Wet’suwet’en Solidarity Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

03.16.2020

Regenerate California stands in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en People in their defense of Unist’ot’en Camp and the Gidimt’en Checkpoint.  We endorse the right of the Wet’suwet’en to govern and administer their own territory and natural resources, including their mobilization against the Coastal Gaslink pipeline. 

Regenerate California, a movement to create a 100% renewable and equitable economy for California without polluting fracked  gas, adds our voice to the international movement of community members, advocates, and allies in support of the Wet’suwet’en People. We condemn the proposed expansion of the CGL fracked gas pipeline for infringing upon the free, prior and informed consent of the Wet’suwet’en People. We affirm the self-governance and self-administration by the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs, as codified by the 1997 Delgamuukw Ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada. We condemn the violent, militarized assault on Native community members by the Royal Canadian Militarized Police (RCMP). The lethal force deployed against Wet’suwet’en land defenders is part of an international assault upon indigenous peoples and other frontline community members. We stand with the Wet’suwet’en Nation and against the extractive violence perpetrated by the fossil fuel industry wherever natural resources are unlawfully sought.

Our campaign strives to ensure a just transition away from fossil fuels led by the frontline communities most impacted by our polluting status quo. We know that investing in fossil fuel infrastructure in 2020 under any metric–climate, health, justice–doesn’t make sense. Environmental justice communities in California have lived with the negative health and economic impacts of the fracked gas industry for generations and are organizing together for a fossil free future. We believe in building healthy communities, healthy energy systems and healthy economies based upon principles of self-determination and respect for one another.

 In light of last week’s proposed agreement between Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs and government ministers, we find that now more than ever is the time for unified international solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en People in their continued opposition of the Coastal Gaslink (CGL) pipeline and defense of their land. For that reason, we add our name to the following demands:

• That Wet’suwet’en law be respected as law within the 22,000 square kilometres of unceded Wet’suwet’en territory. 
• That RCMP forces vacate Wet’suwet’en territory. 
• That Coastal Gaslink employees vacate Wet’suwet’en territory and cease activity on the CGL pipeline.
• That, following the eviction of CGL and RCMP forces, Prime Minister Trudeau, BC Premier John Horgan and the Commissioner of the RCMP agree to meet on a nation-to-nation basis with all five Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs to establish diplomatic relations as they have requested.