Over the last few years the aboriginal peoples of British Colombia have seen their territorial integrity menaced by various megaprojects such as ski resorts. Facing both provincial and federal governments’ immobilism concerning territorial issues, the First Nations have no choice but to choose direct action to defend their landrights, exposing themselves to jail sentences. Alaina Tom, from the St’at’imc nation, is another victim of this systemic discrimination. (picture:SPEC)

Native Youth Movement
Secwepemc Chapter
Secwepemcul’ucw

PRESS RELEASE

CANADA AND BC GOVERNMENT SEND ST’AT’LIMC SINGLE MOTHER TO JAIL FOR DEFENDING HER HOMELAND

(Kamloops Courts, Secwepemc Territory/October 28, 2002) The NYM Secwepemc Chapter is outraged and disappointed at hearing the sentence given to Alaina Tom, a single mother of a newborn baby, for defending her land from clear-cuts and an 800 million dollar ski resort (Cayoosh Creek Ski Resort). Provincial Court Judge Rohrmoser sentenced Alaina Tom, spokesperson of St’at’limc Chapter of the Native Youth Movement to a conditional jail sentence of four months followed by a probation sentence of one year.

Conditions imposed on Alaina include that she be under house arrest for a period of 3 months, 7days per week, 24 hours a day, give breath and urine samples for analysis when demanded by peace officer, not have contact with any of the co-accused, not attend within 100 meters of Highway 99, and not at any time wear camouflage clothing or masks. This sentence is similar to jail sentences imposed on three Secwepemc women last week for their involvement in fighting the Sun Peaks Ski Resort expansion.

The courts will continue to jail Indian people for living on their homelands and defending their homes from destruction until BC and Canada practice good-faith negotiations regarding Aboriginal title, like the Supreme Court of Canada told Canada to do in the 1997 Delgamuukw decision. Canadian and British Columbia governments are failing to implement their laws to land policies and we are the ones that have to pay the price by going to jail. This is racist and shows the great injustice of systemic ethnocide against Indian Peoples in Canada.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nicole Manuel, Spokesperson Secwepemc Chapter NYM:
moun...@redpride.com