The standoff that ensued was the largest Canadian military "exercise" since the Korean war -- over 77,000 rounds of bullets fired by the police and military.

Miraculously, the only casualty was a dog that was deliberately killed by a sniper as it and two unarmed people fled from a military tank after their truck was blown up by a land mine.

After more than a month under siege, and under the guidance of a spiritual leader who had flown in to assist, the Ts'Peten Defenders felt it was appropriate to end their stand and walked out of their camp. They were promptly arrested and subjected to a bizarre year-long trial that ended with the judge instructing the jury to ignore all defenses presented.

Of the 15 Defenders convicted, 13 were given jail sentences. One has since been released on electronic monitoring.

Two of the Defenders are appealing the conviction on the grounds that because the land in question is Shuswap land, never signed over the BC government by a treaty, the BC government (and its court and police) have no jurisdiction on that land. This was one of the defenses that was presented at the initial trial, but the judge instructed the jury not to consider it.

The addresses for these two Defenders are:

Wolverine (William Jones Ignace)
Political Prisoner
Box 4000
Abbotsford, BC
V2S 5X8

"OJ" Pitawanakwat
Political Prisoner
Box 4000
Abbotsford, BC
V2S 5X8

For more information, please contact the Free the Wolverine Campaign:
Box 13-2147 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5N 4B3

Spokespeople:
Splitting the Sky - Phone/Fax: (604) 543-9661
Bill Lightbown - Phone: (604) 251-4949

Or see the SISIS pages or the listing of native political prisoners around the world.