(Vancouver) A hereditary chief of a British Columbia First Nation at the center of protests against the Coastal GasLink pipeline says an Amnesty International report tells the truth about ‘police violations’ of Indigenous rights when she evicted and intimidated demonstrators.
The report released Monday criticizes the management of protests in Wet’suwet’en territory, in central British Columbia, between 2019 and 2023, including several raids by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) against demonstrators in 2019, in 2020 and 2021.
The document concluded that consultations on the project did not comply with international human rights standards and violated the Wet’suwet’en Nation’s right to self-government.
Amnesty International’s report says the court injunction against the blockades enabled “unlawful” surveillance and intimidation of protesters, as well as arbitrary arrests that violated individuals’ rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
“This is neither the first nor the only time injunctions have been used in Canada as a tool for businesses and government authorities to circumvent Indigenous authority,” said Ketty Nivyabandi, secretary general of Amnesty’s English division. International Canada.
“So what is clear from our report is that the intimidation, harassment, illegal surveillance and criminalization of Wet’suwet’en land defenders was part of a concerted effort to expel them from their ancestral territory, in order to allow construction of the pipeline to continue. »
Wet’suwet’en hereditary chief Na’moks said at a news conference in Vancouver announcing the report’s release that Indigenous protesters faced racial discrimination and harassment by the RCMP and Coastal GasLink security when members defended their right to allow or deny projects on their territory.
“They continue to legislate to help the oil and gas industry and mining companies,” said Chief Na’moks, of the federal and provincial governments. This is not what Canada is supposed to be. »
“Canada should be what we do, keeping everything free for everyone, the ability to be on our own land, the ability to speak and communicate with each other without being intimidated, without being arrested. »
“Disproportionate” raids
The report says some protesters faced intimidation and violence based on gender and race, with people detained for several days before their bail hearing, while other Indigenous participants were forced to appear “in chains and underwear” before a judge.
RCMP raids on protesters in 2019, 2020 and 2021 were “disproportionate”, involving dozens of officers “armed with semi-automatic sniper rifles”, dogs, bulldozers and helicopters, according to The report.
“I am the son of a World War II veteran,” said Chief Na’moks. I am the son of a residential school survivor. They fought so hard to make sure we could have a better future, and that’s what we’re fighting for. »
“Every time we Wet’suwet’en offer the government an olive branch, they break it in two and slap us with it. »
In a written response, RCMP spokesperson Kris Clark said that while police still hope the protests will end without interventions, orders and injunctions from the British Columbia Supreme Court, they “are not “not optional invitations or suggestions”, and the police “do not have the possibility to refuse to implement them”.
Mr Clark also said protests against the Coastal GasLink pipeline had not been peaceful or legal, with an incident in February 2022, which was caught on video, where individuals attacked company vehicles with axes while an employee was inside.
He said the RCMP does not target anyone or any group solely on the basis of their racial, ethnic or religious origin. Rather, it focuses on “crime and observed or suspected behavior.”
TC Énergie defends itself
Pipeline owner TC Energy said in a written statement that it was still reviewing the report, but had been transparent in providing information to Amnesty about its “commitment to respectful relationships.” with indigenous and local communities” in the operating regions.
“Coastal GasLink has not been provided with the research Amnesty relies on nor has it had the opportunity to review the evidence underlying Amnesty International’s initial assertions,” the statement said. So far, we have encountered selective bias in the way they have handled shared information as well as their decision to exclude important voices. »
The company said that while it has taken “extraordinary steps” to engage with Indigenous communities such as the Wet’suwet’en, it must also “take necessary steps” to protect the safety of project workers .
Amnesty is calling on the federal and provincial governments to immediately cease use and suspend “all permits and approvals” for the Coastal GasLink pipeline, and to drop all charges against Wet’suwet’en protesters.
The organization also wants policies to be put in place to prevent the use of court injunctions to “undermine” the rights of indigenous groups in the future.