Peace Valley Defenders Declare Hunger Strike to Stop Site-C Mega Dam

Site C Protesters to Start HUNGER STRIKE

by Treaty 8 Stewards of the Land

March 3, 2016 

 Supporters of Site C/Treaty 8 Stewards of the Land Camp Call Hunger Strike after Camp Dismantled by RCMP 

VANCOUVER, BC  - On Thursday March 3rd, 2016, in the spirit of non-violent action and with the intention of shaming BC Hydro, who are preparing to destroy a vital agricultural and sacred valley in Treaty 8 Territory, supporters of the Site C/Treaty 8 Stewards of the Land will be gathering at B.C. Hydro (333 Dunsmuir St, Vancouver).

A daily hunger strike will be initiated Thursday at 8:00 am.

Those participating include Rick Buckman Coe, Tamo Campos & Liz Beggar among others.

The hunger strike was called immediately following the aggressive RCMP attendance at the Site C/Treaty 8 Stewards of the Land Camp on Tuesday, March 1st, 2016.

Justice Bruce Butler approved B.C. Hydro’s application for an interim injunction and enforcement order to forcibly remove the Treaty 8 Indigenous Land Defenders and supporters, including local farmers and members of the Peace Valley Landowners Association. The court order and the riot act were read out to those at the camp and the RCMP were present until the camp was dismantled.

We believe B.C. Hydro is a failing and highly mismanaged Crown Corporation operating with reckless disregard for the public it is meant to serve. Continued hikes in rates and declining mining and LNG projects have cost us all enough.

It is unacceptable that despite this, the British Columbia Supreme Court and the B.C. government have supported B.C. Hydro through its violations of the public trust and rights of the Indigenous Peoples of our province, whose territories they access without appropriate consultation and most certainly without consent. as a result of a flawed and extralegal permitting process the B.C. Provincial government is conducting.

We find it unacceptable that the RCMP have enforced such injustices on members of the Treaty 8 Stewards of the Land Defenders.

The hunger strikes will be held daily outside the BC Hydro Office from 8am to 5pm. Our demands are the same as the Treaty 8 Stewards of the Land; No construction until the court case of Treaty violations is finished and that this project be given a review with the BC Utilities Commission.

“The government signed Treaty 8 in the early 1900s on our territory. The proceeded to pressure Indigenous people to follow and obey it, but in turn they do not honor our Treaty rights. We were promised to live and thrive continuing our ways of life, our livelihoods. We did not surrender, lease, rent or sell our lands” – Yvonne Tupper,  Member of Treaty 8

“We’re not eating here today to symbolize how this government is literally flooding the best agricultural lands of the north that could feed approximately a million people. We’re not eating because our government is literally starving us of any form of justice and reconciliation for Treaty 8.” – Tamo Campos 

FOR RELEASE - Thursday, March 3rd, 2016

MEDIA CONTACTS

Helen Knott – Spokesperson for Treaty 8 Stewards of the Land 
Tamo Campos – campostamo@gmail.com