In recent months, Native leaders in both eastern and northern Ontario have been jailed for standing up for their rights to due consultation and consent, with respect to prospecting and mining on their traditional territory. The ongoing “Six Nations” Haudenosaunee land dispute continues (where Caledonia `squats`, near Brantford). Most recently, the location was Tyendinaga (near Belleville), site of on ongoing land occupation and also of last year’s rail and highway blockades. Here are some reports:

Taken from MNN Mohawk Nation News, www.mohawknationnews.com

April 25:
... On Sunday, April 20, the Mohawk had set up an encampment to resist the development [$35 million condominiums on the Bay of Quinte in Deseronto on Mohawk Territory] that was to start on Monday morning. They did not come in. On Monday night rowdy non-natives roamed the streets of Deseronto carrying signs and shouting racist threats at the Mohawks. They looked pretty organized.

On Tuesday morning over 900 troops swarmed onto Mohawk Territory in a military style “shock and awe” tactic. Fully armed SWAT Teams, cops, choppers, police boats in the Bay and a lot of undercover swooped in at 9:45 am. They spared no expenses. They closed the perimeter on the encampment to start kicking heads, beating up people and arresting us. They arrived and were disappointed to find there wasn’t a Mohawk in sight. It was a traditional disappearing act. There was no evidence that any Mohawks had ever been there. Not one was touched or arrested...

Tyendinaga Mohawk Aserakowa [War Chief] speaks from the front line, April 26:
... [On Friday April 25] Shawn Brant was doing a media interview with APTN News ... Ontario Provincial Police came along with an outstanding [fake] assault charge. They arrested Shawn. They hauled him off to jail. Then the OPP closed both ends of Deseronto Road. The Aserakowa came down to see what was going on. Steve Flynn of Aboriginal Response Team of the OPP showed up ... By then we had men at both ends of the road. He talked about opening the road. Flynn said, “You walk away and we’ll walk away. Okay?” Both Flynn and the Aserakowa agreed.

“We will get in our cars and you’ll get in yours”, said Flynn. It turned out to be a set up. The Rotiskenreketeh started moving off the road. Suddenly about 10 OPP jumped about 5 of our guys, threw them in the ditch, beat them up and arrested them. They hauled them off to jail. No reasons were given for the arrests or assaults. The OPP is certainly not operating on an honorable nation to nation model. It is not even offering the kind of fiduciary protection for indigenous rights as it is supposed to, according to the Supreme Court of Canada.

... After behaving like thugs and beating up our guys, the OPP pulled out their weapons and pointed them at us. For our safety, we retreated back to the quarry. We didn’t want to get shot. Once we got there cops swarmed us from every direction. They were everywhere as far as we could see, armed to the teeth with their guns pointed directly at us all the time. Then they came over with loud speakers, told us to come away from the quarry, down the hill, with our hands up in the air “where we can see them”.

We told them, “Fuck you. This is Mohawk land. We’re not leaving”.

They raised their weapons and aimed at us again. “You’re going to have to shoot us”, we told them. Then there was more build up. They told us they are coming in at dark to take us out. They are moving Mohawk people off Mohawk lands at the end of a gun barrel.

The Mohawks are unarmed. The OPP have SWAT Teams, ambulances, dogs and we can’t see if they have ships in the water.

Arrested are Clint Brant, Steve Hill, Dan Doreen, Shawn Brant and Mac Kunkel ...

Taken from www.dominionpaper.ca – Lia Tarachansky`s blog
April 29:
After a week of tension the police services have declared withdrawal from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory ...

The Mohawk defenders of the Quarry have declared victory … They are requesting monetary assistance with legal fees ... Non-native allies have been assembling and delivering supplies from various Ontario cities...

CONTACT:
Jason Maracle, Aserakowa: 613-243-4993