CHIEFS "OBLIGATED" TO STAY IN PRISON
By Neal Hall (Vancouver Sun)
Three hereditary native Indian chiefs appeared in a Vancouver
courtroom Wednesday, saying they were the protectors of the land. As
defenders of the potlatch and the trees, they said, they were obligated to
remain in jail after their arrest a day earlier for defying a court
injunction protecting logging on remote King Island off the central BC
coast.
"We are defending our law just as you are defending your law,"
hereditary Chief Edward Moody told BC Supreme Court Justice Herbert Oliver
during a chambers hearing attended by about 100 supporters ...
Two other hereditary chiefs, Charles Nelson and Lawrence Pootlass, also
addressed the court. Pootlass spoke in his native Nuxalk language.
"I'm grateful to the hereditary chiefs for the courteous and eloquent
manner in which they mae their speeches," the judge said. But, he added, he
had no choice but to remand the three chiefs in custody until their next
court appearance Oct. 16. "It must be understood that the courst are
obligated to enforce the laws of the land, the laws of Canada." ...
Paul Hundal, the lawyer for the accused, told the court the logging company
was removing tees from unceded native Indian land without authority. "These
lands are traditional territory," the lawyer said.
Hundal later explained to reporters outside court: "Their position is the
law has failed them and the treaty system has failed them."
A total of 19 people, including five activists with the Forest Action
Network, were arrested Tuesday for civil contemps of court for a protest at
Fog Creek on King Island, which native Indians calle Iste, about 50
kilometers {about 30 miles} west of Bella Coola.
Among the 14 people flown to Vancouver to appear in court Wednesday was
native Indian elder Simon Schooner and four women; 10 were released from
custody in Vancouver after signing an agreement to keep the peace and abide
by the terms of the court injunction. All will appear Oct. 16....
ADDITIONAL SNIPPETS AND QUOTES:
"More people will be moving into the area dn we will be stading firm with
the Naxalk People. The number of arrests will grow as the campaign grows."
John Quigley, Forest Action Network coordinator.
"People want to send a message to the ministry of forests, which granted
permits to Interfor {International Forest Company} and other logging
companies to come in and start clearcutting."
Diana Wilson, Forest Action Network representative.
"We are defending our law just as you are defending your law... I just want
to say that I see the law protect the logger, the road builder, the logging
company and the law is enforced by the RCMP {Royal Canadian Mounted Police}.
We don't have law enforcement for the protection of our rights."
Nuxalk Hereditary Chief Edward Moody.