Demonstrators Disrupt Olympic Torch Relay

Last Updated (Monday, 09 November 2009 16:56) Written by indymedia Monday, 02 November 2009 09:45

Demonstrators Disrupt Olympic Torch Relay

The Five Ring Circus anti-olympic festivities commenced in a sprit of resistance to the Vancouver 2010 games. Speakers and performers addressed a swelling crowd of people wearing costumes and halloween masks that grew at the same time as official torch events were being held across the city. 

Hundreds of people converged for the event to voice dissent over issues relating to poverty, environmental destruction, native rights, and other injustices. As the day went on, dancers, musicians, zombies and demonstrators snake marched through downtown victoria for several hours blocking an intersection in front of the the RBC, disrupting traffic, and occupying a part of the olympic torch route. No arrests were reported as the crowd remained peaceful while engaging in civil disobedience, and successfully thwarted the multimillion dollar Olympic security apparatus. As the opening ceremonies grow closer more resistance is expected growing against the games. For more information about the olympic resistance movement visit any of these sights:

http://no2010.com/

http://olympicresistance.net/

Bare Mountain Three Years Later

Last Updated (Tuesday, 17 November 2009 17:41) Written by indymedia & Cheryl Bryce Tuesday, 17 November 2009 17:28

Nov 16th Marks the three year anniversary of the blockade that launched Spaet Mountain into the publics attention, and opened up our eyes to the injustices that Bare Mountain.inc was trying to quietly commit. The pre dawn action organized by first nation activists was to stop the developers from further despoiling the sanctity and ecological integrity of the SPAET cave. It also spurred many others to take action as well. Three years later Cheryl Bryce asks what has changed while government and private industry continue to do their best to decimate this and many other sacred sights.

I am writing to ask what you did on this day three years ago? What do you remember three years ago today? What are you doing today to protect Indigenous/First Nations homelands including our sacred sites? Please read below what I am remembering today.

Today I remember this day three years ago. I remember like it was yesterday or even today. Today first nations continue to fight to protect their homelands while the provincial government turns a blind eye, ignores and eve participates in the aggressive destruction of our homelands for economic development. This is one of the many shameful things the provincial government inflects on to the land and Indigenous people. Over 150 years ago this was genocide and colonialism. Today it is colonialism living and genocide.

There are other players in the old colonial game of destroying Indigenous homelands. Yes, corporations and developers. They are famous for casting the colonial stone wrapped in money and messages of, "My right to make money is more important then those "Indian's" and their false claim to their rights. This is my land and their is no sacred site or burials and if there was it my right to bulldoze them off my property!" That is putting it a lightly or polite colonial quote.

The corporate and developer's supporters roll in to cheer on the violent actions. Municipal government's are great supporters at defending and promoting development. They look all nice in their photographs cutting the ribbon or swinging their golf stick together, right. Your government bureaucrats do their time at their desk dodging questions, resist rightful actions and spin words and defining in legislation, treaties and policies to justify violent destructive decision and actions. When appears to be ineffective they will pass the buck.

In the end there were is your RCMP? There is no effective enforcement for the existing Heritage Conservation Act. There is no intention of implementing the HCA to protect Indigenous homelands. Regardless of the RCMP being an call enforcement officer to the BC Archaeology Branch (administrators of the HCA).

Below is on of many incident's first nations fought for their homelands over the past 150 plus years:

Remember:

http://www.firstnations.de/development/coast_salish-spaet.htm

http://members.crcable.net/pumpkinpatch/

For this I fought and I remember today.

Cheryl Bryce, Lekwungen (Songhees) 

Think Racism is over?

Last Updated (Monday, 09 November 2009 16:54) Written by Colours of Resistance Monday, 09 November 2009 16:35

New Monster Development Lurches Forward

Last Updated (Saturday, 27 June 2009 04:24) Written by VIC FAN Saturday, 27 June 2009 02:54

On Monday, June 15, Langford City Council  gave it's final approval to South Skirt Mountain, a new monster condo development adjacent to Bear Mountain Resort, Goldstream Provincial Park, Florence Lake and the TransCanada Highway. Four developers plan to build 2800 condos along the new Bear Mountain Parkway above the half-built Spencer Interchange. A local environmental group, Vancouver Island Community Forest Action Network (VIC FAN), is preparing to file a petition in BC Supreme Court to overturn the development bylaw.

Skirt (or Spaet) is the same mountain that was half-demolished by Bear Mountain Resort during the building boom, the same mountain with the

rare cave (now destroyed) and the still-undisturbed native grave sites, and the same mayor and council abusing the public process to benefit private developers, again.

Spaet Mountain is considered shared territory between several First Nations, although only two have given "permission" for destruction of indigenous grave sites.

The initial outcry  earlier this year over wrecking the Garry Oak bluffs, arbutus groves, native sites, and waterways has been joined by new charges that accuse Langford City Council of bias and withholding public documents about the development. Local residents are calling out the mayor and council for acting in bad faith and violating provincial statutes.

The February 23 public hearing on the South Skirt Mountain project was a fiasco, with Mayor  Stew Young "bullying, berating and browbeating"

citizens who spoke against the development. A repeat public hearing was more restrained, but speakers were heckled and requests for public documents were refused by deputy mayor Denise Blackwell.

In their haste to approve this development, VIC FAN submits that Langford's mayor and council have ignored due process and disrespected procedural fairness.

More info, news archive, analysis, videos and photos at www.forestaction.ca.