WET’SUWET’EN STRONG
Under ‘Anuc niwh’it’en (Wet’suwet’en law) all five clans of the Wet’suwet’en have unanimously opposed all pipeline proposals and have not provided free, prior, and informed consent to Coastal Gaslink/ TransCanada to do work on Wet’suwet’en lands.
The Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chiefs represent a governance system that predates colonization and the Indian Act which was created in an attempt to outlaw Indigenous peoples from their lands.
The Wet'suwet'en have continued to exercise their unbroken, unextinguished, and unceded right to govern and occupy their lands by continuing and empowering the clan-based governance system to this day. Under Wet'suwet'en law, clans have a responsibility and right to control access to their territories.
The validity of the Wet'suwet'en house and clan system was verified in the Delgamuukw and Red Top decisions that uphold the authority of the hereditary system on Wet'suwet'en traditional territories.
At this very moment a standoff is unfolding, the outcome of which will determine the future of Northern “BC” for generations to come. Will the entire region be overtaken by the fracking industry, or will Indigenous people asserting their sovereignty be successful in repelling the assault on their homelands?
The future is unwritten. What comes next will be greatly influenced by actions taken in the coming days and weeks. This is a long-term struggle, but it is at a critical moment. That is why we say: The Time is Now. If you are a person of conscience and you understand the magnitude of what is at stake, ask yourself how you might best support the grassroots Wet’suwet’en.
NO ACCESS WITHOUT CONSENT
HEREDITARY LEADERSHIP
Wet’suwet’en House Chiefs have continuous and full jurisdiction over Wet’suwet’en territory since time immemorial and must be provided free, prior, and informed consent for industry to do work on Wet’suwet’en lands. Therefore, any forced access to Wet’suwet’en lands is considered trespass.
The 1997 Supreme Court of Canada ruling in the Delgamuukw/Gisdaywa court case affirmed that Wet’suwet’en title, based on the traditional clan governance system, has never been extinguished.
Our Governance
Each House Group has a House Chief (Dini ze or Ts’ake ze’) and supporting chiefs who assist in decision making and hold advisory roles. The House Chiefs are the representatives on behalf of the House, and the 2-3 House Chiefs within the clan, collectively, represent the entire Clan.
Wet’suwet’en decision-making requires the collective House Group Dini ze’ and Ts’ake ze’ to discuss important matters and come to consensus. All territory decisions must be ratified in the bahlats (feast hall). Supporting Chiefs do not have the authority to speak on behalf of the entire clan. Nobody can speak on behalf of other Clan territories.
GIDIMT’EN CLAN
Gidimt'en is one of five clans of the Wet’suwet’en Nation. The creation of the Gidimt'en Camp was announced in our balhats (feast hall), with the support of all chiefs present.
The Gidimt’en Checkpoint is controlling access to Cas Yikh House territory within the larger Gidimt’en clan territory at 44.5 km on the Morice River FSR. The collective House Chiefs made the decision to support Gidimt’en Checkpoint December 14th, 2018. The five clans ratified the decision in a balhats (feast) in Witset on December 16th, 2018.
On Friday, December 21st, a judge granted Coastal Gas Link an extension to their injunction against individuals at the Unist’ot’en Camp, applying it to all the forest service roads south of Houston.
Gidimt'en Checkpoint was established on the road leading to the Unist’ot’en Camp. CGL’s lawyers have been arguing that the Unist’ot’en are essentially a rogue group without a rightful claim to aboriginal title. The Gidimt'en intervention shows that the Unist’ot’en are not alone, and that the hereditary chiefs are prepared to uphold Wet’suwet’en law by refusing to grant CGL consent to access the Yintah.
Gidimt’en have full jurisdiction under our law to control access to our territory - which is also supported by the UNDRIP Article 26.2:
“Indigenous Peoples have the right to own, use, develop and control the lands, territories and resources that they possess by reason of traditional ownership or other traditional occupation or use, as well as those which they have otherwise acquired.”
The Federal and Provincial Governments must affirm Wet’suwet’en ‘anuc niwh’it’en (laws) and title, by acknowledging the full jurisdiction of the Hereditary Chiefs. Provincial and federal governments do not have the authority to grant permits to industries with interest on Wet’suwet’en lands.
Under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Article 10 states:
“Indigenous Peoples shall not be forcibly removed from their lands or territories.”
This includes RCMP, and/or military removal of Indigenous Peoples occupying their territory.
COASTAL GASLINK PIPELINE
The Wet’suwet’en people, under the governance of their hereditary chiefs, are standing in the way of the largest fracking project in Canadian history. The Coastal Gas Link pipeline (CGL), owned by TC Energy (formerly TransCanada) aims to connect the fracking operations of Northeastern B.C. with a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility in the coastal town of Kitimat.
This export terminal, called LNG Canada, is owned by a consortium of multinational oil giants (Shell, PetroChina, Petronas, KOGAS, and Mitsubishi). Although there are propaganda attempts to lead citizens to believe that this 41 billion dollar investment is inevitable, the global market for LNG is unstable, and there are several countries currently established in this extremely competitive market.
CGL is one of many proposed pipelines attempting to cut across the Wet’suwet’en traditional territories. If built, it would expedite the construction of subsequent bitumen and fracked gas pipelines, and create incentive for gas companies to tap into shale deposits along the pipeline right of way. This project aims to blaze a trail, in what has been envisioned as an “energy corridor” through some of the only pristine areas left in this entire region. If CGL were to be built and become operational, it would irreversibly transform the ecology and character of Northern B.C.
All Wet'suwet'en Clans have rejected the Coastal Gas Link fracked gas pipeline because this is our home. Our medicines, our berries, our food, the animals, our water, our culture are all here since time immemorial. We are obligated to protect our ways of life for our babies unborn.
image by @photobracken | January 7th 2019
ONGOING COLONIALISM
In December 2018, the B.C. Supreme Court issued a court injunction that authorized the RCMP to forcibly clear a path through the Gidimt’en Checkpoint and the Unist’ot’en Healing Centre on Unist’ot’en territory. This is despite the fact that the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in the landmark 1997 Delgamuukw-Gisday’wa case that the Wet’suwet’en, as represented by their hereditary leaders, had not given up rights and title to their 22,000 square kilometers of land. Members of the RCMP met with Hereditary Chiefs in January 2019 and indicated that specially trained tactical forces will soon be deployed.
“Canada knows that its own actions are illegal,” states the Gidimt’en Checkpoint. “The Wet’suwet’en chiefs have maintained their use and occupancy of their lands and hereditary governance system to this date despite generations of legislative policies that aim to remove us from this land, assimilate our people, and ban our governing system. The hereditary chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en and the land defenders holding the front lines have no intention of allowing Wet’suwet’en sovereignty to be violated.”
On January 7, 2019, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police trespassed on the land of the Wet’suwet’en people and arrested 14 land defenders in heavily militarized fashion, following the orders of fossil fuel behemoth TransCanada to enforce the injunction.
Sleydo, Smogelgem and Shay discuss the importance of our relationships to the yintah, among our nations, and with our non human relatives. All the while CGL is continuing to commit genocide.
We demand that the provincial and federal government uphold their responsibilities to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by revoking the permits for this fracked gas pipeline that does not have consent from any Wet’suwet’en Clan. The federal government, provincial government, Coastal Gas Link/TransCanada, and the RCMP do not have jurisdiction on Wet'suwet'en land.
TIMELINE
Since January 7th, the Rcmp and Coastal Gas Link have proceeded to violate Wet’suwet’en and Colonial Canada’s laws.
Here is a timeline of activities on gidimt’en lands
January 15 2019
RCMP Illegally Occupy Gitdumt'en Territory
RCMP have invaded and occupied our territory and are working to establish a police detatchment on Gidimt'en territory without the consent of our people.
January 26 2019
RCMP Stands by as CGL Destroys Buildings Owned by the Gidimt'en Clan
Coastal GasLink willfully, illegally, and violently destroyed Gidimt’en cultural infrastructure and personal property on Gidimt’en territory. Coastal GasLink’s attack on our cultural practices - with RCMP’s active complicity - is an attack on our sovereignty and an attack on our way of life.
February 27 2019
Gidimt’en Access Checkpoint has been reclaimed!
Gidimt’en reoccupied the space where Wet’suwet’en have lived and gathered, to engage in sustainable practises on the land for generations. This site is a cultural heritage site which has always focused on harvesting practices like trapping, hunting, and fishing in the river and creek for lamprey eels and other territory foods.
March 10 2019
Hide Tanning Workshop is held in Gidimt’en Lands
We are still here. We tanned hides here today - camped around the river and creek area. We utilize and protect the creek - as it is our life source. We will always be here. We will continue to protect our life source - as it sustains us, our neighbours, and generations to come.
April 15 2019
Civil contempt charges dropped against the 14 arrested in raid on Gidimt’en Land
All contempt charges have been dropped against 14 people who were arrested at a blockade in northern British Columbia in January for barring access to a pipeline company.
Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs Demand Coastal GasLink Cease Work Due to Destruction of Cultural Sites
The Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs demands that a Cease and Desist Order be immediately issued to the Coastal GasLink Ltd (CGL) pipeline project due to the ongoing destruction of Wet’suwet’en cultural heritage and archaeological sites, and non-compliance with Wet’suwet’en and BC Provincial law.
October 4 2019
Justice Church grants CGL a permanent injunction against Wet’suwet’en land defenders.
December 31 2019
Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs formally reject the supreme court ruling, denouncing it as a criminalization of Wet’suwet’en Law.
January 1 2020
January 4 2020
Wet’suwet’en members deliver an eviction notice to the CGL man camp known as “site 9A” on Unist’ot’en territory.
CGL complies with the eviction notice. Employees and security forces completely withdraw from the territory.
January 8 2020
A new camp is set up by supporters at 39km.
It is a safe space for media and supporters to go and support, and also keep watch for RCMP and CGL violence.
January 12 2020
Following the eviction of Coastal Gaslink from unceded Wet'suwet'en territory Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chiefs have granted Coastal Gaslink one-time access to Dark House yintah to winterize Site 9A.
January 13 2020
RCMP establish an exclusion zone at 39km.
They begin restricting food and supply drives, and denying access to media and Wet’suwet’en members to their own unneeded territories.
January 18 2020
A fourth camp is set up at 27km.
This is media stop off and meeting place on the yintah, as well as eyes on the road to protect the camps barricaded behind the RCMP exclusion zone.
January 22 2020
RCMP Admits It's Monitoring Wet'suwet'en Camps by Air after denying any helicopter or drone surveillance.
January 25 2020
Solidarity Saturday at Et Nïgayïgh Camp!
A great time was had by everyone, Dinï ze', Tsakë ze' and Skiy ze' with music, games and food. Misiyh Melawman Collective and Adam Gagnon for sharing your musical talents with us.
We are so grateful for our neighbours that we have stood with for generations to come and reaffirm our alliance. Tabï misiyh to our Gitxsan and Dakelh relatives!
January 29 2020
RCMP attempted to enter the Gidimt'en supply and monitoring post at 39km.
Police have undertaken a daily harassment and surveillance campaign against our supporters out the injunction zone, and have even threatened to arrest those monitoring the road. While RCMP have publicly stated they will stand down for 7 days while our Chiefs speak with the Province, they continue to harass and threaten us daily.
After two days of these negotiations, CGL shut them down.
January 31 2020
Gidimt’en elder Carmen Nikal was arrested after refusing to provide identification when travelling as a passenger to Cas Yex territory through the RCMP’s unlawful checkpoint.
She was released without charge.
February 6 2020
Gidimt’en Territory at 39km invaded by heavily militarized RCMP with dogs, arresting 6 land defenders.
At approximately 4:30am, heavily militarized RCMP invaded the camp at 39km on unceded Wet'suwet'en territory. Dozens of cops with dogs and assault rifles were used to arrest 6 unarmed people.
February 7 2020
Gidimt’en Territory at 44km invaded by heavily militarized RCMP with dogs, arresting 4 Indigenous land defenders. CGL steals supporters vehicles and RCMP surrounds 27km during ceremony, denying Chief Woos entry to his territory.
The events of this day are too numerous and intense for a short summary. Out of respect for those effected, please take the time to read through this extensive and detailed post.
February 8 2020
Chiefs are denied access to Wet’suwet’en Territories, 11 land defenders are illegally arrested at 27km
February 9 2020
A large convoy of RCMP and industry working up the road from Gidimt’en toward Unist’ot’en.
February 10 2020
Unist’ot’en Matriarchs Arrested in ceremony for MMIW. Lady Chainsaw remains in custody. #SHUTDOWNCANADA begins.
February 11 2020
Invasion of Unist’ot’en continues. #RECONCILIATIONISDEAD ignites movements across the continent. Railways are blockaded from coast to coast.
