Subject: RE: Mass Graves of Residential School ChildrenRevealed
____________________________________
Breaking News:
Location of Mass Graves of Residential School Children Revealed forthe First
Time; Independent Tribunal Established
Squamish Nation Territory ('Vancouver, Canada')
Thursday, April 10, 2008 11:00 am PST
At a public ceremony and press conference held today outside thecolonial
'Indian Affairs' building in downtown Vancouver, the Friends andRelatives of the
Disappeared (FRD) released a list of twenty eight massgraves across Canada
holding the remains of untold numbers of aboriginalchildren who died in Indian
Residential Schools.
The list was distributed today to the world media and to UnitedNations
agencies, as the first act of the newly-formed InternationalHuman Rights Tribunal
into Genocide in Canada (IHRTGC), anon-governmental body established by
indigenous elders.
In a statement read by FRD spokesperson Eagle Strong Voice, it wasdeclared
that the IHRTGC would commence its investigations on April 15,2008, the fourth
Annual Aboriginal Holocaust Memorial Day. This inquirywill involve
international human rights observers from Guatemala andCyprus , and will convene
aboriginal courts of justice where thosepersons and institutions responsible for
the death and suffering ofresidential school children will be tried and
sentenced. (The completeStatement and List of Mass Graves is reproduced below).
Eagle Strong Voice and IHRTGC elders will present the Mass GravesList at the
United Nations on April 19, and will ask United Nationsagencies to protect
and monitor the mass graves as part of a genuineinquiry and judicial
prosecution of those responsible for this CanadianGenocide.
Eyewitness Sylvester Greene spoke to the media at today's event,
anddescribed how he helped bury a young Inuit boy at the United Church'sEdmonton
residential school in 1953.
'We were told never to tell anyone by Jim Ludford, the Principal, whogot me
and three other boys to bury him. But a lot more kids got buriedall the time
in that big grave next to theschool.'
For more information:_www.hiddenfromhistory.org_
(
http://www.hiddenfromhistory.org/) , or write to the IHRTGC at: genocidetribunal@...
Issued on Squamish Territory , 10 April, 2008, under the authority
ofHereditary Chief Kiapilano.
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Press Statement: April 10, 2008
Mass Graves of Residential SchoolChildren Identified – Independent Inquiry
Launched
We are gathered today to publiclydisclose the location of twenty eight mass
graves of children who died inIndian Residential Schools across Canada , and
to announce the formationof an independent, non-governmental inquiry into the
death anddisappearance of children in theseschools.
We estimate that there are hundreds, andpossibly thousands, of children
buried in these grave sites alone.
The Catholic, Anglican and United Church, and the government of Canada,
operated the schools and hospitals wherethese mass graves are located. We
therefore hold these institutions andtheir officers legally responsible and liable
for the deaths of thesechildren.
We have no confidence that the veryinstitutions of church and state that are
responsible for these deathscan conduct any kind of impartial or real
inquiry into them. Accordingly,as of April 15, 2008, we are establishing an
independent,non-governmental inquiry into the death and disappearance of
Indianresidential school children across Canada.
This inquiry shall be known as TheInternational Human Rights Tribunal into
Genocide in Canada (IHRTGC), andis established under the authority of the
following hereditary chiefs,who shall serve as presiding judges of theTribunal:
Hereditary Chief Kiapilano of theSquamish Nation
Chief Louis Daniels (Whispers Wind),Anishinabe Nation Chief Svnoyi Wohali
(Night Eagle), CherokeeNation
Lillian Shirt, Clan Mother, CreeNation
Elder Ernie Sandy, Anishinabe (Ojibway)Nation
Hereditary Chief Steve Sampson, ChemainusNation
Ambassador Chief Red Jacket of TurtleIsland
Today, we are releasing to this Tribunaland to the people of the world the
enclosed information on the locationof mass graves connected to Indian
residential schools and hospitals inorder to prevent the destruction of this crucial
evidence by the Canadiangovernment, the RCMP and the Anglican, Catholic and
United Church ofCanada.
We call upon indigenous people on theland where these graves are located to
monitor and protect these sitesvigilantly, and prevent their destruction by
occupational forces such asthe RCMP and other government agencies.
Our Tribunal will commence on April 15 bygathering all of the evidence,
including forensic remains, that isnecessary to charge and indict those
responsible for the deaths of thechildren buried therein.
Once these persons have been identifiedand detained, they will be tried and
sentenced in indigenous courts ofjustice established by our Tribunal and
under the authority of hereditarychiefs.
As a first step in this process, theIHRTGC will present this list of mass
graves along with a statement tothe United Nations in New York City on April
19, 2008. The IHRTGC will beasking the United Nations to declare these mass
graves to be protectedheritage sites, and will invite international human rights
observers tomonitor and assist its work.
Issued by the Elders and Judges of theIHRTGC
Interim Spokesperson: Eagle StrongVoice
Email:_genocidetribunal@..._
(
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/religious_genocide/post?postID=g8rPeRvRI...
ibPnsSKgN10fUUsk8syazKp_Q) pager:1-888-265-1007
IHRTGC Sponsors include The Friends andRelatives of the Disappeared, The
Truth Commission into Genocide inCanada, the Defensoria Indigenia of Guatemala,
Canadians for theSeparation of Church and State, and a confederation of
indigenous eldersacross Canada and Turtle Island.
..............................................................................
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Mass Graves at former Indian ResidentialSchools and Hospitals across Canada
A. BritishColumbia
1. Port Alberni: Presbyterian-UnitedChurch school (1895-1973), now
occupied by the Nuu-Chah-Nulth TribalCouncil (NTC) office, Kitskuksis Road . Grave
site is a series ofsinkhole rows in hills 100 metres due west of the NTC
building, in thickfoliage, past an unused water pipeline. Children also interred
atTseshaht reserve cemetery, and in wooded gully east of Catholic cemeteryon
River Road .
2. Alert Bay : St. Michael’s Anglicanschool (1878-1975), situated on
Cormorant Island offshore from PortMcNeill. Presently building is used by Namgis
First Nation. Site is anovergrown field adjacent to the building, and also
under the foundationsof the present new building, constructed during the 1960’s.
Skeletonsseen “between the walls”.
3. Kuper Island: Catholic school(1890-1975), offshore from Chemainus. Land
occupied by Penelakut Band.Former building is destroyed except for a
staircase. Two grave sites: oneimmediately south of the former building, in a field
containing aconventional cemetery; another at the west shoreline in a lagoon
near themain dock.
4. Nanaimo Indian Hospital: IndianAffairs and United Church experimental
facility (1942-1970) on Departmentof National Defense land. Buildings now
destroyed. Grave sites areimmediately east of former buildings on Fifth avenue ,
adjacent to andsouth of Malaspina College .
5. Mission: St. Mary’s Catholicschool (1861-1984), adjacent to and north of
Lougheed Highway and FraserRiver Heritage Park . Original school buildings
are destroyed, but manyfoundations are visible on the grounds of thePark.
In this area there are two grave sites:a) immediately adjacent to former
girls’ dormitory and present cemeteryfor priests, and a larger mass grave in an
artificial earthen mound,north of the cemetery among overgrown foliage and
blackberry bushes, andb) east of the old school grounds, on the hilly slopes
next to the fieldleading to the newer school building which is presently used
by theSto:lo First Nation. Hill site is 150 metres west ofbuilding.
6. North Vancouver: Squamish(1898-1959) and Sechelt (1912-1975) Catholic
schools, buildingsdestroyed. Graves of children who died in these schools
interred in theSquamish Band Cemetery , North Vancouver.
7. Sardis: CoqualeetzaMethodist-United Church school (1889-1940), then
experimental hospitalrun by federal government (1940-1969). Native burial site
next to Sto:loreserve and Little Mountain school, also possibly adjacent to
formerschool-hospital building.
8. Cranbrook: St. Eugene Catholicschool (1898-1970), recently converted into
a tourist “resort” withfederal funding, resulting in the covering-over of a
mass burial site bya golf course in front of the building. Numerous grave
sites are aroundand under this golf course.
9. Williams Lake : Catholic school(1890-1981), buildings destroyed but
foundations intact, five miles southof city. Grave sites reported north of school
grounds and underfoundations of tunnel-like structure.
10. Meares Island (Tofino):Kakawis-Christie Catholic school (1898-1974).
Buildings incorporated intoKakawis Healing Centre. Body storage room reported in
basement, adjacentto burial grounds south of school.
11. Kamloops : Catholic school(1890-1978). Buildings intact. Mass grave
south of school, adjacent toand amidst orchard. Numerous burials witnessedthere.
12. Lytton: St. George’s Anglicanschool (1901-1979). Graves of students
flogged to death, and others,reported under floorboards and next toplayground.
13. Fraser Lake : Lejac Catholic school(1910-1976), buildings destroyed.
Graves reported under old foundationsand between the walls.
Alberta:
1. Edmonton : United Church school(1919-1960), presently site of the
Poundmaker Lodge in St. Albert .Graves of children reported south of former school
site, under thickhedge that runs north-south, adjacent to memorialmarker.
2. Edmonton : Charles CamsellHospital (1945-1967), building intact,
experimental hospital run byIndian Affairs and United Church . Mass graves of
children from hospitalreported south of building, near staffgarden.
3. Saddle Lake : Bluequills Catholicschool (1898-1970), building intact,
skeletons and skulls observed inbasement furnace. Mass grave reported adjacent
toschool.
4. Hobbema: Ermineskin Catholicschool (1916-1973), five intact skeletons
observed in school furnace.Graves under former buildingfoundations.
Manitoba:
1. Brandon : Methodist-United Churchschool (1895-1972). Building intact.
Burials reported west of schoolbuilding.
2. Portage La Prairie:Presbyterian-United Church school (1895-1950).
Children buried at nearbyHillside Cemetery .
3. Norway House: Methodist-UnitedChurch school (1900-1974). “Very old”
grave site next to former schoolbuilding, demolished by United Church in2004.
Ontario:
1. Thunder Bay : Lakehead PsychiatricHospital , still in operation.
Experimental centre. Women and childrenreported buried adjacent to hospitalgrounds.
2. Sioux Lookout: Pelican LakeCatholic school (1911-1973). Burials of
children in mound near toschool.
3. Kenora: Cecilia Jeffrey school,Presbyterian-United Church (1900-1966).
Large burial mound east of formerschool.
4. Fort Albany : St. Anne’s Catholicschool (1936-1964). Children killed in
electric chair buried next toschool.
5. Spanish: Catholic school (1883-1965).Numerous graves.
6. Brantford : Mohawk Institute,Anglican church (1850-1969), building
intact. Series of graves in orchardbehind school building, under rows oftrees.
7. Sault Ste. Marie: ShingwaukAnglican school (1873-1969), some intact
buildings. Several graves ofchildren reported on grounds of oldschool.
Quebec:
1. Montreal : Allan MemorialInstitute, McGill University , still in
operation since opening in 1940.MKULTRA experimental centre. Mass grave of children
killed there north ofbuilding, on southern slopes of Mount Royal behind
stonewall.
Sources:
- Eyewitness accounts from survivors ofthese institutions, catalogued in
Hidden from History: The CanadianHolocaust (2nd ed., 2005) by Kevin Annett.
Other accounts arefrom local residents. See_www.hiddenfromhistory.org_
(
http://www.hiddenfromhistory.org/) .
- Documents and other material from theDepartment of Indian Affairs RG 10
microfilm series on Indian ResidentialSchools in Koerner Library, University
ofB.C.
- Survey data and physical evidenceobtained from grave sites in Port Alberni
, Mission , and otherlocations.
This is a partial list and does notinclude all of the grave sites connected
to Indian residential Schoolsand hospitals across Canada. In many cases,
children who were dying ofdiseases were sent home to die by school and church
officials, and theremains of other children who died at the school were
incinerated in theresidential school furnaces.
This information is submitted by TheFriends and Relatives of the Disappeared
(FRD) to the world media, theUnited Nations, and to the International Human
Rights Tribunal intoGenocide in Canada (IHRTGC). The IHRTGC will commence its
investigationson April 15, 2008 on Squamish Nationterritory.
For more information on the independentinquiry into genocide in Canada being
conducted by the IHRTGC, writeto: _genocidetribunal@..._
(
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/religious_genocide/post?postID=IAA-6aApZ...
-_mUupDKYDHItqweS4eG2Zb2qNYfs9Glve46aAoyo4Gw2jyQ4P2oQ)
10 April,2008
Squamish Nation Territory (“ Vancouver ,Canada ”)
Jim Rivera
The Institute of American Indian Arts
Scholarship & Retention Coordinator
83 Avan Nu Po Road
Santa Fe, NM 87508
Wk 505 424-2345
Fax 505 424-4900
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