Carol Liu
cliu@queens.lib.ny.us
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** Topic: RCMP torture Gustafsen prisoners **
** Written 1:39 AM Oct 26, 1995 by yacinfo@mars.ark.com in cdp:multimonitor **
From: Ernie Yacub <yacinfo@mars.ark.com>
Ts' peten Defenders
Contact: Splitting the Sky
(403) 865-1784
OCTOBER 24, 1995
RCMP USE INTIMIDATION TACTICS ON TS'PETEN (GUSTAFSEN LAKE) DEFENDERS
KAMLOOPS, B.C. - Over the last several weeks since the standoff ended, the
RCMP continue to try and break the enduring position of the Ts'peten
Defenders. When Suniva Bronson went to retrieve her driver's license from
Police Headquarters in Kamloops earlier this month (October 5), she and her
mother were taken into a closed office and interrogated without the presence
of a lawyer. Corporal Murray Smith tried to discuss the standoff with them,
naming people he assumed to be involved in certain incidents. Suniva
refused to comment and eventually Smith forced them both to watch a video
that the police had recorded of the infamous red truck being blown up by the
land mine.
Afterwards, he claimed that the only thing not recorded on video was Suniva
being shot. He told her it was an RCMP .223 bullet taken out of her arm,
but assured her that it would be impossible to find out who fired the shot
because there were more than 60 officers in the field that day. he also
threatened that there would be more charges laid of greater consequences,
including the possibility of life sentences. Following this confrontation,
other Defenders have been harassed by police with questions and similar
threats at their homes, always without the presence of their lawyer. One
couple was even stopped in their truck on a public street and interrogated
right there. Two plain clothes officers were also spotted bugging a car
owned by a Defender's family.
The most recent coercive measure was the solitary confinement of Joseph Adam
Ignace ("JoJo"), on October 20, 1995 shortly after the denial of his release
on bail. There had been numerous indications of his emotional deterioration
since being imprisoned on September 17, 1995. Although the supervisor at
the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre (KRCC) recognized that the
confinement was the reason for Joseph's emotional instability, he was moved
into 23-hour lockdown cell adjacent to Defender James Pitawanakwat (O.J.)
who was in a 20-hour lockdown for no other apparent reason than prison
overflow. Lawyer Robin Smith from Williams Lake suspects that Joseph and
James are placed together in the hope that they would exchange information
which could be recorded and used against them in court. (Indeed, Joseph has
apparently already made incriminating statements against himself after hours
of police interrogations without the presence of a lawyer.) James reported
that, as the days passed, Joseph was becoming increasingly stressed until,
on October 22nd, Joseph endangered his life for fear of his father William's
health. William ("Wolverine") asked the supervisor if he would be allowed
to see Joseph as this would reassure him and calm him down, but he was
refused this simple request on grounds unknown.
Joseph is now under 24-hour observation along with 21 other inmates. He has
only recently been informed of his canteen privileges. Additionally, since
he can't write and no on offered him any assistance, he has not been able to
fill out request forms or visitors lists. His mother sent in a visitors
list for him over a week ago, but it still isn't in the KRCC computer. The
extraordinary and deplorable methods used by the RCMP and their political
yellow bellies are nothing but tactics of intimidation, humiliation and
genocide that seem to be an integral part of the ongoing criminal
investigation of the Ts'peten Defenders.
Please make calls of complaints to the Warden of the Kamloops Regional
Correctional Centre, John Spruce at (604) 372 - 7202; fax (604) 374 - 9247
and to the Ombudsman of B.C. at (604) 387 - 5855. Also, any letters of
support to the Defenders still being held as political prisoners of war are
much appreciated and enjoyed.
Their address is:
Jones William Ignace (Jonesy)
Joseph Adam Ignace (JoJo)
James Allen Scott Pitawanakwat (O.J.)
KRCC
Box 820
Kamloops, B.C.
V2C 5M9
Also, please be informed that David Pena, who was arrested on August 11,
1995 on weapons charges, will be on trial in the Williams Lake courthouse on
November 6, 1995. David was the first political prisoner, still in maximum
security in Prince George. His own mother is not allowed to visit him,
since she is one of the people charged at Gustafsen Lake. The prison food
is not sufficient for his special diabetic needs and his health is
deteriorating. Please send letters of solidarity to him at:
David Pene
Box 4300
PGRCC
Prince George, B.C.
V2L 4J9
"O.J." will have his bail hearing on November 10, 1995 in 100 Mile
House. That is also the court date for the Defenders, at which time
further charges may be laid and the prosecution will determine who
will be tried together and on what dates. There may also be
pleas entered into court that day and consideration of a preliminary
trial. Again, please show your support any way you can.
For further communications, contact. Splitting the Sky (403) 865-1784
Ts' peten Defenders
Contact: Splitting the Sky
(403) 865-1784
TO ALL SUPPORTERS OF TS' PETEN DEFENDERS
OCTOBER 24, 1995
We would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks and
appreciation to the world community for their unconditional support
throughout the entire thirty days we were besieged by the RCMP on our
unceded land. We wish to thank all the support groups and all the
individuals throughout Turtle Island and the globe who worked non-stop
organizing vigils, fasts, ceremonies, demonstrations, rallies, and
communications of support on our behalf.
We also wish to thank all the native and non-native families and friends of
the Defenders who continue to lend their support during this difficult time
of transition and healing. A special thank you to the Clan Mothers and all
the Warrior Societies who were prepared to meet force with force had anyone
been murdered inside the camp. Finally, honour and condolences to the
Stoney Point people in Ipperwash, Ontario who made the supreme sacrifice in
their stand for their rights. We mourn and condemn the death of Dudley
George who was brutally murdered by the OPP. It has been over a month since
we left the Ts' peten Sundance grounds, but our hearts are still there.
Although we were victorious in that battle, we know that the fight has only
just begun.
Specifically, we have a long battle in court to fight and the ongoing
harassment of the RCMP to deal with. We will continue to inform all
supporters of our ongoing case, and for that purpose we have given our
approval to the following organization to transmit information on our
behalf:
ABORIGINAL SOVEREIGNTY SUPPORT COMMITTEE (ASSC)
174-1472 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Salish Territory, Canada V5L 3X9
ASSC Hotline: (604) 251-1167 fax: (604) 251-6401.
Gustafsen Lake Information Internet World Wide Web Site:
http://www2.helix.net/~bearwtch/sov/sis.html
Since we are now in the process of compiling and recognizing ALL groups in
the world family that transmitted support and information on our behalf, we
request that all communications sent to or received by your organization
during the standoff be forwarded to:
Splitting the Sky
P.O. Box 6475
Hinton, Alberta
T7V 1X7
phone: (403) 865-1784 fax: (403) 865-7549
Finally be informed that from this day forward, except where approved by us,
we request that all fundraising efforts in our name CEASE AND DESIST as have
NEVER received any donations that were solicited using our name. We further
ask that any financial contributions received during the standoff now be
forwarded to our Ts' peten Trust Account at The Royal Bank of Canada in
Hinton, Alberta. The account number is 5024404 and the bank transit number
is 0660903. Thank you for your consideration in these important matters.
Signed (on behalf of the Defenders of Ts' peten):
Percy Rosette and William Ignace
(Wolverine)
I.G. Gauvreau
gauvreau@unixg.ubc.ca
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