Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

August 13, 2010

IEN: Fort McMurray Healing Walk and Climate Camp UK


Healing Walk, Fort McMurray, Aug. 14, 2010
http://www.ienearth.org/
On Saturday, August 14th the Keepers of the Athabasca, a network of First Nation, Metis and settler community members along the Athabasca river will host a ‘healing walk’ through the tar sands. Local First Nation and Metis elders from communities directly affected by tar sands operations are leading the walk and will be joined by other local residents and hundreds of supporters for the 3-4 hour walk along HWY 63 winding through the long road that passes the tar sands operations exposing the dark clouds of emissions and the vast toxic tailing ponds. The walk will be interspersed with speakers and filled with ceremony as local First Nation elders will offer prayers to help heal the earth.
Who: First Nation and Metis elders, spiritual leaders and residents from communities directly affected by tar sands operations, local residents, and allies from Western Canada.
Where: Fort McMurray, Alberta. Starting with a sunrise ceremony at Lion’s Park on Tolen Drive.
When: 8:00 am, Sunrise Ceremony. Walk to begin at 10:00 am with feast to follow.
Why: Because Mother Earth needs our help in the protection and healing of the land and water. Indigenous people are caretakers of the earth and we need to work together for the health and safety for the next generations. Others are welcome to join as we walk through the tar sands area and give strength and prayer to the earth and the people who have felt the devastation of tar sands development.
For more information please contact:
George Poitras - 780 264 1269
Cleo Reece - 780 381 8799
Camp for Climate Action
The Indigenous Environmental Network sending two delegates to the UK Climate Camp for Action 2010, titled “Break the bank”. Climate Camp 2009 was a catalyst event IEN participated in last year, which resulted in a massive surge of anti tar sands work in the UK led by
Indigenous front line communities.
At this year’s climate camp our delegates will be:
Jasmine Thomas is a member of the frog clan from Saik’uz, which is a part of the Carrier Nation. She has inherited the ancient practice of traditional medicines from her late great-grandmother, Sophie Thomas. She is completing her Environmental Planning degree at the University of Northern British Columbia. She also participated in the Bolivia Climate Convergence that took place in Cochabamba to speak on issues related to the destructive tar sand developments and the Enbridge Pipeline Project that proposes to cross her traditional territories. Jasmine believes that the most power lies at the grassroots level and advocates on behalf of the Defenders of the Land and fully supports the efforts on behalf of the Indigenous Environmental Network.
Riannon Ball is a member of the crow clan from the Tahltan Nation. She inherited her Tahltan name Cowunshowit from her Grandma, which means “the time when the leaves turn yellow”. She recently graduated from UNBC with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Geomorphology. Riannon has grown up in the Stikine Headwaters and this has shaped and influenced her career and academic goals and she is currently preparing to write the LSAT to pursue Environmental Law. She has been involved with the Defenders of the Land initiatives, as well as committing to her nation’s Tahltan Land Stewardship Committee.
Both of these women have been a part of IEN initiatives and are prepared to go to Scotland, UK to work with our UK based allies Platform Climate Camp for Action, Rising Tide UK and our own IEN funded UK Tar Sands Network.



No comments: