Letter to the editor:

Letter to the editor:

The Injustice of Akwesasne Mohawk Court

On Thursday September 24 at the Administration Building in Kanatakon a grand

injustice occurred. Elders and community members were barred from attending

a Mohawk Court hearing. An Akwesasne Police unit was sent as backup in case

the Elders stormed the building. People ended up standing outside the

A-frame building while injustice was being served up inside. What was the

reason for this closed Mohawk Court hearing? Was this Court session about a

child predator or sexual molestation case, apparently worse, it was about a

final appeal in regards to an issue with the Election Law. How much more

hypocrisy and insults will this community put up with from the Mohawk

Council of Akwesasne? It is a slap in the face to the whole community to

allow such a blatant disregard of the basic right to attend a (what should

have been) public court hearing. The issue brought up in Mohawk court on

Thursday was about accountability and transparency within our Election Law

and ended up being a locked out, back room, invitation-only meeting. A

Kangaroo Court to the highest degree. Face it Akwesasne, there is now a

dictatorial Judicial system in place. Can we as community members stop this

insanity? Sure we can, the first step is to demand an immediate Focus

meeting on our Justice System perhaps together we can fix some long

outstanding irritants, for example, the Membership Code, the Election Law.

Then continue towards a fair court of appeals for the many outstanding land

disputes. There are many good, fair-minded Akwesasrohnon that want to see a

better Justice system for us now and in the future. Can we take that first

step now? If we don’t act then the travesty that occurred on Thursday will

become the norm. If we don’t act now then prepare yourself for everlasting

injustice because that will be what we deserve. Please bring this up at the

next General Meeting in Snye at 6:30 at the Recreation Center on Thursday

Oct. 1. Together lets fix our broken Justice System. Otherwise you may be

the next ones standing outside in the cold with the police and police dog

ready to chew up your basic common rights.

Niawen

Nona Benedict