Coast Salish Traditional Territory/Vancouver, BC – On behalf of all First Nations in British Columbia, the First Nations Leadership Council expresses deepest condolences and sympathies to the family, friends, and community of 14 year-old Aielah Katherina Saric, whose body was discovered near Prince George on Highway 16, also known as the “Highway of Tears”.
“The First Nations Leadership Council also expresses condolences and sympathies to all the family members of at least nine young women who have gone missing or been murdered since 1990 along the same highway, as this incident surely serves as a reminder of their on-going loss and pain,” said BC Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Shawn Atleo.
The First Nations Leadership Council shares the concerns of First Nations, local organizations, and RCMP officers who have speculated that some of these cases may be connected, emphasizing that all of the women are between the ages of 14 and 25, and all but one are aboriginal. In a letter to the RCMP on Friday February 17th, the First Nations Leadership Council called for a more coordinated approach to these investigations, highlighting the benefits of combining the expertise of all past and present RCMP officers that have been working these cases individually, and of pooling all available resources in a concerted effort.