By Jeff Shantz January 30, 2020
While the colonial RCMP, continuing their historic function of violence for land enclosure, maintain their siege of Wet’suwet’en people defending themselves and their territory against invasion by extractives capital, namely Coastal GasLink and their planned liquefied natural gas pipeline, solidarity is growing internationally.
On January 27, 2020, in Vancouver (Coast Salish territory) an estimated 600 people took part in a walkout of high schools and post-secondary institutions, a rally at City Hall, and a march on the constituency office of provincial Minister of Environment and Climate Change George Heyman (New Democratic Party). Signs calling for respect for Indigenous sovereignty and law and for withdrawal of the RCMP were attached to the minister’s office windows. A banner proclaiming “Wet’suwet’en Strong” was placed over Heyman’s constituency office banner.
The RCMP campaign against Wet’suwet’en in the service of extractives capital is a continuation of their historic role as the force of dispossession, displacement, and domination of Indigenous nations, people, and territory in Canada. The RCMP, and the corporate masters they serve, have no legitimate standing on stolen Indigenous land. They are forces of imposition, there without consent. As Wet’suwet’en land defender have stated clearly: “No consent, no pipeline.”
The rally emphasized the demands of the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs. On January 7, 2020, Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs, representing all 5 clans, released a statement: “No Access Without Consent.”
The Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs have issued the following demands:
That the province cease construction of the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline project and suspend permits.
That the UNDRIP and our right to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) are respected by the state and RCMP.
That the RCMP and associated security and policing services be withdrawn from Wet’suwet’en lands, in agreement with the most recent letter provided by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimiation’s (CERD) request.
That the provincial and federal government, RCMP and private industry employed by CGL respect our laws and our governance system, and refrain from using any force to access our lands or remove our people.
There is no access to Wet’suwet’en territory without our consent. We are the title holders, and the Province must address the issue of our title if they want to gain access to our lands.
