Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

November 14, 2002

Attorney General Geoff Plant
Government of British Columbia
Victoria, B. C.

Dear Mr. Plant,

We would like to take this time to clarify our use of the term genocide. We understand that you are upset about our reference to the genocidal actions of your government.

Native North Americans are also upset. We're upset about having been the subjects of a genocidal assault for over 500 years. Wave after wave of plagues wiped out at least 95% of our populations. These were intentionally induced to clear the land for settlement and exploitation. Living Secwepemc Elders lost most of their families when they were young.

The Indian Act outlawed Native government, religion, and economy. The Residential School System attempted to destroy our Languages, Cultures, and Family Structures.

The present widespread and rapid theft of our Lands and Resources is destroying our foods and medicines, spoiling our waters, and is resulting in the occupation of lands we need to survive as Secwepemc. Genocide is not past history to our Secwepemc People. It is recent and ongoing.

We're giving you notice that you are a willing participant in a genocidal process, and that you and your government are committing genocidal acts on the Secwepemc people who are asserting their constitutionally protected Title and Rights to their homelands and who are protecting their lands from destruction.

The following lists some of these genocidal acts committed by your government:

1. The forcible removal of our Secwepemc Elders and people from their traditional homelands at Skwelkwek'welt and McGillvray Lake by court injunctions and court orders.

2. The issuance of these court injunctions prohibit our people from exercising our Title and Rights in the Skwelkwek'welt area.

3. The demolition of a young Secwepemc mother and children's home at MacGillvray Lake ordered by senior members of the Provincial government.

4. The destruction of men's and women's sweat lodges at McGillvray Lake which which is a direct assault on our Secwepemc spirituality and cultural teachings.

5. The Provincial Ministry of Forests allowance of Sun Peaks Resort to deactivate and block our access to our hunting grounds on Mt. Morrissey.

6. The continued issuing of permits, approvals, and the sales of our lands to the Sun Peaks Ski Resort to develop and expand without our permission and approval.

7. The constant surveillance and monitoring of our actions by the RCMP when we are in the Skwelkwekwelt area.

8. The threats from Ministry of Forests to charge us for the cutting of logs and building of our Secwepemc Cultural Education Center at McGillvray Lake.

9. Threats by government to cut funding for Native groups who participate in asserting their legal Title and Rights and to groups which support them.

We will continue to assert our Secwepemc Title and Rights to our traditional territories which we have never surrendered. The Province of British Columbia has yet to prove how their obtained their "title" to our lands. In addition, we will continue to protect our traditional use areas from massive destruction by the Sun Peaks Ski Resort.

The actions by your government prohibit us from exercising our Title and Rights and are contributing to the destruction of our Secwepemc way of life and culture. This is especially evident in the destruction of the sweat lodges at McGillvray Lake. These sweat lodges were built by Elders and were used to teach the youth Secwepemc culture and spirituality. Many of these youth are from the foster care system and do not know their Native culture. The destruction of these sweat lodges has had devastating effects on the Elders and youth, and we feel it constitutes a Hate Crime. Furthermore, the demolition of the Secwepemc mother's home at McGillvray Lake left her and her two young children homeless and prohibits them from living on our traditional lands and practicing our Secwepemc way of life.

When peoples are forcibly removed from their homelands; prohibited from exercising their Aboriginal Title and Rights; and from practicing their culture on the land, it constitutes genocide. Complicity in Genocide is a very serious crime in International Law. The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 3. 1948, states the even "constitutionally responsible rulers" and "public officials" aren't immune from prosecution.

These actions are intolerable especially when committed on innocent people in their own homeland. We will continue to inform international bodies such as the United Nations; human rights and support groups throughout the world and the general public of the gross violations of our human rights by your government.

We urge you to work with us for a fair, honorable, and just settlement to the outstanding land issues.

Kukstsemc,

Janice Billy, Spokesperson

C.C.
Premier Gordon Campbell
Prime Minster Jean Cretien
Matthew Coon Come, Assembly of First Nations
Chief Stewart Phillip, Union of BC Indian Chiefs General Assembly
Chief Nathan Matthew, Shuswap Nation Tribal Council
Chief Arthur Manuel, Neskonlith Band
Chief Ron Jules, Adams Lake Band
International Support Groups