Musqueam protest marks 100 days By Susan Lazaruk, Sunday Reporter August 12, 2012 http://www.theprovince.com/news/Musqueam+protest+marks+days/7078395/story.html
Several hundred members and supporters of the Musqueam First Nation tie up traffic Friday, as they protest a proposed develop ment on land they say is an ancient burial ground. Photograph by: Jason Payne, PNG, Sunday Reporter About 300 Musqueam band members and supporters blocked traffic leading to a major VancouverRichmond bridge for less than an hour Friday morning in an ongoing dispute over an ancient burial site. Southbound traffic on Granville Street was backed up for several blocks as the protesters, some in ceremonial dress, gathered to drum and sing to draw attention to the Musqueam's opposition to a condo building proposed by the owners for a site near the north end of Arthur Laing Bridge. Spokeswoman Rhiannon Bennett said the skeletal remains of two adults and two infants and the partial remains of a third infant were uncovered when construction began earlier this year on the site. She said the Musqueam have continuously occupied the land for 4,000 years and they want the land turned into a green space. "Our goal is to ensure our ancestors are cared for in a dignified and respectful way," said Bennett. Friday marked the 100th day that members have been keeping vigil over the land, even though the province has already given the band almost $5 million to buy the land from the owners, the Hackett family. Bennett said the band will continue to watch the land from a base underneath the bridge because the province is repeatedly extending the developer's permits. "If it's our intention to purchase the land back, why do the developers need permits to work on the land?" she said. "We need to be here to protect the land because the province won't." The developers have agreed not to work on the land while negotiations continue about ownership. B.C. Aboriginal Relations Minister Mary Polak said on Thursday a cash-for-land deal to resolve the dispute is close. She wasn't available for comment on Friday but on Thursday said the permits are being extended because the land is privately owned. The area, which is fenced and covers almost a city block, is called the Marpole Midden and is considered sacred by the band. There was a small bulldozer on the land as well as a tented area where the remains and other native artifacts were found. Many passing motorists tooted their horns in support once the protesters moved from the road but one yelled out a profanity. Several condos in the planned 108-unit development have already been pre-sold, but about 20 buyers pulled out after learning of the burial site, according to the developer. slazaruk@ theprovince.com twitter.com/ susanlazaruk [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Native News North List info{all lists}: http://nativenewsonline.org/natnews.htm Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NatNews-north/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NatNews-north/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: natnews-north-dig...@yahoogroups.com natnews-north-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: natnews-north-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/