Iskra - Iskra - Oka lyrics

In March 1990 at Kanesatake An absence of justice for the Mohawk people Forced the hand of a peaceful community To raise their fists in angry defiance Plan for progress by the township of Oka Its mayor and council approved destruction of first nation's land A plot hatched in secret in the 1950's And the area was taken without restitution A barricade was raised on the roadway by the first nation's people of Kanesatake To halt the construction crews who intended to destroy their sacred lands For the expansion of an existing golf course reserved for the privileged A grotesque misuse of illegally obtained land There was no due process in negotiations The community's pleas were ignored An order to cease and desist blocking construction Was met by their unified refusal The businesses and politicians of Oka Cried for police intervention Racists across the country protested And demanded police intervention So the barricade was approached and watched by officers Called from surrounding areas in Quebec They blocked food and supplies to the entire town But the people of Kanesatake had reinforcements of their own Members of a militant resistance group called the Warriors joined their cause And brought weapons, trained soldiers and fierce determination The town's plight inspired cooperation Food was smuggled to them by the Micmac Solidarity with the first nations was evident across the country 500 protestors rallied at St.. Paul in support 1000 people gathered at a park near Kanesatake to bolster morale At the first sign of light on July 11th The signal was sent and the police advanced They fired weapons and launched smoke grenades In a display of aggression to disband the resisters 4400 or more officers 2629 of them were troops 1144 military vehicles Surrounded the community of Kahnasatake On Sept. 1 without warning the police and military overran the barricade The protestors mobilized to stop them and rioting ensued Open fighting on the street with military, police and soldiers Put an end to the barricade but far from ended this dispute The remaining protestors retreated to a treatment center Eventually the last protestors would be subdued The Warriors escaped under radar in planes to fight another day And so the military finally withdrew But still many people were arrested in the aftermath We must not forget so their justice is served too