Jul 23/97: Gustafsen Lake-Sentencing date set

GUSTAFSEN LAKE TRIAL SENTENCING: WEDNESDAY, JULY 30TH 10:00 AM

Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty
SISIS@envirolink.org
July 23, 1997

BC Supreme Court Justice Bruce Josephson has indicated that sentencing of the Ts'Peten Defenders will be pronounced on Wednesday, July 30th 1997, at 10:00 AM (PDT).Self represented Defenders Shelagh Franklin and OJ Pitawanakwat will make their final sentencing submissions to the court on Friday, July 25 at 1:30 PM.

All who can attend to support the defendants and witness this historic and momentous miscarriage of justice are urged to do so. A pre-sentencing solidarity gathering is expected to begin at 9:00 AM in front of the Surrey Court-house on the day of sentencing. Every indication is that the state will seek to make an example of the defendants, and that sentences will be harsh.

For those who cannot attend, letters and messages of solidarity or protest and condemnation of the Canadian authorities can be sent to S.I.S.I.S. for forwarding. More ideas for action are posted on our site, at:

http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/gustlake/support.html

The 11 Natives and 4 of their non-native supporters have been convicted on charges ranging from mischief to mischief endangering life for their defence of sacred Sundance and burial grounds on unceded Shuswap territory in the summer of 1995. The Canadian courts have steadfastly stonewalled the question of their lack of jurisdiction over unceded territory, and many of the appeals will reflect this.

For further information or media inquiries, contact: elder Bill Lightbown (604) 251-4949 or Splitting the Sky (604) 543-9661

To get to the court house, at the Surrey Municipal Centre (King George and Highway 10):

by Skytrain: to Surrey Central, then catch the White Rock Centre 321 bus to the corner of King George and Highway 10, walk east.

by car: Follow Clark Drive south to Hwy 91, go east on Hwy 91 across the Alex Fraser bridge (Surrey/Delta) then east on Hwy 10 to Surrey Municipal Centre just past King George Hwy.


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