Blackbear

FROM: CANADA NEWS WIRE TELBEC WEBSITE
_http://www.cnw.ca/en/releases/archive/December2005/22/c3240.html_
(http://www.cnw.ca/en/releases/archiv.../22/c3240.html)
Attention News Editors:
Police Brutality : Algonquins file a complaint against SQ policemen
WINNEWAY, Dec. 22 /CNW Telbec/ - Nathalie Mathias and her 14 years old

daughter Cassandra, two Algonquins from Winneway, have been brutally arrested,

a totally unjustified action as they were taking part in a pacific protest.

Mrs Mathias will file a complaint with the Police Ethics Commissioner against

one or many Sûreté du Québec policemen. "They have use a strength which was

unnecessary and have deliberately hurt my daughter," says Mrs Mathias.
The event took place last December 13 as Mrs Mathias and her daughter

were pacifically protesting with less than ten other Algonquins against

Domtar's forest cutting on their ancestral land. About 15 policemen in ten

police cars rapidly arrived on the scene escorting each of the Domtar

transport trucks. After a while, Mrs Mathias has left the scene with her

daughter and a girl friend of hers to get back to her family in the community.

It is then that she fell in an ambush set by the SQ policemen. Six policemen

surrounded her car and forced her to step out. One of the policemen grabbed

her daughter by the neck with an unnecessary force. She afterwards was victim

of a traumatic shock and suffered for many days from a sore throat. The only

arrest motive the policemen have found is mischief, without giving any more

precision.
Brought by force, Mrs Mathias has afterwards been compelled to wait more

than two hours in the back seat of one of the SQ's cars. "They wanted to

humiliate me in front of my daughter and other members of my community,"

complains Nathalie Mathias. She has been brought to the Rouyn-Noranda police

station where she spent the night. The day after, she was brought before a

judge who let her go with a promise to appear on January 19th 2006.



The SQ plays cowboys



This event, which is not the first one of this kind in this area, worries

at the highest point the Algonquin communities leaders who try by different

means to protect their ancestral rights against forestry operations. Long

Point First Nation (Winneway) Chief Steeve Mathias and Lac- Simon Anishnabe

Council Chief Daniel Pien both condemn the abuse of power of the SQ

constables. "The SQ plays cowboys with us. One would come to believe we are in

a bad western movie", complains Chief Mathias. On his behalf, Chief Daniel

Pien is wondering if the Quebec government is aware of the gravity of the

situation: "Does the government really think confrontation will solve the

problem?" he asks.
The government's nonchalance and a total lack of respect is directly

responsible of this unjustified arrest. Chiefs Mathias and Pien remind that

the Algonquins have ancestral rights and an aboriginal title on a vast

Abitibi-Temiscamingue territory "Quebec government and Domtar continue each

day to infringe our rights and to encroach illegally on our lands," says

Steeve Mathias. "It is urgent that the government assumes its responsibilities

and accepts to negotiate," claims Chief Pien.
The Algonquin Chiefs are determined to have their legal rights on their

land recognised and invite the Quebec government to negotiate in good faith in

order to avoid other disgraceful scenes.





For further information: Steeve Mathias Chief Long Point First Nation

(819) 629-7455; Daniel Pien Chief Conseil de la Nation Anishnabe du Lac-Simon

(819) 856-6581

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