Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

January 15, 2008

Women Title Holders Assert the Great Law over Algonquins

WOMEN TITLE HOLDERS ASSERT THE GREAT LAW OVER ALGONQUINS

Mohawk Nation News Jan. 15, 2008.
The Kahtihon’tia:kwenio have been forced to assert their responsibilities as caretakers of Haudenosaunee land. The land in question is south of the Ottawa River which was Huron [Wyandot] territory 308 years ago. After many years of warfare between the Iroquois and the French and their allies, the Hurons, there was a meeting in Montreal in 1700. At this time, this land passed to the Haudenosaunee in exchange for prisoners. The land in question is currently occupied by the Ardoc and Shabot Lake Algonquins as well as by cottagers belonging to the colonizing society. The people from these diverse backgrounds have been in the news recently for protesting uranium mining. Before this issue arose, the Ardoc and Shabot Lake Algonquins were negotiating a land claims deal with the Ontario government. The focus of negotiations has now shifted to manipulate public opinion and circumvent the objections to uranium mining by the residents of the area. It is time to set the record straight. The land concerned is Haudenosaunee land. It comes under Haudenosaunee law. Both the land claims negotiations and the negotiations to facilitate uranium mining are being conducted on a stunning array of false assumptions. The parties involved have no authority to decide anything concerning the use of our land. Any agreements they might make will have no legal validity according to the international standards that Canada has agreed to uphold. The course being followed is the “might-makes-right” standards that prevailed at the height of the European colonial era. These European colonists continue to operate under the delusion that they were superior to everyone else and they have a right to steal other people’s resources without their consent. To bring this misguided negotiations to public attention, we have served the following “Notice of Objection” on the private individuals and official representatives of the corporations and polities that are embroiled in this matter. The situation is of concern to all those who care about the health of the environment and the well being of our future generations wherever they may be in the world. It is also of concern to those who want to establish and maintain a fair legal and political regime that respects the right of all human beings as set out in the treaties and covenants of the United Nations. It is lack of information and silence of ordinary citizens that states like Canada can impose colonial conduct. If we all work together, we can end corporate and colonial abuse. If you share our concerns, please ask for the support of your political representatives, wherever you may live in Onkwehonwe territory, in Canada or anywhere in the world. Kahentinetha HornMNN Mohawk Nation News
.NOTICE OF OBJECTION TO NEGOTIATIONS CONCERNING HAUDENOSAUNEE LAND CURRENTLY BEING CONDUCTED BETWEEN CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE ALONGONQUIN NATIONS AND COLONIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF CANADA, ONTARIO AND FRONTENAC VENTURES INCORPORATED
To the attention of: QUEEN ELIZABETH II; Hon. Steven Harper, Prime Minister of CANADA; M. Michaelle Jean, Governor General of CANADA; Hon. Dalton McGuinty, Premier of ONTARIO; Robert Lovelace, Ardoc Algonquin Nation and Allies, Ontario; Doreen Davis, Shabot Obaadjiwan Algonquin First Nation, ONTARIO; Cam Clark, Ronald Ferguson and Andrew McDonald, Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, ONTARIO; Richard Moore, Mediator; Chris Reid, legal counsel; Steve Reynolds, legal counsel; and George White, Frontenac Ventures Incorporated. TAKE notice that:The negotiation currently being conducted by the above parties or their representatives are illegal because they exclude the Haudenosaunee who are the legal owners and protectors of the land concerned. We accordingly inform the above parties that:
WE, THE KAHTIHON’TIA:KWENIO MAKE THIS NOTICE OF OBJECTION PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN US ACCORDING TO HAUDENOSAUNEE LAW AND TRADITION AS SET OUT IN WAMPUM 44 OF THE KAIANEREH’KO:WA, THE GREAT LAW OF PEACE, WHICH IS THE CONSTITUTION OF THE HAUDENOSAUNEE. WHEREAS: 1.The Haudenosaunee [also known as Five Nations or Six Nations] are a sovereign state that never ceded any of our territory to any alien interests, be it Ongwehonwe or non-Ongwehonwe, colonial or corporate. 2.Haudenosaunee law, accords no authority to anyone to pollute, alienate or destroy any of the land that falls under our care or protection.3.CANADA'S historical record contains no legitimate treaties, instruments or agreements that purport to transfer any land or sovereign authority from the Haudenosaunee to either BRITAIN or CANADA. 4. In September 1700 Governor Callieres and his Indian allies, including the Hurons (Wendat or Wyendot) and the Algonquins, negotiated for peace with the Haudenosaunee ceding land in exchange for prisoners.5.The land in question included the Ardoc and Sharbot Lake territory currently the subject of negotiations.6.Under Haudenosaunee law, the Kahtihon’tia:kwenio are the caretakers of the land, water and air of Onowaregeh, Turtle Island; 7.The Kahtihon’tia:kwenio are the trustees of the land and have the duty to uphold the law and to protect our land for the future generations; 8.The Haudenosaunee have affirmed the trusteeship of the Kahtihon’tia:kwenio over all the lands of the Huron [Wyandot] Nation including the area south of the Ottawa River, presently occupied by the “Algonquins”.
Whereas, Haudenosaunee relations with the Algonquin are governed by the following considerations:9.The Algonquins are allies of the Haudenosaunee confederacy, but they have never been adopted into or agreed to become part of the Haudenosaunee. 10.The Haudenosaunee have never authorized the Algonquins to negotiate or act as agents on their behalf.
Whereas, Haudenosaunee relations with BRITAIN are governed by the following considerations:11.The British are allies of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, but they have never been adopted into or agreed to become a part of the Haudenosaunee. 12.The Haudenosuanee have never authorized the British to negotiate or act as agents on behalf of the Haudenosaunee.13.The relationship between the Haudenosaunee and BRITAIN is nation to nation. The English monarch does not and never had any right to any of our land or to anything either above and below the surface of our land.
Whereas, Haudenosaunee relations with CANADA are governed by the following considerations:14.As an instrument of the British monarchy, CANADA remains subject to the terms and conditions of any agreements with the Haudenosaunee entered into by the British Crown. 15.As a successor state of BRITAIN, CANADA and its province of ONTARIO remain subject to all of Britain’s obligations and their rights and authority do not exceed those held by BRITAIN.16.CANADA has never negotiated an independent alliance with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and it has never been adopted into or agreed to become a part of the Haudenosaunee.17.The Haudenosaunee have never authorized ONTARIO, CANADA, BRITAIN or any other colonial entity to negotiate or act as an agent or agents on behalf of the Haudenosaunee.18. Canada’s laws are subservient to BRITAIN. The law of Onowaregeh continues to be the Kaianereh’ko:wa.
Whereas, International Law is governed by the following considerations:19.All members of the human family have equal and inalienable rights.20.No international differences shall be settled by the use of force.21..No state shall absorb another without the fully informed consent of the people concerned as determined in free and fair elections or decision making processes.22.As a founding member of the UNITED NATIONS, CANADA has agreed to uphold these principles.23.The Haudenosaunee have never consented to become part of the Canadian state and it is notoriously known that CANADA’s forced assumption of authority over our land is not based on any treaty, instrument or agreement. Whereas, the negotiations concerning the use of the lands south of the Ottawa River around Ardoc and Sharbot Lake are violating the principles that should govern a free and democratic society because:24.They fail to acknowledge the authority of the law of the Haudenosaunee confederacy25.They are being conducted without the informed consent of anyone concerned including the Haudenosaunee people, the Algonquin and colonial settler residents of the area, and the citizens represented by the settler governments who are incurring liabilities on their behalf. Whereas, the uranium mining, arms testing and other business projects that are being condoned by the colonial governments are illegal and are risking the health and survival of ALL future generations: IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE LEGAL RIGHTS AND PHYSICAL INTEGRITY OF OUR COMING GENERATIONS, WE, THE KOHTIHON’TIA:KWENIO, AS MEMBERS OF THE ROTINO’SHONNI:ONWE ACCORDINGLY DEMAND THE FOLLOWING: i)An immediate stop to all discussions and negotiations concerning the use and disposition of the lands under our protection as conducted by CANADA, ONTARIO, people who claim to represent the Algonquin people, FRONTENAC VENTURES and all unauthorized parties. ii)The immediate cessation of all operations concerned with arms testing, the development of uranium or other mining and any other ventures that had not been authorized by the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. iii)Reparation of all land that has been used, abused, mined, cultivated and otherwise ravaged so it may be turned to a healthy and natural state capable of sustaining life for the generations to come. iv)An announcement by CANADA and ONTARIO confirming their commitment to uphold international law, confirming their recognition of Haudenosaunee sovereignty and acknowledging the illegality of all treaties, licenses, agreements or contracts that have been made without our consent concerning land under our protection. v)QUEEN ELIZABETH II must cease her exploitation of our land and resources through her corporations and franchises known as “Canada”, “U.S.”, provinces and states, particularly the effort to extract the uranium which lies beneath Haudenosaunee land at Ardoc and Sharbot Lake. KOHTIHON’TIA:KWENIO of the Kanion’ke:haka of the Rotino’shonni:onwe, hereby sign on this 15th day of January 2008: Katenies /s/ ____________________Kahentinetha /s/ _____________________ Contact: P.O. Box 991 , Kahnawake of Mohawk Territory [ Quebec , Canada ] J0L 1B0 Kahentinetha2@yahoo.com katenies20@yahoo.com Attached: “ Mohawk Manifesto ” Sent to: QUEEN ELIZABETH II, Buckingham Palace, LONDON UK; M. MICHAELLE JEAN, Governor General of CANADA, 1 Rideau Hall, OTTAWA, ONTARIO info@gg.ca; Hon. STEPHEN HARPER, PRIME MINISTER, CANADA, House of Commons, OTTAWA, ONTARIO harper.s@parl.gc.ca; Hon. DALTON McGUINTY, PREMIER, ONTARIO, Queen’s park, TORONTO, ONTARIO; Robert Lovelace, 1294 James Wilson Road, R.R. #1, Hardington, ONTARIO K0H 1W0 613-532-2166; Chief Doreen Davis, 3102-RR #2, Sharbot Lake, ONTARIO K0H 2P0 chiefdoreen@aol.com: ONTARIO MINISTRY of NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT & MINES, Whitney Block, Room 5630, 99 Wellesley West, TORONTO M7A 1W3; RICHARD MOORE, MDR Associates, 201-280 Albert St., OTTAWA, ONTARIO K1P 5b8 613-230-8671; CHRISTOPHER M. REID, 154 Monarch Park Ave., TORONTO ONTARIO M4J 4R6 lawreid@aol.com; STEVE REYNOLDS, 18 Byward Market Square, OTTAWA, ONTARIO K1N 7A1, 613-244-4488 stevereynolds@rogers.com. See Category: “ Sharbot Lake ”

No comments: