--------------------------------------------------------------------
The following documents consist of:
1) the text of a letter sent to Greenpeace, from the Nuxalk
Nation, in response to a press release put out by
Greenpeace, the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, Friends
of Clayoquout Sound, and the Sierra Club of BC.
2) the press release that sparked the letter from the Nuxalk
Nation
Any inquiries should be made directly to the Nuxalk Nation,
not to this e-mail address (since the holder of this account
is not part of the Nuxalk Nation). Any spelling or
typographical errors are my own, not the Nuxalk Nation. I
have attempted to keep formatting as close to the original
documents as possible.
Zabaglione
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
House of Smayusta
PO Box 8
Bella Coola, BC
V0T 1C0
Tel: (604) 799-5376
Fax: (604) 799-5707
April 24, 1995
GREENPEACE
1726 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC
V5N 4A3
Ph: #(604) 253-7701
Fax: #(604) 253-0114
Dear GREENPEACE,
First of all we would like to acknowledge Tatau, the
Creator, through Manakaya, the Great Spirit, for all he
has provided since the beginning of time and still
provides today.
It has come to our nation's attention that a member of
Greenpeace has written a draft press release for the
FRIENDS OF CLAYOQUOT SOUND. This press release notifies
us that a number of environmental groups including
GREENPEACE are supporting the First Nations
negotiations with the BC Treaty Process.
We have also been informed that GREENPEACE may possibly
be assisting the Nuu-Chah-Nulth people privately with
negotiations in the BC Treaty Process in the capacity
of environmental consultants.
GREENPEACE fully understands that we, the Nuxalk
Nation, totally oppose the BC Treaty Process and any
other tripartite agreements that include the Province
of BC and Canada. GREENPEACE has also understood from
our nation that the BC Treaty Process and tripartite
agreements are developed to destroy indigenous people's
nationhood. We, the Nuxalk Nation, have never and still
choose not to be affiliated in any way with this
devolution and assimilation process.
At the moment we find our nation to be in a very
delicae and disputable relationship with GREENPEACE.
Political interference could highly disrupt the
sovereignty struggle of our nation. We are not willing
to risk our nationhood for the sake of GREENPEACE.
"It is a sad fact that apartheid has been dismantled in
South Africa but is still alive in Indian Land
(?Canada?)."
We regret that GREENPEACE is now in direct conflict
with the position of Nuxalk Nation, therefore we find
it necessary to sever any relationship or any
affiliation between GREENPEACE and the NUXALK NATION.
We will also stop communicating and transmitting any
further information to your local office.
"We, the Nuxalk Nation, are a nation! We have our own
language, history, constitution and land base that
makes us a nation. All that we have come from Tatau,
the Creator, and not from the Canadian and British
Columbian Governments. We as a nation have the
responsibility to protect the lands and waters within
our territory for our children and those who can't
speak for themselves."
For the future of our children, grandchildren and children
yet to be born....
Way!
NUXALK STRONG - NUXALK FOREVER
Nuximiayc (Hereditary Chief Lawrence Pootlass)
Slicxwliqw' (Hereditary Chief Charlie Nelson)
Qwatsinas (Hereditary Chief Edward Moody)
Qwatsi (Hereditary Chief David Clelliman)
cc: Ministry of Forests/Mid-Coast Region
The Friends of Clayoquot Sound
WCWC
Sierra Club
VTRAC
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ENVIRONMENTALISTS RALLY BEHIND CLAYOQUOT FIRST NATIONS
TREATY
[Clayoquot Sound, B.C.] Mon. April 24, 1995 - At the opening
ceremonies for the Nuu-chah-nulth treaty negotiations today,
major national and provincial environmental groups joined
together in support of the First Nations. The environmental
groups* are calling on the Federal and Provincial
governments to settle hundreds of years of injustice by
expediting the negotiations of a just treaty for the
Nuu-chah-nulth peoples.
The environmental groups clearly stated their unconditional
support for aboriginal title. "It is a sad fact that
apartheid has been dismantled in South Africa but is still
alive in Canada," said Christopher Hatch of the Friends of
Clayoquot Sound in a joint statement by the environmental
groups. "This is a matter of basic human rights. We must
seize this opportunity to begin to redress the most glaring
injustice in Canadian history."
In particular, environmental groups are demanding that the
Nuu-chah-nulth be returned their decision-making powers over
their traditional territories and that Ottawa and Victoria
rectify past injustices perpetrated upon the First Nations
communities. Environmentalists want to ensure that the two
levels of government return control over sufficient
resources to the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations so as to allow
them to develop sustainable economies for their communities.
For more information contact The Friends of Clayoquot Sound
office at 725-4218
-30-
*The following environmental groups are party to this news
statement:
* Greenpeace
* Western Canada Wilderness Committee
* Sierra Club of British Columbia
* The Friends of Clayoquot Sound