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.”
→ 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
