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.