Sovereignty Summer Campaign Calling for National Solidarity Actions and Support for Elsipogtog First Nation Front Line Activists – Idle No More
June 24, 2013 – Elsipogtog First Nation – This is an official notice and “Call Out” to all Idle No More & Defenders of the Land – Sovereignty Summer – activists, allies and supporters, and partnership organizations to act in aid and in the defence of grassroots Elsipogtog First Nation, families, community members, and supporters near Moncton, New Brunswick.
In the last few weeks, Elsipogtog First Nation community members and allies have taken peaceful action to prevent seismic testing vehicles and workers from testing for shale gas deposits for purposes of resource exploitation on Indigenous territories.
The protestors have remained strong and peaceful for numerous days and the RCMP have become more aggressive and violent; arresting a man as he held a sacred pipe in his hand, as well as arresting community members at the site of the sacred fire. SWN contractors have also threatened to run over Mi’kmaq youth at the site.
In total, this past weekends Aboriginal Day’s 12 arrests brings the total number of arrestees to 29 from both the Mi’kmaq and non-Indigenous communities at the location of a sacred fire being kept (located at the junction of highways 126 and 116 west) in Kent County near Moncton. These arrests included the arrest of a eight and a half month pregnant Mi’kmaq woman as well as local man, Dave Morang. Mr. Morang was injured by an SWN-contracted security truck, who failed to stop after hitting him.This peaceful resistance is on-going to prevent SWN Resources Canada from fracking in the immediate area.
INM organizers have been in contact with Elsipogtog First Nation community members and have requested further support.
Sovereignty Summer Campaign-Idle No More & Defenders of the Land
Call to Action PSA: War Chief – John Levi & Amy Sock of Elsipogtog