/* Written 11:01 AM Sep 18, 1996 by nfnena in igc:nfn.tempforest */
/* ---------- "TEMAGAMI URGENT ACTION ALERT" ---------- */
From: Native Forest Network-ENA <nfnena@igc.apc.org>
Temagami Urgent Action Alert
An urgent action call has been issued to activists to help defend Temagami
in northern Ontario. A blockade has been in effect since August 30th near
Owain Lake's old growth red and white pine forest. This forest has been
identified as the third largest remaining white pine dominated old growth
stand in North America. It is home to many rare species that are
imminently threatened by proposed logging and mining in the forest.
There have been over thirty arrests as we go to press and the base camp is
reported surrounded by Ontario Provincial Police. Help is desperately
needed.
Our latest report from Earthroots indicate that police moved in the
morning of the 16th of September on a native sunrise ceremony near the
Earthroots Forest Defense camp and arerested participants on charges of
mischief and intimidation. The sunrise ceremony was to welcome
environmentalists to the area and blocked the roads into the Owain Lake
old growth. The police interrupted the ceremony and issued a 5 minute
warning to participants to clear the road. Eight people were arrested.
"The desecration of our spiritual ceremony is proof that Lucifer is alive
and breathing through the hearts of the Ontario Provincial Police and
their political fanatic Mike Harris," said Muskqua, a Plains Cree who led
the spiritual ceremony. A response from the native community will be
heard this week. The eight arrestees included Woody Becker of the
Ma-Komin-Ising Anishnabeg and Francis Szponarski, age 68. Ms Szponarski
served time in a Hamilton jail for her participation in the Temagami
blockades of 1989.
"The support for the Earthroots campaign to protect Temagami is clearly
growing," said Dan McDermott of Earthroots Coalition. Earthroots is
opposed to logging in the old-growth red and white forest at Owain Lake.
Help is needed right away from activists who wish to come up and get to
work. To get involved in the campaign to protect this unique old growth
forest, please contact Dan McDermott at (416) 599-0152w / (416) 652-3852h
or Sarah Winterton at (416) 599-0152w / (416) 535-6322h, EMAIL: eroots@web.net
Information transferred via:
NATIVE FOREST NETWORK
Eastern North American Resource Center
POB 57
Burlington, VT 05402 USA
(802)863-0571
(802)863-2532 Fax
email: nfnena@igc.apc.org