Plot to crush Natives backfired

Page 4

Dear Editor:

As soon as the Meech Lake deal died people across Canada began to sing the praises of Elijah Harper. Thanks to his courage, stamina and intelligence and the moral support he received from all Native people, especially the outstanding Indian chiefs of Manitoba, that remarkable feat was accomplished.

During the television coverage of the Meech Lake deal I was reminded of Louis Riel, the great leader of my ancestors, whenever I saw Elijah Harper on television. Riel had fought the Conservative government of John A. Macdonald in an attempt to gain justice, democracy and freedom for Native people while Elijah Harper fought the Conservative government of Brian Mulroney to gain the same rights.

Therefore, it was appropriate that Elijah Harper and the well-qualified Indian chiefs of Manitoba soundly defeated Mulroney and his top Conservative guns in Winnipeg, the birthplace, home, battleground and grave site of Louis Riel. The battle for reform will be won by all Native people who want to be free, provided we remain united and don't allow government politicians to divide and conquer us. If we can do that we can achieve any goal we wish.

In 1869 at Red River, Riel was determined to gain basic human rights for Native people from the government of John A. Macdonald. They only reply Riel and his followers received to their army requests for redress to grievances was the punitive Canadian Army sent to Red River by Macdonald.

1n 1885 in Saskatchewan, Riel and his followers led a resistance against Macdonald's government when all their requests for redress were once more ignored. This time the prime minister sent the North West Mounted Police ad nearly 1,000 well-armed and well-equipped soldiers of the Canadian Army to Saskatchewan to destroy the little band of 56 Metis fighters, armed only with muzzle-loading guns and very little powder.

When the Metis conceded, Louis Riel was hanged by the vengeful Conservative prime minister.

Today we have another Conservative federal government and another vengeful prime minister. As soon as the Meech Lake deal died, the Surete du Quebec made a vicious attack on the Mohawks at Kanesatake on orders from Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Premier Bourassa and with the help of Tom Siddon, minister of Indian affairs.

Later these men sent the RCMP and a puny Canadian Army, consisting of 1,000 soldiers, armed with jet fighters, helicopters and tanks to the Mohawk reserve in an attempt to break the morale of the 200 Mohawks behind the barricades and to put them into disarray.

The Mohawks had not broken the law. They were merely protecting their property, which they have every right to do. Is it any wonder the Mohawks were armed in preparation for another possible vicious raid by the Surete du Quebec or the Canadian Army?

The Mohawks have been waiting patiently for many years to have their land claims settled. That patience ran out when the mayor of Oka seized land claimed by the Mohawks. This action resulted in Indians across Canada offering their support to the Mohawks and to begin demanding that the 1,000 long outstanding land claims be settled.

It was the Meech Lake deal that brought about a change in the Indians. When they discovered for the fifth time since 1982 their rights had been omitted from Canada's Constitution they were rightfully furious and will not be satisfied until their rights have been given to them by the federal government.

It was not the Mohawks who have broken any law. Rather it is Mulroney, Bourassa and Siddon who have broken the law. They are refusing to take care of the interests of the Indians as prescribed in Canada's Constitution Evidently Mulroney, Bourassa and Siddon have forgotten how well their ancestors were treated by the Mohawks and other Indians when they came to North America. Had it not been for the care they had received from the Indians, they would not have survived the first winter on this continent. They and other individuals and busiesses haven't given thanks to Native people for the wealth they have accumulated from the land stolen from the Indians and Metis - a practice of theft made legitimate be federal governments. In fact the present federal government is stealing the little bit of land the Indians still own.

In spite of their ill treatment Indians have always wanted to be an accepted part of Canadian and American society, depending on which side of the international boundary they lived. That desire was well expressed by Native people demonstrating their great fighting ability when they fought courageously for their homelands in the American Revolution, the War of 1812 and the First and Second World Wars. Although the Indians had enlisted - they weren't conscripted - their heroic deeds were overlooked by Canada and the Canadian Army when they returned home, while other soldiers received honors and awards.

Since Mulroney, Bourassa and Siddon have broken the law, they must be replaced as soon as possible. It will not be difficult to find good replacements for them. Native people are continually producing highly intelligent, eloquent statesman, who have found it necessary to learn the system on order to survive and they have learned it exceptionally well. Furthermore, Indian people still retain the love for Mother Earth and devotion to the Creator that began when God gave North America to out ancestors.

The Indians, having taken exceptionally good care of this continent for many thousands of years, have a great knowledge of this land, something immigrants do not have. Now that Mother Earth is sick because of the abuse she has received from greedy men plundering her, in search of wealth, the Indians are eager to assist others in healing her and God's creatures. Yet these same fine people, particularly the Mohawks, have been labeled criminals, murderers, and terrorists by Mulroney, Bourassa and Siddon.

Having made these outrageous charges, these federal politicians somehow feel justified n torturing the Mohawks in the same inhumane manner other dictators like those in Third World countries treat their own citizens.

This summer's events have proven that Mulroney's plot to crush the Indians, while he goes on with his plans for Canada, have backfired. He has found out Indians are strong people - physically, mentally, and spiritually. And they are here to stay. During the summer they demonstrated they are well on their way to becoming world leaders as predicted by the Hopi Indians in the mid-1800s.

As we have seen, the Mohawks, members of the great Iroquoian Confederation, who were an inspiration to all of us, have made a giant step towards fulfilling that prediction.

Mary M. Lee

Calgary