Oka Crisis, 1990
Frequently in Canada, Aboriginal people's rights and title to land have been disregarded as the government forces compliance from them. They are dealt with unfairly by the administration that directs this country as several of their claims to land and resources go unnoticed or are retracted when the government chooses. It is treatment like this that harvests frustration in a person, which in turn, leads to fanatical behaviour and violent outbursts similar to the one that transpired in the Municipality of Oka in 1990. When various levels of government failed to come to terms with the issue of land claims with the Mohawk people of Kanesatake and a golf course expansion was planned to go on their land, they decided to take action. It seemed unlikely that these residents of Oka would be able to achieve any results by using conventional methods of participation, so they decided to take a more radical approach. Many feel that this manifestation of anger "was a logical and inevitable outcome of five hundred years of inequality", but what did it accomplish? The events of the Oka crisis can be viewed as a success on some levels, but also as a failure on others. Several Aboriginals believe that the standoff was "successful in drawin
An Aboriginal woman, who is a part of the Kanesatake community, said in an interview after the crisis that "[The crisis] proved what my grandparents [told me] and their grandparents told them. " After negotiations broke down, the government chose to try and intimidate the Mohawks and force them down from their position by bringing in the army. As Marx's concept suggests, this frustration built within them and erupted in an act of civil disobedience and a revolt against the government as "dissatisfaction with society and politics can lead to political violence. They organized a protest where "300 Mohawks, and other non native who opposed the expansion marched in the village of Oka as part of a peaceful demonstration. Once the deadlock commenced, the Mohawks did not possess many strategies to attempt to satisfy their goal. They wanted their actions to allow them to regain their property and to bring respect to the government for all Aboriginal people. Due to all this, the individuals that participated in the Oka crisis were socialized to despise the government of Canada and act out in aggressive manners. " Hate and racism was also evident immediately after the Mohawks were overtook by the army when "the police beat up some of the Mohawks after they walked out of the Pines. " The Mohawk people had settled there before the arrival of the French, but as was the case across most of Canada, the immigrants claimed the land for themselves. " On the other hand, many people disregard the negative aspects and looked forward at the positive ones. " In Oka, there was a gathering "of 200 natives and non-natives held outside the village. " With tension between the Mohawks and the government already high, the last thing they needed was another dispute with respect to land. Racism brings on deeper feelings of fearfulness, and after Oka, one Mohawks man felt that "there was always this underlying feeling that he might not live to see the next day" and he had to "consider the very real possibility that he might die for this land and these people.
Common topics in this essay:
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Minister Mulroney,
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set road block,
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Acceptance Essays
