Thanks Jim! Does Chretien (or his office) has an e-mail? That will
make it much easier for everybody, and we could also attach the
letter from Helen which should have some impact. Cheers, ajit
> Hello Ajit,
>
> Thanks for the message and the concern. These people are for real
> freedom fighters who have suffered/are suffering unimaginable
> persecution.
>
> One thing is to organize petitions or write letters to the Government
> of Canada (Prime Minister Chretien) as this alerts the Canadian
> authorities that many eyes inside and outside of Canada are watching
> this case very carefully. This has an effect as I know for a fact
> that one of my previous appeals had been read by the RCMP and was the
> basis for their subsequent release hours later (Note if indeed, Frank
> had a previous warrant from 1992, why is he out now and why wasn't
> this so-called warrant brought up when he was jailed previously
> charged with being an "illegal immigrant?). There have been several
> murders of people connected with the Tribunal and one young girl
> associated with the Tribunal is missing and has been for several
> weeks.
>
> If people feel moved to donate anything, they call can Helen's cousin
> Roderick Louis at (604) 254-7153 and he can direct where to send
> donations to make sure they get through. They have been left
> destitute (I got their van out of impound and their food they had
> just purchased had been stolen).
>
> Thaks very much for theinquiry. These people are for real freedom
> fighters so please urge all your friends to write to Chretien's
> Office (can connect with Internet directly) to protest their
> treatment and note that many many eyes will be watching very
> carefully.
>
> take care,
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> On 27 Jul 98 at 15:45, AK Sinha wrote:
>
> > Jim,
> >
> > Could you please give us more instructions about what a person
> > like myself can and should do in this case. My best. ajit sinha
> >
> > > Last night (Jul 23 rd) Frank Martin (Bella Bella) and his wife Helen Michell
> > > (Carrier) were arrested again--following a meeting on Indian activism
> > > and plans for actions and protests.
> > >
> > > Frank was arrested on the basis of an alleged previous warrant in
> > > 1992; the problem is, that he was just previously arrested (charged
> > > with being an 'illegal alien) and nothing was said about any alleged
> > > previous warrant and he was released on bail--"gating".
> > >
> > > I am unaware of the charges against Helen but sincerely believe that
> > > this latest round of arrests needs to be examined and questioned
> > > thoroughly; my personal opinion is that his is clear reprisal for the
> > > testimonies and activism of Frank and Helen related to issues
> > > presented at the Tribunal at which I was one of the Judge's (Pro
> > > Tempore) and possibly as a result of certain issues disclosed
> > > recently on SISS related to the Vancouver Club about which they may
> > > have had knowledge also.
> > >
> > > I implore all people of conscience to call for an examination of
> > > these latest rounds of arrests, intimidation and harassment. Helen is
> > > presently in the Vancouver jail and Frank is at Maple Ridge as I
> > > write this.
> > >
> > > They have been made destitute and fear for their safety and that of
> > > their children. I publish Helen's appeal again to urge all people of
> > > conscience to assist these freedom fighters in any way possible.
> > >
> > > Jim Craven
> > >
> > > Urgent Action
> > >
> > > These people recently testified at an Inter-Tribal Tribunal dealing
> > > with the Residential Schools in Canada and almost immediately after
> > > their testimony, actions commenced against them. I was one of the
> > > Tribal Judges on that Tribunal and their testimony was moving and
> > > very damaging to some of the "powers that be". Please circulate this
> > > widely and help if possible.
> > >
> > > Jim Craven
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Forwarded Message Follows -------
> > > Date: Tue, 07 Jul 1998 15:12:34 -0700
> > > To: (Recipient list suppressed)
> > > From: Steve Kisby <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > Subject: Appeal from Helen Michell
> > >
> > > July 6, 1998, update.
> > >
> > > Frank, Helen Michell's husband, is being held in a Pentiction jail (in the
> > > interiour of British Comumbia, Canada) and is being deniged his medication
> > > perscribed by a Doctor in Vancouver. The Penticton, B.C., court file
> > > number is 7247C.
> > >
> > > Prior to being put in jail, Frank had lost 20 lbs as he couldn't eat
> > > properly as a result of a beating by police, which broke his jaw. The
> > > medication is for the injuries receive during the beating. So far, $150
> > > has been raised toward his bail of $500 and we desparatly need people to
> > > come forward with help toward the remaining amount.
> > >
> > > If you can help, please contact Helen Michell c/o 2985 West 12th Avenue,
> > > Vancouver, B.C., V6K 2R2, Canada. Messages may also be left with Dimitri
> > > at 604-738-4260.
> > >
> > > In Helen's words:
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------------
> > > Helen Michell
> > > 2985 West 12th Avenue
> > > Vancouver, B.C.
> > > V6K 2R2, Canada
> > >
> > > July 3, 1998
> > >
> > >
> > > Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
> > >
> > > Article 25; (1) Every one has the right to a standard of living adequate
> > > for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food,
> > > clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services, and the
> > > right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, DISABILITY,
> > > widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his
> > > control. (2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and
> > > assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy
> > > the same social protection.
> > >
> > > This is what my husband read out in the welfare office to the workers and
> > > to the police officers before his arrest. I believe my husband is a
> > > prisoner of war.
> > >
> > > To the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates ;
> > >
> > > On July 1, 1998, Canada celebrated one hundred years of GENOCIDE, on the
> > > Indigenous people of this stolen land. The R.C.M.P. (Royal Canadian
> > > Mounted Police -- Canada’s national police force), also celebrated one
> > > hundred and twenty-five years of GENOCIDE on the Indigenous peoples within
> > > Canada.,
> > >
> > > On July 2,1998, we as an Indigenous family of North Central British
> > > Columbia, Canada’s most western province, are in need of protection from
> > > the British Columbia and Canadian government systems, and the Royal
> > > Canadian Mounted Police. Our need for protection is vital because we are
> > > against this illegal “treaty” process happening now in this province.
> > >
> > > And now a taste of GENOCIDE;
> > >
> > > For the past six months we have been living in Port Coquitlam, just outside
> > > of the city of Vancouver, and we are on welfare. The government welfare
> > > workers have been very discriminating towards us as a indigenous family,
> > > and I have seen many discriminating social workers throughout the province.
> > > These workers would do a variety of things to us everytime such as
> > > with-holding our rental cheques, cutting the amounts of our cheques down,
> > > laughing at us because of our disposition, kicking us out of their office
> > > without our cheques, or threatening to call the police. Throughout all of
> > > this, the white people who visited their offices were getting their
> > > cheques, with no problem. They usually have a security guard at the office,
> > > but today, there wasn’t any, and so they must of planned to call the
> > > police. Our son had moved in with us, that made the social workers mad.
> > > She said we couldn’t live together because we were related. We found a new
> > > place in Vancouver where we could all live together. That made the social
> > > workers furious, but they paid my son’s rent in the new place for the month
> > > of June anyway. Our rent was paid in Port Coquitlam. Now it is July, the
> > > social workers refused to pay my son’s rent at his new home and refused him
> > > his sustenance cheque. Our half of the rent was paid already . So we were
> > > back at the office to try and get our sons rent paid. We were already under
> > > stress and illness, so we were considering putting our belongings into
> > > storage and living in our van again. The workers wouldn’t budge. Instead
> > > they called the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on my husband. There was no
> > > charges laid but my husband got hauled away , by a rude and discriminating
> > > police officer. My husband was not read his rights and was not informed
> > > what the charges were. Except that they say they had a warrant for his
> > > arrest for being an “Illegal alien” in Canada. I had not seen any warrant
> > > to this day. We had already been arrested in the past, twice each, on this
> > > same charge. The rude R.C.M.P. officer threatened to take me to jail if I
> > > didn’t stop taking pictures with my camera. As indigenous people in North
> > > America, we have “dual citizenship” in Canada and the United States. So
> > > they violated their own laws in this country and also violated our
> > > Indigenous Human Rights. The R.C.M.P. officer who arrested us on the
> > > “illegal alien” charge was also an indigenous person. He couldn’t tell the
> > > difference between his own kind and an alien. While they were arresting my
> > > husband, I quickly jumped into my van and raced into Vancouver. I have
> > > never been so scared and alone. Later my husband called me and said there
> > > is a warrant for my arrest also, for being an illegal alien. I called the
> > > office of the elected member of the provincial legislature for Port
> > > Coquitlam at 4 p.m. the same day and spoke to the office worker there. She
> > > did some investigating and said the government social worker had no right
> > > to treat us like that. They should of transferred my son’s file to
> > > Vancouver before July. So the social workers were in the wrong, but now my
> > > husband is in jail. My sons cheque was mailed out that day at 4:30 p.m.
> > > thanks to the elected member’s office worker. How many other Indigenous
> > > families have to suffer as we do, just to survive everyday? Most welfare
> > > workers act as if the money is coming out of their pockets.
> > >
> > > This “illegal alien” charge is two years old this July, and they have never
> > > bothered us all this time. We have been in their court rooms and police
> > > station, they have been in my house in Port Coquitlam a few times. I think
> > > because we are to out spoken against a fraudulent “treaty process” here and
> > > to politically active that they want us dismantled and destroyed as a
> > > indigenous family. They sure are doing a great job of it.
> > >
> > > A few weeks after this illegal alien charge in July, 1996, my husband was
> > > brutally beaten up, by ten Vancouver city polices in the downtown section
> > > called gastown. Half of his face was completely smashed in from a police
> > > flash light. That beating took place on August 8, 1996, and my family has
> > > suffered terribly because of that incident. He was in terrible pain and had
> > > two tumors in his head, 27 broken bones under his ear, and his jaw was
> > > broken down the middle of his mouth. At one time, because of the tumors,
> > > my husband went under, while riding on the bus. They took him to the
> > > hospital in an ambulance. They were getting ready to do a brain operation,
> > > without anybody’s consent. My husband said he woke up to knives in the
> > > operating room. He quickly jumped up and grabbed his clothing and raced out
> > > without putting on his clothes. He changed his clothes in the bushes
> > > outside the hospital. Since the beating , my husband has been under two
> > > special doctors care and is taking special medication for his head. This
> > > arrest cuts him off his treatment, which is another human rights violation.
> > >
> > > Since this brutal beating , the head sergeant of that Vancouver police
> > > outfit died of liver cancer, a week before his retirement. Five other city
> > > police officers have become mentally ill, of which one died this past
> > > Saturday. We have no hand in what ever is happening to them. Justice still
> > > wins in the end regardless of the injustices. They have offered Frank an
> > > out of court settlement which started at $50,000 and the last offer was
> > > $250,000. How much does a humans right to life cost? In my words no amount
> > > of money could replace what we went through, a life of shambles and the
> > > loss of many lives. Today is July 3, and it is my husbands birthday. Happy
> > > birthday Frank, where ever you are. We all love you, be strong and stay
> > > alive please. Maybe they will try to kill my husband while he is in
> > > custody, so they don’t have to pay anything. I know they are already paying
> > > for that brutal beating.
> > >
> > > On June 30, 1998, we buried my cousin, who was murdered on the east side of
> > > Vancouver. Her sister was buried a month ago. I think she was murdered
> > > also. The cousin we buried on June 30, her face was smashed in, on the same
> > > side as my husbands face, when he was done in. When I looked at her in the
> > > coffin, one last time, I flashed on my husbands face when he was beaten up
> > > by the police. We called for an investigation on her death. Now they say
> > > there are ten more indigenous women murdered or missing from the east side
> > > of Vancouver.
> > >
> > > In 1993, our little family drove to New York city to lodge our complaints
> > > to the United Nation, regarding our disposition in this country. It seems
> > > like our lives went from bad to worse, after that journey. The United
> > > Nations had no ears for indigenous peoples in Canada. Since going to the
> > > United Nations , I have buried a brother and two nephews, and my oldest
> > > sister. My brother was involved in a drug conspiracy case, he was a
> > > witness. Both him and his girlfriend were killed. One nephew was run over
> > > by a truck and killed instantly, his killer was never found or convicted.
> > > Another nephew was stabbed six times, by a Canadian government supported
> > > indigenous leader, who didn’t want to pay out settlement money owed to my
> > > nephew, for the flooding out of his log houses and land. It’s weird that my
> > > nephew knew when he was going to die, and who would do it to him. My sister
> > > was contaminated with blood cancer, she passed away a month after the
> > > Vancouver police beating on my husband. The same things happened to my
> > > parents and my grandparents, who are also deceased.
> > >
> > > My husband and I have been together for seventeen years now. In those
> > > seventeen years we have never tasted an ounce of FREEDOM without fear of
> > > prosecution or worse. Our life together has been spent in the court rooms
> > > and on the run. They could never convict us on any charge, there was
> > > always a stay of proceedings. Throughout most of our time together, we
> > > spent most of our lives as fugitives on our own lands. Our children were
> > > always with us . We also have a grandchild, who we haven’t seen in two
> > > years, because they live in Prince George, in the center of the province.
> > >
> > > I think the world should know what is happening to us and other Indigenous
> > > people in Canada. who stand up for their international rights. We cannot
> > > get a lawyer to represent us. No human being would represent us as humans.
> > > In every way they violated our HUMAN RIGHTS, as an Indigenous family. Where
> > > do we go from here? Can anyone help us?
> > >
> > > Human Rights is fifty years old and many of the Indigenous people in North
> > > America never live past that age, because of all the abuses and useless
> > > policies, and discrimination is a disease more contagious than aids.
> > >
> > > We are seeking funding for filing suits to sue the Canadian government, the
> > > police forces, and Canadian supported indigenous governments. It looks like
> > > there is no way, in this world, we could dare to go that far. With our past
> > > experiences though, we know there is a higher power and miracles do happen.
> > >
> > > We are fighting to survive in this heartless world, and it sure isn’t
> > > getting any easier. For many of our people, suicide is the easy way out. We
> > > plan to stand up for our rights as a family.
> > >
> > > Please send letters that support us to the Canadian government.
> > >
> > > Meci cho (Thank you very much)
> > >
> > > Telqua (Helen Michell)
> > > Bear Clan families of Maxan Lake
> > >
> > > James Craven
> > > Dept. of Economics,Clark College
> > > 1800 E. McLoughlin Blvd. Vancouver, WA. 98663
> > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Tel: (360) 992-2283 Fax: 992-2863
> > >
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > "Hitler's concept of concentration camps as well as the practicality
> > > of genocide owed much, so he claimed, to his studies of English and
> > > United States history. He admired the camps for Boer prisoners in
> > > South Africa and for the Indians in the Wild West; and often praised
> > > to his inner circle the efficiency of America's extermination--by
> > > starvation and uneven combat--of the 'Red Savages' who could not be
> > > tamed by captivity." ("Adolf Hitler" by John Toland, p. 702)
> > >
> > > "Set the blood-quantum at one-quarter, hold to it as a rigid
> > > definition of Indians, let intermarriage proceed...and eventually
> > > Indians will be defined out of existence. When that happens,the
> > > federal government will finally be freed from its persistent
> > > Indian problem." (Patricia Nelson Limerick, "The Legacy of
> > > Conquest: The Unbroken Past of the American West" p338)
> > >
> > > *My Employer has no association with My Private and Protected Opinion*
> > >
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> >
> >
>
> James Craven
> Dept. of Economics,Clark College
> 1800 E. McLoughlin Blvd. Vancouver, WA. 98663
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Tel: (360) 992-2283 Fax: 992-2863
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> "Hitler's concept of concentration camps as well as the practicality
> of genocide owed much, so he claimed, to his studies of English and
> United States history. He admired the camps for Boer prisoners in
> South Africa and for the Indians in the Wild West; and often praised
> to his inner circle the efficiency of America's extermination--by
> starvation and uneven combat--of the 'Red Savages' who could not be
> tamed by captivity." ("Adolf Hitler" by John Toland, p. 702)
>
> "Set the blood-quantum at one-quarter, hold to it as a rigid
> definition of Indians, let intermarriage proceed...and eventually
> Indians will be defined out of existence. When that happens,the
> federal government will finally be freed from its persistent
> Indian problem." (Patricia Nelson Limerick, "The Legacy of
> Conquest: The Unbroken Past of the American West" p338)
>
> *My Employer has no association with My Private and Protected Opinion*
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
