The Power Shift Network has sent out the following action alert:
On Friday afternoon, mere hours after a federal judged okayed construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline to move forward, the Obama administration intervened and asked that Energy Transfer Partners—the company building the pipeline—put construction on hold while the government reconsiders its permitting process.[1]
This pause is a major plot twist in the saga of the Dakota Access pipeline—but it’s not a full victory. In order to stop this dangerous, illegal pipeline from being built, President Obama needs to revoke the permits once and for all. And this decision makes it clear that his administration is paying attention—so it’s more critical than ever that we keep up the pressure.
The Administration’s statement this weekend, issued jointly by the Army Corps, the Department of the Interior, and the Department of Justice, acknowledged three incredible things:
Construction is delayed within 20 miles of the Missouri River crossing. However, this is only temporary: the statement has bought us time, but we need to act fast in the window we’ve been given.
“There should be nationwide reform with respect to considering tribes’ views on these types of infrastructure projects.” This is a stunning admission from the government that remained silent when police pepper-sprayed and set attack dogs on the peaceful Dakota Sioux pipeline resistors, and bulldozed their sacred sites. We know the Obama administration will only follow through on their promises if we demand they do so.
The Administration supports the tribes’ and allies’ First Amendment rights to peaceful protest. And we intend to leverage that right to ensure this pipeline is permanently stopped.
Those three statements are a testament to the courageous, steadfast grassroots resistance that has swept the nation over the last three weeks led by the Standing Rock Tribe. The Sacred Stones and Red Warrior camps in North Dakota continue to grow, with more than 100 tribal nations standing united to defend their sacred land and water.
But the fight is far from over. Just this weekend, Cody Hall, a Standing Rock Sioux leader with the Red Warrior resistance camp, was arrested on trumped-up vandalism charges and held in jail all weekend in an act of cruel intimidation.[2]
As the proverb goes, “They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds.” Even in the face of police brutality, the seeds of peaceful resistance against the Dakota Access pipeline are growing into a powerful movement. And right now, the indigenous land defenders leading that movement need your solidarity more than ever.
In solidarity,
Akilah Sanders-Reed
Oil Free Organizer
Power Shift Network
PS— Can’t make it to the event near you? There are still many other ways you can support right now: Contribute to the camp, the legal defense, or send supplies.
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