Buffalo River Dene Nation
Northern Saskatchewan, Canada

Commision on Human Rights                                                                                Résumé en français
6th Session
Item 11(d)
April 2, 2004


My name is Adelard Blackman and I'm here as the Special Emissary for Chief Elmer Campbell and the people of Buffalo River Dene Nation from Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.

Mr. Chairman, in April at the 59th session, we made this declaration: "We, the Buffalo River Dene Nation, under international law, in the signing of Treaty 10, declare, that we are a sovereign Nation within a Nation, and that the "Catarat/sylvestre vs. the Queen" case was not properly dealth with at the Supreme Court of Canada. Therefore we will take action as the Buffalo River Dene Nation and hereby give notice to the Canadian government and multinational corporations within our territories that we intendet to tale our case to the World Court at the Hague, Netherlands, for Human Rights violations in regard to the loss of our Treaty rights."

The question of our Treaties, our land, natural resources, sovereignty, and the right to self-determination is something that must be dealt with once and for all under International Law. The Canadian government cannot and will not deal with these issues openly and honestly. Therefore we have no choice but to take this daunting action.

No Indigenous peoples have ever made it to the International Court of Justice. Why is that? It is because 85% of natural resources in the world are on Indigenous territory? We can read between the lines. The multinationals and governments have to protect their own interests. Therefore this issue has never been dealt with properly.

In one of Canada's infamous land claims settlement, there is presently a case before the courts: File No. T-456-03, Wilson/Mac Allister vs.the Queen including the Minister of Indian affairs and Northern Development.
Where over 126 million dollars was paid out to the wrong people. Why has the Canadian government ignored the courts on this matter? Is the Canadian government afraid to admit they made a mistake?
I would like to quote Chief Elmer Campbell: "This is nothing more than a Big Land Grab, we all know that. It has forced us to become beggars in our own land."

Mr. Chairman, until the question of Indigenous issues is fully, openly and honestly resolved, we will not achieve justice. The ethnocide will continue and in less than 50 years Indigenous Peoples of Canada will legally become extinct.
Is there a solution?
We will not give up the fight we have been forced into for the sake of our children, grandchildren and future generations. We urge the international community to help us for we cannot accomplish our end alone. Justice has to prevail.

Ma Cee Chou - Thank you very much Mr. Chairman.

E-mail: brdn_ngo@hotmail.com

Résumé en français  (UN Press)

M. ADELARD BLACKMAN (Consejo Indio de Sud America) a estimé que la question des
traités, de la terre, des ressources naturelles, de la souveraineté et du droit à l'autodétermination
de la nation dene de la rivière Buffalo, au Canada, doit être traitée définitivement dans le cadre
du droit international car le Gouvernement canadien ne veut pas traiter de ces questions
honnêtement et ouvertement. Aucun peuple autochtone jusqu'à présent n'a pu saisir la Cour
internationale de justice, a indiqué le représentant qui s'est demandé si la raison ne serait pas
que 85% des ressources naturelles du monde sont sur des territoires autochtones. Tant que la
question des droits des autochtones ne sera pas entièrement, ouvertement et honnêtement
résolue, il n'y aura pas de justice et l'ethnocide se poursuivra, a affirmé le représentant,
exhortant la communauté internationale à aider les autochtones à obtenir justice.