The Gidimt’en Checkpoint says it has made a submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council regarding rights violations.
The submission called the Militarization of Wet’suwet’en Lands and Canada’s Ongoing Violations was presented on Monday (Feb 7) to the council.
It talks about the ongoing conflict with the Coastal GasLink 670 kilometre project which the Wet’suwet’en group opposes.
This submission was put together from Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Woos, also known as Frank Alec, Spokesperson Molly Wickham and media coordinator Jennifer Wikham along with legal, academic and human rights experts.
“Ongoing human rights violations, militarization of Wet’suwet’en lands, forcible removal and criminalization of peaceful land defenders, and irreparable harm due to industrial destruction of Wet’suwet’en lands and cultural sites are occurring despite declarations by federal and provincial governments for reconciliation,” said the report.
It added that by deploying legal, political and economic tactics to violate their rights, Canada and BC are contravening the spirit of reconciliation.
The submission also invited the UN to visit the Wet’suwet’en Territories.
In November, over thirty people were arrested and appeared in court after a blockade that left 700 workers of the CGL project blocked in.
According to the Gidimt’en Checkpoint, 74 people have been arrested and detained since January 2019.
Files from Lindsay Newman, MyBulkleyLakesNow
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