As RCMP begin arrests, Gidimt'en spokesperson Molly Wickham issues declaration on Wet'suwet'en rights

by Charlie Smith on February 6th, 2020 at 6:42 AM

1 of 2 2 of 2

Molly Wickham, a.k.a. Sleydo', has been an articulate spokesperson for Wet'suwet'en Nation members and their allies who are fighting the Coastal GasLink pipeline.

She was also among 14 people arrested on January 7, 2019, when heavily armed Mounties enforced a B.C. Supreme Court injunction at the Gidimt'en Checkpoint.

This morning as the RCMP began arresting people to once again enforce the injunction—obtained by Coastal GasLink—Wickham delivered a stirring commentary on Facebook urging allies to come to the Morice West Forest Service Road on unceded Wet'suwet'en territory to witness what was taking place.

"It's time to rise up," Wickham said. "It's time to stand up for all Indigenous people all across Turtle Island. It's time to make it known that Indigeous people will not be oppressed any longer—that the RCMP can't come in and remove us from our territories, that they have no legitimacy on stolen Indigenous land.

"And we have a right and a responsibility to be protecting our territory, to be protecting our water, to be protecting our future generations," she continued. "The state—so-called Canada, so-called B.C.—they have no jurisdiction on Wet'suwet'en land. The RCMP has no jurisdiction on Wet'suwet'en land.

"They're invading our people again, starting in the wee hours of the morning, arresting people who have been providing food and medical supplies to our camps, who are camped out along the side of the road doing amazing and righteous work. And right now, they're being arrested and they're being removed."

Sleydo' spoke extemporaneously, and very articulately, over Facebook while shrouded in darkness.

Transcript of Molly Wickham's statement

"It’s 5 o’clock in the morning here and we got word at about 3 in the morning 13 RCMP officers went up to past 27 and are headed to 39. And then about two minutes we were informed they had made their first arrest at 39 kilometres at the support camp where nobody is in violation of the injunction and are just there to witness what’s going to be happening on the territory today—what people are doing and what the RCMP activity is there.

"So they’re starting to clear out that camp, arresting people that aren’t in violating any injunction—that are following Wet’suwet’en law, that are guests on our territory. Guests there on our territory. Indigenous people and nonindigenous people out in the dark here at 5 in the morning out on the territory.

"So we’re calling all of our supporters, all of our people, to get ready, get prepared, get here as soon as you can.

"Come to the territory, to the Morice River Forest Service Road. Come watch what’s happening. Come support us.

"Anybody who can’t get here, it’s time to rise up. It’s time to stand up for all Indigenous people all across Turtle Island. It’s time to make it known that Indigenous people will not be oppressed any longer—that the RCMP can’t come in and remove us from our territories, that they have no legitimacy on stolen Indigenous land.

"And that we have a right and a responsibility to be protecting our territory. To be protecting our water. To be protecting our future generations.

"The state—so-called Canada, so-called B.C.—they have no jurisdiction on Wet’suwet’en land. The RCMP have no jurisdiction on Wet’suwet’en land. They’re invading our people again. starting in the wee hours of the morning, arresting people who have been providing food and medical supplies to our camps, who are camped out along the side of the ride doing amazing and righteous work. And right now, they’re being arrested and they’re being removed.

"So wherever you are, everybody who stands with us, we need you now. We need you to take a stand where you are.

"Stand up and fight back against this kind of oppression, against our people, against our territories. If you’re nearby and you’re close, come to us. Come to territory and be with us and witness what’s going to be happening today and over the next several days.

"I am going to provide another update as soon as I get another update.

"And light your sacred fires. We need your prayers. We need you to call on your ancestors and call on all the ancestors that every fought and stood up for their territory—everybody who ever fought and stood up for their children and their land and their people. That we could here today still fighting. And that we’ll be here today and tomorrow and forever, still fighting.

"And we’ll never, ever, ever give up."

https://twitter.com/Gidimten/status/1225438750399922183

Update #1

The B.C. RCMP has issued a statement saying an "exclusion zone" was created on January 13 "to prevent further escalation of the situation and to mitigate safety concerns over hazardous items placed on the roadway".

It's now a full exclusion zone.

"As of February 6, 2020, the RCMP will not allow access to anyone who is not part of the enforcement team, with some exceptions for Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs and Elected Council members by arrangement with the Senior Commander," the RCMP stated. "The exclusion zone's purpose is to temporarily create an area where police and Coastal GasLink work can safely operate to deploy heavy machinery and equipment needed to clear hazards and re-establish access as intended by the Court."