Dudley George Update 01/23/2000
I know it's Toronto, but maybe somebody will go there. Plus there's a
letter at the end to send to Indian Affairs Minister Nault.
-jk.
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2000 21:10:15 -0000
Reply-To: kolahq@skynet.be
Sender: Public Policy and First Nations Relations <FNR_PUBPOL@YorkU.CA>
From: kolahq@skynet.be
Subject: Dudley George Update 01/23/2000
To: FNR_PUBPOL@YorkU.CA
<+>=<+>KOLA Newslist<+>=<+>
[source: NativeNews; Sun, 23 Jan 2000 23:10:59]
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 19:17:59 -0600
From: Ann Pohl <annpohl@interlog.com>
**** Special Note: The Civil Case against the Premier, et al, for "Wrongful
Death" of Dudley George is back in court on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
(24th - 26th). You can demonstrate your continuing concern about the need
for the truth to come out by showing up to listen for a while. Call
327-5020 to confirm the times and find out which courtroom (it will be
somewhere at Osgoode Hall or the attached building on University north of
Queen).
*************************************************************
Coalition for a Public Inquiry into Ipperwash Newsletter # 28
January 21, 2000
Website: http://www.web.net/~inquiry
***** Uphold Aboriginal Land and Treaty Rights *****
*****************************************************
Aboriginal land, treaty, resource and cultural rights are "human rights".
The United Nations says so!
WILL CANADA LISTEN?
On March 18, 2000, at the Toronto City Hall from 2:30 - 5 PM there
will be a panel discussion on the topic "Aboriginal Rights are Human
Rights". The City Hall is located at the northwest corner of Bay and
Queen St. W.
And, yes folks, its true! The opening speaker for this panel will be
Martin Scheinin, UN Human Rights Committee member. Mr. Scheinin
is one of the most knowledgeable members of the UNHRC as regards
Aboriginal Rights issues. He is also a Professor of Constitutional and
International Law, and the Director of the Institute for Human Rights, at
‰bo Akademi University in Finland.
Joining him, to make this event a complete success, will be: the
Kanenhi:io Singers (Traditional Opening), Marilyn Buffalo, President of
the Native Women's Association of Canada, and either Warren
Allmand (President) or Iris Almeida (Senior Policy Advisor) from the
Montreal-based International Centre for Human Rights & Democratic
Development. We are also in the process of confirming an indigenous
spokesperson from Latin America. We have asked Guatemala Partners
for Carlos Chen Osorio, Mayan-Achi, survivor of 1982 massacre at Rio
Negro, and co-founder of the Rabinal Widows and Orphans Committee.
After the panel makes its presentations, there will be an opportunity for
questions from the floor and the media.
This event is sponsored by the Coalition for a Public Inquiry into
Ipperwash, and endorsed by the Aboriginal Rights Coalition, Citizens
for Public Justice, the Canadian Labour Congress, Quaker Aboriginal
Affairs Committee, Turtle Island Support Group and more. Please
spread the word. We welcome the involvement and participation of
everyone.
Preliminary flyers are available now so, if you know any place to get
the word out, please contact us to get flyers.
You won't want to miss this event. It's the first of its kind this millennium!
*****************************************************
A Potluck Social to Honour all Human Rights Activists
After the Panel Discussion, join participants and members of Toronto's
Aboriginal community from 6 - 8 pm at the Native Canadian Centre, 16
Spadina Road, (at Bloor). We are holding a social in memory of Dudley
George's birth date. We ask those of you who can, to contribute to this
social by bringing some food to share with others. To coordinate around
the food, please contact Donny Tabobandung at the Centre: 964-9087.
********************************************************************
Raffle Tickets on Sale Now.
We are raffling off a beautifully framed, limited edition print called "Wolf
Dreams", signed and donated to us by Gitsxan artist Gwin-Jakwsxw
(AKA Robert Sebastian). The money will got towards the Coalition's
continuing International Strategies. The tickets are available now.
Please call 537-3520 if you can help by selling some. You can also
write and send a cheque or money order to our mailing address,
below, and we'll send you the tickets by return mail. We need these
funds to finance the Martin Scheinin event and other parts of political
work. Tickets are $3/each or 2 for $5.00.
Please help us sell all 1000 tickets. The draw will take place at the
Social at the Centre on March 18th.
*********************************************
International Strategies on Aboriginal Rights
The Coalition has been working with Aboriginal Rights Coalition partners
and other groups, in particular Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ), to identify
strategies on which we can all collaborate to heighten international
awareness about Aboriginal Rights. CPJ will shortly be releasing a
comprehensive and interesting discussion paper on this topic. This
paper points out the international human rights that should, but don't,
protect Aboriginal Peoples and identifies proposals for how to build
awareness of these issues. It should be out within the month. If you
would like a copy, please contact CPJ at 416-979-2443 (leave your
mailing address at extension 23) or email a request to cpj@web.net.
************************************************************
Dudley George would have been 43 years old on March 17, 2000
Where are we, almost 4‡ years after the human rights violations occurred
at Ipperwash Park, the traditional and treaty territory of the Aazhoodenaang
Enjibaajig (Stoney Point Peoples)? We seem no closer to an Inquiry, but at
least we know where we stand. The Ontario government will not bow to
international or national pressure, nor to regional voters' demands to allow
the truth to emerge. The international human rights community is as appalled
as we are. It seems unthinkable this sort of event could occur in Canada,
the land of 'human rights'. Terrible questions have been raised about
high-level political involvement in directions (which were leaked to, and
dug out by, the media) that were given to the OPP. These directions led to
serious violations of the human rights of indigenous persons involved in a
land rights (also internationally-recognized as "human rights") dispute with
the federal and provincial governments.
Even more distressing is the knowledge that another "Ipperwash" could
happen at any time, as First Peoples gain political strength and confidence
in asserting their human rights to territory, resources and the maintenance
of their cultures. It is blatantly irresponsible of public authorities to leave
this matter uninvestigated, especially in this country where public
inquiries are such a frequent occurrence. By holding a public inquiry,
governments can ensure that are no repeats of this sort of violent, local
response to an Aboriginal Rights protest.
**************************************************************
If an Inquiry is going to happen, it will be a Federal Inquiry
And, like everything else this Coalition has accomplished - if a Federal
Inquiry does happen - it will be the combined effort of all our supporters
who pull it off. We sense a softening of approach at the federal level, and
believe that it is strategically vitally important to make an all-out push
for a Federal Inquiry at this time. Therefore, we are initiating a mail-in
campaign to put pressure directly on Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault
for this Inquiry. Please clip and mail it yourself, but also go one step
further: circulate it - either print it in your newsletter or community
newspaper, or photocopy it and distributing it by hand. To get a digital
version, the "clip-out" can be downloaded from our website.
IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT GOVERNMENT VIOLATIONS OF
HUMAN RIGHTS IN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES, PLEASE DETACH
THE FOLLOWING, SIGN IT AND SEND TO:
The Honourable Robert M. Nault, Minister of Indian Affairs
10 Wellington Street, 21st Floor, Suite 2100, Hull, Quebec, K1A 0H4
Fax: 819-953-4941 e-mail: minister@inac.gc.ca
Dear Minister Nault:
On September 6, 1995, Dudley George was shot and killed by the Ontario
Provincial Police during a peaceful land rights demonstration. Since then,
the public has been calling for an Inquiry into George's death with little
response from the Ontario Government, in spite of support for an Inquiry
from the Ontario Ombudsman, the United Nations Committee on Human Rights,
and many other provincial, national, and international organizations.
I think the time is long past for the public to learn the truth behind the
killing of Dudley George. I urge you, the Minister of Indian Affairs for the
Government of Canada, to call an Inquiry immediately under the Inquiries
Act. I am aware that a federal inquiry may be more general than a provincial
inquiry, but believe strongly that any official judicial inquiry, even if
limited in mandate, is better than no inquiry. Surely the public, whom your
government represents, deserves some answers.
Name___________________________________________________________
Address_________________________________________________________
City/Town____________________________ Province_____________
Postal Code____________
******************************************************************
TO SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS AND ABORIGINAL SOVEREIGNTY,
PLEASE JOIN US.
Donations & Information: Box 111, Station C, Toronto, On M6J 3M7 ~ Email:
annpohl@interlog.com ~ Tel: 416-537-3520 ~ Fax: 416-538-2559
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