CSTC Invites Dr. James Anaya, UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues
Dakelh Territory, Prince George, British Columbia. Canada. The Chiefs of the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council have extended an invitation to Dr. James Anaya, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues to come visit with the CSTC Chiefs and its members. The CSTC request is part of several others from First Nations in BC and Canada, including a recent one from the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC). There however seems to be a delay by the Government of Canada in processing the formalities needed by Dr. Anaya to visit First Nations peoples in Canada.
Tribal Chief Teegee said, “It’s an important time for our people to have Dr. Anaya visit our communities. There are so many major projects being proposed on our lands including 5 natural gas pipelines, Enbridge’s doomed project and several mines.” Canada needs to commit to allowing Mr. Anaya an opportunity to meet with First Nations in BC and in Canada.
In addition to natural resource projects, the CSTC is concerned too about all the murdered and missing women in northern BC. Highway 16, which crosses the CSTC territory, is also known as the Highway of Tears, a notorious region known for women and girls going missing or murdered. In February 2013, Human Right Watch released the report: Nilhchuk-un: Those Who Take Us Away, which CSTC participated in its development. This report makes several recommendations to the government, RCMP and the United Nations Human Rights Council, regarding the urgent changes needed to address the abuses to First Nations women and girls by the RCMP. The report also echoes the call for a national inquiry into the missing and murdered indigenous women across Canada.
“We are concerned that the Harper government is delaying Dr. Anaya’s paperwork in order to enter Canada. Canada still has a long way to go to change the historical systemic racism of its policies and practices against Indigenous peoples in Canada. We need to continue to make our voices heard and go to the international level to expose the world to the human rights violations facing our peoples,” said Chief Karen Ogen of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation.
“The CSTC Chiefs would be honoured to host Dr. Anaya in CSTC territory. We will work with the Canadian government to ensure that he is allowed into Canada to meet with our people,” stated Tribal Chief Terry Teegee.
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Media contacts: Tribal Chief Terry Teegee: Office (250) 562-6279. Cell: (250) 640-3256
Chief Karen Ogen: (250) 251-2240
More info: Open Letter to Dr. Anaya. Union of BC Indian Chiefs. http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/News_Releases/UBCICNews02141301.html#axzz2NpXqzyR8
Dakelh Territory, Prince George, British Columbia. Canada. The Chiefs of the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council have extended an invitation to Dr. James Anaya, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues to come visit with the CSTC Chiefs and its members. The CSTC request is part of several others from First Nations in BC and Canada, including a recent one from the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC). There however seems to be a delay by the Government of Canada in processing the formalities needed by Dr. Anaya to visit First Nations peoples in Canada.