Protocols
The BP Fortnight of Shame is being held in solidarity with First Nations indigenous people of Canada. The Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN), who UK Tar Sands campaigners have been working closely with, warmly welcome Direct Action and encourage UK activists to think creatively.
Actions here in the UK can have an enormous impact in Canada, and this has played a key role in building momentum around the Tar Sands. However, certain sorts of actions can have potentially adverse effects on the indigenous communities at the forefront of the issue. To this end, the Indigenous Environmental Network have requested a number 'protocols' they ask activists around the world to follow when taking action in solidarity with indigenous peoples.
They ask that actions are non-violent, do not set out to cause damage to property, and that there is no masking up.
We're aware that many of the words used in these protocols are not clearly definable, and are open to a great deal of interpretation. However, we put them here as a message from those indigenous activists, pending an opportunity for Climate Camp to explore these issues more fully.
The Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) is a North American based network of Indigenous Peoples empowering Indigenous Nations and communities towards sustainable livelihoods, demanding environmental justice and maintaining the Sacred Fire of our traditions. Our Native Energy and Climate Campaign strengthens and builds the capacity and political power of Indigenous
Peoples to address the impacts of fossil fuel energy development in Indigenous communities; and motivate the creation of sustainable and clean energy and climate policies at all levels of governance.
The Canadian Indigenous Tar Sands Campaign (CITSC), based in Ottawa, Canada is a Native-based campaign implemented through IEN as part of its Native Energy and Climate Program. The campaign goal is to seek a moratorium on further tar sands expansion. The campaign is focused on building the knowledge and capacity of First Nation and Métis leadership within the tar
sands impact area to actively engage in both a corporate finance campaign and in decision making processes on environment, forests, energy, climate and economic policies, related to halting the tar sand expansion.
The First Nations and Métis leadership includes grassroots, elders and youth, in addition to elected First Nation Band Chiefs and Councilors. IEN is a founder to the UK Tar Sands Network and is working closely with groups internationally to call out BP through our fortnight of shame campaign leading up the BP shareholder Annual General Meeting on April 15th.
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