The Unist’ot’en camp and community are currently on high alert. The RCMP recently visited the Unist’ot’en camp, and the RCMP and federal government have continuously targeted the Unist’ot’en camp for surveillance. We are deeply and gravely concerned to learn from a variety of sources that the RCMP appear to be on the verge of executing a highly provocative and dangerously reckless operational plan to make arrests. We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, express our support for the Unist’ot’en Camp and denounce any attempt by the federal government, provincial government or RCMP to interfere in the rights of the Unist’ot’en to occupy, manage or maintain their lands. In accordance with Wet’suwet’en law, entry into Unist’ot’en territory is controlled by checkpoints at two locations on Unist’ot’en Territory. Free, prior and informed consent protocol is conducted at checkpoints on the Wedzinkwah (Morice River) at the 65 KM mark on Moricewest Forest Service Road. Another checkpoint is at 29.5 KM on the Chisolm Road. Successive Supreme Court of Canada decisions, such as Delgamuukw and Tsilhqot’in, also recognize that Aboriginal title includes the right to use, manage, possess land, and to decide how the land will be used. Furthermore, Aboriginal title means that governments and others must obtain consent to use the land. As the Unist’ot’en Declaration, signed unanimously by five Unist’ot’en chiefs on August 6, 2015 states, “Exercising our unbroken, unextinguished and unceded right to govern and occupy these lands, the Unist’ot’en clan of the Wet'suwet'en Nation have enacted the Unist’ot’en Declaration as official statement and law governing Unist’ot’en territory… Now enacted as law through the inherent jurisdiction of the Unist’ot’en Clan, all activities, development and actions undertaken by government or industry within Unist’ot’en territory must be consistent with the terms of this declaration.” We support the inherent and constitutional rights of the Unist’ot’en to govern and protect their traditional territories in accordance with their laws. We assert the necessity of the work that is being done through the building of the Unist’ot’en Healing Centre, and caution against any intrusions that disrupt or violate the healing of the people and the land. We expect any and all actions taken by the federal and provincial government, industry and policing agencies to be consistent with the Unist’ot’en Declaration and the jurisdiction of the Unist’ot’en Clan. The Unist’ot’en are a remote community in northwestern B.C that authorities may mistakenly assume has minimal support. We are local, national and international organizations monitoring these developments closely and we affirm that the Unist’ot’en are not alone.
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