Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’Moks speaks at the People’s Summit in Vienna about RCMP C-IRG violence

Published by Brent Patterson on March 26, 2024March 26, 2024

Video: Chief Na’Moks at the People’s Summit in Vienna along with Hup-Wil-Lax-A and Gwii Lok’im Gibuu of the Gitxsan Nation.

Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’Moks writes in Ricochet Media: “This month marks one year since the RCMP’s civilian watchdog, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission, launched an investigation into C-IRG.”

“Last month, audio recordings of C-IRG brutality were played in a British Columbia courtroom, including audio of the RCMP ridiculing Indigenous women wearing red handprints to symbolize our missing and murdered.”

He then notes: “Yet, the unit was not suspended during the systemic review nor will any public hearings be held. It’s been over a year and we have heard nothing, though this is no surprise, and our expectations are not high.”

Chief Na’Moks further highlights that he will be in Vienna for the European Gas Conference (March 26-28) to “ensure Europeans know that Canadian gas [is] awash with violence and the state-sanctioned trampling of Indigenous rights.”

The webpage for the People’s Summit 2024 (March 21-24) that is challenging the European Gas conference included in its program:

“Truth-Telling: Human Rights Violations and Climate Destruction in Canada: People think of Canada as a climate leader and peace keepers. Little does the world know that Canada is not only home to disturbing human rights violations, intensive climate destruction, and dehumanising efforts for land defenders but it is not just the companies but the Canadian government that has approved violent policing efforts on Indigenous communities. 6 proposed LNG projects are pushing forward, one a carbon bomb, with various pipelines without the consent from all Indigenous communities. It is time to speak the truth and call for global solidarity to help bring about social and climate justice for a better future and to protect the beauty of so-called Canada.”

At the closing press conference today (Monday March 25), Chief Na’Moks noted: “You know our country of Canada holds this great reputation around the world as being a peaceful, welcoming democratic country and it’s not true. They burn down our houses, they throw us in jail, they destroy our rivers, our lands, our future of our children and your children too.”

He further highlighted:

“We are the template of the violence to come in that country. When they create an arm of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and it’s referred to as C-IRG, Community-Industry Response Group, it will change its name to Critical Response Unit. When they create an arm like that which is militarized, strictly to come onto Wet’suwet’en, Gitxsan lands, Indigenous lands, then that is what is threatening democracy in this country. Canada itself, the Prime Minister, has enacted the Emergency Measures Act, and within that it opens a door for this unit, which was supposed to be short-term directed at us, as well as a few of our neighbours. They made it permanent and the world should know that. That this great country of Canada, that has this great reputation, you need to challenge that reputation, because the violence that has come to us. I don’t know how many of you have stared down the rifle of a gun, how many of you can step outside and say there’s a sniper, we do. How many of you have had canine units come into your house, come through your doors with power saws and axes, burn down your homes, and that is the democracy in Canada you’re not learning about.”

We continue to follow this and call for the abolition of C-IRG.