CANADA ACCIDENTALLY RECOGNIZES MOHAWK SOVEREIGNTY

MNN

The colony of Canada has officially recognized our sovereignty on Great Turtle Island and has taken steps to abide by the Two Row Wampum agreement. Canada admits they have no jurisdiction over Indigenous people and territory.

On June 14, 2008, two women were peacefully crossing the illegal checkpoint in the middle of Kawenoke Island of Akwesasne. The Canada Border Services Agency CBSA called in 12 burly well-armed colonial goons to viciously attack the two women. One elder almost died of a trauma induced heart attack and the other was severely beaten and held incommunicado.

The two women live in the Mohawk communities of Akwesasne and Kahnawake. They filed formal complaints with the RCMP, OPP, Mohawk Akwesasne Police and the CBSA to investigate. All refused. The women were treated like enemy combatants with no rights. We are being falsely labeled as insurgents, terrorists and global risks. This violates the Geneva Conventions 1949 which set the standards in international law for humanitarian treatment of civilians and the victims of conflict. [See notes at end]

The women are not Canadian citizens as the Mohawk Nation never relinquished our territorial independence. The two women took it to the Federal Court of Canada, FCA T-1309-08, to address the human rights abuses. Canada is supposed to live up to its commitments under international law to respect human rights of all.

The Crown issued orders respecting our sovereignty. On October 23, 2008, Prothonotary Mireille Tabib ordered the two women to pay for Canada’s costs by depositing $19,460.00 with the court plus all subsequent costs. The reason! They live in Akwesasne and Kahnawake and are not residents of Canada. An appeal was filed. On January 29, 2009 Judge Francois Lemieux issued the same order. On Feb. 26, 2009 another case was filed by one of the women, T-288-09. On April 7, 2009, the same order was made because she lives in Kahnawake, making her a non-resident of Canada.

The Two Row Wampum agreement separates the colonists from the true original Indigenous jurisdiction. The Crown must fulfill our request to investigate our complaints against their agents. The CBSA acted outside its territorial jurisdiction when it assaulted the two women and cannot demand security for their costs.

The CBSA can never return to Kawenoke Island, the real name of Cornwall Island, which they abandoned on May 31, 2009. The Mohawks refused to allow these foreigners to carry guns in the middle of our community. The old Customs House sits empty and belongs to the Mohawks. CBSA needs to get their junk out of there. When Alcatraz was abandoned, it returned automatically to the Indigenous people.

The colony of Canada removed the CBSA checkpoint from Kawenoke to the foot of the bridge in the city of Cornwall Ontario. Cornwall is part of the Mohawk North Shore claim. A CBSA supervisor stated to Mohawk elders that the former Kawenoke Customs had to be officially de-designated as a Canada port of entry. The new one sits on Akwesasne land. CBSA has to remove its port-a-potties out of Cornwall to parts unknown, maybe back to England. Phew!

Our territory extends all across this land.In requesting Mohawks to report to them when leaving Kawenoke, which they formerly treated as part of the colony of Canada, they are respecting our sovereignty. They actually have no business asking our people anything. We cannot allow them to interfere with our natural birthright and our right to travel freely about our homeland or entering our communities.

The colonial pirates that are attacking and confiscating our legitimate products on our rivers are also out of their jurisdiction. They have no right whatsoever to interfere with our trade and commerce anywhere. All waterways are our highways long before the coming of foreigners to this land to be freely traversed by us.

These Federal Court of Canada orders recognize that Indigenous people on Onowaregeh retain international sovereignty. The demand for money is meant to discourage us from seeking justice against these brutal carpetbaggers. They are telling us we have to buy justice from them. Canada has no problems to dish out millions to the band and tribal councils to illegitimately sell us out and fraudulently try to settle our land claims. It violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Our political position does not allow them to assault or murder us, prevent freedom of speech or violate our human rights. These organized criminal cartels have no right to extort money from us. Everything they do falls under every kind of genocide known to humankind.

The checkpoint had to be removed. The border had to be removed. What’s next?

To stop the CBSA from coming in, we need to keep our fire going and to erect a building. To help, please contact akwpeoplesfire@bell.net 613-937-1813.

Kahentinetha MNN Mohawk Nation News, www.mohawknationnews.com kahentinetha2@yahoo.com Note: Your financial help is needed and appreciated. Please send your donations by check or money order to “MNN Mohawk Nation News”, Box 991, Kahnawake [Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0. Or go to PayPal on website. Nia:wen thank you very much. Go to MNN “BORDER” and “AKWESASNE” categories for more stories; New MNN Books Available now! Purchase t-shirts, mugs and more at our CafePressStore http://www.cafepress.com/mohawknews; Subscribe to MNN for breaking news updates http://.mohawknationnews.com/news/subscription.php; Sign Women Title Holders petition! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Iroquois

Background: Federal Court of Canada File No. T-1309-08, Kahentinetha et al v. The Queen: Order of madam Prothonotary Mireille Tabib, October 23, 2008 that the women give $19,460.00 security for the court costs from the beginning to the end, because they are “ordinarily resident outside of Canada” as they live in Akwesasne and Kahnawake [FC rule 416(10)a];

On Feb. 26, 2009, Statement of Claim filed on the Reckless disregard for the safety and security of Indigenous Women at the Canadian Border, Akwesasne, FCC # T-288-09 between Kahentinetha, of the Kanion’ke:haka, and the Queen, Sec. 48 Federal Court Act. Filed Feb. 26, 2009, on Hon. John Sims, Deputy Attorney General of Canada 613-946-2774 Fax 613-952-6006. [Contact: Marieke Bouchard 613-952-6006; Cynthia Leaver, Regional Assistant 613-952-3653; Shurman Longo Grenier 613-868-9009; Vincent Veilleux 613-952-6006.]

Art. 27, Geneva Conventions: protected persons are entitled to respect for their persons, honor, family rights, religious convictions, manners and customs. They shall be treated humanely especially against violence or threats and insults. Women should especially be protected against indecent assault based on race, religion and political opinions.