Up in Canada there have been alot of frustrations over native land claims. There is a governmental backlog of over 600 claims and the native communities are getting frustrated. Several tribes have taken up occupying controversial areas and there have been a few road blocks of crucial transport systems.
The native leaders assigned today as an "Aboriginal Day of Protest". That is, native communities and sympathizers across Canada planned today to hold peaceful demonstrations. But some warned that they were not planning on protesting so peacefully. Tribal leaders didn't officially condone what they referred to as the "younger protesters" taking a more active demonstration, but haven't condemned them either.
So this morning as the day of protest started they created blockades on both the major shipping railway between Toronto and Montreal as well as the Trans Canada (equivalent of the US Interstate). Those are the most high profile blockades, but all across the country smaller roads are being blocked in the same fashion.
Blockades aren't really new, but this time, they came armed with rifles, prepared to fight if law enforcement tried to remove them.
I've read up on some of the claims and some of them are cut and dry. The Government annexed land for military use in WWII with the promise to give it back after the war ended. But after the war, so did the urgency to revert the land and relocate expensive establishments, many of which have just grown.
I can see the frustration, but at what point is it okay to take up weapons against police, why cost companies millions of dollars in late shipping fees and spoiled goods. When a band of people take up arms in direct defiance of their elders and the government, why are they treated any different than terrorists?
Canada Day is on Sunday and I have to say that I'm disappointed in the Government's lack of attention to these land claims, but I'm even more disgusted by law enforcement creating a double standard by not actively dismantling these road blocks. If it was any group other than natives, the police would have torn it down and arrested all involved in a flash, if they were armed, special forces would have taken them out.
So very frustrating.
Aboriginal Day of Protest
by Paralipomenon 4 Replies latest jw friends
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Paralipomenon
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AllAlongTheWatchtower
I sincerely hope not, but all this sounds like a formula for some people getting very badly hurt. Interested in hearing how things continue to pan out. I'm not sure I follow your comparison to terrorists...granted, the mental outlook is somewhat similar (create public attention, force changes in your favor), but the methodology is way different. Terrorism seeks to adjust attitudes through force, literally by invoking terror in the public. This is still in the venue of a protest...agressive protest, yes...but protest nonetheless.
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barry
Here in Australia we have a different way of controlling the Aboriginals. The government gives them lots of handouts, the aboriginal people call it sit down money, that they use to buy lots of grog and there too anebreiated to try anything such a day of protest
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Sam87
Here in Australia we have a different way of controlling the Aboriginals.
I am part aboriginal from my mothers side, i find this offensive and rascist.
care to elaborate why we need controlling Barry? i think its time for you to grow up
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barry
Gday Sam87,
In the past Aboriginal communities were dry and were much better off than they are now. You know the situation as it is unfolding now with the prime minister announcing the inititives to help aboriginal communities to get them off alcohol and declaring communities dry. As I have said either on purpose or not aboriginal people have been controled by alcohol.