Land claim in international arena

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Lubicon chief Bernard Ominiyak, is pleased with the progress of his appeal to the United nations over the alleged 'genocide' of the Lubicon Cree band, but is still awaiting reaction from both the provincial and federal governments over the ruling.

The United Nations ruled that they will hear the Lubicon case sometime next year and meanwhile rule 86 will be enforced, which states that the government must not continue its destructive practices.

"This is the first time this rule has been applied to an aboriginal people," said Ominiyak in an interview last week. "It is usually reserved for condemned prisoners who are about to be executed.

Ominiyak and his band have not fully interpreted the ruling, but say that the disputed 95.5 mil radius around Lubicon Lake will be kept free from oil and gas exploration activity again this winter.

"We are going to keep the oil and gas companies out, regardless of what the Alberta government says," says Ominiyak. However, he quickly points out that neither he nor his band will use violent methods, "unless they (oil and gas companies or the Alberta government) start something first."

"We still have to assess the situation. We have to keep our identity as a people and as hunters and trappers. There is no much left that is not destroyed and we are still trying to keep some of the area from being destroyed."

Since announcing the band's boycott of the Olympic Games and the Glenbow Museum exhibition, The Spirit Sings, last year, Ominiyak says the band has received hundreds of letters of support, but more importantly, support and action from the museums contacted by his band.

"We now have about 30 museums boycotting and I feel the exhibition is in real danger," he said.

This week a second Swiss museum announced it is pulling out of the exhibition. In a letter to the band, officials of the Berne Historical Museum said it 'deplores' the fact that Glenbow officials neglected to adequately inform them of the conflict.

The Berne withdrawal comes close on the heels of the Ethnographic Museum in Neuchatel, Switzerland who also reneged on their promised contribution last week.

Although the boycott and the campaign against the museum is proving successful for the band, Ominiyak says he is still disappointed and 'upset' over the native people who are involved in the Olympics.

"I believe some Indians were proud that an Indian head was used on the Olympic medals. I think this was an insult. Seeing a proud Indian with a ski-pole sticking out of his ear as racist. People should remember this comes from the same people who wanted Indians to burn a wagon."

Ominiyak says most of the Indian people involved in the Olympics are being 'used' by OCO and a good example is the Bruce Starlight case.

"It's too late for real economic opportunities. Promises were made, then after OCO took all the good ideas, these people were let go. I am sorry to see native people being cheated like this," he added.

"Maybe the ski pole sticking out of the Indian's ear should have been stuck in the Indian's belly because that is what happened."

The band is boycotting the olympics and the Glenbow museum in support of its 48-year old land claim and Ominiyak has said that the boycott would stop as soon as the claim is settled. However, Ominiyak does not see a settlement within the near future because the government 'does not wish to sit down.'

A letter from Department of Indian Affairs Minister, Bill McKnight was sent to Ominiyak saying the talks would be delayed because federal negotiator, Tasse, had stepped down.

"They (the government) haven't found a replacement yet but we are ready anytime the government wants to sit down and settle the claim," said Ominiyak.

Ominiyak says the government is afraid to settle the claim because it would 'open the door' to many other claims from bands right across the country.

The Lubicon land claim has been in dispute for nearly half a century and Ominiyak admits that the patience of ome of his band members is wearing thin, but he is still prepared to keep working toward his goal.

"I have tried the political route. People before me tried the political route. It got us nowhere. The political route doesn't seem to be working. We tried the courts and tried to file an injunction on the oil companies and all that did was increase oil activity. That is why we undertook the Olympic boycott."

However, he is bitter over the lack of unity among many native groups saying Indian people are often the puppets of the government.

"It's funny that the government, both federal and provincial, can join together to achieve their goa. But when it comes to native people they often fall apart," he says

The Calgary winter olympic games are scheduled to begin February 13.