FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wolverine Sends Good Faith Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Calling for a National Inquiry into the Ts’Peten Stand Off 1995
January 8, 2016
The following media advisory is is written from unceded and unsurrendered Secwepemc Territory, under the auspices of Tribal Law to make it known to the press and to the public, the unjust and dire situation of the People of the Secwepemc Nation.
On December 30th, 2015, Wolverine, esteemed Secwepemc Elder and Defender, in council with the Secwepemc People, wrote a comprehensive letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Attorney General Jody Wilson calling for a National Inquiry into the Ts’Peten (Gustafsen Lake) Standoff*** in order to the settle the question of unceded and unsurrendered Territories for once and for all. The letter was sent through Canada post on January 4th, 2016 to both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Attorney General Jody Wilson. The letter was simultaneously released semi-publicly through social media (see attached document). It is expected the letter will reach Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Attorney General Jody Wilson today, January 8, 2016. The Ts’Peten Defence Committee, as of today, is waiting for a response. The response is expected by no later than January 17th, when the Allied Tribes will convene in order to continue to take steps to act out the Nation to Nation relationship Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has committed to renewing with Indigenous Nations.
On January 18th, 2016, a Press Kit will be released with documents, photographic and video evidence of the good faith attempts that have been made to act out the Tribal Law that holds jurisdiction in these Territories and how such attempts have been responded to by the Provincial and Federal government and armed forces of the same.
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Media Contact
Kanahus Manuel, (250) 299-1859
Anushka Azadi, (403) 998-0432
tspetendefencecommittee@gmail.com
**Under Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretién and then Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh, Canada’s largest paramilitary operation was carried out on the sacred Sundance lands in Ts’Peten area in 1995. Armoured personal carriers mounted with .50 calibre machine guns, land mines/IEDs (improvised explosive devices) set up in the area around the camp to discourage defenders from leaving, one of which blew up James Pitawanakwa’s truck. An astonishing 77,000 rounds of ammunition were directed at the Ts’Peten Defenders during the Standoff. The RCMP stated to national media, after they had blockaded the Defenders into the camp, that they had brought 18 body bags for the 18 defenders, some as young as 14 years old and pregnant.