TWO ROW TIMES
MARCH 5TH, 2014
5
St. Lawerence Island’s ownership questioned By Charles Kader AKWESASNE - Yet another one of the vaunted 1000 Islands on the St. Lawrence River has been offered for sale. According to published reports, Sheep Island is now available on the Canadian real estate market. The United States government has claimed some of the islands “on behalf of the Mohawk people”. Akwesasne residents assert that ownership of the islands has never been ceded. The Sheep Island property listing valued at $650,000 (U.S. dollars), was derided in the media as being located in a “smuggler’s alley” east of Cornwall, Ontario. Nevertheless, the principle of land ownership allowing such a sale is highly controversial in Haudenosaunee communities. As recently as June 2011, representatives of the United States government claimed that the U.S.
is holding title on several of the islands on behalf of Onkwehon:we. In a hearing before U.S. Magistrate George Lowe concerning land claims in New York State, James Cooney of the U.S. Department of Justice asserted the underlying title to Barnhart, Baxter and Long Sault Islands was held by the U.S. The sworn statement by Cooney seemed to be an irritation to New York State representatives at the proceeding. New York State Asst. Atty. Gen. David Roberts denied the validity of the federal position regarding the islands. The position provided by the U.S. in their argument is derived from a European view of sovereign discovery. The control of the 1000 Islands was held by Britain when New York State was formed. This resulted in New York losing a pre-emptive right to acquire the scattered island holdings that the
American colonies lost when the U.S. Constitution was adopted. The islands were transferred to the U.S. directly using language contained in the Treaty of Ghent, 1814. Longhouse researcher, Rarihokwats, points to earlier histories relevant to this matter. The presence of French traders, priests and soldiers on the St. Lawrence River
supports the U.S. position of sovereign discovery. Longhouse scholars point out that the French never claimed these islands as their own, leaving the original title undisturbed even though France was eventually overcome by Britain in North American wars. Akwesasne Men’s Council Wolf Clan representative, Rarahkwisere,
summarized the position of the Longhouse. “As Kanienkehaka people, we have free usage of the river. That is why Akwesasne was an important Iroquois castle (village). It was because it was at the intersection of three rivers. These islands are part of the river. We never gave them away, to anyone. Not ever to Denmark, France, Britain, or any of the American colonies.” Conditions along the St. Lawrence River have dominated Indian relations with the settlers since early trading days. With the near extinction of beavers to the industrial pollution of the twentieth century, Onkwehon:we populations have been left reeling in the aftermath. The Canadian government has recently dedicated over $90 million dollars to high tech surveillance of the St. Lawrence River in a bid to contain what they call “contraband tobac-
co” importation from Akwesasne. The integrated technologies of radar, sonar, thermal and unmanned sensors are intended to halt the river traffic described as a North American Ho Chi Minh Trail for smugglers. Canadian legislative efforts are currently focused at using terms of imprisonment for possession of untaxed tobacco products. According to some activists in Akwesasne and Kahnawake, the time has come for an assertion of Onhkwehonh:we land and water rights. In 1970, Stanley Island and Loon Island were reclaimed by what was described in some newspaper reports as the Warrior Society. Some current Akwesasne residents are upset at the leasing of Stanley Island guest cabins to non-natives in the aftermath of the reclamation. They also say a new campaign of reclamation effort is due.
the plane was confirmed as a Canadian military aircraft, involved in what was described as “a treetop exercise.” Another Canadian media report indicated that the plane made it back safely to the Trenton Canadian armed forces base after the emergency calls were received. Rarahkwisere stated that a lingering concern in Akwesasne is about the dark smoke that the plane was reportedly emitting. He said that research that he has conducted over the past 8-10 years shows a pattern of chemtrail emissions over the St. Lawrence River, but especially over Akwesasne. “Is somebody trying to gas our people from above, or is the soil being affected by this long-term pattern of unknown pollution, which is what chemtrails are,” said the retired Ironworker and community activist. He thought about the timing of the sighting. “Friday is sort of a dead news day, so maybe this
was an effort to bury this story intentionally, in plain sight. There was an omnibus march on Saturday in the city of Cornwall against Stephen Harper that involved Akwesasne activists, so maybe it had something to do with that protest. I’m going to be doing some digging on behalf of the people to see what else I can find out. If this is a military operational exercise, we need to know what actually took place,” stated the Wolf Clan representative. Military treetop exercises apparently are held to familiarize aircraft pilots with ground level flying conditions, which are not routinely encountered. The American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is unable to receive complaints concerning military aircraft, of any country. Canadian military overflights of their claimed southern border are not held out as pressing concerns of the U.S. Homeland Security Department, according to published reports.
Canadian military plane buzzes Cornwall Island By Charles Kader
AKWESASNE – A low-flying Canadian military aircraft was spotted on Feb. 28, 2014 by Akwesasne community members living on Cornwall Island (Kawehnoke). The plane reportedly flew so low that it was immediately feared that the aircraft had then crashed into the nearby St. Lawrence River. Emergency first responders flooded regional highways as reports spread of a rumored airplane crash. No crash actually took place, it was later determined. Questions, however, remain in Akwesasne on the incident. Rarahkwisere, the Wolf Clan representative of the Akwesasne Men’s Council, told the Two Row Times that he heard about the reported plane crash through word of mouth. “I didn’t see anything while it was taking place, but a lot of people here have been talking about this incident ever since,” said Rarahkwisere.
According to published reports, children on Cornwall Island were the ones who first saw the plane. At least one emergency call was then made from Cornwall Island. That was received by Franklin County (N.Y.) emergency services dispatch, which in turn coordinated with St. Lawrence County (N.Y.). A low-flying plane with dark smoke trailing it was described. At 1:15 p.m., law enforcement, fire and rescue agencies all responded to the International Seaway. These agencies included New York park police, Massena Village Police, the Massena Fire Department and the Massena Rescue Squad Inquiries were also received by the St. Regis Tribal Council and the New York State Police, according to media reports. A New York State Trooper spokesperson issued a statement approximately an hour after the emergency call went out that
Wolf Clan and Bear Clan reps - 2009 - Kawehnoke the incident was a false alarm and that there was no airplane crash. Social media discussions on the situation were a combination of fear and bewilderment. One commenter said that he was inside the nearby St. Lawrence Centre shopping mall for lunch when the aircraft passed directly over the building. Another commenter who lives on Cornwall Island commented that there was a very loud noise above her house at the same time the local children saw the air-
craft. The homeowner noted that she sees many low-flying helicopters and airplanes over the island but this instance forced her to look outside her home for any evidence of the origin of the disturbance. She also noted that other people were commenting that a plane had hit the nearby Robert Moses Power Dam, a large hydro-electrical facility connected to the New York Power Authority electrical grid. An updated American media account of the incident reported that