Riding out Gustav, message from Houma Chief Robichaux

Message from Brenda Dardar Robichaux,
the Principal Chief of the United Houma Nation
(a State recognized Tribe with communities within Terreboone and Lafourche parish).
9/1/08
About 20 of my family and friends has chosen to ride out Hurricane Gustav with us at our home in Raceland. Our home is on a high ridge right across from Bayou Lafourche. Last night was a relatively calm night with little wind and rain. But that soon changed. We lost electricity at 6:05 AM and are using batteries and a generator to stay in touch with what is happening throughout our communities. The wind has picked up considerably here to about 85 MPH. Some of us are sitting on the back porch watching in amazement how huge oak trees can bend and not break while magnolia tree branches fall. Others are glued to the TV listening intently for word of where Gustav is headed and the impact he is having. The latest update is my worst fear for the Houma People as it is learned that he is approaching the bayous in Terrebonne and Lafourche parish. I feel we have done our best to make sure everyone has evacuated safely. The rest is out of our hands.
Hurricane Katrina and Rita left Plaquemine and St. Bernard Parishes with barely a home left standing or livable. It has been a challenge to assist our People in these communities when there is nothing left to start with. Some are still living in FEMA trailers, with family and friends and a few are finally returning to a home. Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes have been on the road to recovery for the past 3 years with lives just getting back to normal. My fear for the past three years has been "What if Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes suffered total devastation as Plaquemine and St. Bernard Parishes? These are the communities with the highest concentration of Houma People. How would we recover knowing the challenges we still face in Plaquemine and St. Bernard?" I am paralyzed in fear that this is what is happening. The great people of the Houma Nation that I am so honored to represent, who have faced many challenges over the years are about to face one of our greatest challenges.
As I sit and write the winds are blowing and Gustav is approaching. I pray for protection, strength and courage to face what lies ahead.
United Houma Nation20986 Highway 1Golden Meadow, LA 70357Office: (985) 537-8867Fax: (985) 537-8812 Email: bdr@unitedhoumanation.org

Portland Street Medics arrested at Republican National Convention

Please do what you can to help the Portland street medics, my heroes at the Democratic National Convention, who worked long hours treating the injured, sometimes not even coming home at night, back to the home where we all stayed at night -- Brenda Norrell
PORTLAND STREET MEDICS ARRESTED AT RNC
http://twincities.indymedia.org/2008/sep/portland-street-medics-arrested-rnc
Minneapolis-St. Paul RNC
A number of Street Medics http://portland-or.net/street-medics/from Portland were arrested on Monday afternoon (Sep 1st) while tending to injured protesters. All of them belong to one affinity group which has been participating in the actions as a unit of Street Medics acting together.
About half were released by evening, while a few individuals among them are still being held. They have been singled out for "special procedures". Legal support and lawyers are trying to help out with their case as it seems to be a unique situation wherein the Street Medics might be charged with unusual (and outrageous) offenses.
If you have any funds to help with bail money and related expenses for the Street Medics, please email us at this address: street.medix@portland-or.net
Everything you give will go toward enabling us to continue doing much needed Movement work and providing essential community service.
Denver DNC
Street Medics from Portland constituted about one third of the total numbers of Street Medics at Denver during the week of activities there. Added to Street Medics from Olympia and Seattle, WA, our Medics from the NW constituted about one half of all the Street Medics in Denver. At the end of the week some of us continued on to Minneapolis-St. Paul while others returned to Portland.
During the week of protests in Denver we treated hundreds of injured people and took into our care an unexpected number of activists with additional health concerns, both related and unrelated to the events, plus tended to people with various illnesses as well as some difficult cases with chronic conditions.
We treated injuries from pepper bullets, pepperspray, beatings, strangleholds, clubbing, cuts, scrapes, bruises, handcuff injuries, exhaustion, dehydration, heat illness, exposure to the elements, asthma attacks, psychological emergencies, and some serious medical emergencies.
None of us were hurt or arrested, though most of us experienced the direct threat of both, frequently. A few of us sustained minor injuries from pepperspray, pulled muscles, sprains, and suffered exhaustion. Some of our Street Medics were temporarily detained by Police during raids and events on the streets but all in all most of those tense situations were resolved well.
We will issue another communique when we have more information to share with you.
Many thanks for your love and support for our work, and also for your letters and phonecalls with concern and care - it's your support that enables us to continue.
Portland Street Medicshttp://portland-or.net/street-medics/

Democracy Now! Amy Goodman arrested in St Paul

Update: Democracy Now! Amy Goodman and two producers arrested at Republican National Convention
By Brenda Norrell
Censord News
ST PAUL -- Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and two Democracy Now! producers were arrested late Monday at the Republican National Convention, as journalists, filmmakers and bicyclists were roughly arrested prior to and during the first day of the convention. AP photographer Matt Rourke was also arrested while covering a protest.
Democracy Now! announced Tuesday that Goodman and producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar have all been released from police custody in St. Paul following their illegal arrest by Minneapolis Police on Monday afternoon.
"All three were violently manhandled by law enforcement officers. Abdel Kouddous was slammed against a wall and the ground, leaving his arms scraped and bloodied. He sustained other injuries to his chest and back. Salazar's violent arrest by baton-wielding officers, during which she was slammed to the ground while yelling, 'I'm Press! Press!' resulted in her nose bleeding, as well as causing facial pain. Goodman's arm was violently yanked by police as she was arrested," Democracy Now! said in statement.
On Tuesday, Democracy Now! will broadcast video of these arrests, as well as the broader police action. These will also be available on: http://narcosphere.narconews.com/
"Goodman was arrested while questioning police about the unlawful detention of Kouddous and Salazar who were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman's crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press," Democracy Now! said.
"Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were arrested on suspicion of rioting, a felony. While the three have been released, they all still face charges stemming from their unlawful arrest. Kouddous and Salazar face pending charges of suspicion of felony riot, while Goodman has been officially charged with obstruction of a legal process and interference with a 'peace officer.'
"Democracy Now! forcefully rejects all of these charges as false and an attempt at intimidation of these journalists. We demand that the charges be immediately and completely dropped.
"Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities' law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amendment rights of these journalists.
"During the demonstration in which the Democracy Now! team was arrested; law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force against protesters and journalists. Several dozen demonstrators were also arrested during this action, including a photographer for the Associated Press.
"Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism's top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and the subsequent criminal charges and threat of charges are a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists," Democracy Now! said.
Democracy Now! is a nationally-syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.
The video of Amy Goodman's Arrest is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ
In other arrests, Associated Press photographer Matt Rourke was arrested. Rourke was swept up as police moved in on a group of protesters in downtown St. Paul. Rourke was being held on a gross misdemeanor riot charge, according to St Paul police. David Ake, an AP assistant chief of bureau in Washington, said he was concerned by the arrest of Rourke, a Philadelphia-based photographer.
"Covering news is a constitutionally protected activity, and covering a riot is part of that coverage," Ake said. "Photographers should not be detained for covering breaking news."

Videos: Journalists, filmmakers, bicyclists arrested at Republican National Convention

Videos: Journalists, filmmakers and bicyclists arrested at Republican National Convention
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Republican+National+Convention+arrests+2008&search_type=&aq=f
Massive police raids on suspected protesters in Minneapolis
by Glenn Greenwald
Protesters here in Minneapolis have been targeted by a series of highly intimidating, sweeping police raids across the city, involving teams of 25-30 officers in riot gear, with semi-automatic weapons drawn, entering homes of those suspected of planning protests, handcuffing and forcing them to lay on the floor, while law enforcement officers searched the homes, seizing computers, journals, and political pamphlets. Last night, members of the St. Paul police department and the Ramsey County sheriff's department handcuffed, photographed and detained dozens of people meeting at a public venue to plan a demonstration, charging them with no crime other than "fire code violations," and early this morning ... read article ...
http://cleveland.indymedia.org/news/2008/08/31683.php

Call for help: Six Nations under attack

CALL FOR HELP! SUPPORT SIX NATIONS AGAINST OPP ATTACKS – ARRESTS, BEATINGS, RANSACKING VEHICLES, ROADBLOCKS, THE WHOLE P&O CIRCUS!
Canadian police attack on unsurrendered Native land

Call to help 519-717-7043; 519-717-7099
Mohawk Nation News

Sept. 1, 2008. THIS IS A CALL FOR HELP. Three people are in jail. Five more are surrounded by cops. They need support and supplies. Directions: Take #403 to Brantford, exit at Oak Park Road, turn left at the T Junction; take the first right onto Fen Ridge; the site is across from the Proctor & Gamble distribution facility.
The OPP have created chaos at Six Nations – Again! Suddenly yesterday, on Sunday August 31, 2008, reports starting coming to MNN about harassments and arrests. Highway 6 was blocked. People are being stopped from going to their homes in the Six Nation communities by the Caledonians and the OPP. Everyone’s worried because school starts tomorrow. What’s happening?
In Haida Nation and Taku River Tlingit, the Supreme Court of Canada reminded Canadian governments they have a duty to consult and accommodate all indigenous people who are defending legitimate property rights. This applies to the OPP [Ontario Provincial Police]. This law is being systematically broken.
Brantford continues to give out illegal permits to foreign corporations. Mega projects continue to be started on unsurrendered Indigenous land. These corporations fraudulently use our land as collateral to raise money at stock exchanges around the world from an unsuspecting public. No charges have been laid against Brantford officials or foreign corporations for breaking the law. Instead the cops are being siked on anyone who attempts to defend our legal rights.
Yesterday, a man was grabbed by the cops from his van and held incommunicado for hours. His 14 and 16 year old sons were arrested. The cops ransacked another van looking for something to charge the driver with. Eventually they charged him for driving without a license. Two more youths were arrested. None of the parents were allowed to speak to their children.
Today, at 7:00 am. Labor Day, the OPP raided the demonstration at the illegal construction site of the Irish company, Kingspan. This had been shut down by Six Nations defenders. Two more youths were arrested, according to sporadic reports.
Why has this situation degenerated so three groups are blocking Highway 6: the OPP, the Caledonians and the Six Nations? Is this is Canada’s idea of consultation and accommodation?
Every inch of land in Canada is unsurrendered native land. Canada doesn’t want to face this. Our property rights are extremely well documented. That’s a problem for them. The rights Canada and Ontario have been violating at Six Nations were documented before either the Canadian state or the province of Ontario were founded. Canada is a product of fraud. Is that why they don’t want to sit down and work out a reasonable plan for peaceful co-existence?
So far Canada’s response has been violence. Bring out the guns and bats!
Canada and the world knows this is wrong. They have no choice but to deal with us, the landowners. We are the legal trustees of Onowaregeh, Turtle Island. Each time they hit us, they remind us of our duties. We struggle even harder to uphold them.
The use of force can never produce a legal result. The Supreme Court of Canada and international law agree with our law, the Kaianerehkowa/Great Law. The only legal way to solve problems is through discussions, negotiations and understandings.
Canada must start listening to our legal reasoning. The violence against Indigenous peoples has got to stop. We know what’s right and wrong. The more they beat us, the more they make it clear that they are wrong. They must back off, stop arresting us, stop beating us up and stop shoving their kangeroo court documents down our throats.
On Tuesday, at 9:00 a.m., some of our people will be brought into the Brantford Court. There is no proof that it has jurisdiction over our people and our land. Many Indigenous people have been asserting our law. They have refused to attorn to the court. They have declared that they stand on the law of the land, the Kaianerehkowa. Or they have demanded proof of the court’s jurisdiction.
So far Canada’s colonial courts have all refused to provide proof for their authority. They know they have none. So they find some way of putting things off. They don’t know what to do when indigenous people who have been accused for political reasons demand proof of their jurisdiction or evidence of the valid termination of our law. They know full well that we never gave our informed consent to become Canadians. We are not Canadians.

If you can, please come to witness the court proceedings and provide support. We need to tell Kingspan of Ireland, Hampton Hotels of the U.S. all the other shysters trying to trespass on our land to go away.
MNN Staff www.mohawknationnews.com

Contact: Sonehahs 519-761-8094