**ALERT** SERIOUS VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS: JAILED WARRIORS DENIED ACCESS TO SPIRITUAL PRACTICES

This issue is of concern to ALL of us  who want to protect the water, land and air. 

State violence against Indigenous People is ALWAYS a serious issue and concern, but in this political climate any of us may be arrested for protecting the environment.

As my friend Jay said 25 years ago at a Lubicon Cree solidarity event, “Tonight we are speaking about what is happening to these “Indians,” but soon enough everyone who cares about the environment will be considered as dangerous as the Indians, then you will understand what I am talking about.”

To help these men who have given so much to our fight against the governments that would Frack Us All, please take at least one of the actions suggested (please see list at bottom) or do anything else you can think of!

Reprinting here a FB post (dated Jan 19, 2014) from Suzanne Patles, treaty scholar, water and land protector, and Lieutenant in the Mi’kmaq Warrior Society:

“I just came back from Southeast Regional correctional center in Shediac, New Brunswick to deliver some things for our men. I attempted to leave …them sage so that they can smudge, seeing that since their incarceration they have only seen a spiritual helper once. Each request made by the men to be smudged by the helper, so that they may pray in their traditional manner has been denied by the facility. They did not allow me to leave them sage and stated that they do not allow ‘that’ in their facility. human right violations? yes. Desecration of their indigenous spirituality? Yes. Prisoners at other facilities have been able to have their own bundles. They hold them as political prisoners of war, and deny them their right to be indigenous. Something needs to be done.”

Subsequent to this post from Suzanne, the Indigenous Action Alliance issued this image and the following statement:

JAILED WARRIORS DENIED ACCESS TO SPIRITUAL PRACTICES – CALL TO SUPPORT AND END TARGETING OF LAND DEFENDERS The colonial state strikes again. State repression… against and the targeting of Mi’kmaq Warriors has escalated. The state is now denying 2 Mi’kmaq Warriors, Aaron Francis and Germain Jr Breau, access to spiritual practices. Aaron and Jr have been held in Kanadian custody without trial since the raid on Oct. 17th – just over 3 months. A statement from Mi’kmaq Warrior Suzanne Patles, “I just came back from Southeast Regional Correctional Center in Shediac, New Brunswick to deliver some things for our men. I attempted to leave them sage so that they can smudge, seeing that since their incarceration they have only seen a spiritual helper once. Each request made by the men to be smudged by the helper, so that they may pray in their traditional manner, has been denied by the facility. They did not allow me to leave them sage and stated that they do not allow ‘that’ in their facility. Human rights violations? Yes. Desecration of their Indigenous spirituality? Yes. Prisoners at other facilities have been able to have their own bundles. They hold them as political prisoners of war, and deny them their right to be Indigenous. Something needs to be done.” With your help, Junior was released from solitary confinement! Together we can make our voices heard. Flood the phones and let the jail know that the Warriors’ have support and this treatment must not continue!

→ CALL SUPERINTENDENT BRIAN JONAH – (506) 532-7885 –
Demand:jailed warriors Aaron Francis and Germaine Jr Breau have access to spiritual practices!

→ Also contact: New Brunswick Premier, David Alward: 506 453 2144 – Demand:

• All Indigenous peoples jailed by the state have access to spiritual practices    Release of Aaron Francis and Germain Junior Breau, Mi’kmaq Warriors, Land Defenders and Prisoners of War
• Mi’kmaq inherent and treaty rights and title be respected by the Province
• A complete moratorium on shale gas exploration

→ Also contact: Federal Minister of Justice, Peter McKay: 613 992 6022 – Demand:

• End systemic discrimination against Indigenous peoples in the Prison Injustice System
• All Indigenous peoples jailed by the state have access to spiritual practices
• Release of Aaron Francis and Germain Junior Breau, Mi’kmaq Warriors, Land Defenders and Prisoners of War

→ WRITE TO A WARRIOR:
Aaron Francis and Germain “Junior” Breau S.R.C.C 435 Lino Rd Shediac, NB E4P 0H6 Kanada
http://reclaimturtleisland.com/2014/01/20/jailed-warriors-denied-access-to-spiritual-practices/