Have you guys noticed why some of your Facebook friends have been checking into the #StandingRockIndianPreservation even though they don’t live in North Dakota? Well, since April, Native American tribes have been protesting against the Dakota Access Pipeline project or #DAPL. The $3.7 billion project is expected to make at least 470,000 barrels of crude oil a day available to four states at a much cheaper price. To complete DAPL, the federal government is intersecting the pipeline with sacred burial grounds as well as the Missouri River which is a main water source for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
Natives are protesting the project, because they believe that this is nothing short of corporate greed not to mention an environmental hazard. On top of all of that, it’s a plain insult to their sacred grounds. So, once the final phases of construction began near the river last week, protesters moved their camps directly in its path so as to restrict any progress. Unfortunately, they were met with excessive force from police dressed in riot gear. The authorities attempted to remove the protesters by using pepper spray, tasers, sound canons and shotguns that were said to be filled with beanbags. Over 100 of these peaceful protesters were arrested including elders who were only praying in the roadway. The Morton County Sheriff Department claims that a protester fired three shots at them, and have arrested a woman.
Similar to the Black Loves Matter movement, there is much debate on how to end the project. Younger generations are demonstrating more aggressively while older generations only want to continue with peaceful protests and prayer. For example, in response to militant police, protesters created a blockade by torching three cars which made it difficult for members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and nearby residents to get to their engagements in the next town. For now, tribe elders are urging others to remove their children from the protest sites just in case things get more violent.
Over the weekend, there was an oil leak which just so happened to justify these protests. According to Counter Current News, a North Dakota well owned by Oasis Petroleum Inc blew out and has leaked over 67,000 gallons of crude oil. It is threatening the state of a tributary of the Missouri River. Cleanup began yesterday morning, but it has not been reported that they have capped the leak yet. 84,000 gallons of salt water has leaked from the well, too. It is potentially toxic since it is typically separated from extracted crude.
The crazy thing is that this story has barely received any media attention, so please share it! The state of this tribe’s water supply is being threatened!
TSR STAFF: Talia O. @theclosetratchet on Instagram & @tallyohhh on Twitter!
