Six Nations protesters dig for Caledonia burial ground

CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news
Last updated Tue, 20 Jun 2006 11:54:15 EDT

[SISIS note: The following mainstream news article is provided for reference only, as an example of how mainstream media treats indigenous resistance to genocide. Mainstream media often presents biased and distorted information, lacking pertinent facts and/or context. Inclusion of this article on our site should not be considered an endorsement by SISIS.]

Six Nations protesters are digging at the site of a disputed land claim in Caledonia in search of an ancient burial ground.

Initial reports indicated the protesters occupying the construction site near Hamilton might be building a bunker.

Buddy Martin, a man who identified himself as a co-ordinator of the project to the Hamilton Spectator, refused to provide details, except to say they are excavating the site in hopes of finding thousands of bodies they believe to be there. He stressed the digging was not for militant purposes.

A survey done earlier for the developers, Henco Industries, found fragments of aboriginal artifacts, but no evidence of a burial ground.

Protesters have maintained the property is part of a land grant dating from 1784, but provincial and federal governments insist the land in question was surrendered in 1841.

Land purchased from developer

Last week, the Ontario government bought the land occupied by native protesters from Henco.

The province announced the purchase during a court hearing called to discuss why police have not removed aboriginal protesters from the Douglas Creek Estates construction site.

On the same day, the government increased aid to compensate Caledonia-area businesses hurt by road blockades to about $1.7 million.

Protesters have been occupying the housing development since Feb. 28.

Alleged attacker appears in court

Meanwhile, a woman facing charges of intimidation and robbery in connection with the swarming of an elderly couple's vehicle on June 9 made a brief appearance in bail court Monday in Cayuga, Ont.

Audra Ann Taillefer, 45, of Victoria, B.C., is one of seven people wanted on warrant after a series of clashes at the land-claims standoff. Her hearing was postponed to an unspecified date.

Police are still searching for the six others in connection with a series of violent incidents near the native barricade on June 9.