And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (S.I.S.I.S.) writes:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 02:54:21 -0800 (PST)
From: John Shafer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Another Victim of BC "Just-Us": HELP TIM NOME!
Please forward widely:
BRUTISH-COLUMBIA'S INDIAN-HATING IN-JUST-US SYSTEM TURNS ON TIM NOME!
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For further information contact Serena at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Please complain to the officials listed at the end of this post.
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I just got back from a visit with Tim Nome who is currently being held
in the hole at the Vancouver Pretrial Centre on a bogus assault charge.
Tim's father was Cree, his mother half Carrier, half Ukranian. He was
born at Fish Lake (Gustafson Lake) and lived there til he was 4 1/2
years old.
That was the year he saw a white man for the first time - a cop who
grabbed he & his younger brother by the hair and threw them into a paddy
wagon after Tim had lost both his parents. That was harsh foreshadowing
to what was to come, particularily what Tim has had to face in the last
three months.
Tim has been maced & severly beaten repeatedly at the hands of guards
who freely use racial slurs to humiliate & degrade him.
His assault charge came from a beating he received while in shackles
with a belly chain & two sets of handcuffs that secured both his hands
to his stomach. He sustained a black eye, many cuts & bruises, lost two
teeth, and had a billy club broken over his shin. Realizing that the
guards had no way to explain Tim's condition they fabricated a story
that claimed he had punched a guard in the chest with both hands, thus
justifying the beating he received. [This happened on November 25, 1998
- the day before Tim was to be released from Kent Penitentiary ]
Tim wears an eagle feather in his hair to indicate to other First
Nations people that he is an 'Elder in training' (I forget the Cree name
for it...). The eagle feather is an absolutely sacred symbol for the
Cree which Tim has earned. [An 'Elder in training' must wear the eagle
feather to show others that he may be approached for teachings/counsel
etc.] While Tim was held at Surrey a guard demanded that Tim remove the
feather from his hair. [Later in a report the feather was cited as a
'weapon'. This is in contravention of the Charter of Human Rights &
Freedoms and the BC Corrections Code which state that religious items
may be worn] Tim refused stating his reasons for wearing it. The guard
stated "I don't care , I'm English" and referred to Tim as a "chug".
Again he demanded that Tim remove the feather. Tim refused.
The E.R.T [Emergency Response Team/SWAT] was called in & they maced and
beat him repeatedly. He was put in isolation where he his clothes were
cut off of him & he was again beaten. Afterwards, approximately 25
guards came at various times to view Tim's injuries from the beatings
and to threaten him & taunt him with racial slurs/remarks ("Chug";"We
won the war";"You're in our house now") He was refused clothes, food,
water, and any contact with outside until he removed his eagle feather.
[He did eventually remove the
feather from his hair]
Now that Tim is at the Vancouver Pretrial Centre he is allowed visitors,
although visits are 'secure' - over a phone with a glass partition.
All of the preceding information was received from my hour-long visit
with him. Details are lacking because I was not allowed to bring
pen/paper. However, Tim had brought all of his documentation with him &
showed these to me. He will be sending me the documents this week
[reports, his testimony etc] & once I receive them I will be able to
provide more details.
Tim is, above all, looking to get the word out on how he is being
treated. He is in need of local support to spread the word on his
situation & put pressure on Corrections to release him [& acknowledge
the injustice he has been served]. He welcomes visitors if you'd like
to hear the story from him personally & help with his support. [Feel
free to contact me for details on visitation]
Hopefully a rally will be organized shortly for outside the pretrial
centre. This would put pressure on officials letting them know that
we're aware of what's going on (also - Tim's window looks out over the
side street so it would be a good opportunity to let him know he's
supported!)
I will keep you posted. Feel free to contact me for further information.
-Sarena: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH - STOP THE RACIST BRUTALITY OF BC'S ANTI-INDIAN PRISONS
Solicitor General of Canada Lawrence MacAulay: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
BC NDP Premier Glen Clark: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
BC Human Rights Commission: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Ph: 1-800-663-0876 Fax: 1-604-660-0195
BC Civil Liberties Association: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
BC Provincial Director Adult Custody:
Phone: (250) 387-5097 Fax: (250) 952-6883
Vancouver Pretrial Services Center:
275 East Cordova Street, Vancouver BC V6A 3W3
Ph: (604) 683-0381, Fax: (604) 891-1390
cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
