Tempers simmering in Davis Inlet

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Life for the Mushuau Innu in Davis Inlet has hit rock bottom, the community's chief said.

Residents of the impoverished village 330 kilometres north of Goose Bay are so tired of dealing with unwelcome justice officials and insincere politicians that they are considering an armed revolt, Katie Rich said.

"There is a lot of tension here in the community. If anybody, either on the RCMP side or the Innu side, provokes anything, anything might happen."

Tensions in the village reached an all-time high when Rich confronted provincial Justice Robert Hyslop Dec. 16 and forbade him from holding further court sessions in the village.

Hyslop and half a dozen RCMP were later told to leave the village after more than 150 Innu youths surrounded the RCMP's patrol cabin and tore the building's porch railing off for a bonfire.

Rich said she understands her peoples' frustration with the federal and provincial government but that violence is not the solution.

"I don't agree with that. But what does it take for them to listen? Does it take us to take up arms?...That's what the community is saying."

Minister of Indian Affairs Ron Irwin has promised to schedule a meeting with Rich and other community leaders at the end of February to discuss the upgrade and relocation of the village.

And word has it the minister plans to bring Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Ovide Mercredi, and feudal MPs Jack Anawak, Elijah Harper and Blondin-Andrews with him.

But there was no word from Indian Affairs as to when the minister will go or whether he will be accompanied by Native officials.

Effective talks to improve life for the Innu may help to relieve some of their anxiety, she added.

"As people become aware of the actions that we should take to gain that control...you can see the hurt and pain in these people. For us to have control of our lives, we need to have control of the agencies here in the community. We are fighting for our survival here. We are seeing children dying right before our eyes. So what can you do?"

The deplorable living conditions in the village, which include inadequate housing, no running water or sewage treatment facilities, first came to light a year ago when tribal police found Innu children high on gasoline fumes and screaming about suicide.

A total of 17 children were airlifted to a treatment centre in Alberta, but all of them have since reverted to their old habit.