Native Protesters Equated To Terrorists
Monday, April 02, 2007 at 16:30
Aboriginal leaders are up in arms over a draft of a Department of National Defence counter-insurgency manual listing international terrorist threats.
According to copy of the draft obtained by the Globe and Mail, “radical Native American Organizations” are mentioned in a list of insurgent groups that includes terrorist organizations.
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine says simply being referenced in a document like this compromises the freedom of Aboriginal people to protest against injustices to them.
Fontaine says it is “shocking and outrageous” to learn that the Canadian military would equate First Nations people to Hezbollah or Hamas.
He says the news undermines respect for the military — and will lead many Native people to believe they can’t rely on the protection of the armed forces the way other Canadians do.
Fontaine also wonders if the document has anything to do with the AFN’s proposed National Day of Action for Aboriginal Canadians on June 29th.
Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor says there were no senior military personnel involved in the creation of the draft.
O’Connor also says the manual, in its final form, will not include any Aboriginal organizations.
(with files from Broadcast News)