The mainstream media continues to be silent on climate chaos, Indigenous rights, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) invasion of Wet’suwet’en territories. Just a week ago nearly 1,000 people came together for a Climate Crisis Parade here in Iowa. The purpose was to try to get the attention of the concentration of media that were here to cover the Iowa Caucuses, to no avail. The media silence continues to be stunning. (Following are some photos from that parade).













Climate Crisis Parade, Des Moines, Iowa 2.1.2020

As a result of the media blackout, few people in the U.S. are aware of the RCMP’s attempts to invade the Wet’suwet’en people’s territory. There a several reasons why I believe it is important for us to learn about and support the Wet’suwet’en. You can really make a difference by using social media to share stories, videos and your own words. I’ve written quite a few blog posts about these things: https://kislingjeff.wordpress.com/ Feel free to use any of the text or photos from those posts.

It is morally wrong to continue the centuries long processes of removing Indigenous peoples from their land in the first place. There will never be healing from the colonization that has taken place until we acknowledge what happened. And there can definitely be no healing as long as our governments continue the oppression and removal of Indigenous peoples. The United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) to delineate what Indigenous peoples rights are globally. Fossil fuel mining and building fossil fuel infrastructure must stop right now. Any fossil fuel burning adds greenhouse gases to an already overwhelmed Mother Earth. Environmental devastation is global. What happens in Canada will affect everyone and everything on Mother Earth. Indigenous peoples and their supporters are doing amazing work to tell the stories of what is happening on the Wet’suwet’en territory. It is important that we in the U.S. join those efforts. We need to educate our friends and neighbors. Below are some photos from a vigil we held in Des Monies, Iowa, in Solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en. Please do what you can in your communities. Thank you

It’s up to us to amplify the direct content coming from Wet’suwet’en and get the videos and articles to our friends, co workers, and neighbors.

Share the articles and videos on social media, invite your friends to follow camp social media handles, write emails to your contacts explaining what’s happening and sharing content. Have conversations with people in your community! Help people understand what Canada is doing and why Canada is being shut down!



It’s up to us to get this out into the world!























The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples delineates and defines the individual and collective rights of Indigenous peoples, including their ownership rights to cultural and ceremonial expression, identity, language, employment, health, education and other issues. It “emphasizes the rights of Indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions, and to pursue their development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations”. It “prohibits discrimination against indigenous peoples”, and it “promotes their full and effective participation in all matters that concern them and their right to remain distinct and to pursue their own visions of economic and social development”. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Article 10 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states: Indigenous peoples shall not be forcibly removed from their lands or territories. No relocation shall take place without the free, prior and informed consent of the indigenous peoples concerned and after agreement on just and fair compensation and, where possible, with the option of return. UNDRIP Article 10: No Forced Removal

UPDATES



On the morning of February 8th, 2020, RCMP officers landed at the gates of Unist’ot’en Village by helicopter. Unist’ot’en chiefs and house members began calling on their ancestors for support. They held a cremation ceremony for Canadian/Indigenous reconciliation, and burned a copy of the injunction that the RCMP was there to serve on behalf of Coastal GasLink (TC Energy). After about 30 minutes, the RCMP got back into their helicopters and left.

11 People including legal observers were arrested today at the camp at 27 kilometer on bogus charges.



The 4 people arrested at 27 km yesterday are being held in jail until they appear before a judge in Smithers on Monday



In response rail lines, ports, and roads are being shut down across Canada with people vowing to stay until the RCMP stand down!



Keep up the pressure and organize an action or Find an Action Near you!



If you’re in Vancouver join the ongoing port shutdown at Clark and Hasting

Sign and Share this Petition to Justin Trudeau



Support and share Unist’ot’en Legal Fund:

https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/unistoten2020legalfund



Use and share the Supporter Toolkit:

unistoten.camp/supportertoolkit2020/ GET BEYOND THE MEDIA



Mainstream media coverage of what’s happening has been overall strongly pro industry and has failed to meaningfully cover the voices of indigenous people on the frontlines.



It’s up to us to amplify the direct content coming from Wet’suwet’en and get the videos and articles to our friends, co workers, and neighbours.



Share the articles and videos on social media, invite your friends to follow camp social media handles, write emails to your contacts explaining what’s happening and sharing content. Have conversations with people in your community! Help people understand what Canada is doing and why Canada is being shut down!



It’s up to us to get this out into the world!



ARTICLES TO SHARE



RCMP Arrive at Unist’ot’en Healing Centre as Injunction Enforcement Continues



Shut Down Canada: Gidemt’en Spokesperson Calls for People to take to the Streets



Why are Indigenous Rights Being Defined by an Energy Corporation

