I don’t know if you got the bit of hype over the last couple days, but the globe and mail published an article on Saturday saying the Canadian army’s new ‘counterinsurgency’ manual lumped aboriginals in with the Tamil Tigers, Hezbollah, and other Terrorist groups.
Not being suprised, I decided to write something about it – but as I was putting on the finishing touches, I caught wind of another globe and mail article, yesterday, saying now natives will not be listed as terrorists… So I won’t post the article I wrote, but I would like to say a few things about all this:
First, I’d like to point out that taking the words out of the manual really doesn’t change anything – I mean, all that’s happened is the finger pointing at natives has been removed from public view. But the finger is still pointing. …
As far as the gross mischaracterization though, we mustn’t forget about the United States National Intelligence Council (NIC) report titled ”Global Trends 2020 – Mapping the Global Future” created the (publicly recognized) link from indigenous people to terrorist, in 2005. (see this article on IPS
Aswell, just last year, the Zapatista were labeled as terrorists… nevermind that they’re non-violent and don’t carry guns or do anything terror-istic – that’s entirely besides the point.
What matters here is these Nation States are encountering something that’s never been encountered in Colonial Society, and there is no protocol or studies or any series’ of books around to figure out how to manage it. All they can do is fit it into some existing context.
As forever the hero to all things, they’re choosing to lump indigenous People in with militant Activists and Terrorists. It’s just business as usual.
Ahni.
It’s obvious to most people, but I might as well say it: Indigenous People across the world are not looking to bring down States, blow up buildings, or even take over the world.
All Indigenous People want is to live autonomous, independent, unindentured lives – free from encroachment. Or otherwise, for a state to do no more than keep it’s word and do it’s job.
Does that make indigenous People enemies? Evidently so.
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