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Chiefs protest; join in fast
Alexandra Paul
Updated: April 4, 2008 at 06:46 AM CDT
Assembly of Manitoba Grand Chief Ron Evans is joining women chiefs from
the province on a 24-hour fast to protest the jailing of six elected
aboriginal leaders in Thunder Bay over a mining dispute on land deep in
the northern Ontario bush.
Evans is joining Brokenhead First Nation Chief Deborah Chief and War
Lake First Nation Chief Betsy Kennedy on the fast that started
Thursday. Other fasters will include some of the 60 staff who work at
AMC, as well as members of the AMC women's committee. The Assembly
represents 64 First Nations in Manitoba.
The fast is taking place at the AMC's downtown offices at 260 St. Mary
Ave. It was to start at 8 p.m. Thursday and end at 8 p.m. today.
It is part of a series of fasting waves by aboriginal leaders to
protest the jailing of six Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) First
Nation leaders.
They were jailed for failing to obey a court order that would give
Toronto-area mining company Platinex Inc. exploration rights on
traditional territory, at Big Trout Lake, considered sacred ground. The
area is about 550 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.
The KI six were handed six-month jail sentences March 17 for contempt
of court. They include KI Chief Donny Morris, Deputy Chief Jack MacKay,
councillors Samuel McKay, Bruce Sakakeep , Darryl Sainnawap and Cecilia
Begg.
The sentences have been condemned by aboriginal leaders from coast to
coast.
The Anglican Church of Canada issued a statement last week, calling the
sentences "a continual imposition of the powers of and values of
colonizers."
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine joined a protest
of 200 people in Thunder Bay last week to call attention to the
sentences.
Aboriginal leaders are also holding 24-hour fasts to register their
protest.
The Nishinawbe Aski Nation Women's Council began the first fast in
Thunder Bay April 1. The Assembly of First Nations' women's council did
the second 24-hour fast April 2. The AMC fast is the third one.
"I stand in support of the women initiating this fast and in support of
the chief and council of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug," Evans said in a
prepared statement. "This is no different than if a company was
drilling in your backyard and you insisted they stop, and found
yourself in prison. This is in essence what has happened."
alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
