The group investigating the lacking youngsters and unmarked burials linked to the Blue Quills Indian Residential College in Saddle Lake Cree Nation says it has “bodily and documented proof of genocide.”
The Acimowin Opaspiw Society (AOS) broadcasts the discharge of its first preliminary report at 1pm on Tuesday. International Information has a group attending the announcement at Sacred Coronary heart Cemetery.
The group mentioned its findings “could have far-reaching implications in authorities, within the media and in each residential college investigation in Canada.”
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Saddle Lake Cree Nation unintentionally excavated partial stays on the location of the previous residential college in Could 2022. Saddle Lake Cree Nation is positioned in central Alberta.
At a media occasion on Could 18, neighborhood members mentioned that since about 2004, folks have been unintentionally uncovering unmarked graves.
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Final yr, and following the announcement that greater than 200 potential burial websites had been positioned on the Kamloops Indian Residential College, Saddle Lake Cree Nation established the AOS to research doable burial websites.
Eric Massive, a residential college survivor, leads the investigation. He mentioned he unexpectedly uncovered human stays in August 2017 whereas doing work digging up new graves on the Saddle Lake Neighborhood Cemetery.
“I got here throughout some small bones, Massive advised reporters on Could 18, 2022. “For myself, I used to be shocked. I didn’t know what to do.”
Massive beforehand mentioned Catholic Church information obtained by the affiliation present 212 youngsters died on the college.
The Saddle Lake Blue Quills web site was in operation from 1898-1931. It was referred to as Sacred Coronary heart Residential College and nicknamed Blue Quills, because it was on the Blue Quills Reserve.
The Indian Residential Colleges Decision Well being Help Program has a hotline to assist residential college survivors and their members of the family who’re struggling trauma evoked by recalling previous abuse. The quantity is 1-866-925-4419.
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