This past week, with hundreds of people busy mobilizing to multiple frontlines prepared to risk arrest for the last real forests at the peak of public support and pressure on government to act now to deliver on its promise to protect old-growth forests, the eight-month direct action ancient forest protection campaign on Pacheedaht and Dididaht territories was dealt a big surprise and public relations challenge when Pacheedaht leaders acting in concert with the BC NDP government asked for the blockades on their territory to come down, citing interference from ” third party activists” in their right to self-determination.
“Third party forestry activities” were also asked to cease and the announcement included a forthcoming Forest Stewardship Plan that promised to identify key old-growth forests on their territory for conservation, which the Rainforest Flying Squad (RFS) awaits to see, with hopes that Pacheedaht First Nation, with government financing of economic alternatives to the old-growth logging decimation on their unceded territory, can offer more leadership than the BC NDP in providing solutions to the worsening crisis in forests and climate, reaching a head on Pacheedaht territory and a fair resolution to the eight month stand-off.
The blockades and protection camps still stand as RFS organizers pause to reflect on the forces of the colonial/capitalist status quo at play, consult with Indigenous peoples on the territory and continue to accept the bold and principled leadership of Pacheedaht elder and RFS member Bill Jones who has steadfastly asserted his sovereign Indigenous right as a title-holder to his land in welcoming and inviting people to help defend the last stands of ancient forests and Pacheedaht relatives, from further industrial desecration.
Revenue-sharing agreements signed in duress between government and First Nations that silence elders, women and youth community members from speaking out as title-holders exercising traditional responsibilities under Indigenous law to protect land, water and life, do not constitute free, prior and informed consent.
In a media conference, only moments after the Pacheedaht announcement, Premier Horgan, addressing the eight month blockades in his own electoral riding on Pacheedaht territory for the first time, ironically, threw the Rainforest Flying Squad under the bus for violations of Indigenous rights!
The RFS refuses to cede moral high ground to a Premier who in the name of Indigenous rights, is perpetuating a system of colonial resource extractive violence that is inseparable from a history of genocide on Indigenous people that has always been about expanding unbridled resource extraction on stolen land that has all but near completely wiped out the last ancient forests.
The RFS echoes the call of our beloved elder to come defend these forests with him and the hundreds of others mobilizing to the frontlines to peacefully participate in the COVID-compliant protection camps keeping the corporate chainsaws out of the last ancient forests, forever!
The full collaborative statement of the RFS, First Nations elder Bill Jones and his niece Kati George Jim can be viewed here:
https://laststandforforests.
https://laststandforforests.
Download the Rainforest Flying Squad Handbook:
https://creativelyunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/RFS-handbook.pdf
Rainforest Flying Squad
Pacheedaht Territory
laststandforforests.com
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