Pilot spoke of his conversation earlier in the day with Cree leader Bill
Namogose (sp?), the result of which is an agreement among these two
sometimes quarreling groups to form an alliance against further
development by Hydro-Quebec in the region encompassing their respective
homelands. He referred to this agreement as the beginning of a "grand
alliance" of indigenous peoples to protect the earth from destruction by
hydro-development. He said:
"We want to maintain our spiritual relation with the land. Land
means our language, our way of life, our relationships among
peoples. We want to counter the 'global plan' of Hydro-Quebec with
another concept of development. We reject any support from
government. The main purpose of our movement is to propose a
new way of life, a new relationship among peoples. We are the
Coalition for Nitassinan."
He described the Innu as "nine communities in our land, which is measured
as 750,000 km sq." He said," It's not easy to unify the native peoples.
Some have been and are supported by the government." He said that four
"consultations" had been held among the nine communities, and that in each
instance about 80% of the people were against Hydro-Quebec; but that the
leaders in Band Council (funded by the government) are continuing to work
with Hydro-Quebec. He said that as a response to this situation, the
Coalition decided not to recognize the provincial and federal jurisdictions,
"and instead we assert our status as a people before the United Nations
and for international recognition."
Pilot told how some 40 people are currently under indictment for their
protest activities against the Band, Provincial, and federal authorities
who are working with Hydro-Quebec to inundate vast areas of Innu homeland.
He showed us a copy of an injunction from a Quebec Superior Court (as well
as copies of the petition for the injunction and accompanying affidavits>
directing named individuals, including Gilbert himself, to refrain from
any activities that would block access to any of several named buildings,
and to refrain also from any activities that would intimidate or harrass
any persons who have legal authority to enter and use these buildings.
The injunction also forbids the named individuals from using the name
"Band Council of the Innu," stating that this name may be legally used
only by the government-sanctioned "Band Council."
The injunction was sought by the official "Band Council" against the named
individuals and against the communities' "police Amerindienne." The
injunction is in French, and though I could understand much of it I am not
fluent in that language. I have asked that it be faxed to Gary Trujillo
for translation and posting, as he sees fit.
I told Gilbert of NativeNet, and asked what I could tell the people who
had expressed interest in helping the Innu in this conflict. He said that
people should "express to the Quebec and Canadian governments a
denunciation of the violation of the fundamental rights of the Innu people
in their homeland." He said that this could be done by fax or otherwise.
He added that the Innu are ready to recognize the Quebec and Canadian
people, and want recognition of themselves in return.
Gilbert Pilot's most immediate concern is for the fate of those who are
planning an action that will violate the injunction on December 12. He
said that communication may be difficult after that, both because people
may be in jail or dead and because the government is likely to take
further steps to isolate the communities involved. He and Tom Dostou
suggested that contact be made with a non-native group in Ottawa, the
Canadian Association in Support of Native Peoples (CASNP), and with the
Montreal office of the Quebec Native Women Association. I did not get
phone numbers for these groups, but I imagine that they are available
through persistence with directory assistance.
[ The name of the organization is "Canadian Alliance in Solidarity with
the Native Peoples." The number I have for them (in Toronto) is 416-
363-4272. --Gary ]
The Innu and some others from the group at the Pagoda traveled to New York
later that night, to be able to attend meetings in the City with other
native peoples preparing for UN meetings to initiate the "International
Year of Indigenous Peoples." Gilbert said they are involved with ongoing
discussions with about 45 native nations in the US, looking toward the
development of joint economic arrangements, alternative forms of energy,
and mutual recognition.
The bulk of the discussions with Gilbert and Tom were carried on in
English, with the Innu elder speaking French to us, and with the Innu
speaking their own language among themselves. What I have stated in this
posting is based on my recollection from notes made during the meeting. A
report of the meeting may appear in the Boston Globe, as a reporter from
that paper was present during portions of the discussion, and also was
given interviews in English by Tom and in French (with an interpreter) by
the leader from the Quebec Native Women Association. I was also
interviewed for a statement of the legal differences between the official
"Band Council" and the protesting Innu. I said that the protestors rely on
a natural sovereignty argument, drawing from fundamental principles of
human rights and international law; while the official council relies on
Constitutional and statutory law derived from the state. It is not
surprising that the court favors the council, since the court is itself a
creation of the same Constitutional and statutory framework.
I imagine that events may overtake our discussion of the Innu movement.
Those who wish to express concern to the Quebec and Canadian governments
may do so as suggested by Pilot and Dostou, using addresses and phone
numbers provided in an earlier posting on this topic by someone else.
Those who harbor doubts about the reality of these events will have to
satisfy themselves with waiting and watching. As to reports of factional
conflict among the Innu and between Innu and Cree, for example, all I can
say is that the "divide and conquer" strategy is an old trick. We must
make up our own minds about whom to believe and what to do.
-- Peter d'Errico phone: 413-545-2003 Legal Studies Department fax: 413-545-1640 University of Massachusetts/Amherst 01003 dErrico@titan.ucc.umass.edu
[ I showed my copy of the fax message to Ted Moses, Cree Ambassador to the United Nations, at a meeting I attended this afternoon. He had no negative comments to make, and patiently explained his interpretation of the injunction. I hope that representatives of the press will soon be sent to the site in order to document the situation at Sept Isles, Quebec. I suggest that we write to the addresses posted recently in Tom's bulletin to express our concern about the potential for violence, indicating that an international community is watching that situation, and that we seek to find out more about why Gilbert Pilot and his community have decided to set up a barricade, thus risking the possibility of violence, which could lead to serious injury. The reports I have received indicate there is some factional politics involved. I hope that a clear and complete story will emerge following the meetings now taking place in New York City, and from events surrounding the opening ceremonies of the U.N. "Year of Indigenous Peoples" which will be taking place this coming Thursday, and which will be attended by the Innu persons named above.
Unfortunately, my time and resources prevent my translating or posting the fax message mentioned herein, and I do not have the facilities to re-send it to others. If anyone who is proficient in French has those resources, however, please contact me, and I'll do what I can to help you obtain a copy, so that you can make available a translation in electronic form (I could put it into the NATIVE-L filelist archive, so that interested parties could retrieve it themselves).
--Gary (gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us) ]