This coming July 14, 2008, Mohawk grandmother and activist Katenies has again been ordered to appear before a judge in the Superior Court of Cornwall, Ontario. And again, Katenies will refuse to recognize the authority of the courts, and demand that Canadian officials prove they have jurisdiction over her as an Indigenous woman.
One month ago, on June 14, 2008, Katenies -- accompanied by Kahentinetha of the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory – was targeted for arrest by Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) guards on an outstanding warrant for allegedly "running the border" in 2003, and offenses resulting from her refusal to appear in court and validate the colonial justice system.
Katenies has maintained since 2003 that border officials and the Canadian colonial courts have no jurisdiction over Kanion'ke:haka people or land. In January 2007, Katenies served court officials with a Motion to Dismiss, demanding that they establish jurisdiction, if any, over Mohawks and their ability to travel freely between "Canada" and the "United States".
[The Motion to Dismiss is linked here ]
During the CBSA attack, Katenies and Kahentinetha – who are both writers and contributors to Mohawk Nation News (MNN) – were treated brutally by border guards. Both were handcuffed and tackled to the ground. Katenies was jailed for three days. Kahentinetha suffered a heart attack and had to be hospitalized for several days.
[Reports about the CBSA attack, and background information, are linked here ]
As mainly non-native groups and collectives based in settler communities on or near Mohawk lands, we are publicly standing in support of Katenies, and demand all charges against her by the colonial courts be dropped. We also condemn the brutal attacks by the CBSA on both Katenies and Kahentinetha on June 14, 2008 and declare our solidarity with Indigenous struggles for land, freedom and self-determination.
Endorsed by:
Agitate (Ottawa)
Les Apatrides Anonymes (Montreal)
Block the Empire-Montreal
Kingston Indigenous Solidarity Network
No One Is Illegal-Kingston
No One Is Illegal-Montreal
No One Is Illegal-Ottawa
OPIRG-Carleton
OPIRG/GRIPO-Ottawa
La Otra Campaña (Montreal)
People's Global Action Bloc (Ottawa)
Solidarity Across Borders (Montreal)
[To endorse this statement, and to help efforts in support of Katenies, please contact indigenoussolidaritymontreal@gmail.com ]
