Mohawk protesters set up blockade in eastern Ont. town
Last Updated: Monday, April 21, 2008 | 5:06 PM ET
CBC News
Dozens of aboriginal protesters blocked off a main street through Deseronto, Ont., after a Kingston, Ont., developer announced plans to develop a property that is part of an ongoing land dispute.
An old RV continued blocking the intersection of two gravel roads Monday afternoon, and protesters plan to maintain the blockade until the developer changes his plans, said spokesman Dan Doreen.
"They want to make sure that any other development does not return to this land," he added. "This is Mohawk land and developers, you better stay the hell away."
Demonstrators barricaded County Road 2 in both directions around 6 a.m. Monday, said Ontario Provincial Police Const. Jackie Perry.
The protesters, members of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte from the nearby Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, were responding to a public announcement that Nibourg Developments would begin clearing brush Monday on property it owns in the community southwest of Napanee.
The property is part of the Culbertson Tract, about 400 hectares of land on Lake Ontario's Bay of Quinte, east of Belleville and west of Kingston, that the Mohawks said they never properly surrendered.
Acting police chief Ron Maracle said a response to the company's announcement should have been anticipated.
"I think you can always expect some reaction from the community when something like that is put out into the papers, saying he's going to show up with 30 or 40 men to deal with that."
Emile Nibourg of Nibourg Developments told the Canadian Press that a work crew went to the site on Monday to finish clearing brush, but Mohawks arrived to claim the land as their own.
Nibourg said the work crew left the property with police after the arrival of what he said were "40 to 50 native warriors."
In a letter Nibourg then wrote to area politicians to express his frustrations, he promised a crew of "25 to 30 guys" would return to the site this week.
Theo Nibourg, head of the company, has since issued a statement saying he changed his mind for fear of "public safety" and he's asking governments to resolve the issue.
The Mohawks have been actively protesting activity on private property in the Culbertson Tract for more than a year.
Land in the tract was originally slated for a housing development but construction was suspended after members of the Tyendinaga band protested and the federal government agreed to meet with band officials in November 2006.
In March 2007, Mohawk demonstrators began occupying a quarry in the tract as part of a protest that is continuing.
With files from the Canadian Press
