Press Release: For Immediate Release – October 1, 2013 _____________________________________________________________________________________ NunatuKavut Alleges New Information Confirms RCMP Arrests were Tainted and Biased Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL – NunatuKavut Community Council (“NCC”) alleges that RCMP arrests and charges relating to a protest against the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project are tainted and biased. Information has come to light that a high-ranking RCMP officer who was directly involved with the arrests and charges on April 5th, 2013 is now employed with the Muskrat Falls hydro-electric project holding a senior position in security. Information provided to NCC indicates that the RCMP officer was aware of, and may have been actively pursuing, the position with the Muskrat Falls project on or about the same time as the NCC arrests were made. The RCMP officer in question is currently on a leave of absence from the RCMP. “We have every reason to believe that the arrests and actions of the RCMP were anything but fair and reasonable,” says Todd Russell, NCC President. “We always felt that something was wrong; that we were being unfairly targeted and that the arrests were biased and politically motivated. It seems as if the actions of the RCMP were done as a favor to Nalcor to advance a senior RCMP officer’s job prospects. As Canadians, we are entitled to the full and equal protection under the law.” Russell adds, “The administration of justice must be fair and must not be corrupted.” In the early morning of April 5, 2013, 12-15 people gathered at an intersection of the Trans-Labrador Highway. They were there as part of an on-the-ground information picket organized by NCC, which represents the 6,000 NunatuKavut Inuit of central-southern Labrador, against the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project. After three hours of peaceful protest, the RCMP – unprovoked – suddenly moved in and dragged away eight protesters. Each protester was subsequently charged with three separate offences. Shortly after the arrests, NCC questioned the conduct of the RCMP and launched an official compliant with the RCMP Commissioner for Complaints. NCC has written to the Complaints Commissioner with the new information and has asked that it be thoroughly investigated as well. “The entire RCMP detachment is being tainted by the actions of this officer and anyone who knowingly helped him. Our people need to be assured that their constitutional rights are protected.” says Russell. In a related matter in the fall of 2012, NCC, its members and “persons unknown” were hit with one of the most pervasive and far-reaching court injunctions the country has ever seen. The court injunction brought by Nalcor was the result of a separate 12-hour peaceful protest outside the Muskrat Falls hydro-electric development site. -30- Media Contact: Tara McLean, Executive Assistant to the President NunatuKavut Community Council Phone: (709) 896-0592 ext. 225 · Email: [email protected]
Posted on: Tue, 01 Oct 2013 22:06:24 +0000
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