More Unmarked Graves Discovered in BC The ʔaq̓am press release reads in part, "Last year while conducting some remedial work around the ʔaq̓am Cemetery (near the former St. Eugene institution), an unfortunate incident occurred whereby an unknown and unmarked grave was found. In order to ensure no other graves were disturbed, ʔaq̓am Leadership, in consultation with Elders and Knowledge Keepers, made the decision to employ a ground penetrating radar system to identify additional unmarked graves. This was a deeply disturbing and painful experience for our Elders and community as a whole. Ktunaxa cultural protocols were strictly followed by ʔaq̓am community members who participated in the process as well as the contractor who operated the ground penetrating radar system. Preliminary results from the investigation found 182 unmarked graves within the cemetery grounds, with some being only three to four feet deep." The press release continues, "The community of ʔaq̓am remains steadfast in its responsibility as caretakers of the ʔaq̓am Cemetery and to those who eternally rest within. Further ground penetrating radar work will be done on the site and ʔaq̓am is committed to working with external parties to identify as many graves as possible and to memorialize all unknown graves with stone markers to ensure that no soul is truly forgotten. The issue of the remains of children victimized in residential schools and buried in unmarked graves is of great concern." "You can never fully prepare for something like this," said Chief Jason Louie of the Yaqan Nukiy -- Lower Kootenay Band, a member community of the Ktunaxa Nation. Chief Louie said the nation's leadership met with residential school survivors in the community before announcing the discovery and referred them to support. "It's very difficult," he said. "It was very impactful when we got the news of the 215 souls that were located in Kamloops. And now it's very, very personal." "We were robbed of future elders," Chief Louie said. "Those children, if they had not passed away, could have been elders and teachers in our communities, the keepers of knowledge. It's devastating." Details of the St. Eugene (or Kootenay) residential school are located on the website of the Indian Residential School History & Dialogue Centre. The website recounts recurring outbreaks of influenza, mumps, measles, chicken pox, and tuberculosis. According to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, an estimated 5,000 children passed through the St. Eugene institution. The colonial authorities forced children to leave their nations and communities located throughout the Kootenay region and beyond. The Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) expresses its deepest sympathies to the ʔaq̓am band of the Ktunaxa Nation, the entire nation and all others in the affected communities. The Party expresses deepest condolences to all those whose children were stolen never to return home as a result of the genocidal assimilationist policy of the government of Canada which considered the Indigenous peoples non-persons, outside the law, and thus deprived them of their names, families, traditional thought material and right to be. To this day under the colonial Indian Act, Indigenous affairs are decided by the Crown and Indigenous peoples are under constant assault, at the mercy of police powers exercised from the Prime Minister on down to the lowliest police agent, prison guard and social worker bound by the mandates they are given from above based on racist criteria while the conditions governments permit on the reserves and as concerns health care, education, child welfare and housing are the indictment of the excuses, apologies and justifications governments present. Canadians will not rest until each child or adult found in an unmarked grave is named and returned to their families without which there can be no closure. The government must take responsibility to see that justice is done for these crimes committed against the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island, justice as determined by the peoples themselves. Support is available for anyone affected by their experience at residential schools, and those who are triggered by these reports. A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for residential school survivors and others affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
This article was published in Article Link:   Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca |
