MacBAIN: Kamloops band still firm on unmarked graves... a rebuttal

While I fully support Brian Giesbrecht's condemnation of CBC coverage of the “unmarked graves” issue, it is important to recognize that the Kamloops band remains firmly committed to its claim the anomalies represent "unmarked burials.”The Catholic Register (June 27th) quotes Chief Rosanne Casimer: “Our investigators' findings to date are consistent with the presence of unmarked burials.”Referring to the original ground penetrating radar results she said:“But it was also the historical details and oral histories that also spoke truth to the potential gravesites of the children that did not go home. It was those truths, and they were always kind of identified as anomalies, but also identified as the children who did not go home. “We know that truth among our survivors, and that is what brings us to today with that truth-finding, but also to the investigation and these meaningful steps to seek answers.”Chief Casimir said researchers are immersed in multi-disciplinary investigation, employing “archival and documentary research and analysis, Wenecwtsínem (truth telling) with KIRS survivors, archaeological and anthropological surveys and studies, and potential DNA and other forensic methods.”All findings to date and the step-by-step process are currently being kept confidential she said, to “preserve the integrity of the investigation.”She added that “our investigators' findings to date are consistent with the presence of unmarked burials.”The “Sacred Covenant” between the Archdioceses of Vancouver and Diocese of Kamloops and the Kamloops band says “developing a strategy to address unmarked graves is complicated and will require long-term thoughtful discussion about the most appropriate procedures to document, commemorate and protect those burials.”Paragraph 29 of the document adds: “separating children from their families without considering individual circumstances violates Catholic social teaching.”Archbishop Michael Miller said: “The residential school system did do great damage to the languages, traditions in this community and we see the ongoing impact of that today. The Church was wrong — wrong — in how it complied in implementing a government colonist policy that resulted in the separation of children from their parents and their families. Even the most ardent skeptics must know that a system requiring or pressuring the separation of families would have devastating consequences — tragic consequences.”The 'Covenant' requires the parties to, inter alia:a) Work together to determine the truth about “the identities of the children, the circumstances of their deaths and all information about the missing children to ensure we can accurately determine their home communities so they can rest in peace and their families have answers”.b) The church to provide mental health support and family counselling for loved ones of those who may be buried on the former KIRS grounds.c) The dioceses provide Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation with expertise and technical services to help answer questions raised by previous GPR work.d.) That the dioceses support fundraising for First Nations who seek to maintain their former residential schools as national monuments.While there was some hope for a brief time, it would appear the “unmarked graves” saga is far from over.Toronto author Robert MacBain has followed the indigenous file for more than 60 years and was a consultant to the Department of Indian Affairs in the early 1970s. His website is: www.RobertMacBainBooks.ca