Five children tried to take their own lives Friday evening at the Attawapiskat First Nation, its chief said, nearly a week after the community declared a state of emergency over repeated suicide attempts.
Chief Bruce Shisheesh confirmed the news in a brief telephone conversation on Saturday. It was not immediately clear how old the children are.
The community, on James Bay in remote northern Ontario, has been plagued by poverty and a lack of infrastructure and declared a state of emergency last Saturday after 11 of its members attempted suicide in one weekend and 28 tried to do so in March.
About a dozen teenagers in the community attempted suicide on Monday, after the declaration.
Regional, provincial and federal governments sent support and crisis workers to the community in response to the state of emergency. Parliament held a special session Tuesday night to address the suicide attempts, calling them “completely unacceptable” and vowing steps to keep them from happening again.
Attawapiskat Chief Bruce Shisheesh, left, met with Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins earlier this week. (CBC)
MP Charlie Angus, whose riding includes Attawapiskat, said the attempts on Friday are the result of growing despair in the area due to neglect by the federal government.
“We have to get away from our government attitude that they can sit and wait and wait,” he said in an interview.
We are grateful for the well wishes for Attawapiskat from around the world as the numbers keep climbing. 5 more children yesterday evening
— @BruceShisheesh
Attawapiskat has declared five states of emergency since 2006. It previously sounded the alarm over flooding and raw sewage issues, poor drinking water and a housing crisis.
Angus and Canada’s Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett said in a joint statement on Friday they would visit the community.
Shisheesh tweeted hours later: “Busy night at the hospital…. Pray for Attawapiskat.”
Source:: http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/attawapiskat-youth-attempt-suicide-1.3539564?cmp=rss
