{"id":26596,"date":"2022-07-25T00:06:11","date_gmt":"2022-07-25T04:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=26596"},"modified":"2022-07-25T00:06:11","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T04:06:11","slug":"residential-school-survivors-of-akwesasne-no-apology-without-justice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/07\/25\/residential-school-survivors-of-akwesasne-no-apology-without-justice\/","title":{"rendered":"Residential School Survivors of Akwesasne: No apology without justice"},"content":{"rendered":"\"Woodland<\/a>
The Mohawk Institute Residential School operated in Ontario, Canada, between 1831 and 1970. The Woodland Cultural Centre is now located on the grounds. Photo: Sean Marshall<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n
Statement of the Akwesasronon Shonataten:ron (Residential School Survivors of Akwesasne) regarding the Papal visit to Canada<\/div>\r\n
Monday, July 25, 2022<\/div>\r\n
Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe following is the text of a July 22, 2022, statement from the Akwesasronon Shonataten:ron, who are the Mohawk survivors of residential schools in Canada.<\/em>\r\n

<\/P>\r\nSekon Skennen:kowa<\/em> (Greetings of Great Peace to all).\r\n

<\/P>\r\nWe are the Mohawk Residential School Survivors, (the Akwesasronon Shonataten:ron<\/em>) those who endured kidnapping, isolation, displacement, hunger, physical punishment, linguistic suppression and cultural alienation while confined to institutions designed by Canada and administered by the Catholic and Anglican churches to kill our spirits and cripple our bodies. \r\n

<\/P>\r\nThey failed.\r\n

<\/P>\r\nWhile the harm inflicted upon us is permanent with residual effects on our descendants we have proven to be resilient with a unwavering determination to secure justice for our selves, our communities, our families and those children whose bodies lie abandoned beneath the ground. \r\n

<\/P>\r\nWe are now actively searching for the missing children. We are scouring archives to find the records of those who were stolen from their homes so that we may answer these fundamental questions:\r\n

<\/P>\r\n

    \r\n
  • Who was taken<\/li>\r\n
  • How many were taken<\/li>\r\n
  • Where they were taken to<\/li>\r\n
  • What happened to them at these places of confinement<\/li>\r\n
  • Where are the missing<\/li>\r\n
  • What is the manner of death for those who perished at those institutions<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

    <\/P>\r\nWe are organizing and using contemporary technologies to locate the burial sites of the children. We are interviewing the survivors so their stories may be preserved. We are rising above being labelled as “victims” to take direct control of all aspects of the truth and reconciliation process. We reject any and all actions which do not directly involve our participation. Nothing will be done for us without us. No one may speak on our behalf without our express approval.\r\n

    <\/P>\r\nWe do not accept the April 1 apology spoken by Pope Francis. We, as Haudenosaunee, were clearly excluded from that session because our position is unambiguous: No Apology Without Justice. We have been excluded from the Quebec City session as well which is tragic given that our people are setting the standards for finding the missing children and returning them home.\r\n

    <\/P>

    <\/ins>