Methane dispute reignites in B.C.
August 22, 2007
A group of protesters, including members of the Tahltan and Iskut Indian bands, blocked a road in northwestern British Columbia yesterday, preventing Royal Dutch Shell PLC crews from heading into a contested region to do road repair work and reigniting a debate over coal bed methane exploration in the area.
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Opponents says coal bed methane projects could pollute surface and ground water, threaten fish and wildlife habitat, and disrupt a remote wilderness landscape. Coal bed methane is natural gas found in coal seams. B.C. currently does not have any coal bed methane production, but the province has voiced support for coal bed gas development.
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In 2005, 13 people were arrested at a blockade at the same site that targeted Fortune Minerals Ltd., an Ontario-based company that has a coal project in the region.
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Anti-Canada Day in Vancouver
INDIGENOUS DAY OF ACTION AND RESISTANCE
On July 1st 2007, over 200 Indigenous women, children, Elders and men (and non-native supporters) took the streets and the train tracks on a march and blockade to mark their resistance to Canada as an oppressive force against their people. The march began at Grandview Park and proceeded down Commercial Drive to Venables Street where the CN rail lines were occupied and blocked for over an hour.
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Guelph, Ontario: In support of sabotage, not the AFN
[Contributed anonymously to news.infoshop.org]
June 29th: Today a rail blockade was set up in Guelph Ontario, but it failed. This was due to a number of complications, either way no trains were stopped.
Nevertheless, this is the kind of disruption that we strive to create every day, regardless of whether it has been called for by sellout collaborators, individuals or simply for our own joy.
We want to make it clear that we do not support the AFN; the ends that they seek through bargaining with the government, that is responsible for the systematic oppression and exploitation of Native people, our land base, and pretty much every living thing existing on the remainder of this planet.
It is important to act at every opportunity we get to build momentum and community, in order to challenge the powers of the State and Capitalism that are incessantly assaulting our lives.
We do not act on simplistic calls to action (for action’s sake), but use these chances to coordinate our efforts and add to the momentum we are building with others, acting together on our desires to redefine the conditions under which we live. We do this for ourselves and our allies, not for the disempowering political aims of the AFN.
It inspires us to see communities and individuals comming together, employing direct action tactics in a coordinated day of disruption, and acknowledge that inaction is to abandon our allies in today’s actions. Unlike the AFN, we support all acts of sabotage that were created today and continue to inspire us in our own battles.
To the barricades and into the night friends!