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Dakota Access Pipeline: environmental racism, broken
treaties, state collusion, modern Pinkertons, police
brutality and intimidation.
By mickielynn on 2016-11-04 08:00:36
[caption id="attachment_8959" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF article
| OUS PE
“tb of thelr lands and oth
2. States shall consult & cooperate in od Tt indigenous
Peoples..,in order to obtain hes free informed
consent PIlOr to the approval of any project
affecting their lands or territories and other resources...
with the development or exploitation
of mineral, water or other pecurees:
Stand with Standing Rock,
photo by Lakota Media Project[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8953" align="alignleft" width="180"]
STOP.
THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE
S&#NoDAPL
Stop the Dakota pipeline, Logo for one of the many petitions to President Obama, and other
federal agencies.[/caption] Since the spring of 2016, when a small protest and prayer camp was set up near the proposed
pipeline route north of the Standing Rock Sioux reservation there has been a momentous struggle going on - on several
levels. In August, when the state of North Dakota rejected several other routes for the Dakota Access pipeline and placed it
on a route across the Missouri river where it would threaten the water supply of the tribe, protests began in earnest. The tribe
was joined at several encampments by members of approximately 300 indigenous tribes and their allies. Several
encampments were founded and equipped for people to wage peaceful protests and prayer ceremonies. The group called
itself water protectors and maintained nonviolent resistance with no weapons or violent acts. Unlike the so called DAPL
security services and the police, deputies and national guard troops. Aside from the protection of their own water and sacred
sites, Native Americans were also protecting the entire area from environmental disaster. As Earth keepers they were
protecting our Planet from the transport (and burning of) yet more very dirty Bakken crude oil across 4 states to an already
existing pipeline in Illinois. Estimates of just how much oil would travel through this 30 inch diameter pipeline range from
400,000 to 570,000 barrels per day, depending on which estimate you read. The bottom line is that very sensitive
environmental areas and sacred sites would be threatened all along the route. [In the words of a Credo petition to President
Obama which currently has almost 400,000 signatures: ]
[The whole route] would cut through fragile wildlife habitat, environmentally sensitive areas and sovereign
tribal property. Worse, the pipeline would cross under the Missouri River, threatening drinking water
downstream if a catastrophic oil spill occurs.
They go on to say that the process itself was flawed in so many ways mandated in US laws and totally disrespected treaties
such as the Horse Creek Treaty of 1851. [caption id="attachment_8961" align="aligncenter" width="392"]
seit, spits, aphits,
<= —
ox
Unity,victory and helping hands join together for peace and
justice. Image from peace through justice yoga council blog.[/caption]
The Army Corps of Engineers granted the Dakota Access pipeline’s permits using a controversial fast-tracking
process called “Nationwide Permit 12.” This allows the Corps to essentially rubber-stamp pipeline projects on
private property or Native American lands with little environmental review and no meaningful public input. The
Corps incorrectly applied this fast-track process in conflict with numerous federal laws and agreements,
including the “Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation
Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, as well as federal trust responsibilities
guaranteed in the 1851 and 1868 United States treaties with the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota tribes.”
[caption id="attachment_8954" align="aligncenter" width="464"]
ma, COLONIALISM ~~
F- ~~. N@GEN@CIBE =
Ne SETLER TERROR
Artwork in solidarity with Standing Rock and the
Water Protectors. art by Leila Abdeirazaq[/caption] When I mentioned state collusion with Energy Transfer Partners, and
financial supporters of DAPL I was thinking of the Governor of North Dakota, Jack Dalrymple, and the Morton County
Sheriff's Department, headed by Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier. Also the ND Public Service Commission which never consulted
with the tribe but instead complained that they didn't come to a venue to express their opinions in a public comment period.
North Dakota Commissioner: Standing Rock Sioux Sat Out The State Process In that interview on NPR (which like most
mainstream media did not cover the issues until very recently) I fault the moderator for not asking or reporting why
Commissioner Julie Fedorchak and the State of North Dakota disrespected the treaty rights and sovereignty of the Standing
Rock Sioux; or how the City of Bismark's environmental concerns were honored with a route change. [caption
id="attachment_8955" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
: fl Lady Liberty arrested at a
political rally, April 14, 2016, photo by Alejandro Alvarey{/caption] [caption id="attachment_8960" align="aligncenter"
STAND WITH STRONG HEAR’
width="600"] ~ "Stand with
strong hearts". Logo from New York State Nurses' Association, September 1, 2016[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8965"
align="aligncenter" width="450"] Strong for Standing
Rock. A favorite photo of local environmental activist, ‘Susan Weber{/caption] It took a lot of words to describe the context
in which great state violence was wielded against peaceful protestors/protectors and their sacred sites, but we've finally
gotten there. There were two separate groups perpetrating that violence. Possibly in collaboration during the brush fire lit on
a hill near the camps where two hours before that time the constant presence of yellow police helicopters stopped and the
fire and emergency services did not respond to calls to 911. [caption id="attachment_8958" align="aligncenter"
KILLING bese
width="232"] Humanize Not militarize poster designed by Tyler Hestondie for
American Friends Service Committee[/caption] Let's take the unlicensed "security services" that worked for DAPL. During
the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, while bulldozers actively destroyed clearly defined sacred sites, they attacked
protestors and their horses with bite trained dogs, batons and pepper spray. More recently, as the company rushes to
establish “facts on the ground" without yet having received permits for the river crossings, at least_one attempt to infiltrate
the camps_and incite violence, was foiled by the protectors of the camp, many of them military veterans. They deescalated
and disarmed him and held the security company employee for the tribal police to arrest. [caption id="attachment_8963"
align="aligncenter" width="437"] © Spirit of the Earth
and Water protectors from a SNYFG logo[/caption] Then there is the horrific abuse of the non-violent protestors by the
incredibly militarized Morton County Sheriff's Department and other law enforcement agencies from 6 other states, called in
on an Emergency Management Assistance Compact. They have been subjected to military checkpoints, sound cannons, tear
gas, armored vehicles, rubber bullets, batons, bean bag rounds and massive police presence with personal military and riot
gear. Those arrested and detained have been strip searched, hooded, denied bail, housed in dog kennels, forced to wear
orange jumpsuits and abused in other ways. [caption id="attachment_8968" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
in ; Tuesday, 11/1/16, North
Dakota officials approved an additional $4million for policing. Bringing the current cost of the police crackdown to $10
million. Photo by Democracy Now! [/caption] [caption id="attachment 8969" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
a : ss Unicorn riot. Standing Rock
police riot against peaceful protesters, October 2016[/caption] [caption id="attachment_8990" align="aligncenter"
width="400" ]E& Wes Je B i Justice for Standing Rock, militarized response
to prayerful protest. Photo from Roots Action.[/caption] As someone who is old enough to remember the civil rights
movement of the 1960s this looks a lot like a modern version of racial violence. This article by Bill of Rights Defense
Committee and Defending Dissent Foundation provides an excellent overview of the many rights violations and the context
of "the legacy of colonialism and racism that indigenous people have been subjected to."
Today, we recall the images of police violence against civil rights protesters with horror. The scenes of A frican-
Americans standing up for their basic human rights and being met with police billy clubs, water cannons, and
dogs shocked the entire world and helped push the federal government to take long overdue action to defend
human rights at home. Pictures and newsreel footage of these events are frequently found in media and
educational curriculum, making sure this shameful history remains in our collective conscience as a nation.
Right now, similarly shameful scenes are taking er in Standing Rock, North Dakota and we should react with
the same collective sense of horror and urgency.[...] [caption id="attachment_8957" align="aligncenter"
WHITE SUPREMACY 101
NATIVE PROTECTORS
width="600" |EaaauaG
Treatment of Native Water Protectors vs. white Supremacist Bundy militia/[/caption]
There is much more to report, including statements that were made this week by President Obama that the Department of
Justice, the Department of the Army and the Department of the Interior are still reviewing the case of Standing Rock against
the Army Corps of Engineers and that they may consider changing the pipeline route. But this article is long enough for you
to think about taking action by calling President Obama at White House 202-456-1111, comment line, or 202-456-1414
(operator who will take a message). There will also be a large support the water protectors demonstration at the underground
concourse of the Empire State Plaza in Albany on Tuesday, November 15th from 11:30 am through 1 PM
Please watch this space for more background and some updates............
