What We Can Do To Support Standing Rock
compiled by Greg Foisie – CSULA graduate student
The Standing Rock Sioux Nation and their Native and non-Native allies continue in their collective struggle, Oceti Sakowin, to protect the water (Missouri River, a source of water to millions of people) and sacred Mother Earth, including ancestral burial grounds of the Standing Rock Sioux, from the desecration and pollution threatened by the construction and use of the Dakota Access Pipeline Project (DAPL).
The US has been told (for hundreds of years) by Indian elders not to desecrate Mother Earth. Now we’ve entered a period when the world’s leading climatologists have been telling us (for decades) that burning fossil fuels leads to greenhouse gas pollution and destabilization to our atmosphere culminating in extreme climate change. Scientists predict that warming temperatures, melting glaciers and ice sheets, acidifying and rising seas, droughts and floods, and intense storms will spell doom for hundreds of millions of humans and mass extinctions of many species. Yet forces in US society perpetuate fossil fuel use because they profit in the short term. They’re willing to sell out future generations. We should be keeping fossil fuels in the ground and converting our infrastructure to operate on renewable forms of energy.
Construction of the pipeline to access North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields has destroyed sacred burial grounds, prayer sites and cultural artifacts, and can contaminate the tribe’s water supply and impact more than 17 million downstream.
The pipeline was rerouted through tribal lands when other citizens of North Dakota rejected it to protect their community’s water. It’s another example of the environmental racism that tribes have experienced since conquest. More than 300 tribes across America and millions of people around the globe have pledged support for Standing Rock. Many celebrities, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Kennedy, Jr., Susan Sarandon, Jane Fonda and Dr. Jill Stein have spoken out in solidarity. Read more at https://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/11/16/standing-rock-sioux-tribe-releases-documentary-urge-obama-listen-166486
The DAPL, that would cross unceded indigenous territory, is a violation of sovereign rights, culture and treaty commitments of the Standing Rock Sioux. The fast-track process of approval disregarded key US legislation, including the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act. No proper environmental impact study was performed, and no consultation was sought from the indigenous community.
The Oil Companies have entered sacred grounds of the Standing Rock Sioux Indians. They’re preparing to drill under the Missouri River without a permit. They have desecrated sacred burial grounds. Pepper spray, rubber bullets and harsh treatment of protestors is happening there now. All the Oceti Sakowin want is to be left in peace and to protect their right to clean water. The media does not want to talk about this so we have to defend them. We need everyone’s help on this.
Information To Help You Support Standing Rock
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe / Stand with Standing Rock
Bldg. #1 N Standing Rock Avenue
P.O. Box D, Fort Yates, ND 58538
(701) 854-8500 https://standingrock.org ssittingbear@standingrock.org
Sign The Petition: https://standwithstandingrock.net/take-action/
Contribute Directly To Standing Rock: https://standwithstandingrock.net/donate/
Updated List Of Numbers – Please call these numbers expressing your concern over the DAPL and your opposition to the brutality being inflicted upon prayerful, non-violent water and Mother Earth protectors.
424-353-2016 NBC wants you to text them your opinion. Numbers you text from will not be published.
701-333-2006 National Guard public Affairs
701-328-2200 North Dakota Governor
701-667-3330 Sherriff’s office in charge of the police on site
202-456-1111 White House
202-456-9431 White House Situation Room
701-328-4726 North Dakota Attorney General object to the illegal sale of farmland to a corporation
202-353-1555 Department of Justice comment line
202-514-2000 Department of Justice switchboard
Tell them you are watching and to have the police stand down!
Social media hashtags: #SacredWater #StandingRockSioux #StandingRock #NoDAPL #WaterIsLife
These states are sending in “troops” to help defend big oil. Make phone calls, people!
Wisconsin – Governor: 608-266-1212 – Scott Walker State Legislators: 1-800-362-9472 Tourism Dept: 1-800-432-8747
South Dakota – Governor: 605.773.3212 – Governor Daugaard State Legislators: 605-773-3251 Tourism Dept: 1-800-732-5682
Minnesota – Governor: 651-201-3400 – Governor Mark Dayton State Legislators: 651-296-2146, 651-296-0504 Tourism Dept: 888-847-4866
Wyoming – Governor: 307-777-7434 – Governor Matt Mead State Legislators: 307-777-7881 Tourism Dept: 307-777-7777
Indiana – Governor: 317-232-4567 – Governor Mike Pence (Trump’s VP) State Legislators: 1-800-382-9842; 1-800-382-9467 Tourism Dept: 317-233-3261
Nebraska – Governor: 402-471-2244 – Pete Ricketts State Legislators: 402-471-2788 Tourism Dept: 402-471-3796
More Information: The Standing Rock Sioux Nation band council website: https://standingrock.org
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is a federally recognized tribe of American Indians. 81 Federal Register 26826, 26830 (May 4, 2016). Under the Indian Tribal Government Tax Status Act of 1982, 26 U.S.C. 7871 et seq. , Indian tribes are treated like states for purposes of federal income, estate and gift tax deductions for charitable contributions.
Visit The Intertribal Camp & Support The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s Opposition To The DAPL: Invitations have been sent out welcoming those who feel moved to come to the Camp in North Dakota in support of its work. Directions to facilities providing accommodations operated by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe can be found at https://standingrock.org/visit-us/
If you come stay at the Camp itself and camp, be prepared to provide for all of your own winter camping needs. It has been suggested from numerous sources that for camping at the Camp you should be self sufficient for needs that might include transportation (snow tires/chains), winter camping shelter, potable water, heat sources, appropriate and adequate winter clothing (including boots, gloves/mitts, headwear, work clothes, etc.), food, snow shovel, communication devices, etc.
Camp Info / Oceti Sakowin – from https://standwithstandingrock.net/oceti-sakowin/
The Oceti Sakowin Camp represents a historic gathering of Indigenous Nations. The most recent such assembly of Tribes occurred when the Great Sioux Nation gathered before the Battle at the Little Big Horn.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe supports the peaceful and prayerful message of the Oceti Sakowin leaders and desires to assist with options for their Camp before winter sets in. The on-reservation camp will allow the tribe to explore and pursue considerations for a camp and longer term ways to meet the needs of the community that is 100% off-the-grid, featuring Solar & Wind power generation.
Camp Etiquette from https://standwithstandingrock.net/camp-etiquette/
The Tribe is not responsible for the Camp. The Tribe will provide basic services, such as portable restroom facilities & trash removal. When you’re at the Oceti Sakowin Camp, please observe the following guidelines:
Please come in a peaceful and prayerful manner.
Please come prepared to be self-sufficient. You are expected to take care of yourself.
Please keep your area clean and sanitary.
Please help out to keep the Oceti Sakowin camp tidy and respect Mother Earth.
Please volunteer with camp chores.
Some Organizational Allies of Oceti Sakowin
Native Organizers Alliance https://www.nativeorganizing.org/ httpss://www.facebook.com/NativeOrganizersAlliance/
Bold Nebraska, 402-705-3622, http://www.boldnebraska.org
Indigenous Environmental Network https://www.ienearth.org/ httpss://www.facebook.com/ienearth @ienEarth on twitter
