Wednesday April 17 a vocal group of supporters of Secwepemc, a people indigenous to western Canada, paid a visit to the Canadian Embassy in the Netherlands to against Canada’s behaviour during the ongoing UN Biodiversity Conference COP6. Canada is trying to eliminate an article that protects the rights of local and indigenous peoples from the Biodiversity Protocol, the only legally binding document to protect the world’s biodiversity. "Canada loves to show a nice face to the world, and we are here to pull off that mask. Especially where big business interests are at stake, Canada's policy on indigenous peoples is ugly – its position on the Biodiversity Convention shows this clearly," said a spokesperson for the group.

The Canadian ambassador refused to accept the groups’ statement in support of the Secwepemc, delivered by the three activists who managed to enter the building. The statement called on Canada to support the current interpretation of the Biodiversity Protocol, recognise the Secwepemc as protectors of the biological diversity of their traditional and unsurrendered land, and enter into good faith negotiations to reconcile Secwepemc title with government interest in the land. A sambaband played in front of the embassy and demonstrators put up a banner saying ‘Recognise Aboriginal Titles’.

The action was part of the annual ‘International Day of Farmers’ Struggles’, organised by Via Campesina, the worldwide organisation of small farmers and was co-ordinated by participants of the counter-COP6 gathering Resistance is Fertile!.

IMC Netherlands