Using our truth against their guns. We walk softly.

Yesterday I was blessed to attend a Zoom meeting to hear people talk about what is going on now in the Wet’suwet’en territories and their calls for solidarity. We White settlers are being asked to spread awareness in solidarity because the mainstream media is not. This is a dangerous time because TC Energy (formerly TransCanada) is moving many workers onto the unceded Wet’suwet’en lands which now include some workers who have tested positive to the COVID-19 virus.

I was really glad to hear Kolin Southerland-Wilson speak. In the video below he talks about the issues that led to Indigenous Youth to occupy the British Columbia legislature. He was one of five Indigenous Youth who were arrested at the end of the occupation. In this video he talks about loved ones on Wet’suwet’en territory who were at that time under threat from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). His younger brother, Denzel had guns pointed at him. He wasn’t shot but how traumatic that must have been. https://kislingjeff.wordpress.com/2020/02/24/indigenous-youth-continue-to-lead/

Following are some snippets of notes I took while he was speaking.

Demonstrating our authority on the land.
“What is there to fear because we have the truth behind us?”
We stand tall on the shoulders of our ancestors.
Countless trucks moving pipes to Houston, British Columbia, taking advantage of the pandemic.
This is a great opportunity for change.
This struggle creating ripples all over the world.
Predatory consultancy process. We can’t rely on “Canadian” law, courts, politicians.
They have no moral, spiritual authority.
We need to tell our stories, truth.
“Using our truth against their guns.”
Information helps mobilize news of Wet’suwet’en.
Legislature was shut down for 17 days, for the first time in history.
“We walk softly.”
Even though many are home because of the virus, this a time for action. (which he said he couldn’t speak about, yet)
Come together as a people.
Our ancestors gave us the knowledge.
“We are strong and beautiful.”
Kolin Sutherland-Wilson

Right now, Land Defenders from the Wet’suwet’en Nation are calling for international solidarity as they continue their heroic resistance to the Coastal GasLink fracked gas pipeline crossing their unceded, traditional territory.

Join us this Sunday for a webinar and fundraiser to support the Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders and listen to firsthand accounts from frontline organizers about what the Wet’suwet’en are currently facing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are alarmed to hear that despite this pandemic, Coastal GasLink “mancamp” workers are entering Wet’suwet’en territory to begin work on the pipeline. The danger of bringing COVID-19 to the Wet’suwet’en is unacceptable. These “mancamp” workers are also buying up all the supplies in this remote region, adding more difficulties for the Wet’suwet’en.

We are honored to be joined by Rose Henry, a member of the Tla’amin Nation in B.C., and an Elder who supported the Indigenous Youth Land Defenders at the B.C. Parliament building. Rose has been a longtime advocate for Canada’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, and is a longtime Land Defender who has always fought for Indigenous rights and sovereignty. She is a part of B.C.’s powerful Indigenous resistance to the fossil fuel industry and fish farms. We have much to learn from Rose.

We will also be joined by Kanahus Manuel, co-founder of the Tiny House Warriors and active organizer with the Wet’suwet’en. Kanahus is a member of the Secwepemc Nation. The Tiny House Warriors movement put tiny homes in the pathway of the TransMountain Pipeline in order to block its construction. She was arrested in 2018 and again in 2019 due to this resistance. This winter she has been assisting the Wet’suwet’en and their resistance to the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline. She will be giving us updates from Wet’suwet’en territory. It is an honor to have Kanahus join us for this webinar.

We are happy to announce that Kolin Sutherland-Wilson, a member of the Gitxsan Nation, will also be joining us as a guest speaker for the webinar. He has been given permission to represent the struggle for the Wet’suwet’en. He is an Indigenous Youth Land Defender who delivered powerful speeches at the doors of the B.C. Parliament building while joining many other Land Defenders there to make the B.C. Parliament listen to the voices of the Indigenous Youth protesting the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline crossing through unceded, Wet’suwet’en lands.

Also, we are happy to announce that Rowena Jackson, a Klamath tribal member will be joining the webinar. She is a Water Protector who was at Standing Rock, has supported the Mauna Kea resistance, and has worked diligently to oppose the Pacific Connector Pipeline LNG pipeline from crossing through her tribes’ ancestral lands in Southern Oregon.

The fundraiser will be for:

1)The Unist’ot’en Legal Defense Fund
http://unistoten.camp
2)Tiny House Warriors
http://tinyhousewarriors.com
3)Wet’suwet’en Resistence Garden
Donate via Paypal : rosehenry00@gmail.com

For more information on the Wet’suwet’en, please check out the Wet’suwet’en Supporter Toolkit 2020.
https://unistoten.camp/supportertoolkit2020/

Please spread the word and join us this Sunday!
#nocoastalgaslink #nomancamps #wetsuwetenstrong

Hi! I did a livestream where I compiled a lot of essential information about the ongoing situation faced by the Wet’suwet’en peoples. I hope you can share it if you feel it is useful! Much love, Ren 💗
Renata Gomez Montoya April 3, 2020

Renata speaks of the connections between the Coastal GasLink, Dakota Access and Keystone pipelines. And the connection between pipeline construction crews camps (man camps) and the hundreds of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. And speaking about the dangers of the ongoing construction of the pipelines on First Nations land during the Covid-19 pandemic.