The tribal chair of the Syilx Okanagan nation is calling for criminal charges against Canada and the church after 93 possible grave sites were found at a former residential school near Williams Lake.
Okanagan Nation Alliance Tribal Chair, Clarence Louie, says as the number of unmarked grave sites continues to grow, there needs to be punishment for those responsible.
“Each child was a prisoner of war. This intentional cultural genocide was and is to kill the Indian in the child, to remove Indigenous people from each other, their spirit and the lands that the settlers covet.”
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Louie adds the continued discovery of unmarked graves is traumatizing for the Indigenous community and need to be further investigated.
“The church and Canada need to be criminally investigated and charged for killing First Nation children at Federal Indian Residential schools … to date no person or institution have been charged in these egregious crimes.”
Penticton Indian Band Chief Greg Gabriel also echoed the sentiments of Louie.
“I truly believe a proper investigation needs to be carried out and those who were responsible or complicit need to be held accountable.”
The Alliance encourages all Nation members to “unite and continue supporting the survivors and each other through the emotional impacts of the recent findings.”
This comes after an initial sweep of the former grounds of St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School in Williams Lake, B.C., has uncovered 93 possible burial sites.
Williams Lake First Nation Kúkpi7 Willie Sellars and councillors released the first-phase geophysical findings Tuesday, after launching its land survey with ground-penetrating radar in June.
In May, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc sent shockwaves of grief and anger across the country when it announced the remains of 215 children had been found in an unmarked burial site at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.
The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line (1-800-721-0066) is available 24 hours a day for anyone experiencing pain or distress as a result of their residential school experience.
— with files from Elizabeth McSheffrey
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