Author: Jeff Kisling

I can’t breathe

CONTENT WARNING: POLICE VIOLENCE

I first learned about the concepts of #LANDBACK and the work of the Wet’suwet’en peoples’ work to protect their pristine land and water from construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline in January 2020. One of the first things I saw was the following video. In it Denzel Sutherland-Wilson talks about land back.

Our culture and our tradition is the land. We are directly connected to the land. It’s our spirituality. We cannot be forced to be away from our land.
Nine days since we took the land back.
It feels like something you don’t normally do. (laughter) Its revolutionary, right?
I don’t think anyone’s ever really evicted like a 6 billion dollar pipeline before.
People get confused about what we want as Native people. Like “what do you want?”
Just like, “land back!”. Don’t need any reconciliation, don’t want money, like I don’t want programs or funding or whatever.
(whispers “land back”)
Funny though, when I said that to my Dad, Wet’suwet’en people, if you tell them about LANDBACK, they’re like “we never lost the land, anyway.” Which is true.
Wet’suwet’en have never given up title to their 22,000 square kilometer territory.
Denzel Sutherland-Wilson

Not long after the video above was taken, Denzel had RCMP snipers pointing guns at him.

[ WARNING: This video contains graphic images of an armed threat on the lives of land defenders Denzel Sutherland-Wilson (Gitxsan) and Anne Spice (Tlingit). It may be traumatic for many to see. But we feel strongly that it should be available to witness. Denzel, Anne, and all the land defenders are now safe. These events took place during the RCMP raid on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory on February 7, 2020. The video was filmed by Gitxsan land defender Denzel Sutherland-Wilson from atop this tower. ]

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1462811531939389444?s=20

I am reminded of that today as news continues about the latest Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) raids and arrests. In the following video Denzel says “I can’t breathe” as RCMP tackle and arrest him.

Denzel’s brother, Kolin, has also been a leader in the Wet’suwet’en struggles. He was arrested in October.

It is an honor to be here on behalf of the Gitxsan people in support of our brothers and sisters of the Wet’suwet’en people. And I stand here as a diplomatic prisoner of the Gitxsan nation of the Git’luuhl’um’hetxwit  people and I stand fully behind the Likht’samisyu clan government and all those who stand up to support of the traditional laws of the land. Much love to all the people of the world. Thank you again for your support.

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1454074052012920832?s=20

See: “I trust you to back up the people who are protecting the land.

Kolin talks about the current situation below.

“Having a relationship with all these things is the basis of us wanting to protect it,” he (Denzel Sutherland-Wilson) says. “We have a relationship with all these plants and species that our ancestors have kept up for thousands of years. And now it’s our responsibility to keep up that relationship.”

He says he’s not completely opposed to logging, and points out old stumps in the bush, explaining his grandfather logged in the area. But there’s a big difference between dragging a few choice trees out of the bush and punching in a road to provide access for heavy machinery, which can clear vast sections of forest in days or weeks. 

“When he’s logging, he always thinks about the future generations and leaves materials for them to create their houses and their cradles and bent boxes. And that’s the opposite of what’s going on.”

Seeing the forest for the trees: searching for solutions in the Kispiox Valley. As the province reviews the timber supply in a northwest B.C. forest district, locals explore options for non-timber forest products and work together to support sustainable forestry opportunities By Matt Simmons (Local Journalism Initiative Reporter), The Narwhal, May 8, 2021.

On the day of the illegal militarized raid on Coyote Camp Dinï ze’ Woos along with media were blocked from accessing unceded Wet’suwet’en land. Meanwhile the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) facilitated unfettered access of the territory to Coastal GasLink.

“From what I understand there’s a military style raid that happened up on the drill pad site and that machine guns and sharp shooters were pointing right at the cabins. This is Giditmten territory.” -Dinï ze’ Woos (Gidimt’en)

This project does not and never will have the consent of our hereditary chiefs. RCMP upholds colonial laws and utterly disregards Wet’suwet’en law. We will uphold Wet’suwet’en law. No pipelines will go through our yintah.

Take Action:
🔥 Issue a solidarity statement from your organization or group.
🔥 Host a solidarity rally or action in your area.
🔥 Pressure the government, banks, and investors. http://yintahaccess.com/take-action-1
🔥 Donate. http://go.rallyup.com/wetsuwetenstrong
🔥 Spread the word.#WetsuwetenStrong #AllOutForWedzinKwa #ShutDownCanada #FreeSleydo #Wetsuweten
More information and developing stories:
Website: Yintahaccess.com
IG: @yintah_access
Twitter: @Gidimten
Facebook: @wetsuwetenstrong
Youtube: Gidimten Access Point
TikTok: GidimtenCheckpoint

Criminalization of Indigenous land defenders

Just prior to COP26, more than 120 organizations signed the Call to Action from the Global Women’s Assembly for Climate Justice that states: “We call on all governments to respect the right of freedom of expression and peaceful protest, and to immediately halt the criminalization of land defenders, whose efforts are central to a climate-just world.”

That statement calling for an end to the criminalization of land defenders was echoed by Global Witness, Fridays for Future and others.

The UN Human Rights Council also passed a resolution in March 2019 that affirms defenders “must be ensured a safe and enabling environment to undertake their work free from hindrance and insecurity, in recognition of their important role in supporting States to fulfil their obligations under the Paris Agreement.”

Third RCMP raid; Canada ignores UN resolution

The RCMP raid on November 18-19 is the third RCMP assault on Wet’suwet’en territory in support of the Coastal GasLink fracked gas pipeline being constructed on their territory without free, prior and informed consent.

On January 8, 2019, the RCMP arrested 14 Wet’suwet’en land defenders.

Notes from a RCMP strategy session prior to that raid show that RCMP commanders stated that “lethal overwatch is req’d” and that officers were instructed to “use as much violence toward the gate as you want” ahead of the operation to remove a roadblock established by Wet’suwet’en land defenders.

In December 2019, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called on Canada to stop construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline on Wet’suwet’en territory and to remove the RCMP from those lands.

Ignoring that resolution, a second RCMP raid was launched just weeks later on February 6, 2020. Twenty-two land defenders were arrested at that time.

This week Amnesty International Canada called on the governments of Canada and British Columbia, as well as the RCMP, to: “comply without delay with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s 2019 recommendation that Canada withdraw security and policing services from Wet’suwet’en traditional lands.”

Canada was required to submit a report to the UN Committee on Monday November 15 on its compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Instead, Canada delayed that until an unspecified date in 2022.

RCMP arrest Wet’suwet’en land defenders days after COP26 summit by Brent Patterson, rabble.ca, November 21, 2021

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1462418741074051074?s=20

Sleydo’, the Wet’suwet’en spokesperson for Gidimt’en Checkpoint, discusses an Indigenous-led campaign to stop investors from funding Coastal GasLink and LNG Canada. Sleydo’ says that they are giving investors formal notice that they are violating Wet’suwet’en law and are demanding immediate withdrawal of all financial support. Sleydo’ notes that this campaign is requesting full cessation of this pipeline’s production.

Wet’suwet’en updates 11/20/2021

Following are updates from the Wet’suwet’en territory that was invaded again yesterday by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on behalf of the Coastal GasLink pipeline. Militarized RCMP came with assault rifles and dogs. Three accredited journalists were arrested.

Militarized RCMP raided Coyote Camp today, arresting 14 people including Sleydo’, Chief Woos’s daughter, and three accredited journalists.. 

They came in with assault rifles and dogs, and without a warrant, used axes to break down the door of the cabin Sleydo’ and Chief Woos’s daughter we’re in, and violently removed them from their territory.

Of the people arrested yesterday, most we’re released this afternoon. Five people refused to sign conditions of release that barred return to the territory and are being brought to jail in Prince Rupert where they face court on Monday.

Solidarity actions continued across the country, with rallies, marches, rail blockades, and road closures. 

TAKE ACTION!

🔥 Issue a solidarity statement from your organization or group and tag us.
🔥 Host a solidarity rally or action in your area.
🔥 Pressure the government, banks, and investors.
🔥 Donate. http://go.rallyup.com/wetsuwetenstrong
🔥 Spread the word.      

#WetsuwetenStrong #AllOutForWedzinKwa #ShutDownCanada

Unist’ot’en Solidarity Brigade robertages@telus.net
 

During a similar RCMP invasion two years ago, it was reported that the use of lethal force to shoot Indigenous land defenders was discussed.

Notes from strategy session for raid on Wet’suwet’en nation’s ancestral lands show commanders argued for ‘lethal overwatch’

Canadian police were prepared to shoot Indigenous land defenders blockading construction of a natural gas pipeline in northern British Columbia, according to documents seen by the Guardian.

Notes from a strategy session for a militarized raid on ancestral lands of the Wet’suwet’en nation show that commanders of Canada’s national police force, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), argued that “lethal overwatch is req’d” – a term for deploying an officer who is prepared to use lethal force.

The RCMP commanders also instructed officers to “use as much violence toward the gate as you want” ahead of the operation to remove a roadblock which had been erected by Wet’suwet’en people to control access to their territories and stop construction of the proposed 670km (416-mile) Coastal GasLink pipeline (CGL).

In a separate document, an RCMP officer states that arrests would be necessary for “sterilizing [the] site”.

Wet’suwet’en people and their supporters set up the Gidimt’en checkpoint in December 2018 to block construction of the pipeline through this region of mountains and pine forests 750 miles north of Vancouver.

On 7 January, RCMP officers – dressed in military-green fatigues and armed with assault rifles – descended on the checkpoint, dismantling the gate and arresting 14 people.

Exclusive: Canada police prepared to shoot Indigenous activists, documents show by Jaskiran Dhillon in Wet’suwet’en territory and Will Parrish, The Guardian, Fri 20 Dec 2019

https://twitter.com/Franklin__Lopez/status/1461874604859871233?s=20
https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1462048524649082888?s=20
https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1462049488206446592?s=20

RCMP breach cabins

It is thought this will be the last communication from the Tiny House for some time. And the structure at the drill site (to tunnel under the river) is also being breached.

#ShutDownCanada2.0

Gidimt’en Checkpoint@Gidimten·
2:40pm, Nov 19, 2021:
Tiny House breached w/ axe and K9 unit by #RCMP on behalf of #CoastalGasLink. Cabin breached w/ chainsaw. Unarmed Indigenous women in both structures. No warrants. Heavy machinery, assault weapons. Media, communications blocked. #Wetsuweten#shutdowncanada

RCMP, assault rifles, helicopters, arrest 15

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1461789856833708044?s=20
https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1461786656609026054?s=20

#wetsuwetenstrong #alloutforwedzinkwa #shutdowncanada

RCMP Raid Wet’suwet’en

Here is the latest news about the Royal Canadian Mounted Police raid on the Wet’suwet’en territories.

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1461708079981072386?s=20
https://twitter.com/IGD_News/status/1461489512144535557?s=20
https://twitter.com/kainagata/status/1461565162016571392?s=20

Urgent: RCMP now raiding Gidimt’en Checkpoint

“This is Sleydo over here on Cas Yih Yintah. The RCMP have moved in this morning on Gidimt’en Checkpoint. CGL is enforcing their own injunction order. 

They started this morning on both ends of the blockade at 63 with a bunch of heavy machinery, chasing somebody with a dozer, they had rock trucks. 

Currently right now the state of Gidimt’en Checkpoint is that dozers have rolled in (as well as) Heavy Machinery, CGL workers and RCMP. We just got word that they released K9 units at the bridge at Gidimt’en Checkpoint. Our warriors are down there. Our matriarch is there. There’s a lot of people that are there that are at risk of this police violence.

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1461402143802511372?s=20

RCMP deployed to Wet’suwet’en territory

“RCMP raid is on the horizon.” Gidimt’en Checkpoint.

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1461347388728098827?s=20
Gidimt’en Checkpoint

11/17/2021 URGENT UPDATE – Dozens of RCMP have deployed onto Wet’suwet’en territory.
A charter plane full of RCMP have landed at the Smithers airport, with between 30 and 50 officers equipped with camo duffel bags. Police loaded onto two buses and unmarked, rental pick-up trucks and headed out towards the yintah. An RCMP helicopter is reported to be heading to the area.
Throughout today, helicopters have circled over our camps, conducting low, deliberate flights for surveillance.
The road into our yintah remains blocked by RCMP at 28km, with hereditary chiefs, food, and medical supplies being turned away.
In the middle of a climate emergency, as highways and roads are being washed away and entire communities are being flooded and evacuated, the Province has chosen to send busloads of police to criminalize Wet’suwet’en water protectors and to work as a mercenary force for oil and gas.
We will not back down.
We need all eyes on Wet’suwet’en Yintah.
We need boots on the ground.
We need solidarity actions throughout Canada.
#ShutDownCanada
#AllOutForWedzinKwa

Wet’suwet’en land defenders and supporters say inaction from B.C. and Canada left them no choice but to enforce an eviction order against Coastal GasLink workers and deactivate road access to the project, a pair of measures that have prompted the provincial and federal governments to call for a peaceful resolution to the blockades.

“We were sending a clear message to the province, to Canada, and they weren’t acting on it — they weren’t hearing what we were saying — so we had to get a little bit louder,” Gidimt’en camp spokesperson Sleydo’ Molly Wickham told The Narwhal in an interview. “They’re destroying absolutely everything that is important to us in our territory. And they have been continuing to do work, despite the eviction order last year.”

The sole access route to Coastal GasLink project sites and work camps housing some 500 people was cut off after the company failed to act on an eviction order issued on Sunday. Tensions have been steadily escalating in Gidimt’en clan territory south of Houston, B.C., since September as the pipeline company began preparing to drill under the Wedzin Kwa (Morice) River.

The Wet’suwet’en eviction order isn’t new. It was first issued on Jan. 4, 2020, by the hereditary chiefs.

“Anuc ‘nu’at’en (Wet’suwet’en law) is not a ‘belief’ or a ‘point of view,’ ” the chiefs wrote at the time. “It is a way of sustainably managing our territories and relations with one another and the world around us, and it has worked for millennia to keep our territories intact. Our law is central to our identity. The ongoing criminalization of our laws by Canada’s courts and industrial police is an attempt at genocide, an attempt to extinguish Wet’suwet’en identity itself.”

UPDATED: Wet’suwet’en land defenders say B.C., federal inaction prompted enforcement of Coastal GasLink eviction By Matt Simmons, Energetic City, Nov 16, 2021

When Chief Dsta’hyl arrived on a Saturday morning in October, the big construction vehicles rumbled back and forth over the cold mud. He watched an excavator dig into the soil, its yellow, hydraulic arm moving against the green backdrop of forests that he has called home all his life.

The area that was being prepared for construction lies within the territory of the Wet’suwet’en, a First Nation in what is currently called British Columbia, Canada. As a supporting chief from the Likhts’amisyu clan, Dsta’hyl had been tasked with enforcing Wet’suwet’en law in the area.

The scene he was witnessing — construction crews preparing to build a pipeline through Wet’suwet’en territory, without their consent — represented a blatant violation of those laws. And Dsta’hyl had seen enough. After warning the on-site construction managers that they were trespassing, he arrived the next day and approached a pair of orange-vested security subcontractors employed by TC Energy, the company building the fracked gas pipeline known as Coastal GasLink, or CGL. He notified them that he would be seizing one of their excavators and then stepped onto the hulking vehicle and disabled it by disconnecting its battery and other components. Though he planned to leave the vehicle in place, Dsta’hyl said he wanted to make a statement to the company, which the traditional leaders decided to evict from their territory last year.

Canada sides with a pipeline, violating Wet’suwet’en laws — and its own. Despite a Supreme Court ruling, Coastal GasLink is on track to be built through unceded land by Mark Armao, Grist, Nov 18, 2021

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1461343571114483725?s=20

Minister’s statement on Coastal Gaslink Project

Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, has released the following statement in relation to current events around the Coastal GasLink project:

“Yesterday’s blockades of the Morice River Forest Service Road have put at risk emergency access and the delivery of critical services to more than 500 Coastal GasLink workers, and the good faith commitments made between the Office of the Wet’suwet’en and the Province of B.C. to develop a new relationship based on respect.

“The B.C. government is calling on all those involved to de-escalate the current confrontation and move quickly to eliminate the blockades through peaceful means.

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1461336975244500994?s=20

#DivestCGL #WetsuwetenStrong #AllOutForWedzinKwa

Wet’suwet’en update 11/17/2021

I try to do most of the writing on this blog, rather than sharing tweets and videos. But it is important for those on the frontlines to tell their stories themselves.

Some may wonder why I, a white male in the so-called United States, follows so closely and writes about the Wet’suwet’en. There are several reasons. My whole life I have worked to reduce fossil fuel use. Which has been frustrating because so few people in industrialized societies look beyond their own needs for fossil fuels for transportation, heating, cooking, and all the products made from fossil fuels, such as plastics, etc. Our capitalist economy focuses on these things, completely ignoring the draining of non-renewable fossil fuel supplies and the many damages to Mother Earth.

The situation with the Wet’suwet’en peoples is an example of the global nature of environmental devastation. And their Indigenous leadership is an example of the path we all need to embrace to protect Mother Earth for the sake of our children and future generations.

These are moral and spiritual problems for me, again for many reasons. It is not right for certain societies to demand their overconsumption of fossil fuels, while so many others have little access to fuel for heat and cooking. And when the environmental devastation from the overconsumption of fossil fuels disproportionally impacts those with the smallest carbon footprint. When the rights and practices of Indigenous peoples are ignored and attacked. When hundreds of activists are killed each year.

Yesterday’s post provides more background about the Wet’suwet’en struggles to protect the water and the land. https://landbackfriends.com/2021/11/16/wetsuweten-enforce-mandatory-evacuation/

1/UPDATE – RCMP Are Blocking Food And Medical Supplies From Wet’suwet’en Homes
The RCMP are openly violating the human rights of the Wet’suwet’en people again.

2/Today, the driver of a vehicle carrying food and medical supplies was blocked by an arbitrary illegal police exclusion zone and threatened with arrest.
3/There are multiple Wet’suwet’en home sites beyond the police road block and many permanent full time Wet’suwet’en residents on the territory, including elders, children, and chiefs.
4/Despite human rights complaints filed against previous RCMP exclusion zones and recent BC court decisions condemning the use of unlawful exclusion zones, the RCMP is again using this illegal tactic.
There is clearly no accountability or capacity for learning.
5/It is a human rights violation and a war crime against Wet’suwet’en people.
This is just mind blowing.
Let your representatives know how you feel about the treatment of Indigenous peoples.
6/
Mike Farnworth
PSSG.Minister@gov.bc.ca
Phone: (250) 356-2178
Murray Rankin
IRR.Minister@gov.bc.ca
Phone: (250) 953-4844
Marc Miller
Marc.Miller@parl.gc.ca
Phone: (613) 995-6403

#RCMPofftheYintah
#AllOutForWedzinKwa
#WetsuwetenStrong

Originally tweeted by Gidimt’en Checkpoint (@Gidimten) on November 17, 2021.

Former Chief Economist warns investors to take seriously the recent call by @Gidimten Checkpoint of Wet’suwet’en Nation to divest from the Coastal GasLink pipeline

Originally tweeted by Julia Levin (@lev_jf) on November 10, 2021.

#DivestCGL #WetsuwetenStrong #AllOutForWedzinKwa

Wet’suwet’en Enforce Mandatory Evacuation

You never know what might happen when you join a struggle for justice. One day in January 2020, I saw this video, “Coastal Gaslink Evicted from Unist’ot’en Territory”. I was amazed! I had been working for years on the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipeline resistance. But had not known about the Wet’suwet’en peoples in British Columbia and their efforts to protect the water and their beautiful lands from construction of the Coastal Gaslink pipeline.

I was especially interested because of the issues of Indigenous rights and began to closely follow these stories. https://landbackfriends.com/?s=wetsuweten

Not surprisingly there was little written about this in the mainstream media. Then, as now, the Wet’suwet’en asked supporters to share their stories on social media, which I did. My Quaker meeting wrote a statement about this and sent a letter to British Columbia Premier John Horgan, January 26, 2020. (below)

On February 7, 2020, several of us held a vigil in Des Moines, Iowa, to support the Wet’suwet’en. This vigil was life changing for me because that is where I met Ronnie James, an Indigenous organizer with many years of experience. I first learned of the concepts of Mutual Aid from Ronnie and to this day we work on Des Moines Mutual Aid projects. Mutual Aid and LANDBACK have become the focus of my study and writing. https://landbackfriends.com/

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago when some of our Mutual Aid friends offered their support for the Wet’suwet’en. You probably notice using the same signs we used in 2020.

The reason for all this backstory is because Sunday the Wet’suwet’en enforced the eviction notice that was first given to Coastal Gaslink in the video above, in January, 2020. Following are stories of what has happened since. You can find updates on twitter at https://twitter.com/Gidimten

The Gidimt’en Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation has told Coastal GasLink it will enforce the eviction of pipeline workers from its territories in central B.C.

The enforcement notice, issued at 5 a.m. PT Sunday, provided an eight-hour window for CGL workers to move out of the territory before the access road was blocked.  

Jennifer Wickham, media co-ordinator for the Gidimt’en checkpoint, which monitors access to part of the territory, says the Morice River Forest Service Road is now impassible for all vehicles, including supply trucks. She says only a handful of CGL workers were seen leaving the area before the blockades went up along the access road Sunday afternoon.

On Sept. 25, members of the Gidimt’en Clan of the Wet’suwet’en and supporters established a camp on a CGL work site south of Houston, halting plans to drill under the Wedzin Kwa (Morice River). Wickham called the river “the major concern” right now. She says the enforcement notice is “the next step” in the actions taken to protect the Wet’suwet’en sacred headwaters, salmon spawning river, and source of clean drinking water. 

Wet’suwet’en clan members say they are enforcing eviction of Coastal GasLink from territories. The enforcement notice, issued early Sunday, provided 8 hours for workers to leave before roads blocked By Kate Partridge, CBC News, Nov 15, 2021

This morning, we upheld our laws and issued a mandatory evacuation order for all pipeline workers trespassing on our territory. We are enforcing the eviction order from January 2020, where Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs representing all clans of our nation stood together and removed Coastal GasLink from our lands. We will never abandon our children to live in a world with no clean water. We uphold our ancestral responsibilities. We continue to protect our yintah and invite all of our supporters to join us on the ground or to take action where you stand.There will be no pipelines on Wet’suwet’en territory.

For more info www.yintahaccess.com#AllOutForWedzinKwa#ResponsibiliyNotRights#WetsuwetenStrong

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1460402810168692736?s=20

“This morning Cas Yikh enforced the eviction to Coastal GasLink. CGL was given 8 hours to evacuate the yintah.

CGL has been trespassing and violating our laws for too long. We will continue to uphold our laws! Join us.”

May be an image of text

Bear Creek Friends (Quaker) meetinghouse is in the Iowa countryside. Many members have been involved in agriculture and care about protecting Mother Earth. A number of Friends have various relationships with Indigenous peoples. Some Friends have worked to protect water and to stop the construction of fossil fuel pipelines in the United States, such as the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines.

We are concerned about the tensions involving the Wet’suwet’en Peoples, who are working to protect their water and lands in British Columbia. Most recently they are working to prevent the construction of several pipelines through their territory. Such construction would do severe damage to the land, water, and living beings.

Bear Creek Friends (Quaker) Meeting, Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) January 26, 2020

John Horgan.
PO BOX 9041 STN PROV GOVT
VICTORIA, BC V8W 9E1.
Email premier@gov.bc.ca

John Horgan,

We’re concerned that you are not honoring the tribal rights and unceded Wet’suwet’en territories and are threatening a raid instead.

We ask you to de-escalate the militarized police presence, meet with the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs, and hear their demands:

That the province cease construction of the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline project and suspend permits.

That the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and tribal rights to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) are respected by the state and RCMP.

That the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and associated security and policing services be withdrawn from Wet’suwet’en lands, in agreement with the most recent letter provided by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s (CERD) request.

That the provincial and federal government, RCMP and private industry employed by Coastal GasLink (CGL) respect Wet’suwet’en laws and governance system, and refrain from using any force to access tribal lands or remove people.

Bear Creek Monthly Meeting of Friends (Quakers)
19186 Bear Creek Road, Earlham, Iowa, 50072

#WetsuwetenStrong
#AllOutForWedzinKwa
#NoPipelineNovember