Innu and Inuit Stage Protest at Voisey's Bay
8/20/97
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Headline: Innu and Inuit Stage Protest at Voisey's Bay
Source: Larry Innes
Environmental Advisor
Innu Nation
P.O. Box 119, Sheshatshiu, Labrador, Canada A0P 1M0
phone: (709) 497-8398 email: innuenv@web.net fax:
(709) 497-8396
Date: 8/20/97
Davis Inlet, Labrador- The Innu Nation and the Labrador
Inuit are staging a joint protest action at Voisey's Bay.
This morning, the first Inuit protesters arrived from Nain
to establish a protest camp. More than 250 Innu are
mobilizing from Davis Inlet and Sheshatshiu to join the
Inuit at the camp.
"Development at the site has gone far enough. Inco is now
building a road and an airstrip without Innu and Inuit
consent. Without our consent there will be no project!",
stated Katie Rich, President of the Innu Nation.
Both the Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association
have been negotiating an impact-benefit agreement with the
Voisey's Bay Nickel Company, a wholly owned subisdiary of
Inco, for more than a year. Talks between the company and
the aboriginal groups broke down early this week after the
company refused to halt construction work on the project
until agreements had been reached and a full environmental
assessment of the project completed.
Rich outlined the Innu position by saying, "Our thinking on
this matter is very clear. A project of this nature
requires proper planning and a proper environmental
assessment. It also requires aboriginal consent. The Innu
cannot give approval to this project without a land rights
agreement and an Impact Benefits Agreement in place. Inco
is trying to proceed without any of this."
Innu Nation and the Labrador Inuit Association have tried
every available means to halt the company's plans to build
a road and at the site, including an unsuccessful court
action in the Newfoundland Supreme Court. An appeal of the
Supreme Court decision will be heard on Monday, August 25,
but many Innu fear that the courts have already failed
them. "Each day they plow further ahead with the
construction of the road, and by the time we will have our
day in court, the road and the airstrip may be finished."
Rich expressed her hope that the protest would remain
peaceful. "This is about standing our ground, not having a
stand off. The company has never asked for our permission
to be here, or asked for our consent for the mine. We have
clearly outlined what our consent requires and it is up to
them to respond to it. We have lived here for thousands of
years and we plan to stay here for thousands more, but we
don't want to be living in the mess they will make here by
rushing ahead. By standing together with the Labrador Inuit
we are saying to Inco and to Brian Tobin that we will not
be bulldozed over on our own land."
For more information:
Katie Rich, President
tel: 709 478 8943
www.web.net/~innu
Media inquiries should be directed to:
Innu Nation: Larry Innes (709) 497-8398
LIA: Winston White: (709) 922-1021
On-site satellite phone: 1-888-876-7976
Larry Innes
Visit the Innu Nation WWW site:
Environmental Advisor
http://www.web.net/~innu
Innu Nation
P.O. Box 119, Sheshatshiu, Labrador, Canada A0P 1M0
phone: (709) 497-8398 email: innuenv@web.net fax:
(709) 497-8396