Blockade on Unceded Secwepemc Territory between Chase & Kamloops

April 1, 2009

Blockade on Unceded Secwepemc Territory between Chase & Kamloops

[[Update]]

Wednedsay April 1, 11 am UPDATE:

The blockade itself has been postponed to a later time based on spiritual guidance and advice. A continuous camp presence, however, is currently being maintained and ceremonies for protection and guidance are being conducted. Police helicopters are circling above and RCMP is around the area.

[[Reposting]]

NATIVE YOUTH MOVEMENT
INTERNATIONAL STATEMENT
APRIL 1ST, 2009

Unceded Secwepemc Territory, between Kamloops and Chase, bc, kkkanada

KKKANADA--STOP THE NEW WESTWARD EXPANSION

THE GENOCIDE CONTINUES WITH THE DESECRATION OF OUR ANCIENT SECWEPEMC BURIAL AND VILLAGE SITES FOR HIGHWAY & RAILWAY EXPANSION

The Secwepemc Peoples and their allies will be conducting a roadblock today to demand the halt of the Trans Canada Highway and Canadian Pacific Railway expansion through the highway corridor along the South Thompson River and Shuswap Lakes. The expansion of these two major federal and provincial transportation systems has been involved in the desecration of our ancestral burial and village sites, as well as, the continued genocide of our Peoples.

We, as Indigenous Peoples, have the right to have the spirits of our ancestors rest in peace in their original resting place. We will not give up our principles and values for the benefits of a highway or railway. The desecration to our graves and burial sites is considered a hate crime against humanity and a violation of our Indigenous and human rights.

The picture goes much deeper than this however, since kkkanada and the province of british Columbia have no legal authority to be making decisions about our Secwepemc Territory and giving permission to the CP Railway and Trans Canada Hwy to expand onto unceded Secwepemc lands. The Secwepemc Peoples still remain a distinct Nation and hold there ground to defend their rights and title to these lands.

The new westward expansion of highways, railways, pipelines and fibre optic lines all go through Indian Territories and Reserves, these infrastructures are all used for the benefit of the continued invasion and theft of our last remaining lands, water and “resources.” The transportation system in the past was used to colonize the west and now our lands have become the new frontier for the new age of development: mining, tourism, logging, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, the Tar Sands, these are all the elite that will benefit from the transportation route expansion, while the Indigenous Peoples are being threatened once again.

The Canadian Pacific Railway, known as CP Rail, is mainly a freight railway now, was instrumental in the settlement and development of Western Canada. The CP company became one of the largest and most powerful in Canada, a position it held as late as 1975. CP Rails network stretches from Vancouver to Montreal, and also serves major cities in the United States such as Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York City.

The Trans Canada Highway system was approved by the Trans-Canada Highway Act of 1948, construction commenced in 1950, officially opened in 1962, and was completed in 1971. This federal-provincial highway system joins all ten provinces of Canada.

WE have never given permission to Canada, nor BC to build this highway or railway through our lands, it has actually cut our access to our sacred water and forcibly removed out Peoples from our traditional village sites and kekuli’s (underground homes), which are forms of Genocide.

The ancestors remains found by a team of archaeologists have been dated back 7,500 years and the Secwepemc woman was found holding a traditional root digging stick, surrounded by Secwepemc artifacts and ceremonial items. Since contact there has been into the tens of thousands of artifacts and remains found and now are in the hands of museums all over the world.

The Secwepemc have conducted ceremonies at the site and the Sacred fire has been lit and the protection of the site is under vigilance.

STOP THE DESTRUCTION AND THEFTT OF OUR LANDS AND SACRED BURIAL SITES. OUR SECWEPEMC ANCESTORS ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR. WE WOULD NEVER DIG UP SOMEONE ELSES GRAVE OR CEMETARY AND IT WOULD NEVER BE TOLERATED, WELL WHY SHOULD WE BE THE ONES TO ALWAYS BOW DOWN AND PUSH OUR PRINCIPLES ASIDE FOR THE BENEFITS OF OTHERS, WHEN THIS IS OUR HOMELAND.

CANADA WILL NOT GET OUR PERMISSION TO DESTROY OUR SACRED SITES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ELITE GREEDY FOR MONEY.

Contact on site: Miranda (250) 256-1548
(250) 679-7663

NYM Communications
NATIVE YOUTH MOVEMENT
FIGHT FOR LIFE & FREEDOM
WARRIORS UNITE FROM ALASKA TO ARGENTINA

[[Reposting press statement]]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- POST WIDELY

MEDIA ADVISORY

SECWEPEMC TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT THEIR ANCIENT BURIAL & VILLAGE
SITES

CP Rail and Trans Canada Highway expansion desecrates our Secwepemc burial
sites

When: Wednesday, April 1, 2009 10:30 am
What: Secwepemc Peoples and their allies will be conducting a roadblock to demand the halt of the Trans Canada Highwayand Canadian Pacific Railway expansion.

Where: unceded Secwepemc Territory, in between Kamloops and Chase, BC, near Pritchard, BC (about 3 km from Pritchard)

Look for cars, signs and tent. Coming from Kamloops will be in the right hand side before Pritchard and coming from Chase is on the left
after Pritchard, BC.

Demands: To halt the expansion of the Trans Canada Highway and CP Railway along this highway corridor bordering the South Thompson River and Shuswap Lake because this is the home to thousands of ancient burial and village sites that must be protected.

Background: Secwpemc ancestral remains of a Secwepemc woman (dated back 7,500 years) were found by a team of archaeologist at a site that is being threatened by CP Rail and Trans Canada Highway
expansion.

On Wednesday, March 25, 2009 a meeting was held at Neskonlith Hall.

On Sunday March 29, 2009 it was determined the remains were going to be placed back where they were found. A ceremony at the site was done and the Sacred fire has been lit and the protection of the site is under vigilance.

This is one of thousands of remains and artefacts that have been found by settlers and archeologists along this highway and railway corridor and valley, where Secwepemc Peoples have never given authority or permission to the Canadiain and BC government to build the highway or railway, both in the past and present. The desecration must stop.

Protection of the sacred burial sites is the priority here.

This site lies within unceded, unsurrendered Secwepemc Territory, where the Secwepemc Peoples of the Shuswap Lakes refuse to enter into the current BC Treaty Process for a land settlement because of the fraudulent extinguishment of Secwepemc lands and title.

Instead Secwepemc Peoples choose to assert Secwepemc title and rights to the land and challenge the governments’ authority over the land and
resources while working on many international levels to bring attention to this.

“We will never go dig up the cemeteries in the village of Chase or
Kamloops, it would be considered a hate crime against humanity. We expect the same respect.”

Media Contact:
Miranda Dick (250) 256 1548
(250) 679-7663

NYM Communications
NATIVE YOUTH MOVEMENT
FIGHT FOR LIFE
WARRIORS UNITE FROM ALASKA TO ARGENTINA