Tahltan Elders Arrested in the Struggle to Protect the Sacred Headwaters
Email press release | September 17, 2005
Serious opposition to industrial development of the Stikine, Iskut, Nass and Skeena Sacred Headwaters gained a National audience, when Northwest Coastal and Interior tribes joined to stand up to global pressures for concurrent non-renewable resource extraction. Tribes fear an economic boom and a bust prior to the resolution of aboriginal land claims.
The latest stand-off occurred on Tahltan territory, with support from the Haida, Gitxsan, and Wet'sunweten hereditory chiefs, joining forces with the Tl'ogotine and Tl'ebonotine clans, elders and youth of the Tahltan Nation. Massive resource extraction is supported by the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation, which leverages contracts in a pre-treaty environment, while the Tahltan Central Council negotiates a British Columbia government "buy-off" of it's own indigenous people's rights and title for jobs, contracts and royalties. The TCC itself stands to gain budgets to control as a level of government.
TNDC Board of director and chief of the Iskut first Nations Louis Louie watched as 15 Iskut First Nations elders were arrested in the struggle to protect the Sacred Headwaters of the Stikine, Skeena and Nass rivers from massive resource development.
15 aboriginal people, including 10 Tahltan elders were arrested, while spokes person Oscar Dennis, declared action to protect the Sacred Headwaters of the Stikine, Nass and Skeena watersheds in Northern British Columbia, at an industrial road blockade.
All arrested will face charges in the provincial court on Oct 31, 2005
for more information contact Rhoda Quock at 250 234 3023 or Oscar Dennis 240 234 3344 or odennis [@t] sympatico [dot] ca
Images and background at http://tahltan.blogspot.com/
This is an urgent plea for support of the Tahltan Blockade. A Road Block has been set up near Iskut, B.C. by the Tahltan Nation. The Eulue Lake Road Access Road to the Klappan near the junction at Highway #37 has been blocked since July 16,2005. The road leads to the Klappan Groundhog Coalfields in the Sacred Headwaters. Tahltan Nation members set up the Industrial Blockade to prevent companies and contractors from accessing the area to begin any level of disturbance to the sacred area.
Tahltan Elders, families with small children and Tahltan supporters have kept a vigil to protect thier way of life and culture. The eldest person at the blockade is 84 and the youngest is one week old. Elders held council last night to make strategic decisions and formalize plans for this peaceful protest.
We have just been threatened with a court injunction. We hope that as many people will come to support us. Let us know if you need some direction as the route to take.
We are asking for your urgent assistance in protecting our territory. You can be in touch with us by emailing me back at [email protected] and cc Rhoda at [email protected] or calling and leaving a message at 613-791-4492 or call Rhoda Quock 250-234-3023 or Fax 250-2343195
Thank you very much.
Tahltan Nation Blockade
Warmest Regards,
Kukdookaa Terri Brown
AUGUST 5, 2005 PRESS RELEASE
Security Tightened at the Blockade into the Mount Klappan Coal Fields
Written by Tyler McCreary
Friday, 05 August 2005
Due to threats of violence and threats to the security of the blockade the Tahltan protestors, on the advice of the Tahltan Elders decided to up their security at the junction of hwy 37 and the road into the Mount Klappan Coalfields.
Since July 16, 2005 the road leading to the Mount Klappan coal-fields in Northern British Columbia has been blocked by members of the Tahltan nations who for thousands of years utilized the Klappan and to date continue to carry on this tradition.
As of August 6, 2005 only personal vehicles are being allowed passage through the Eyalue Lake Road. Rescan Tahltan Environmental Consultants (RTEC) and Rescan employees will no longer be granted passage because of the threat to security.
On more then one occasion employees of TNDC [Tahltan Nation Development Corporation] have threatened the security of the blockade. The main threat is that TNDC will be moving heavy equipment into the Klappan Coalfields in mid August to honour their obligation to a contract with Shell Canada.
According to the informants "TNDC will be moving two Rock Trucks into the Sacred Headwaters of the Skeena, Stikine and Nass rivers shortly and under no circumstances will the blockade prevent their passage."
On August 2nd 2005 Pardner Payne, an employee of TNDC, attended the roadblock to negotiate an agreement. His first question was; "If we got rid of Jerry (Asp) would we be allowed though the blockade?" He was informed the blockade had nothing to do with Jerry Asp's resignation. Rather, the issue was the protection of the traditional Territory, Heritage Sites and lifestyle from the destruction of non renewable resource extraction.
He then went on to complain about the lack of leadership in the Iskut First Nation Band Council. He mentioned "how he had being trying to get the Band Council together for days to formalize some kind of a discussion surrounding the blockade, but could not due to lack of leadership incentives on the part of the councillors".
Pardner then went on to suggest that "Shell Canada be granted passage into the Tl'abane Sacred Head Waters (Klappan) in August 2005 to give TNDC two months of employment and next year (2006), as a nation, we will blockade their passage into the Tl'abane Sacred Headwaters. He was informed that his suggestion was absurd and under no circumstance will Shell Canada be granted access into the scared watershed of the Skeena, Stikine and Nass rivers because of the destructive nature of Coal Bed Methane extraction procedures and ecological sensitivity of this particular environment. He left very discouraged and promised to return the following day but he did not.
On August 5, 2005 three TNDC employees showed up at the blockade to remove the gate that, according to one of the workers (Alvin Tashoots - Shop Foreman), belonged to Shell Canada. The blockaders began taking pictures and videoing the process and they were met with more threats. One of the workers (Joe Dennis) told those operating the cameras "Shut off that F@#%&g camera now and I mean it." He the then gave the cameras the middle finger sign and packed up and left vowing to return the next day with heavy equipment to remove the gate. He has not returned.
Considering the threats, currently the spirits are strong and the blockade is attended daily by supporters from the communities of Telegraph, Dease and Iskut. Children play and the adults eat and socialize in celebration of the solidarity of finally standing together in opposition to the destruction of industrialization on un-treatied First Nation traditional lands.