Hearings Examine Violence Against First Nations Women
Friday, August 9, 2013 @ 11:09 AM
Prince George, B.C. – The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council is hoping a series of hearings by three international groups will lead to a national inquiry into the treatment of First Nations peoples in Canada and specifically, the handling of murdered and missing aboriginal women.
The Inter American Human Rights Commission was in Prince George yesterday and heard heart wrenching accounts from family of some of the women who have disappeared or were murdered along the Highway 16 corridor. While the RCMP continue to investigate, there has been no closure for the families.
There was a Provincial Inquiry which touched on the Highway of Tears, but the inquiry’s focus was on the Robert “Willy” Pickton case and the women from Vancouver’s east side who disappeared, some of whom were murdered on the Pickton farm. The matter of murdered or missing women along Highway 16 was included as a special study and the report recommended the updating and implementation of the recommendations developed from the Highway of Tears Symposium in 2006.
In addition to meeting with family of missing and murdered women, the investigation has lead the Commission to hold talks with senior levels of government as well as police.
The Commission heads Vancouver today and will meet with Federal Government officials before wrapping up their probe. The Commission plans to issue a report on its findings late this fall.
The other two groups which will investigate alleged human rights abuse against First Nations in Canada are the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and the Special Reporteur on the Rights of Indigenous People. There have been no details released on their investigative plans.
Comments
Wonder if they will also investigate violence in native communities also, oh wait…
This is NOT a race specific problem. Why the special treatment for natives? It’s a global problem and should be handled as such.
They are making it race specific to draw attention to it. If it is only limited to a certain ‘peoples’ then why not address the underlying issues rather than trying bandaid solutions? Focus on fixing the cause not the effect?
It’s getting repetitive and losing focus on the real issue of abuse against women. One race should not get more attention than any other when it comes to such a serious issue as this. Look at the East Indian women being murdered, doused with acid etc.
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