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I hope it is okay to post this here...I didnt know where else to put it...but I figured many would want to know of this.


Breaking News:
Location of Mass Graves of Residential School Children Revealed for the 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 the colonial "Indian Affairs" building in downtown Vancouver, the Friends and Relatives of the Disappeared (FRD) released a list of twenty eight mass graves across Canada holding the remains of untold numbers of aboriginal children who died in Indian Residential Schools.

The list was distributed today to the world media and to United Nations agencies, as the first act of the newly-formed International Human Rights Tribunal into Genocide in Canada (IHRTGC), a non-governmental body established by indigenous elders.

In a statement read by FRD spokesperson Eagle Strong Voice, it was declared that the IHRTGC would commence its investigations on April 15, 2008, the fourth Annual Aboriginal Holocaust Memorial Day.

This inquiry will involve international human rights observers from Guatemala and Cyprus , and will convene aboriginal courts of
justice where those persons and institutions responsible for the death and suffering of residential school children will be tried and
sentenced.

(The complete Statement and List of Mass Graves is reproduced below).

Eagle Strong Voice and IHRTGC elders will present the Mass Graves List at the United Nations on April 19, and will ask United Nations agencies to protect and monitor the mass graves as part of a genuine inquiry and judicial prosecution of those responsible for this Canadian Genocide.

Eyewitness Sylvester Greene spoke to the media at today's event, and described how he helped bury a young Inuit boy at the
United Church's Edmonton residential school in 1953.

"We were told never to tell anyone by Jim Ludford, the Principal, who got me and three other boys to bury him. But a lot more kids got buried all the time in that big grave next to the school."

For more information: www. hiddenfromhistory. org, or write to the IHRTGC at: genocidetribunal@yahoo.ca

Issued on Squamish Territory , 10 April, 2008, under the authority of Hereditary Chief Kiapilano.

Press Statement: April 10, 2008

Mass Graves of Residential School Children Identified – Independent Inquiry Launched

We are gathered today to publicly disclose the location of twenty eight mass graves of children who died in Indian Residential Schools across Canada , and to announce the formation of an independent, non-governmental inquiry into the death and disappearance of children in these schools.

We estimate that there are hundreds, and possibly 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 where these mass graves are located.

We therefore hold these institutions and their officers legally responsible and liable for the deaths of these children.

We have no confidence that the very institutions of church and state that are responsible for these deaths can 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 Indian residential school children across Canada .

This inquiry shall be known as The International Human Rights Tribunal into Genocide in Canada (IHRTGC), and is established under the authority of the following hereditary chiefs, who shall serve as presiding judges of the Tribunal:

Hereditary Chief Kiapilano of the Squamish Nation
Chief Louis Daniels (Whispers Wind), Anishinabe
Nation Chief Svnoyi Wohali (Night Eagle),
Cherokee Nation
Lillian Shirt, Clan Mother, Cree Nation
Elder Ernie Sandy, Anishinabe (Ojibway) Nation
Hereditary Chief Steve Sampson, Chemainus Nation
Ambassador Chief Red Jacket of Turtle Island

Today, we are releasing to this Tribunal and to the people of the world the enclosed information on the location of mass graves connected to Indian residential schools and hospitals in order to prevent the destruction of this crucial evidence by the Canadian government, the RCMP and the Anglican, Catholic and United Church of Canada.

We call upon indigenous people on the land where these graves are located to monitor and protect these sites vigilantly, and prevent their destruction by occupational forces such as the RCMP and other government agencies.

Our Tribunal will commence on April 15 by gathering all of the evidence, including forensic remains, that is necessary to charge and indict those responsible for the deaths of the children buried therein.

Once these persons have been identified and detained, they will be tried and sentenced in indigenous courts of justice established by our Tribunal and under the authority of hereditary chiefs.

As a first step in this process, the IHRTGC will present this list of mass graves along with a statement to the United Nations in New York City on April 19, 2008.

The IHRTGC will be asking the United Nations to declare these mass graves to be protected heritage sites, and will invite
international human rights observers to monitor and assist its work.

Issued by the Elders and Judges of the IHRTGC
Interim Spokesperson: Eagle Strong Voice
Email: genocidetribunal@yahoo.ca pager:
1-888-265-1007

IHRTGC Sponsors include The Friends and Relatives of the Disappeared, The Truth Commission into Genocide in Canada, the Defensoria Indigenia of Guatemala, Canadians for the Separation of Church and State, and a confederation of indigenous elders across Canada and Turtle Island.


Mass Graves at former Indian Residential
Schools and Hospitals across Canada

A. British Columbia

1. Port Alberni: Presbyterian-United Church school (1895-1973), now occupied by the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council (NTC) office, Kitskuksis Road .
Grave site is a series of sinkhole rows in hills 100 metres due west of the NTC building, in thick foliage, past an unused
water pipeline. Children also interred at Tseshaht reserve cemetery, and in wooded gully east of Catholic cemetery on River Road .

2. Alert Bay : St. Michael's Anglican school (1878-1975), situated on Cormorant Island offshore from Port McNeill.
Presently building is used by Namgis First Nation.
Site is an overgrown field adjacent to the building, and also under the foundations of the present new building, constructed during the 1960's.
Skeletons seen "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: one immediately south of the former building, in a field containing a conventional cemetery; another at the west shoreline in a lagoon near the main dock.

4. Nanaimo Indian Hospital: Indian Affairs and United Church experimental facility (1942-1970) on Department of National
Defense land. Buildings now destroyed.
Grave sites are immediately east of former buildings on Fifth avenue , adjacent to and south of Malaspina College .

5. Mission: St. Mary's Catholic school (1861-1984), adjacent to and north of Lougheed Highway and Fraser River Heritage
Park .
Original school buildings are destroyed, but many foundations are visible on the grounds of the Park.
In this area there are two grave sites: a) immediately adjacent to former girls' dormitory and present cemetery for priests,
and a larger mass grave in an artificial earthen mound, north of the cemetery among overgrown foliage and blackberry bushes, and b) east of the old school grounds, on the hilly slopes next to the field leading to the newer school building which is presently used by the Sto:lo First Nation.
Hill site is 150 metres west of building.

6. North Vancouver: Squamish (1898-1959) and Sechelt (1912-1975) Catholic schools, buildings destroyed.
Graves of children who died in these schools interred in the Squamish Band Cemetery , North Vancouver .

7. Sardis: Coqualeetza Methodist-United Church school (1889-1940), then experimental hospital run by federal government (1940-1969).
Native burial site next to Sto:lo reserve and Little Mountain school, also possibly adjacent to former school-hospital building.

8. Cranbrook: St. Eugene Catholic school (1898-1970), recently converted into a tourist "resort??? with federal funding, resulting in the covering-over of a mass burial site by a golf course in front of the building.
Numerous grave sites are around and under this golf course.

9. Williams Lake : Catholic school (1890-1981), buildings destroyed but foundations intact, five miles south of city.
Grave sites reported north of school grounds and under foundations of tunnel-like structure.

10. Meares Island (Tofino): Kakawis-Christie Catholic school (1898-1974).
Buildings incorporated into Kakawis Healing Centre.
Body storage room reported in basement, adjacent to burial grounds south of school.

11. Kamloops : Catholic school (1890-1978).
Buildings intact.
Mass grave south of school, adjacent to and amidst orchard.
Numerous burials witnessed there.

12. Lytton: St. George's Anglican school (1901-1979).
Graves of students flogged to death, and others, reported under floorboards and next to playground.

13. Fraser Lake : Lejac Catholic school (1910-1976), buildings destroyed.
Graves reported under old foundations and 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 thick hedge that runs north-south, adjacent to memorial marker.

2. Edmonton : Charles Camsell Hospital (1945-1967), building intact, experimental hospital run by Indian Affairs and United
Church .
Mass graves of children from hospital reported south of building, near staff garden.

3. Saddle Lake : Bluequills Catholic school (1898-1970), building intact, skeletons and skulls observed in basement furnace.
Mass grave reported adjacent to school.

4. Hobbema: Ermineskin Catholic school (1916-1973), five intact skeletons observed in school furnace.
Graves under former building foundations.

Manitoba:

1. Brandon : Methodist-United Church school (1895-1972). Building intact.
Burials reported west of school building.

2. Portage La Prairie: Presbyterian- United Church school (1895-1950).
Children buried at nearby Hillside Cemetery .

3. Norway House: Methodist-United Church school (1900-1974).
"Very old??? grave site next to former school building, demolished by United Church in 2004.

Ontario:

1. Thunder Bay : Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital , still in operation.
Experimental centre.
Women and children reported buried adjacent to hospital grounds.

2. Sioux Lookout: Pelican Lake Catholic school (1911-1973).
Burials of children in mound near to school.

3. Kenora: Cecilia Jeffrey school, Presbyterian-United Church (1900-1966).
Large burial mound east of former school.

4. Fort Albany : St. Anne's Catholic school (1936-1964).
Children killed in electric chair buried next to school.

5. Spanish: Catholic school (1883-1965).
Numerous graves.

6. Brantford : Mohawk Institute, Anglican church (1850-1969), building intact.
Series of graves in orchard behind school building, under rows of trees.

7. Sault Ste. Marie: Shingwauk Anglican school (1873-1969), some intact buildings.
Several graves of children reported on grounds of old school.

Quebec:

1. Montreal : Allan Memorial Institute, McGill University , still in operation since opening in 1940. MKULTRA experimental centre.
Mass grave of children killed there north of building, on southern slopes of Mount Royal behind stone wall.

Sources: - Eyewitness accounts from survivors of these institutions, catalogued in Hidden from History: The Canadian Holocaust (2nd ed., 2005) by Kevin Annett.

Other accounts are from local residents.

See www. hiddenfromhistory. org . - Documents and other material from the Department of Indian Affairs RG 10 microfilm
series on Indian Residential Schools in Koerner Library, University of B.C. - Survey data and physical evidence obtained
from grave sites in Port Alberni , Mission , and other locations.

This is a partial list and does not include all of the grave sites connected to Indian residential Schools and hospitals across
Canada.
In many cases, children who were dying of diseases were sent home to die by school and church officials, and the remains
of other children who died at the school were incinerated in the residential school furnaces.

This information is submitted by The Friends and Relatives of the Disappeared (FRD) to the world media, the United Nations, and to the International Human Rights Tribunal into Genocide in Canada (IHRTGC).

The IHRTGC will commence its investigations on April 15, 2008 on Squamish Nation territory.

For more information on the independent inquiry into genocide in Canada being conducted by the IHRTGC, write to:
genocidetribunal@yahoo.ca  10 April, 2008 Squamish Nation Territory (" Vancouver , Canada ???)

Posted by Mohawk Nation News
www. mohawknationnews. com

Just an FYI:
Eagle Strong Voice = Kevin Annett, a whgite former monister who has exploited the residential school abuses in Canada for his own glory and gain. However, having said that, the rest of the info is valid. Just be weary of anything Annett puts out.

What a sick thing to do :( ...dang i cried reading this info...how could anyone use this info for their own glory :( All that comes to mind right now is a room...him...and many angry native people who are suffering right now.

Ok folks some of us have been going at this streight for the last three days to get word out and now its on the mainstream NA news channels we are getting bounce back on it.
While i cannot and will not dispute the comments made about Arnett,this is a legitimate challange to the UK(who installed the res boarding school system in Canada) and the Churches.
WE,want to know what happened to our children and we want their remains to be treated with the dignity and respect they should be.Now is not a time for going off at a tangent to discuss Arnett,OUR Heireditary cheifs are in charge of this one now not Arnett!.
If you want to help lobby your senators,MPs the media and ask them why they hell they are not picking this up,harrass the media get them to look into it at least.Other than that let us do our jobs and lets not reduce this to a discussion about the former Priest Kevin Arnett.Please.

QuoteIf you want to help lobby your senators,MPs the media and ask them why they hell they are not picking this up,harrass the media get them to look into it at least.Other than that let us do our jobs and lets not reduce this to a discussion about the former Priest Kevin Arnett.Please.

Im spreading this as far as possible...and I hope others will also....this is such a terrible thing :( Something must be done.

I appreciate your words zoi...thank you.

With respect,

Tsissy

That is why I included this:

QuoteHowever, having said that, the rest of the info is valid

I WANT people to spread the news. And try and get info from the many sources that are out there. Annett is a pig, but many people suffered horribly in Canada and there needs to be a reckoning. A truth telling. An aknowledgement of wrong doing. Nothing can ever make it right, but maybe there can be healing.

Tansi;

While I notice that they say that there are more, which to my knowledge there are, I also noted that there are no identified sites in Saskatchewan.

The govt has recently stated that there will be a "Truth and Reconciliation" type of system put in place, but we have yet to see anything on this.

Some of my friends, who survived the residential schools, have attempted to educate about the atrocities of these institutions, through art.  The survivors survived, in whatever way they could.  My own family will not speak about personal experiences, there, but described many horrors.

We can only hope for the Truth to come out while Praying for those people who were forced to attend.

Ric

Thanks everyone your unity,strength and focus is welcome,plus I speak as some one who was ammongst the last intake of that system in the USA,we are just scratching the surface of this thing so far.The Nations are waking up to the thousands of LIVING kids who were forcably removed from their parents and peoples and placed for interacial adoption AFTER the indoctrination of the res schools was such a failiure.We want those kids back safe and unharmed.

I dont even know what to say anymore...this is just so very sad...I cant even imagine what the family members of those who lost their lives must be going through...so many injustices :(

Tsissy

....grieving not just the 'family members' who lost a child to this holocaust, but estimate, if you can, the millions of Indians who were never born, because these children were not allowed to grow and live and have 7 generations of their own. The States are guilty too - don't forget Carlisle, PA.....

i saw on tv, there are police dogs trained to uncover "cadavers" buried underground,  and the age of internment does present a problem. i would love for one of these dogs to visit the Shubie residential school site where my Mom was sent!