Subject: dene suline Kanada
The Dene Suline of Cold Lake: Reasserting aboriginal title and opposing the
NATO war machine
On December 12, 2001, the Dene Suline people of Cold Lake, "Alberta,
kanada", are supposed to vote on an offer from the government to give money
and land in exchange for Dene territory on which the Primrose Lake Air
Weapons Range is located. Primrose Lake is a favored NATO playground, where
they have tested out numerous missiles, bombs, weapons and aircraft that
are currently being used in the War against Terrorism. The Dene Suline
have established a camp at the main entrance of the weapons range and are
opposing the theft of their land to feed the war machine and the oil
industry. Since their earliest memories, the Dene Suline have lived
peacefully on the land that is now the Primrose Lake Air Weapons Range.
Through hunting, fishing, trapping, and food gathering, the Dene Suline
have sustained themselves as a people in the face of genocide from the
kanadian government and NATO. The Dene people live from northern kanada, in
"Alberta, Saskatchwan, Manitoba, and Northwest Territories," down to Black
Mesa in "Arizona." The U$ and kanadian governments and corporations have
stolen their land, killed their people and forced the Dene onto
reservations. Like the Dineh (Navajo) people at Big Mountain, the Dene
Suline of Cold Lake have faced forced relocation. The first Europeans on
Dene Suline territory were Hudson Bay Company fur traders and by 1867 a
treaty, known at Treaty #6, was forced onto the Dene Suline. In 1952, the
kanadian government, under the pretense of protecting the freedom and
safety of kanada, stole the land encompassing Primrose Lake Air Weapons,
land that was garunteed to them in their treaty. When this happened, the
Dene Suline had a 7 day sit-in at Suckerville, on the shores of Primrose
Lake, refusing to move until their land was returned. After heavy coercion
from the government, a deal was made; a 20 year lease of 4,490 sq. miles
for military use only and after 20 years, it was to be returned or a new
lease renegotiated with the Dene Suline. Before 1952, a large deposit of
oil was discovered on their territory and by the early 970s the technology
had been developed to extract that oil. Since that time, the oil companies,
primarily Alberta Energy Corporation, have been raping the earth in Dene
Suline territory, taking billions of dollars worth of oil yearly and
destroying the environment in the process. The voices of opposition from
the Dene Suline have been ignored by the government and, not surprisingly,
after 20 years was up, the government still maintained control over
Primrose Lake and did not renegotiate the lease. The territory of the Dene
Suline is being bombed and decimated everyday. Burial grounds, traplines,
hunting and fishing grounds are destroyed by the greed of the oil industry
and the bombs of the NATO war machine. Through alcohol, residential
schools, poverty, and forced assimilation, the government has tried to
break the culture and strength of the people.
NATO, the War Machine and Native Territory Many other indigenous Nations on
Turtle Island have seen the effects of the war machine testing on their
territories. The Western Shoshone people in Newe Segobia, (Nevada), have
suffered from massive nuclear testing on their territory. Many people have
contracted cancer and other illnesses and died from nuclear radiation and
the subsequent destruction of the land and the sustenance it provides for
their people. Low level flight trainings have shattered the lives of many
Innu people in North Eastern kanada. Thousands of low level planes fly over
their territory every year, negatively affecting the environment, the food
sources and culture of the Innu. For 6 weeks every year at the Primrose
Lake Air Weapons Range, more than 18 NATO countries use the range for
"Operation Maple Flag" in which they test new laser and ballistic missiles,
and depleted uranium bombs. In the 50 years since the Department of
National Defense stole this land, Primrose Lake has become the second
largest airforce base in kanada. The Tomahawk Cruise Missile was first
tested at Primrose Lake, and then used in Iraq, Yugoslavia and now
Afghanistan. The formation of the U$ and kanada was based upon the
terrorizing and genocide of Native people. Christian fanatics conquered new
lands through war, biological warfare (including the the intentional spread
of small pox), land theft, forced assimilation, deceit, torture, rape, and
destruction of villages, long houses, gravesites, carvings, totem poles
etc. The West perfected colonization here on Turtle Island and now
"Globalization" is its latest offspring with "Operation Enduring Freedom"
(the War Against Terrorism) as its military arm. The War against Terrorism
is colonization in the 21st century, as more areas and countries are turned
into U$/Western military occupied zones and the people are forced to give
their oil to the hungry western market and assimilate their culture and
economy into the world capitalist market place. What NATO and kanada has
done to the Dene Suline and their territory is what they want to do to the
world. People have been lead to believe the war against terrorism is a war
for freedom and democracy, to liberate Afghanis and other muslims from
repressive governments and radical fundamentalists. But the Talibans
treatment and oppression of women and non-Muslims is no different than the
kanadian treatment of the Dene Suline and other indigenous people on Turtle
Island. As "Operation Enduring Freedom" continues, there is only going to
be more genocide committed against Native people of Turtle Island in the
name of military testing.
Dene Suline Resistance For the past 6 months the Dene Suline have been
asserting their aboriginal title and opposing the NATO war machine by
reoccuppying their traditional territory at Primrose Lake Air Weapons
Range. On June 3rd, 2001, the Dene Suline blocked the AEC (Alberta Energy
Corporation) access road and the Weapons Range and established a camp
there. They are re-asserting their title to their homelands by physically
being and living on them, and by doing so, implementing the 1997 Delgamuukw
supreme court decision, which affirms the inherent rights of Native people
in kanada. The Dene Suline are now faced with a new attempt by the
government and the Department of National Defense to steal their territory.
The government has offered $25.5 million and a measly 5,000 acres of land
in exchange for 4,500 square miles of their territory which encompasses the
whole weapons range. This works out to a measly $35 an acre. The government
has been working with the Chief and Council (state sponsored Band Council
government) in an attempt to fast track this deal past the people. They
hastily organized only 2 information meetings, one in Cold Lake and one in
Edmonton, but in both places they were met with heavy opposition from the
people. The government and the Chief and Council have been trying to
cover-up this deal and silence media attention. The Chief and Council have
enacted Indian Act voting regulations to make the voting age 21 (it9s
normally 18), so as to exclude opposition from the youth. The Dene Suline
are not giving up or backing down because of this latest tactic by the
government. 20-30 people are still at the camp regularly (despite bitter
winter colds) and they recently finished building their first permanent
cabin and are in the process of building more. The Dene Suline will not let
this deal through and are trying to stop it even before it comes to vote.
Dene Suline Warriors are promising direct action against Primrose Lake, the
government, Alberta Energy Corporation and anyone else in support of this
deal. The Dene people have survived this long in the face of genocide and
they will continue to fight to defend their territory against kanada and
the NATO war machine. "WE need the world to look close at this act of
aggression. We need human rights and environmental groups as well as the
peace / anti-war movements to act on their resolutions and defend the
territories," said Dene Warrior Brian X.
For more information contact Dene Suline of Cold Lake Box 8497, Cold Lake,
Dene Suline Territory "AB" T0M 1M2 Cell: 780-812-0306 Phone: 780-639-4592
How to support: The Dene Suline are desperately in need of funds: transfers
can be made to Cold Lake Dene People9s Fund, acct. 230 6017 01-maximizer,
Cold Lake Credit Union, Cold Lake, AB or donations can be sent directly to
the address above. They need communications gear (video cameras, cell
phones, radios). You can also support by organizing actions against any of
the government bodies, Department of National Defense, corporations, and
NATO. The Dene Suline want this information to get out to people, so please
help by spreading the word. If you want to go to Cold Lake to directly
support their actions on the front lines, contact the above phone number.
