Okanagan Band launches road block to protect their water supply
Photo: kelowna.com
The Okanagan Indian Band (OIB) launched a "protective blockade" this morning, February 23, at the Okanagan campsite near Bouleau Lake in southern British Colombia.
A member of the greater Okanagan Nation, the OIB say they have been left with no choice but to stop the logging company Tolko Industries from endangering their water supply.
“This is not an action we took lightly, nor is it one we commenced without exhausting all of our legal options,” states OIB Chief Fabian Alexis, in a recent press statement. “However given the active collusion between the Ministry of Forests and Tolko and the continued indifference of the federal government, we had no choice but to act...”
Since at least 2003, the OIB has been seeking the legal protection of their water, which is provided by the Browns Creek watershed. The region has been extensively logged for more than forty years; and now, the Okanagan People fear that any further logging will threaten their health and safety.
“The fact is that when our reserves were first established it was with the clear understanding that our water supplies would be maintained for future generations,” notes Chief Alexis. “Instead the federal government abandoned its fiduciary obligation and allowed the Province of British Columbia to sell off our water rights thus resulting in a number of fish bearing creeks that run through our reserve being reduced to dry gullies.”
“Even as these creeks ran dry the province continued to authorize the industrial clear cutting of the watersheds that provide our drinking water, thus presenting a clear threat to the safety and well being of all residents both indigenous and non-indigenous who live on and near our reserve,” he adds.
The OIB is also concerned that Tolko will cause irreparable harm to archeological sites scattered throughout the region. The Okanagan National Alliance explains:
"The Brown’s Creek Watershed is a sacred area of the Okanagan people that houses archaeological, ethno-botanical and cultural evidence that has been at the heart of litigation in the Wilson case since 1999. The litigation area is subject to a preservation order issued by Mr. Justice Sigurdson, entitling the Okanagan Nation to preserve and record evidence pertaining to Okanagan Title. Tolko’s logging plans would destroy title evidence, dating back as far as 7,500 years and extending into modern times, the Okanagan Nation have committed to ensuring that our traditional laws and governance systems are upheld for generations to come. This is our responsibility and sacred duty as Syilx (Okanagan)
People."
Despite the governments awareness of this, and the fact that there is ongoing litigation concerning Aboriginal title in the watershed, on January 11, the British Colombia Supreme Court gave Tolko Industries permission to commence logging in eight separate "cutlbocks".
Commenting on the decision, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Okanagan Nation Alliance stated that, “the Courts failed to deal with the proprietary nature of Aboriginal Title to the lands and resources within the territory;” and, that, as a result of the ruling, “third party interests are protected at the expense of the community’s drinking water, archaeological history and their constitutionally protected rights."
Following this, on Feb. 20, the OIB held an emergency meeting to discuss their options. As a result of the meeting, Elders and band members unanimously agreed to establish check-points on Westside Road, which Tolko has been using without the OIB's permission. They also agreed to establish a protective blockade in the watershed.
With the blockade now ongoing, Chief Alexis today declared a full moratorium on all logging in the watershed, stating that “no commercial logging will be permitted in these areas until further notice."
"Finally, in order to avoid any further repeat or escalation of this conflict we would also advise the Province of British Columbia to stop issuing cutting permits in areas where their title to the land is in dispute and is still a matter to be resolved by the courts,” Chief Alexis concludes.
What You Can Do
Chief Alexis is asking people to call their local MLAs and MPs to express their support for the OIB.
Supporters are also encourage to attend the blockade in person. If you're in the area, a ride can possibly be arranged by contacting the Okanagan Indian Band Territorial Stewardship Office at (250) 542-7132.
For more information please contact: Chief Fabian Alexis cell (250) 306-2838, phone (250) 542-4328 or Sherry Louis, Executive Assistant Okanagan Indian Band - 12420 Westside Road, Vernon, BC, V1H 2A4 - okibcouncil@okanagan.org - PH: 250.542.4328 FAX: 250.542.4990
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I completly concur on this action my people i will be out there with you in spirit but if things get ugly i will come out there personally.This i promise you,much power and protection to you all my kin.
P.S..and thank you from mother earth and her children too.
I pray thee well!
Because of my location (living in Scotland and currently in Australia for a month) I can do nothing more than just wish you all the best and all strength and courage to achieve your goals and to shatter the goals of those you oppose. If I would be nearby, I would be there in person. Now I will be there in spirit and hope that that makes a difference.
Good luck with you fight.
If there is a possibility of arms being picked up, I will be there to support our people. We as First Nations people have to stand together and fight for our land and protected lands.
A call from the Ojibwe Territory.
Miigwech!
Stand tall our Okanagan brother’s and sister’s! Unite together for a just cause. “As individual finger’s , we can easily be broken.But together we make a mighty fist” Sitting Bull. Fight the good! From your Ottawa brother’s in Michigan.
It is time to make a stand on these third party trespassers on our tim-who-lough, Its all about Jurisdiction and I don’t know who gave the Province of B.C. (sic) jurisdiction in the first place. Show me the bill of sale or covenant that supercedes the one we currently hold with the Crown, and I will agree with Gordon Campbell and his cronies. They are avoiding the Court of Law, because they know they will lose, and what happens here will escalate across the Province of B.C. and Canada (sic)
… I don’t know who gave the Province of B.C. (sic) jurisdiction in the first place.
I think it was some of that “Canadian Magic”, lol. They quite literally gave it to themselves… Here’s a vid that talks about it briefly: http://intercontinentalcry.org/how-the-province-of-british-columbia-got-its-name/
And, just for the sake of saying it, thank you everyone for showing your support for the Okanagan People. My respects.
Thank you for protecting the watershed for all of us. Susan Evans with Citizens for a Clean Columbia River.
Many blessings to all of you for standing up to the government for our water, we will do a water ceremony with all of you on mind, here in Barrie, Ontario for the safety of all of you and for the water! Chi-Meegwetch and much love Okanagan Brothers and Sisters
Together we are stronger!
I fully support the action by the Okanagan Band, it is a shame that we First Nations people and communities alike have to go to such extents to recognize that we have entitlement to this very land. Confrontations, roadblocks, are the extremes, and yet, we First Nations people have to go to these extremes in order to get recognition. I am tired of our people being used and abused for our resources. Capitalism is the devil. We are living in times where wealth is superior than human life, which undoubtedly affects our health.
Stay strong my brothers and sisters, their are many prayers being said for you guys.
Know that you have support here in Washington State. There are times when each of us needs to stand firm and back up our beliefs with action. Hopefully this will get the attention that provides for a longer solution to protect the watersheds that carry the life blood of our communities.
It’s great, it’s also happening in Ontario & Quebec very effectively, and looking forward to these successes empowering actions in Alberta especially.
FYI: Tolko went to court today to get everyone removed from Brown’s Creek. A decision isn’t expected for another week or two…
Here’s a press release from UBCIC about the move: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Tolko-Seeks-Court-Enforcement-Order-to-Jail-Chiefs-1122697.htm
Thanks to Audrey H.
I posted the following at the British Columbia All Chiefs Task Force web-site, linked from the article:
The press statement made by the Band Feb. 23rd is a clear statement for the most part, but, please note the attention to the wording that the above two posts highlight! While they take a passage out of context, it is valuable for the band to be shown this & so that you can consider the wording of such statements more carefully to avoid this possibility, important because you well know that the commercial private interested parties, the province & government of Canada & their courts & the RCMP & other “legal entities”, including the “public/Canadians”, may be inclined to use and apply your statements out of context, even amongst internal discussions that we may never know about that they use to justify their illegal actions!
Suggest that you make a serious and consistent attempt to keep the sentence structures of such statements as clear and straightforward as possible, and to check that the statement reads clearly enough that there is not a possibility of the statement being misconstrued or misrepresented by anyone.
Also, the beginning of the sentence being brought to your attention uses the word ‘once’ where the word ‘one’ would possibly be more appropriate in the contextual meaning of ‘this one’, to refer to this particular situation and decision.
Finally, I would like to most strongly be encouraging your nation to drop the word ‘Band’ from all usage; I also would like to strongly recommend that any such press or other official record, even semi-official, be composed first in your own language & then could be translated into a ‘close’ approximation to English from your language. Your nation’s language should always have primacy of legal priority, and I do mean ALWAYS, without exception.
Open Letter to our Browns Creek Watershed Protection Supporters:
The Okanagan Indian Band and the people of the Okanagan Nation Territory appreciates your support regarding our decision to establish a protective blockade of the watershed at the Okanagan campsite located near Bouleau Lake.
As you know, in response to threats from Tolko to commence logging of the watershed that supplies the majority of the 1,800 residents of the Okanagan Indian Band with our drinking water, we feel we must act at this time to exercise our rights before Tolko Ltd. Resumes logging operations.
This is not a decision we have taken lightly but given the failure of the Crown to protect the health and safety of our community we were left with no other choice.
We are circulating a petition to enact a moratorium on commercial logging, we ask for your further support to obtain signatures from the residents of BC and citizens of Canada.
The petition is to be returned to the Okanagan Indian Band at okibadmin@okanagan.org or fax to (250) 542-4990.
Thank you again for all your support!
http://firstnationstaskforce.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/open-letter-to-our-browns-creek-watershed-protection-supporters/
please send in reports of any infractions by police,government or Tolko keep us updated.For i do not wish to see any violence at this just blockade.Know that great and powerful forces are watching over events out there,and will respond in kind if it were to get bad.I wish to see this come to a peaceful resolution.
Much love my people!