Kahnawake Mohawks Protest Olympic Torch

Torch Relay protest Kahnawake Olympic organizers reach deal with Mohawks to drop RCMP escort for torch relay

By Peter Rakobowchuk, THE CANADIAN PRESS, Tuesday, December 8, 2009 http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories_national.php?id=229545

KAHNAWAKE, Que. - The Vancouver Olympic organizing committee agreed to drop the usual RCMP escort for the Olympic flame as it passed through a Mohawk reserve Tuesday in what turned out to be a joyous celebration. Games organizers made the concession after a flurry of negotiations with community members who were upset by the prospect of a non-aboriginal police force patrolling their territory. The agreement allowed the flame to pass through a community that played a role in the Oka crisis, a tense summer-long standoff between aboriginals and police in 1990. Schoolchildren waved paper torches and 500 people cheered from the sidelines Tuesday during the celebration in Kahnawake, a community south of Montreal. The torch was carried by Olympic medallist Alwyn Morris, a local hero who won gold and bronze medals in canoeing at the Los Angeles Olympics. "What a great thing to rekindle the (Olympic) spirit in the community and give some hope and dreams to some very young people here who may want to follow in those footsteps," Morris said. The compromise sent a signal that organizers are serious about aboriginal communities playing a role in the Olympics, as the other options would have been to bully forward with the RCMP or cancel Tuesday’s visit altogether. But the fact that organizers did give in to concerns could also send a signal to other groups that the mere mention of trouble could be enough to scare the relay away. A cloud of controversy hung over the flame as Morris carried it along one of the main streets. In addition to jubilant crowds, there were several protestors holding huge banners protesting the event Tuesday. Grand Chief Mike Delisle Jr. noted that the Mohawks have had "a long, storied, sometimes troubled history" with the Mounties. "They’ve raided our community in the past for what is considered illegal and contraband tobacco," he said. John Furlong, head of the Vancouver Games organizing committee, explained that the festivities were not considered an official relay event, which allowed the security protocol to be changed. "It wasn’t frankly really a leg of the relay in the traditional sense," he told reporters in Vancouver. "What we did was we found a way to sort of break away from the relay for a bit of time so we could bring a torch in there and share it with the kids and families. "It was a good day, it was a situation that needed a solution that was going to work and we got one." The flame’s visit to Kahnawake was originally supposed to be an official stop on the relay, one of more than 1,000 carefully choreographed moments along the 106-day event. The decision to divert from the original plans was a significant one for the organizing committee which, along with governments, has spent millions trying to get aboriginal communities onside for the Games. Torch relay sponsor RBC, wise to the fact that protest from aboriginal communities was a potential threat to the relay, also hired former Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine to work with communities along the route. He did not return a call for comment but, according to one of the groups involved in the negotiations for Kahnawake, was not involved in the issue. Delisle said he had worried the latest controversy might have "put a bit of a damper" on Tuesday’s event as the torch made its way through his community. "But, by the faces of the kids today, I doubt it," he added. "There’s been a lot of angst and consternation over the past two weeks or so. I think cooler heads prevailed," he said. "It was a show of respect and a sign of recognition in terms of the RCMP backing away (and) the Olympic committee acknowledging the fact that we have a peacekeeper authority here." The head of the Mohawk band council called the flame "a beacon of hope." "That’s what the flame is supposed to represent - brotherhood and peace. Peace is part of our foundation and part of our founding principles." A handful of locals did stage a demonstration and carried large white banners that declared the Olympic torch was not welcome in Kahnawake or any native community. "We don’t support the torch coming through Kahnawake because of the land that’s being destroyed in B.C. (for the Olympics)," Cheryl Diabo said in an interview. "We support our native sisters and brothers who stood in line in our defence in 1990 during the crisis that we faced, and it’s only natural that we do the same. "We don’t support the destruction of any land anywhere." Diabo is a member of the community’s Mohawk traditional council. One of the banners that was stretched out beside her read: "Remove the Poison, Remove the Torch." In the coming weeks, the torch is expected to pass through both Six Nations and Tyendinaga, two areas where violent confrontations have happened in recent years between residents and police. Groups in both communities have committed to protesting the torch, though Furlong said he didn’t expect another compromise was going to be required. "We’re not anticipating that it will, but the goal is . . . to try and find ways to make it all work and there’s a lot of very happy young kids today because we did it," he said. "We’ve very happy because that’s the vision, to try and make sure we live up to our commitments and our promises." (With files from Stephanie Levitz) Olympic torch cheered in Mohawk community Handful of natives protest CBC News/Canadian Press, Tuesday, December 8, 2009 http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2009/12/08/cp-torch-kahnawake.ht... Hundreds lined the streets of Kahnawake as Olympic gold medallist Alwyn Morris carried the torch after it was carefully lit from a small lantern. Morris, a local hero, won gold and bronze medals for canoeing at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. "What a great thing to rekindle the [Olympic] spirit in the community and give some hope and dreams to some very young people here who may want to follow in those footsteps," he said. Morris told reporters the Mohawk community is widely misunderstood and suffers under "some very unappealing stereotypes." "I represented Canada at those Olympic Games; it didn't take away anything away from Canada. I'm also a Mohawk and that's not something to be afraid of," he said. "This is something about bringing people together, not separating people." While about 500 people cheered from the sidelines during the flame's noon-hour appearance, the event was not free of controversy. The RCMP was not welcome on the territory and, after negotiations, the torch was escorted by a group of native peacekeepers. A handful of natives staged a demonstration and carried large white banners that declared the Olympic torch was not welcome in Kahnawake. One of the banners read: "Remove the Poison, Remove the Torch." Grand Chief Mike Delisle Jr. noted that the Mohawks have had "a long, storied, sometimes troubled history" with the Mounties. "They've raided our community in the past for what is considered illegal and contraband tobacco," he said. Delisle admitted the tension might have "put a bit of a damper" on the torch celebration in the community. "But, by the faces of the kids today, I doubt it," he added. The band council head called the flame "a beacon of hope." "That's what the flame is supposed to represent — brotherhood and peace," he said. "Peace is part of our foundation and part of our founding principles." Wa'tkwanonhwera:ton/Greetings! December 8, 2009 RE: NOTICE: Stuart Myiow, Wolf Clan Representative, Mohawk Traditional Council Currently in Custody Stuart Myiow, Wolf Clan Representative, Mohawk Traditional Council, under the authority of the Women was detained by the alleged "Peace Keepers" here in Kahnawake this afternoon during a peaceful demonstration in opposition to the Olympic Torch Relay in support of our Native sisters and brothers in BC and in defence of our Mother Earth. Stuart is currently in custody at the Kahnawake "Peace Keeper" station. Please forward this to those who support BC Native in their struggle to protect the wild life habitat. We welcome your support to ensure justice prevails. -- Skennenhkó:wa/In Peace and Friendship, (Kahawinon:tie, Wakskarewake) Cheryl Diabo, Bear Clan Mohawk Traditional Council Kahnawake Mohawk Territory Tel.: 450.635.3136 "Without your voice you're next to nothing!" ~A wise young Tyendinegan