More Blocks in Place for Highway of Tears Symposium
By 250 News
Thursday, March 02, 2006 04:00 AM
Carrier -Sekani Family Services has now donated $10,000 to kick start a two day symposium focusing on the disappearance and murders of 9 women along Highway 16. The symposium idea was sparked following the discovery of the body of 14 year old Aielah Saric -Auger off the shoulder of Highway 16 near Tabor February 10th.
Event organizer, Rena Zatorski , a Councilor with the Lheidli-T'enneh, says they are having some difficulty in securing a venue for what is hoped to be a two day event. Zatorski says the sites they wanted are booked solid for March, and they would like to hold the sessions before the end of this month.
Nine women have gone missing or have been murdered along Highway 16 since 1990. All but one were First Nations.
The agenda for the sessions is being developed with participation from the RCMP who will update attendees on the status of the investigations into the 9 cases, the Solicitor General's office, who Zatorski says need to be fully aware of the issues being faced and the lack of resources and tools needed to deal with them. She says there is also a desire to have Youth involved, "They need to be here to speak to the Aboriginal leadership and communities, to let them know what they are going through and to offer solutions."
Zatorski says they are also trying to co-ordinate a similar symposium in Prince Rupert, the end of the line for the Highway of Tears, plus the Native Friendship Centre is helping to map all assets so an emergency readiness system and commuity response sysgem can be developed.
The projects are ambitious, and are keeping Zatorski running but she's not complaining "It needs to happen" she says " these women who are missing or murdered have lost their voices, this is one way they can be heard."
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