Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

We need money from you --- and quite a bit of it!

We want to send one of the Coalition's Spokespeople to a meeting of the international human rights committee that monitors member-state compliance with the international Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

Our representative will carry our written report to Geneva and also find opportunities to speak to the Committee members about the events that happened at Ipperwash Park in early September, 1995.

We have a volunteer able to go and the talent and skill in our Coalition to prepare the necessary brief, but we lack the money needed to get our person to Geneva. How can you help?

Please read the message below, which I am delighted to say comes from some Aboriginal Studies students of mine who have decided to join learning with action!

And, then, please YOURSELF join learning with action and support the efforts the Turtle Island Chix are making to bring home Justice for Ipperwash. Send cheques, cash, money orders --- call or email to let them know how to pick it up. We won't get to Geneva without your support!

In solidarity,
Ann Pohl
Spokesperson, Coalition for a Public Inquiry into Ipperwash
Facilitator, Turtle Island Support Group

To whom it may concern:

We are a group of high school students that are affiliated with the Coalition for a Public Inquiry into the Death of Dudley George. We call ourselves the Turtle Island Chix. We are trying to raise funds in order to send a delegate to Geneva to speak to the human rights sector of the UN. Once there, our delegate will demand a public inquiry into the issues that were raised by the wrongful events that occurred at Ipperwash, in 1995.

On September 5, 1995 a band of about 30 unarmed Aboriginal people held a protest in response to the disrespect imposed on an ancient burial ground that was illegally sold to the government several decades ago, by occupying Ipperwash Provincial Park. Before entering the park, the protesters publicized that they would carry no arms and that it was a peaceful protest to remind the world of their land rights. Despite this, the provincial government ordered about 250 heavily armed O.P.P. riot and tactical police to “supervise” the peaceful protest. On September 6, the O.P.P. officers shot and killed one aboriginal protestor (Dudley George) with no just cause, as well as beating another man, and shooting two others (although the last three occurrences were not lethal). A public inquiry into the unjust killing of Dudley George still has not been called, seven years after the incident.

There have previously been campaigns to governmental agencies, to the courts, and to the general public to bring about this inquiry. Delegates were sent to the United Nations in 1996 and 1999 to request that pressure be placed on the Canadian Government to execute an inquiry. The UN recognized this was an issue that needed deserved careful attention and recommended that our government make sure this incident was looked into. Although the UN recommended that the Canadian and/or Ontario Government order an inquiry, to this day, no action has been taken (revealing corruption in the government[s]).

If the issue gets raised again at the United Nations meeting then they may be able to force our government to look into this issue and possibly even do the equivalent of an audit of our history and our treatment of racial minorities. However, there is a catch; we must raise approximately 5000 dollars to send our delegate to Geneva for the previously mentioned meeting.

This is why we are contacting you; we ask you for your support and your aid in this matter. If you could donate any amount of money it would be a great help. If you do not wish to assist us financially, or would like to help us in a different manner, it would be of great assistance if there are any other services you can offer us such as:

• Advertising for this issue and our groups (both the Turtle Island Chix and the Coalition for a Public Inquiry into Ipperwash) in newsletters, flyers etc.
• Offering Pro bono legal advice about writing a report to present to the UN.
• Joining the Coalition
• Courier services for collecting money from various locations
• Help with accommodation and other resources for our delegate in Geneva
• Any other specialty services you might be able to donate

Thank you for your time and cooperation,

Sincerely: the Turtle Island Chix
Roxi, Julia, Kashfia, Erika, Neil, and Nirupa