Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

January 22, 2024

Double Exposure: Genocide in Residential Schools, as Biden Genocide Case Begins in U.S. Federal Court

Blue Quills Indian Residential School


Double Exposure: Genocide in Residential Schools, as Biden Genocide Case Heads to US Federal Court

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Updated Jan. 21, 2024

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada released new records from residential schools, which were essentially prisoner-of-war camps where Native children were victims of genocide. At the same time, the Center for Constitutional Rights in the United States announced its case filed against President Biden for genocide in Palestine begins in federal court in northern California on Friday.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation said the Oblates are transferring all outstanding records to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. The first group of residential school records is now on its public website.


The Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a missionary arm of the Catholic Church, staffed 48 of the 139 federally funded residential schools in Canada.

The Pope admitted, after visiting residential schools in 2022, that the Catholic Church had committed genocide in residential schools.

The Sacred Heart School at Fort Providence was the first residential school in the Canadian north. Life at the school, which opened in 1867, was hard: in one year there was no meat, flour, potatoes, butter or grease. Source: National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

The search for unmarked graves of Native children at residential schools continues in Canada. The government of Canada mandated that Native children be removed from their families and placed in residential schools, operated by the Roman Catholic Church and other churches.

The schools were essentially prisoner-of-war camps. Native children were kidnapped from their families and died of disease, torture, starvation, and murder while incarcerated in the schools.

The Search for Graves: Mohawk Children Victims of CIA Torture Experiments

Mohawk Mothers are now in court to ensure and protect the search for graves of Native children who were victims of McGill University's hospital in Montreal, Canada, the site of the U.S. CIA's MKUltra torture experiments. The court case is reported at Mohawk Nation News.

A survivor said Mohawk children were among the victims of the CIA's torture and mind control experiments at the Allan Memorial Institute at the university. The experiments included electroshock and the erasure of memory.

Lana Ponting, now 82, said she was restrained and drugged at the Allan Memorial Institute when she was 16. She said many Onkwehón:we children were there.

In her court affidavit, Ponting described the hospital staff digging graves with red shovels at night and the sudden disappearance of her Indigenous friend and fellow patient, Morningstar.

“There are Indigenous people buried there," Ponting said.

Injured Palestinians taken to Al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli airstrike on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, Gaza on October 17, 2023 [Ali Jadallah – Anadolu Agency]

Genocide Case Against Biden in U.S. Federal Court

In the United States, the Center for Constitutional Rights announced its case of genocide by President Biden begins with a hearing in federal court in Oakland, California, on Friday, January 26, 2024.

The genocide lawsuit, Defense for Children International -- Palestine v. Biden, was filed in November by the Center for Constitutional Rights and co-counsel Van Der Hout of San Francisco, against the President, Secretary of State, and Secretary of Defense.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of two Palestinian human rights organizations, and eight Palestinians in the U.S. and Palestine.

"The case challenges the U.S. government's failure to prevent and complicity in Israel’s unfolding genocide of the Palestinian people and asks the court to order the Biden administration to cease diplomatic and military support and comply with its legal obligations under international and federal law," the Center for Constitutional Rights said.

"The hearing on the preliminary injunction motion and the government’s motion to dismiss the case will take place on Friday, January 26."

The lawsuit states that the United States transferred to Israel at least 15,000 bombs, and more than 50,000 155mm artillery shells, which are inherently indiscriminate. Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu also thanked President Biden on December 10th for the urgent shipment of 14,000 tank shells, CCR stated on Dec. 23, 2023, in a filing in the case.

"The plaintiffs’ declarations describe additional harms and deaths – including at least 50 members of Al Haq’s Ahmed Abofoul’s extended family – suffered since they filed their complaint in mid-November, underscoring the need for an immediate injunction," CCR said.

“The death co
unt is unfathomable to me,” 
plaintiff A.N. wrote in one of the declarations submitted.

South African Attorneys Preparing Lawsuit Against Biden for Genocide

South African lawyers are preparing a lawsuit against the United States and the United Kingdom, accusing them of complicity in Israel’s war crimes in Gaza.

The lawsuit aims to prosecute those complicit in Israeli crimes in civilian courts in cooperation with lawyers from the U.S. and UK., reports Doha News.

The lawsuit seeks to hold the United States responsible for endorsing the genocidal war that has lasted more than 100 days and killed more than 24,000 civilians.

“The United States must now be held accountable for the crimes it committed,” said 
South African lawyer Wikus Van Rensburg.

Starvation is now an Israeli weapon in Palestine


South Africa Invokes Genocide Convention at The Hague

South Africa invoked the Genocide Convention and presented its case to the International Court of Justice at the Hague.

"South Africa’s case in The Hague argues that Israel violated the 1948 genocide convention, established in the aftermath of the Holocaust, which mandates that all countries prevent the recurrence of such crimes. It filed an 84-page document with the court detailing acts it says amount to genocide in Gaza," AlJazeera reports.

Adila Hassim, a lawyer representing South Africa, told the International Court of Justice that Israel had breached Article II of the Genocide Convention, which included the “mass killing” of Palestinians in Gaza.

“Israel deployed 6,000 bombs per week," Hassim said.

"No one is spared. Not even newborns. UN chiefs have described it as a graveyard for children."

International Criminal Court, ICC, Asks to Investigate Israel's War Crimes

Mexico and Chile asked a separate court this week, the International Criminal Court, ICC, to investigate war crimes by Israel in Palestine. The two countries joined other countries urging an investigation into Israel's war crimes in November: South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, the Comoros and Djibouti.

Bolivia's Evo Morales said,  "Once again, the United States violates the UN Charter by illegally bombing Yemen. They have no moral authority to speak of human rights, freedom or justice. They are co-responsible for the genocide suffered by the Palestinian people."

The war crimes are ongoing, as Israel continues to bomb hospitals, universities, homes, refugee camps, and United Nations schools in Palestine. More than 100 journalists in Palestine have been targeted and murdered by Israel.

Starvation and disease are now primary threats to life as Palestinians seek shelter, food, and water, and try to escape the ongoing bombing by Israel, with U.S. funds and weapons.

Millions Marching: Blockades of Israeli Ships and U.S. Media 
Now in Haifa, Israel: Anti-war Protest: Israeli Police Violently Confiscate Signs
Journalist Oren Ziv reporting on Twitter/X
https://twitter.com/i/status/1748692423889293677

Millions are marching and protesting around the world, from blockading the ZIM ships in Melbourne, Australia today, to the shutdown of Israel's Elbit Systems weapons manufacturers in England -- the world has risen up in defense of Palestinians.

Blockade of Zim ships in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday Footage by
Melbourne, Australia -- The community picket of Webb Dock, Port Melbourne, has been sustained for more than 50 hours. There were no workers in, and no unloading or loading of Zim ships. -- Stocks plummeted for Zim, Israel's main container shipping line today. Malaysia has banned Israeli-flagged ships from docking at its ports. In Halifax, Canada, the CN rail line was blockaded to halt transport to Zim ships. .
Protests at the New York Times have blockaded the entrance and published "The New York Crimes," revealing the newspaper's bias and its failure to stand in defense of the media of Palestine, now being systematically assassinated by Israel.

 Around the world, hundreds of thousands are marching in solidarity -- in England, Yemen, South Africa, Canada, Morocco, France, Germany, Japan, Indonesia, and Ireland.

Toronto, Canada -- On January 18, over 250 Canadians across 11 provinces and territories were on a hunger strike for Gaza. The coordinating group Gaza Starving, together with endorsers, held a press conference launch in Toronto to urge the government of Canada to stop arming Israel.

Speaking passionately for the European Parliament, Clare Daly, a member of the Parliament, told "Butcher Biden" to keep the name of Ireland out of his mouth.

"The ancestors of the Ireland that you claim to be from disown you. Keep our country out of your mouth."

"The people of Europe stand with Palestine and South Africa."


War Crime -- Israel's White Phosphorus Traced to U.S.

The white phosphorus being used by Israel against civilians is a war crime. The Washington Post documented that the white phosphorus, which sticks to the skin and can cause fatal burns and respiratory distress, came from the United States.

It was traced back to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the only remaining producer of white phosphorus in the Northern Hemisphere. The local area at risk in south central Arkansas is 72 percent black.

The Arkansas Times describes the white phosphorus produced at the Pine Bluff Arsenal. "Because it is so highly flammable, white phosphorus is subject to Protocol III of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits the use of incendiary weapons against civilian targets."

"Sometimes, buildings struck by white phosphorus will burn continuously for weeks and victims’ burns will reignite after medical dressings are taken off."



Biden's Genocide Case in California



The Center for Constitutional Rights said the hearing in the Biden case will include live testimony by plaintiffs and experts and will take place in person at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, 1301 Clay Street in Oakland, California.

The public can view the court’s online stream. Instructions for how to join can be found on Judge Jeffrey S. White’s page on the court website.

Read more:

Sacred Heart Residential School (Providence Mission) (1906-09-01 - 1960-06-30) Opened in 1867, the Sacred Heart School at Fort Providence was the first residential school in the Canadian north. Life at the school in its early years was hard: in one year there was no meat, flour, potatoes, butter or grease.Repository National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR)


National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation -- Search records of residential schools in Canada (use the archives 'browse' drop-down menu at the top) 

Center for Constitutional Rights Genocide Case Against Biden

Mohawk Nation News

Spaces of Exception: Film Exposes Genocide of Native People and Palestinians.
The result of years of documentary filmmaking, the film includes interviews with Navajos fighting Peabody Coal; Lakotas, Dakotas, and Akwesasne Mohawks --  including Oceti Sakowin Camp interviews at Standing Rock -- and Palestinians in refugee camps, revealing the common struggles for land, life and love in the face of oppression.


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