The Sioux religion prophesizes of a black snake that will bring harm and destruction to all peoples.August 2016 that prophesy threatened to materialize with “The Dakota Access Pipeline.”

 A documentary was made to tell the story of events that transpired during the the protests at Standing Rock

This 2-part documentary is titled “Rise.”
This video documents the real day to day struggles of those on the reservation and the first-hand accounts of the activists against the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock Reservation. These videos were later taken down off YouTube and only viewable to those with access.

Native Nations would say it is to hide the atrocities they endure and to keep everyone oblivious to the daily battle they face.

Standing rock is located on the borders of North and South Dakota.
As soon as tractors were visible across the river a camp of activists began to develop.
People began to gather in standing against DAPL.
The camp grew into a community. Everyone, every hand, worked together to ensure the cohesiveness of the Standing Rock Camp culture.
No drugs, alcohol or guns were permitted at the camp.
Many people left their jobs immediately in response to the help needed at the camp.
Although money was donated to the camp.
The leader of the camp (pictured below) often paid out of pocket for the supplies to keep camp running and people fed.
This pipeline is a direct shake to her core.
She can tell you the history of the land from the very beginning.

It is yet another attack to tribal sovereignty. It is another expression of blatant disregard for Tribal lands and rights. All treaties, which are viewed as simply a trick dressed as compromised, have been broken since the first treaty was sign in 1778. The treaty of Fort Pitt allowed the US safe passage through Delaware Territory in exchange for goods that were never relinquished. There is still a lot of land in Land Allotment limbo that rightfully belong to Indians but have not been handed over.

Native people are extremely opposed to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline because it puts their way of living in direct danger. This pipeline is a literal and direct destruction of their ancestors, their history, their land, their culture and their lives. Its route will directly go through the resting places of their ancestors. Their ancestor’s bones and material remains will be dug up and plowed over to make room for the pipeline to be placed underground. It is a further expression of racism and broken promises.
The ripple effect of the construction of DAPL extends to a very wide and deep degree. One of the ripple effects comes in the form of human trafficking.

DAPL will bring “man camps” which is housing for those working on the construction sites.  Since the pipeline construction sites are far from their homes and often times far from any city or town they build a small housing area to accommodate the workers.

These men go into neighboring reservations and commit horrendous crimes.

They commit crimes of violence, rape and even kidnap young girls and sell them to the sex trade.

Tribal authority is not allowed to arrest non-Indian regardless if they commit crimes on reservation land. Tribal police cannot exercise their authority on their own land.Young girls stay inside for fear of being raped and kidnapped. It is a very living threat.
The worries lies greatly to survival for the youth and future generations.

They are willing to give their lives to defend their land and the preservation of their culture. 

They feel this is another war they are encountering since the first colonists arrived.  They feel they this is a modern method of genocide. The  from the first time of contact with European settlers Native people have begun dying with each passing generation.

The blankets given to the Native peoples were saturated with small pox. Prior to European contact, the Indians knew no disease.  One might argue that the European did not know the blankets were riddled with small pox.

The illustrating a gesture of good faith but history  has shown us what the American Indian has endured over the centuries

 A solution? Many have proposed that this particular pipeline be moved away from the reservation. 

Although this might be an immediate relief the real solution is renewable energy.   

 

Who and what is DAPL?

DAPL stands for Dakota Access Pipeline, aka Brakken Pipeline, that is 1,172 miles long. The pipeline starts in North Dakota, snakes through South Dakota and Iowa to reach its destination in a port in Illinois.

It is 3.5 billion dollar project made to transport approximately 450,000 gallons of crude oil a day.  

The pipeline route runs under Lake Oahe that would put the reservation’s only supply of drinking water at risk of oil spills and contamination as well as destroy sacred Indian burial land. Dakota Access, LLC, submitted an application to the Army Corps of Engineers for permits and permission to construct and operate the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, is in charge of evaluating all applications to determine if permits will be given to allow construction.

They are to adhere to several sections of all projects involving any water crossings.These sections are: Section 404 of the Clean Water Act Sections 10 and 14 of the Rivers Harbors Act of 1899Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act- which requires consulting with Native American Tribes.

The US Army Corps of Engineers only have jurisdiction over a very small part of the pipeline project, but that small portion happens to cross through water.Just 37 miles encompass 202 jurisdictional water crossings but enough to petition for permits. USACE is required to review each of these water crossings as a single project.

The Army Corps of Engineers slowed the application process in lieu of the cultural and environmental concerns of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.

How do they pay for this pipeline??The 4 major corporations that are part of the “Transfer Energy Family” applying for this pipeline are: • Dakota Access LLC develops underground crude oil pipelines.  

• Energy Transfer Partners that have a revolving credit line of $3.75 billion that receives money from 26 banks.  

• Sunoco Logistics has a credit line with $2.5 billion that receives money from 24 banks.  

• Energy Transfer Equity has a credit line with another $1.5 billion that receives money from a large number the same big international banks that fund the other involved corporations.

 

 Banks funding these corporations:

• Citibank 
•Wells Fargo•Bank of America
•Goldman Sachs
•JPMorgan
•Chase
•Sun Trust 
•Royal Bank of Scotland 
•HSBC
•Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi
•Mizuho Bank 
•TD Securities•ABN AMRO Capital
•DNB First Bank (based in Philly)
•ICBC 
•SMCB Nikko Securities
•Société Générale 

Michels Corporation is an international company that has been contracted to build the actual pipeline.The law firms of Gibson and Dunn & Crutcher and Fredrikson & Byron, are two of the law firms representing the litigation for the Dakota Access pipeline.
G4S is one of the security companies hired to suppress peaceful water protectors in North Dakota.

Other violations that DAPL commit are trespassing through privately owned land. Farmers in Iowa, a state where DAPL passes through, are suing in defense of their farm land being robbed through eminent domain.

Eminent domain is the practice of privatizing public land. Eminent domain is essentially stealing private land and never give you the compensation they promise.

It is defined as the government, or its agent, taking possession of private property for public use in exchange for payment or compensation. This is the definition of what treaties are for Indians.

Many conservative politicians unwaveringly support eminent domain. They have even started to take private land and using them for private uses. Donald Trump when building one of his hotels he convinced the State agency to use eminent domain to take Vera’s home so he could build a limousine parking lot for his customers.This is taking private land to private uses. A land owner in Iowa was arrested on her own land for protesting against the government digging for construction on her land. Although the government was trespassing on private land she was treated as a criminal. 
People in Iowa are also protesting against DAPL.

Activists and Advocacy

All and every type of activist can be found in protest against DAPL. The pipeline may directly affect those at Standing Rock Reservation but its ripple affect reaches to far wider and deeper range. 

•Human rights activists- Against Genocide • Civil rights activists – Concerning the rights of the American people, native and non-native because the pipeline extends further past the reservations
•Women’s rights activists – protection against the sex trade that the men camps bring with them•Constitutional rights activists – Protecting our freedom of speech, religion, the right to assemble
•Activists against sexual abuse and violence– against all types of violence and sexual abuse perpetuated by the men from the men camps 
•Renewable energy activists- promoting (to name a few) wind and solar energy options•Environmental activists- protection against the hurting the earth in extracting and depleting resources•Activists for Clean Water – protesting against the very real threat of water being contaminated that affects those all along the land the pipeline convers 
•Tribal rights activists- advocating for tribal rights, civil and legal 
•Anti-lobbying activists- to fight against the allowing companies to put money in the pockets of those in office to allow the construction of these projects 
•Constitutional rights activists – right to gather and protest peacefully. Protestors at Standing Rock were met with force while being unarmed. Some activists were even arrested•Anthropologist, Archaeologists, Historic preservationists  – against any destruction, harm or violation of a culture past or present to their way of living and their material remains 
•Anti-Trump activists- for Trump allowing the continuation of DAPL and suspected to have holdings in the companies that directly and indirectly fund DAPL 

Protests 

1. March 4 2017, Protesters gathered in front of Trump Tower protesting Trumps executive order that allowed the construction on the Dakota Access pipeline to continue. This was a precursor to the protesting against DAPL on March10. 

2. March 10 2017, protesters gathered in front of the TD Bank (a bank that funds DAPL) in Vancouver, Canada. These protests were led Treaty Alliance and Climate Convergence Metro Vancouver. Treaty Alliance advocates for Indigenous Law prohibiting the pipelines/trains/tankers that will feed the expansion of the Alberta Tar Sands  

3.March 27 2017 Columbus, Ohio Protesting against banks that fund DAPL: Citibank and protesting against the sheriff’s department that used brute force against peaceful protestingDefund Injustice #NoDapl #NoKXL 

4.April 28-29 Indigenous Environmental Network is protesting in DC bringing attention to environmental issues. •Their families•Protecting our air, water, land•Clean energy jobs •Climate justice

5.May 1, 2017 protesting against banks that fund DAPL : City Bank Protesting in Brooklyn, NY defunddapl-9 

Organizations

Native Organizers Alliance             The Native Organizers Alliance, a project of the People's Action Institute, advocates for change for Native people all across the North American continent.  It provides a forum for Native organizers, Native organizations and their supporters to collaborate with each other, share best practices and promote their work. The Native Organizers Alliance (NOA) brings awareness to supports the health and welfare of rural and urban communities and reservations across Indian Country through grassroots-driven social.

Peoples Action            
Advocating for human rights to disassemble systems of racism that perpetuate violence and deny people even the essentials based on race, gender, and country of origin. They fight against economic and political systems designed to benefit corporations and a small number while they push everyone else to the margins.

Indigenous Environmental Network            
They aim to educate and empower Indigenous Peoples. They address and develop strategies for the protection of the environment, health, and all life forms of the Indigenous People. They re-affirm traditional native knowledge and respect of natural laws.

They advocate environmentally sound lifestyles, economic livelihoods, and work to build healthy sustaining Indigenous communities.  They include youth and elders in all levels of work. Advocate for legislation that affects Indigenous Peoples on a local, tribal, state, regional, national and international level. Working for the protection of Indigenous human rights in practicing their cultural and spiritual beliefs.

Government organizations supporting Standing RockU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyU.S. Department of InteriorAdvisory Council on Historic Preservation
I would join marches against DAPL and any company or country that directly or indirectly aids human trafficking. I would advocate against anything large gas and oil companies do and advocate for clean energy. I am for any protest or legislation that protects against any type of violence in general but especially violence against women. I believe in the freedom of speech and the freedom to practice ones preferred religion and traditions.I discovered the major corporations for DAPL are here in San Antonio, TX. I will get this very important information out to San Antonians and surrounding cities.

These corporations are Texas based and have offices here in San Antonio, we should be at the frontlines and go to their front door (stand on the public property) and hold signs, candlelight vigils, fund raisers or any type of attention in protest of these corporations.  

One doesn’t have to protest with picket signs against any of the powers or join any of the marches. One doesn’t have to donate to Standing Rock Reservation and their cause.

Helping stand against DAPL is as easy as choosing to place your another bank if they happen to be in any of the banks listed as funding DAPL.
It is important to defund these banks and ask them to divest their money from these corporations.

Your money in these banks is used to DIRECTLY give money to these large corporations that construct these pipelines.

Taking your money from these banks defunds environmental destruction, defunds the violation of human rights and aids in ending the sex trafficking of young girls.   

 

 One way too take a look at this pipeline and to think of a water hose.......

•Picture a water hose that is a several feet thick made from very hard material and can extend for thousands of miles.
•Now picture instead of the water flowing through the hose its thick poisonous oils runs through the tubes.  • If there is a hole of tear in the hose, water goes everywhere and wets things you wouldn’t want to get wet. 

•If there is a tear or any damage in the pipeline, oil is going to permeate the earth and contaminate the ground and water. It will contaminate YOUR water. It will affect crops that you buy from the store used to feed your family.  •  If your hose is damaged you could just patch it up. The DAPL is underground and will require an immense amount of time and resources to reach that spot on the pipeline. It would take months to get access to the damage while that entire time more and more oil keeps seeping into the ground. 

• So throw away the hose and get a new one?  • The Dakota Access Pipeline is estimated to cost 3 BILLION dollars and it would take millions to repair.

•Can this pipeline bring jobs and keep cars off the road?
         Yes, but will run an even bigger risk in contaminating water

  

Presidential Stance  

The (then) Army Corps of Engineer Assistant Secretary for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy announced further investigation is needed cultural and environmental harm. She insisted in more federal government-to-tribe talks to find alternatives to this situation and helped delay the process.

Obama administration against DAPLActive protesting along with legislation opposing DAPL reached the White House to have the US Army Corps of Engineers deny permission for construction.

President Obama called for a halt in construction. Within hours of this ruling, workers of the pipeline were ordered to leave the site until further notification.

This ruling reflects the preservation of human rights and breaks the cycle of the constant aim to destroy Native peoples and their way of living. It demonstrates the right of the people to assemble and protest and have their voice heard.  It allows Americans to exercise their constitutional rights. It also illustrates the environmental stance against the institution of fossil fuels that help drive climate change.

Trump administration for DAPLOn January 24, just 2 weeks after taking office, Trump gave the green light to continue construction for DAPL. By executive order President Trump ordered a “reconsideration” to Darcy’s decision.
The new Assistant Secretary for Civil Works cancelled all investigations and give all permits.And construction on the Dakota Access pipeline started up again.  

It furthers the Conservative agenda in supporting the oil industry that generates billions of dollars a year. These corporations at located in Texas, which is the predominate state in oil productions and just to happens to be a “red,” or republican, state.  DAPL is funded by large banks and is estimated to be very lucrative for those investing.

President Trump had 10s of thousands of stocks in many of the banks that directly fund these 4 corporations which he is reported to have sold right before his induction to office. One of these corporations, Energy Transfer Partners, donated 100,000 dollars to his presidential campaign. 
Standing Rock Reservation

Activism against large oil companies drew worldwide attention and support against DAPL.

Activists at Standing Rock raised awareness through many channels, but one in particular, a group of youth raised awareness through running and ran all the way to The White House.

Bobby Jean Three Legs organized a cross country run to bring awareness and gain support in battling DAPL.

She not only ran to bring awareness for activism against DAPL but to bring attention to the ongoing internal struggle in Indian Reservations.

Through social media she was able to reach even farther to bring awareness and elevate the voice of the activists at Standing Rock.

A little history. From 1890 to as late as 1970 the US government schools forcibly took children from their homes and placed them in boarding schools. Indian children were placed in boarding schools and endured mental, emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

This abuse has trickled down through the generations and have brought with them drug and alcohol abuse to cope with all the abuse endured at a young age.

This substance abuse further transferred to their children.

This cycle of abuse, of which Bobby Jean herself was a victim of, makes the reservations even more defenseless against those trying to destroy the Indian.

Bobby Jean used this vessel to awaken those lost in drugs and alcohol. Many of those answered the call and came to become activists against DAPL. Many quit their jobs to join the camp in fighting DAPL.

“Water Protectors” and “Warriors” were brought back to life from being governmentally oppressed for so many centuries.

It allowed for Indians to experience life had they never had the US government never took their land.

There was a large sense of unity as tribal peoples.

It was more than a Standing Rock fight but became a fight for ALL native nations.

Getting back in touch for some and learning for the first time for others, the history, legacy, broken treaties and war songs of tribal nations.

It was a reawakening of what the US government constantly tries to kill. Activists were met with violence, pepper spray and rubber bullets as they stood in defense of their land and their rights.

Completely unarmed they were met with dogs and tear gas.

The media twisted their actions and make them look like rioters.

Many of the activists were arrested for exercising their constitutional rights. Like addressed earlier eminent domain seems to be another word for treaties.

From first treaty made in 1778 until today, all treaties that were every written were later ignored or broken.

A detailed list of treaties is found here.

Indian reservations were created to place Indian in places with
The activism at Standing Rock is another demonstration of the long history of Indians fighting for their land.

Fighting against the violations of land sanctions and trespassing and desecrating Indian land.

Life on Indian reservation is a constant battle with non-Indians and the federal government thinking they have the right to do anything they please against Indians without any ramifications.

Trespassing
Illegally fishing
Illegally hunting
Illegal construction

The practice of stealing Indian land in a promise of exchange of goods or money has always been the deceitful tactic of the federal government. Although the pipeline does not cut through the Standing Rock Reservation, that fact is minuscule to the all the damage it will do.

DAPL does cross their ancestral treaty-established lands.

 

What should I be doing?A large reason that the reservations have such poverty is the
lack of business on the reservation.
Reservations are characterized as bare with houses spread far out.
There are tons of red tape Indians have to go through to be able to open any think of business.
It might be in large part because they wouldn't have to pay taxes.
I want to know what all the sections and penal codes that are piled up against opening business on reservations.
Why is it "easy" to open a casino but opening Subway sandwich shop suddenly becomes the mecca for commerce.

 

We as Americans, myself included, have always pictured genocide as something that happens in a distant land or a long time ago or during a big war. We think these places and these people are too foreign for us to be able to be disgusted by these acts. 

 
Why aren't tribal police allowed to arrest perpetrators for crimes committed ON tribal land??

America couldn’t POSSIBLY have or participate in something as dehumanizing and evil as genocide. 

 

It comes down to profit. It comes down to where most money can be made. This is evident in so many things, especially war, that

 

Trump does not value human life.

He does not even value his own principles, he has no principles.
Someone who constantly contradicts themselves and justifies they contractions has no morals.


All he values is how much money is in his pocket.

The construction of this pipeline pours salt on wounds have never healed and were inflicted at the first time of contact with the Europeans

 

 
I have searched several other sites to watch the documentary and every website I come to asks for an access code.

It makes me wonder…….

Why were these videos taken down? Why has access been revoked?

Where is their freedom of speech? Where is our freedom to be informed about what is going on in our country?

The Native American Reservations have the highest rate of poverty of the entire United States. 

 Imagine every single drop in your home that you use for drinking, cooking, showering, laundry, has to be purchased.

That alone would be a huge expense.

Now imagine you are making just a few hundred dollars a month. 

 
How will native peoples be able to survive with living in poverty and not having any drinking water.


They wont.....




#NoDAPL #EndRacism #EndGenocide #SupportNativeNations




Citation:
All photos were taken from Google.
Links to websites I gather information from are in the hot words.


"American Indian Treaties." National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, 4 Oct. 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.         


Chris White. "The Protests Over The Dakota Access Pipeline Explained." The Daily Caller. The Daily Caller, 11 June 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.                 


Kappler, Charles Joseph. Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties. Washington: U.S. G.P.O., 1975. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.
MacMillan, Hugh, and Jo Miles. "Who's Banking on the Dakota Access Pipeline?" Common Dreams. Food & Water Watch Blog, 17 Sept. 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.


"Sexual Assault in the Bakken Shale “Man Camps”." Earth First! Newswire. Earth First! Journal, 26 May 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.


Young, Angelo. "Who Is #YesDAPL? Meet the Texas Billionaire and Company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline." Salon. N.p., 11 Apr. 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.