Sovereignty of the Haudenosaunee

May 28, 2008

Who gave permission for the Dominion of Canada and the

United States to try and strip away the sovereignty of the

Haudenosaunee?

Most people in Canada are truly uninformed when it comes

to understanding why we, as the true First People of this

Continent, are standing our ground so firmly. Many are

simply unaware of the hardships we have endured to arrive

at where we are today. As we stand at the crossroads of

protecting what is rightfully inherent to us, we will

either move forward in a good, healthy and constructive way

or once again, loose our chance for a better tomorrow.

The average Canadian citizen does not clearly understand

the millions, if not billions of dollars owed to just the

On gwa hon weh in Canada alone! Payments for land lease

agreements, mineral rights, and other such monies have

never been paid by the Canadian government or companies

involved. Though legally binding, these payments have been

ignored. Continuing this illegal and immoral behavior

ensures that all of the earnings from land development goes

to the government and to the individual companies while none

goes to the caretakers of this same land.

I want to share some of the history with you that I found

meaningful:

Both Colonies have created illegal government bodies to do

their dirty work of discriminating against the On gwa hon

weh who are the True Title Holders of the Land. The

"The Indian Act, The Tribal Council, B.I.A., Band

Administration, and Indian Affairs," are

unconstitutional and serve as a breach of trust. In 1857,

1869, and 1876, the Indian Act aimed at assimilation

through a "Divide and Conquer Policy." This goes

against everything within the Treaties of the Two Row

Wampum and The Silver Covenant Chain.

The Treaties are the foundation created through respect for

one another's Nation. This unique relationship is meant

to have an everlasting Peace, as it bounds our two separate

societies together as we sail side by side each in our own

vessels, with our own customs and laws for "As long

as the grass grows, the sun shines, and the water

flows." This breach of Treaty Responsibilities and

Obligations is a direct approach of assimilation.

Under International Law ~ Genocide is a Crime.

The Crime against Humanity goes against the United Nations

Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United

Nations General Assembly December 1948 and what came into

effect January 1951. The Convention and Punishment of the

Crime of Genocide was ratified and became law in 1952 which

states, "a crime against humanity is an act of

persecution (discrimination) on any large scale of murders

against a body of people, and is the highest level of

criminal offense. Discrimination occurs when discriminatory

practices are based on the place in which one's

ancestor's lived."

It was never litigated that our people had to live on

reserves to keep our identity. It was created by Indian

Affairs and the Dominion of Canada, in order to keep us

isolated and under their orders. The Federal and Provincial

governments are out of their jurisdiction where we are

concerned, as "We never surrendered our rights or our

identity to any government.
Canada's action against us

is, total Genocide."

Article II

"Any of the following acts committed with intent to

destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical,

race/religious group, as such

a) killing members of a group

b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of

the group'

c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of

life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in

whole or in part.

d) Impoverished measures intended to prevent births

within the group

e) Forcibly transferring children of that group to

another group

f) Involuntary sterilization of Native women

States Chris John, "You have a responsibility as a

citizen of the world to know what your government is up to

and resist (their) unlawful actions. The Crime of Genocide

is covered up. Now it's a double crime."

Through:

a) Genocide

b) Conspiring to Commit Genocide

c) Sending in direct and public agitators to harm us

d) Attempt to commit Genocide with lies

e) Participate in committing to conspire against us

Article IV

Persons committing genocide or any of the other acts

enumerated in Article III shall be punished whether they

are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials

or private individuals.

We, as On gwa hon weh established our land prior to the

Dominion of Canada and the United States stating their

supreme authority over our lands. Our Forefathers laid a

path for us through Treaties because of the need for mutual

understanding and agreements that relate to Peace and

Friendship, Military Alliance, Boundaries and Trade. We

acquired our lands through our Military Alliance, which

guarantees our Sovereignty through the protection of the

Crown, establishing them through Peace. Our lands were

never conquered by outsiders and we never consented to

American or Canadian authority over our Territories, nor

did we place our lands in trust with the United States or

Canada Governments.

Historical Dates--

July 1751 ~ The last Conference with the Five Nations at

Albany. When it comes to consenting, "they are too

sensible of the consequences of it ever in their senses to

consent."

1784 ~ Canada's first race riot occurred in Shelbourne

and Birchtown, Nova Scotia.

In the early 18 and 1900's, white settlers obtained

land through trickery, seizure and force, created by the

Dominion of Canada.

Zygmunt Baum, "Modern genocide is an element of social

engineering, meant to bring out a law and order conforming

to the design of the perfect society." Canada's

solution regarding "Indian Problem" strategy of

social engineering known as assimilation which began with

1857 Act.

Sir Duncan Campbell Scott serving as head of the Department

of Indian Affairs during the development of the residential

school system. "Our objective is to continue until

there is not a single Indian in Canada that have been

absorbed into the body politic, and there is no Indian

problem. Residential schools were designed to take the

Indian out of Indian."

25, June 1969 ~ Announcement of the "Statement of the

Government of Canada on Indian Policy, 1969" (the

"white paper") in the House of Commons by the

Minister Jean Chrentien. The proposed changes included the

repeal of the Indian Act, and at the end to the special

relationship between the federal government and Indian

people. Canadian government introduces but fails the White

Paper. This paper was a further attempt at assimilation

aimed at annihilating 'nation' status of First

Nations.

· Assimilation through mission schools and

bounty's.

In a speech delivered shortly after tabling the White Paper

in Parliament, Trudeau summarized his rational; "We can

go on treating the Indians as having a special status. We

can go on adding bricks of discrimination around the ghetto

in which they live and at the same time perhaps helping them

preserve certain cultural traits and certain ancestral

rights or we can say you're at a crossroads."

Pointing & Gibbons

In March of 1959, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was

sent into Six Nations, which until 1924 had been completely

self-governed. The police were there to evict

"Iroquois" Chiefs and Clan Mother' after

traditionalists on the reserve seized control and, for all

intents and purposes, declared the reserve separate from

Canada.

1960 ~ Indians were declared "Citizens of Canada"

to make sure that the Indians wouldn't be able to go to

an International Court and bring a charge against the

Canadian Government.

Treaty Rights are clear in early treaties signed with the

young United States government. Tribal Sovereignty has

become a corner stone of American legal practice and at

least on the face in national government procedures.

In concluding these thoughts, I wish to say this...

When an entity, whether a local municipality, province or

Federal government announces to the masses of its citizens

that they are "demanding that the Canadian military be

called in to protect their interests against the Native

people..." they are in fact, declaring war upon our

People. We are sovereign Nations and when a military action

is called upon us, it is an act of War.

We do not declare war upon the government of Canada or upon

any sector thereof. However, we are not going to be pushed

into Provincial Courts that have no jurisdiction over our

Nations either. The time for all Canadian citizens to

truly understand the history and legal positions of the

Native nations here, so long withheld from them by the

political leaderships, is long overdue.

Only in understanding the TRUTHS of these historic

agreements and knowing who we are as a People will there be

progress toward fair and equitable treatment for all people

in Canada. The time for that is so very long over due,

Nya weh-

Always,

Jacqueline House

Cayuga- from Six Nations

Canada's Indian Residential Schools:

Oh Canada ...What have we done?

http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1031426

Ted Quewezance, executive director of the National Residential School Survivors' Society.

"It's the history

of the government

of this country,

what they have done

to little boys and little girls.

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And tens of thousands of children did not come home from Canada's 'Indian' Residential Schools.

Their families were never told what happened to them. They wonder still.

The school principals never reported children's deaths or disappearances to the government.

The government did not request or maintain any accounting for the students legally in their care.

The principal reported only the total student population to get per diem grants.

Tens of thousands of children just 'disappeared' in Canada's 'Indian' Residential Schools.

Did the churches keep the children's names on the school roll,

and continue to collect the per diem grants for the children who 'disappeared'?

Did the government know? Does the government care?

Do Canadians know that through six generations of Indigenous families,

1800's to 1996, 30-50% of their children did not come home

from Canada's mandatory 'Indian' Residential Schools?

Do Canadians know that despite UN urging since 1952, Canada did not make a domestic law against genocide until 2000 ... four years after the last government run school closed?

Do Canadians care to know the truth?

Do Canadians dare to tell the truth?

www.hiddenfromhistory.org

Interview with Kevin Annett June 18 2008
http://www.kpfa.org/cgi-bin/gen-mpegurl.m3u?server=aud1.kpfa.org&port=80&file=dummy.m3u&mount=/data/20080618-Wed1700.mp3

I couldn't have said it better:

An overdue apology to First Nations

By ANDREW HANON

"Remorse is the punishment of crime; repentence, its expiation. The former appertains to a tormented conscience; the latter to a soul changed for the better."

- Joseph Joubert

More than a century after the crimes began, it looks like the federal government will finally own up to its murderous campaign against native people.

Federal Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl announced last week that on June 11, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will rise in the House of Commons and formally apologize for the native residential school system.

Presumably, the apology will be similar to the one issued on Feb. 12 by Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for similar programs aimed at obliterating Aborigine language and culture, resulting in "profound grief and loss" among its first people.

Rudd did not equivocate.

"As prime minister of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the government of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the parliament of Australia, I am sorry," he said. "For the pain, suffering and hurt of these stolen generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say, sorry."

Let's hope Harper has the spine to do the same.

Every time I write about residential schools, I hear from people who can't understand what the fuss is all about. The government of Canada has nothing to be sorry for, they say. It's just another way of exploiting our collective guilt, they argue.

One particularly dense ingnoramus ended his "we've-been-held-hostage-by-Indians-long-enough" rant by stabbing his finger into the table and bellowing, "I don't know what they're complaining about. We taught those people to read."

We also took an estimated 150,000 native children from their homes and taught them that their parents were evil, that the values and beliefs they held were demonic.

Completely contrary to biblical teaching, we forced them to worship Jesus and made following their grandparents' traditions a crime.

We punished them for speaking anything other than English or French. We raised them in a cold, prison-like atmosphere, devoid of affection or nurturing.

We beat them for disobedience or undisciplined behaviour. We made thousands of children sexual playthings for hundreds of pedophiles working within the system.

We kept the children in crowded, cramped quarters, where they were exposed to deadly diseases like tuberculosis. Then when we were finished debasing, humiliating and abusing them, we sent them home to raise families.

They had learned their lessons well. Everything we taught them - anger, self-loathing, sexual dysfunction and physical abuse - was passed along to the next generation.

Residential schools were some of the key components in the federal government's answer to what officials called the "Indian Question." They were responsible for ruining individuals' lives, destroying families and undermining the fabric of entire communities.

Of the few who have even heard of residential schools, the vast majority steadfastly refuse to believe the horrors that went on inside them.

Maybe, when the prime minister rises in the house on June 11, the state of denial will finally end. Really, there's only one thing to be said about next month's apology to First Nations: What the hell took so long?

Edmonton Sun

I will just add ... it is critically important that the Prime Minister acknowledge the children who are still missing, unaccounted for, and the children who lie in unmarked graves.

F R I E N D S & R E L A T I V E S O F T H E D I S A P P E A R E D C H I L D R E N

V A N C O U V E R - W I N N I P E G - T O R O N T O

w w w . h i d d e n f r o m h i s t o r y . o r g

Monday, May 12, 2008

Chiefs, Elders, Clan Mothers, Warrior Societies and all Original People of Turtle Island,

Sago, Aaniin, Kii-te-daas a, Asujutidli, Tán’si, Kwé,

We, the Friends & Relatives of the Disappeared Children – Vancouver, Winnipeg & Toronto, have come together to address the Chiefs, the Elders, the Clan Mothers, the Warrior Societies, and all the First Peoples from across this great land of Turtle Island.

It is our hope to continue to raise awareness of the tens of thousands of Native children who died or who disappeared from the Canadian Indian Residential School system and never came home. We have been organizing co-ordinated events across Canada at the doors of the United, Anglican, and Catholic churches, including at their head offices, for several months now.

As many of you may know, we have been speaking to, and gathering the stories from many survivors of the Indian Residential Schools. We are not the first nor will we be the last to do this. There are currently, approximately 80 000 living survivors of Residential Schools. Eighty thousand stories that may be told to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, however, there are approximately another 50 000 stories that are still hidden from history.

It is primarily these remaining hidden stories that we are interested in. These are the stories belonging to the children that never returned home. Who were these children? What happened to these children? Did they die on the site of the school or at the school’s hospital? Did they run away? Were they successful in running away? Did they only get so far in their attempt to escape? We know that the death rate at these institutions was approximately 50% for about 40 years, due in a large part to the neglect of disease, but also to other horrendous forms of abuse. So, we are going to continue to ask the question … “What happened to the bodies of these children?” until we get answers and the full truth is known. Were they cremated or were they buried? Were they all buried on the site of the schools or the hospitals? We know from the stories of some survivors that burials did take place on site. Some children were sent home to die. Stories continue to pour in daily from across the country and are being documented by the FRD. If you have a story to tell or know of anyone who does, or if you know of other burial locations please call 1-888-265-1007.

What we are asking for now is help in protecting the sites that have already been identified. It has been suggested that we protect these sites with “Keepers of The Spirits” – Warrior Societies and others who may be able to take up that vigil – a vigil which some may wish to tie into National Action events. Recently we issued a press release (see attachment) identifying 28 possible burial locations of these children. That number has now grown to 35 locations, due to new eye-witness accounts. We would like to open a network of communication amongst all who are interested in pursuing truth and justice, and so we are willing to share this information. Together, we need to decide what should be done about any evidence that is forthcoming, as well as what should happen to the remains of the children.

Nya’:weh, Chii Miigwetch, Háw’aa, Quajanaq, Mikwec, Welálin,

Friends & Relatives of the Disappeared Children

-Vancouver – Winnipeg – Toronto -

1-888-265-1007 (toll-free in Canada)

Press Statement: April 10, 2008 Mass Graves of Residential School Children Identified – Independent Inquiry Launched We are gathered today to publicly disclose the location of twenty eight mass graves of children who died in Indian Residential Schools across Canada , and to announce the formation of an independent, non-governmental inquiry into the death and disappearance of children in these schools. We estimate that there are hundreds, and possibly thousands, of children buried in these grave sites alone. The Catholic, Anglican and United Church , and the government of Canada, operated the schools and hospitals where these mass graves are located. We therefore hold these institutions and their officers legally responsible and liable for the deaths of these children. We have no confidence that the very institutions of church and state that are responsible for these deaths can conduct any kind of impartial or real inquiry into them. Accordingly, as of April 15, 2008, we are establishing an independent, non-governmental inquiry into the death and disappearance of Indian residential school children across Canada . This inquiry shall be known as The International Human Rights Tribunal into Genocide in Canada (IHRTGC), and is established under the authority of the following hereditary chiefs, who shall serve as presiding judges of the Tribunal: Hereditary Chief Kiapilano of the Squamish Nation Chief Louis Daniels (Whispers Wind), Anishinabe Nation Chief Svnoyi Wohali (Night Eagle), Cherokee Nation Lillian Shirt, Clan Mother, Cree Nation Elder Ernie Sandy, Anishinabe (Ojibway) Nation Hereditary Chief Steve Sampson, Chemainus Nation Ambassador Chief Red Jacket of Turtle Island Today, we are releasing to this Tribunal and to the people of the world the enclosed information on the location of mass graves connected to Indian residential schools and hospitals in order to prevent the destruction of this crucial evidence by the Canadian government, the RCMP and the Anglican, Catholic and United Church of Canada. We call upon indigenous people on the land where these graves are located to monitor and protect these sites vigilantly, and prevent their destruction by occupational forces such as the RCMP and other government agencies. Our Tribunal will commence on April 15 by gathering all of the evidence, including forensic remains, that is necessary to charge and indict those responsible for the deaths of the children buried therein. Once these persons have been identified and detained, they will be tried and sentenced in indigenous courts of justice established by our Tribunal and under the authority of hereditary chiefs. As a first step in this process, the IHRTGC will present this list of mass graves along with a statement to the United Nations in New York City on April 19, 2008. The IHRTGC will be asking the United Nations to declare these mass graves to be protected heritage sites, and will invite international human rights observers to monitor and assist its work. Issued by the Elders and Judges of the IHRTGC Interim Spokesperson: Eagle Strong Voice Email: genocidetribunal@yahoo.ca pager: 1-888-265-1007 IHRTGC Sponsors include The Friends and Relatives of the Disappeared, The Truth Commission into Genocide in Canada, the Defensoria Indigenia of Guatemala, Canadians for the Separation of Church and State, and a confederation of indigenous elders across Canada and Turtle Island. ................................................................................................... Mass Graves at former Indian Residential Schools and Hospitals across Canada A. British Columbia 1. Port Alberni: Presbyterian-United Church school (1895-1973), now occupied by the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council (NTC) office, Kitskuksis Road . Grave site is a series of sinkhole rows in hills 100 metres due west of the NTC building, in thick foliage, past an unused water pipeline. Children also interred at Tseshaht reserve cemetery, and in wooded gully east of Catholic cemetery on River Road . 2. Alert Bay : St. Michael’s Anglican school (1878-1975), situated on Cormorant Island offshore from Port McNeill. Presently building is used by Namgis First Nation. Site is an overgrown field adjacent to the building, and also under the foundations of the present new building, constructed during the 1960’s. Skeletons seen “between the walls”. 3. Kuper Island: Catholic school (1890-1975), offshore from Chemainus. Land occupied by Penelakut Band. Former building is destroyed except for a staircase. Two grave sites: one immediately south of the former building, in a field containing a conventional cemetery; another at the west shoreline in a lagoon near the main dock. 4. Nanaimo Indian Hospital: Indian Affairs and United Church experimental facility (1942-1970) on Department of National Defense land. Buildings now destroyed. Grave sites are immediately east of former buildings on Fifth avenue , adjacent to and south of Malaspina College . 5. Mission: St. Mary’s Catholic school (1861-1984), adjacent to and north of Lougheed Highway and Fraser River Heritage Park . Original school buildings are destroyed, but many foundations are visible on the grounds of the Park. In this area there are two grave sites: a) immediately adjacent to former girls’ dormitory and present cemetery for priests, and a larger mass grave in an artificial earthen mound, north of the cemetery among overgrown foliage and blackberry bushes, and b) east of the old school grounds, on the hilly slopes next to the field leading to the newer school building which is presently used by the Sto:lo First Nation. Hill site is 150 metres west of building. 6. North Vancouver: Squamish (1898-1959) and Sechelt (1912-1975) Catholic schools, buildings destroyed. Graves of children who died in these schools interred in the Squamish Band Cemetery , North Vancouver . 7. Sardis: Coqualeetza Methodist-United Church school (1889-1940), then experimental hospital run by federal government (1940-1969). Native burial site next to Sto:lo reserve and Little Mountain school, also possibly adjacent to former school-hospital building. 8. Cranbrook: St. Eugene Catholic school (1898-1970), recently converted into a tourist “resort” with federal funding, resulting in the covering-over of a mass burial site by a golf course in front of the building. Numerous grave sites are around and under this golf course. 9. Williams Lake : Catholic school (1890-1981), buildings destroyed but foundations intact, five miles south of city. Grave sites reported north of school grounds and under foundations of tunnel-like structure. 10. Meares Island (Tofino): Kakawis-Christie Catholic school (1898-1974). Buildings incorporated into Kakawis Healing Centre. Body storage room reported in basement, adjacent to burial grounds south of school. 11. Kamloops : Catholic school (1890-1978). Buildings intact. Mass grave south of school, adjacent to and amidst orchard. Numerous burials witnessed there. 12. Lytton: St. George’s Anglican school (1901-1979). Graves of students flogged to death, and others, reported under floorboards and next to playground. 13. Fraser Lake : Lejac Catholic school (1910-1976), buildings destroyed. Graves reported under old foundations and between the walls. Alberta: 1. Edmonton : United Church school (1919-1960), presently site of the Poundmaker Lodge in St. Albert . Graves of children reported south of former school site, under thick hedge that runs north-south, adjacent to memorial marker. 2. Edmonton : Charles Camsell Hospital (1945-1967), building intact, experimental hospital run by Indian Affairs and United Church . Mass graves of children from hospital reported south of building, near staff garden. 3. Saddle Lake : Bluequills Catholic school (1898-1970), building intact, skeletons and skulls observed in basement furnace. Mass grave reported adjacent to school. 4. Hobbema: Ermineskin Catholic school (1916-1973), five intact skeletons observed in school furnace. Graves under former building foundations. Manitoba: 1. Brandon : Methodist-United Church school (1895-1972). Building intact. Burials reported west of school building. 2. Portage La Prairie: Presbyterian-United Church school (1895-1950). Children buried at nearby Hillside Cemetery . 3. Norway House: Methodist-United Church school (1900-1974). “Very old” grave site next to former school building, demolished by United Church in 2004. Ontario: 1. Thunder Bay : Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital , still in operation. Experimental centre. Women and children reported buried adjacent to hospital grounds. 2. Sioux Lookout: Pelican Lake Catholic school (1911-1973). Burials of children in mound near to school. 3. Kenora: Cecilia Jeffrey school, Presbyterian-United Church (1900-1966). Large burial mound east of former school. 4. Fort Albany : St. Anne’s Catholic school (1936-1964). Children killed in electric chair buried next to school. 5. Spanish: Catholic school (1883-1965). Numerous graves. 6. Brantford : Mohawk Institute, Anglican church (1850-1969), building intact. Series of graves in orchard behind school building, under rows of trees. 7. Sault Ste. Marie: Shingwauk Anglican school (1873-1969), some intact buildings. Several graves of children reported on grounds of old school. Quebec: 1. Montreal : Allan Memorial Institute, McGill University , still in operation since opening in 1940. MKULTRA experimental centre. Mass grave of children killed there north of building, on southern slopes of Mount Royal behind stone wall. Sources: - Eyewitness accounts from survivors of these institutions, catalogued in Hidden from History: The Canadian Holocaust (2nd ed., 2005) by Kevin Annett. Other accounts are from local residents. See www.hiddenfromhistory.org . - Documents and other material from the Department of Indian Affairs RG 10 microfilm series on Indian Residential Schools in Koerner Library, University of B.C. - Survey data and physical evidence obtained from grave sites in Port Alberni , Mission , and other locations. This is a partial list and does not include all of the grave sites connected to Indian residential Schools and hospitals across Canada. In many cases, children who were dying of diseases were sent home to die by school and church officials, and the remains of other children who died at the school were incinerated in the residential school furnaces. This information is submitted by The Friends and Relatives of the Disappeared (FRD) to the world media, the United Nations, and to the International Human Rights Tribunal into Genocide in Canada (IHRTGC). The IHRTGC will commence its investigations on April 15, 2008 on Squamish Nation territory. For more information on the independent inquiry into genocide in Canada being conducted by the IHRTGC, write to: genocidetribunal@yahoo.ca 10 April, 2008 Squamish Nation Territory (“ Vancouver , Canada ”)