Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs among those calling for civilian review of RCMP actions

A coalition that includes Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs, the B.C. Civil Liberties Associationand the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs is accusing the RCMP of "improper and unlawful actions"in enforcing a checkpoint and exclusion zone near the Coastal GasLinkwork site.

The groups are calling on the chairof the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP which is not part of the RCMP to initiate a policy complaint and public interest investigation into the actions of officers on Morice West Forest Service Road in Wet'suwet'en territory.

The complaint includes eightfirst-hand accounts of inconsistent policies for those who are turned away at the checkpoint.

The CRCCconfirmeditreceived the complaint Thursday and it is currently under review.

"I am one of the people turned away," saidIrina Ceric, a faculty member at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

"I still don't know why one day Icouldn't go in and one day I could go in," she said.

Ceric said she was struck by the arbitrariness of the RCMP's treatment of people trying to get through to Wet'suwet'enterritory.

"You're kind of at the mercy of the luck of the draw in terms of which police officers you get and which policies they're going to enforce that day.... This has really been an expansion of RCMPauthority without lawful ground."

Wet'suwet'en'feel under siege'

Harsha Walia, executive director of theB.C. Civil Liberties Association, said Ceric is one of many people who have been turned away at the Morice West Forest Service Road checkpoint.

"It is completely outside the scope of what was granted to the RCMP," said Walia.

"We have serious concerns about the RCMP discretion in the territory."

Waliaaccused the RCMP of interfering in the daily lives of the Wet'suwet'enpeople by turning away visitors to the territory.

"The Wet'suwet'en understandably feel under siege."

RCMP Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet told CBC news in a statement:"Aprotocol is in place that has been shared with the hereditary chiefs. It allows access to the chiefs, elected chiefs and government officials, lawyers registered to practice law with the Law Society of BC,and other persons providing food, medicineor other supplies or services required for the well-being and safety of persons behind the blockades.

"The hereditary chiefs and their spokespersons have regularly contacted the police to address questions, misunderstandings or disputes regarding access. The senior commander spoke yesterday to their representative and committed to continuing this dialogue."

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip,president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs,called on Premier John Horganto meet withWet'suwe'ten hereditary chiefs.

"Iwould like to publicly call on PremierJohn Horgan to get off his high colonial horse and honour the Wet'suwe'ten hereditary chiefs with his personal presence ... inorder to deescalate the situation."

Earlier this week, Horganappointed former Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullento act as an intermediary between the Wet'suwe'ten hereditary chiefs, the province of B.C., RCMP, Coastal GasLink and others.

Cullen is expected to focus on "de-escalating the conflict," according to a news release from the provincial government earlier this week.