An old Sioux prophecy once stated that a black snake will cross the great Sioux land. The black snake would come at a great time of uncertainty and destroy the world as we know it. It also states the only way to stop this black snake is for the youth to come together and stop it. Many protestors, commonly referred as water protectors, believe this black snake has arrived in the form of the Dakota Access Pipeline. In the beginning of the year 2016 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published a draft of it plan to approve the Dakota Access Pipeline route under the Missouri River. This has sparked controversy between the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and the company building the pipeline, Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners. This has led to many Native American gathering in protest against the pipeline. …show more content…
One major cause for the human rights violation at the Dakota Access Pipeline is the constant ignorance of Native American sovereignty. During the beginning process of the pipeline, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe was never contacted and informed about the pipeline. The company building the pipeline, Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, claims they met with tribal leaders “many” times over the past couple of years. The Standing Rock …show more content…
White Anglo-Saxon once pushed the Native American people to the brink of extinction due to westward expansion. This ideology continues with the Dakota Access Pipeline because it takes away what little land the tribe has left. For this ideology to stop one must become educated about Native American history and their individual rights. Native American people must come together and fight this modern-day
Native Americans tend to experience a majority of the corruption. More often than those of which are not considered a minority. For example, Native Americans should have an inherent right to protection within the country in which they live. Construction of the North Dakota Access Pipeline that started in September of 2016, has given supreme notice to the corruption that still surrounds Native Americans today. Natives of Dakota followed the European laws that were forced upon them and in turn were punished. The Army corps of engineers permitted the project, violating the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act along the way. These were created to stop Europeans from destroying Native American historical artifacts, culture and the livelihood of the innocent. Native Americans do not have citizen protection that was promised to them time and time again by the United Sates.
Not just for Native Americans but for blacks, Muslims, Jews, and others, but even now we are dealing with Native American invasion and taking their land again, this time known as the Dakota Pipeline which is currently going on in North Dakota. The Dakota Pipeline is a large oil transmitting pipe that supplies oil across the United States but will be built on protected Native American land. The contractors have taken a look and have said that the pipeline would be a significant amount away from their land, but would be built under their water supply from Lake Oahe and would be at the closest 95 feet under the lake. But the Standing Rock Sioux haven't given up hope they have burought up that there have been over 3,300 incidents in which pipes have had leaks that have affected the environment drinking water and much more. The contractors have said that they have taken extreme precautions and have safety tested everything the Sioux aren't going to take any chances. Even as the Sioux and over 50 other tribes have protested there have been no clear winner of the battle on the Dakota Pipeline. The tribes have been protesting for months and though few have gotten violent many Natives and others with them have been arrested and thrown in jail, which is just another way people can attack the Native People to this
The native Americans of north America have long suffered from structural violence ever since the arrival of the European immigrants and suffer today in the situation of the North Dakota pipeline. The current situation regarding the Access pipeline is that it is running through properties belonging to the native American people without their consent. The problems that are pipeline could create are very similar to those that affect Lubicon people in Canada today. But the more important issue here is not the pipeline itself but the historical structural violence against natives that created this issue.
One of the most notable points of concern regarding the Dakota pipeline occurred this past year on October 27th, when authorities forcibly and violently removed Standing Rock water protectors with the use of tasers, pepper spray, sound cannons, concussion grenades and rubber bullets. This is one of the most recent, horrifying incidents occurring to Native peoples, reminding them of the reality of white supremacy and the extent to which racism still exists in the United States. The lack of media coverage of this event goes even further to show the scale that which Native problems are not a concern to the press and American people.
Justin Worland reports in TIME, since 2010, 3,300 incidents of leaks and ruptures have been reported on oil pipelines and even the smallest spill could damage the tribes water supply. This can be very controversial, but with over 10,000 Native Americans living on the Standing Rock Reservation, many lives may be affected. In fact, the pipeline would travel directly under the Missouri River which is the tribes primary drinking water source. Also, Native Americans received specific rights they have obtained since 1898. The Lakota tribe signed the Fort Laramie Treaty in 1898 that protects hunting, fishing and water rights in the surrounding area(Ward). As a result of signing this treaty, officials cannot threaten their water by installing a pipeline. Furthermore, the 1972 Clean Water Act declares it is unlawful to discharge any pollutant from an identifiable source into bodies of water without a permit(Brodwin). The problem found within the pipeline is that is causes potential harm to drinking water. Therefore, the significance of Native Americans relying on this drinking water overpowers the installation of the Dakota Access
American Indians are being treated in atrocious, illegal, and terrifying mater, while peacefully trying to protect water for all of us. On the Other side of this battle, sits Energy Transfer Partners who fund the Dakota Access Pipeline, the real outlaws. This is part of a bigger picture, Native American lands are under threat, and being stolen.. Now is the time that we must fight this if we don't our future is threatened. This is more than about water, but the bigger threat of climate change. This is a story of courage, culture, environmental protection, climate change, and the real world danger facing all of us.
In this article, author James McPherson discusses the key players in the Dakota Access Pipeline. He outlines not only outlines the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and the pipeline company, Energy Transfer Partners, but also the Governor of North Dakota, the Tribal Chairman,
Native American people have been mistreated in a variety of ways throughout their long history with the white man. They have been slaughtered, poisoned, attacked, and had treaties violated. The most recent injustice is the conflict over the Dakota Access Pipeline. There are many striking similarities between the events at the Dakota Access Pipeline and the events of Wounded Knee in 1973. History is nearly repeating itself, but there is a difference in how the conflict is being viewed by the American masses.
The North Dakota Access Pipeline will span from the Bakken, North Dakota to southern Illinois. The Standing Rock Sioux reservation opposes the pipeline because they believe that it goes through sacred land. The Sioux tribe also opposes the pipeline because it will cross the Missouri River twice, which is the reservations main water source. They believe that the pipeline may contaminate the Missouri River, but the pipeline company claims that the pipeline is the safest method to transfer the oil. I believe that this is a tough topic to form an opinion on, but I will hopefully explain my stance on this issue throughout this essay.
The area known as the Standing Rock Indian Reservation located in North Dakota and along the Missouri River, has been targeted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other governmental entities, to construct a 1,172-mile-long pipe, right through the area’s clean water and ancient burial grounds. The United States Government is in favor of the project for its economic benefit, while the Indian American tribes of Standing Rock are against the project due to the harmful implications that this pipe brings to their wellbeing and their heritage. With the news that this pipe was originally headed towards Bismarck North Dakota, (90% white population) and then re-routed towards Native lands, the question can be brought up: why was the pipe rerouted?
The Energy Transfer Partners wants to install the Dakota Pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, but the Sioux tribe is fighting to stop the installation of the pipeline to preserve their culture and assert their right to the property. The Dakota Pipeline is an oil pipeline that would transport oil from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa into Illinois. The Dakota Pipeline should not be installed because it disrespects the Native Americans’ culture and discriminates against The Sioux, a minority within the United States. The unjust treatment of Native Americans is due to the government’s disregard for Native American property rights and the government’s belief that they can simply take Native American property away because they are
The Sioux Tribe in North Dakota and The Energy Transfer Partners Company have been in a disagreement over the pipeline that is supposed to go through the Standing Rock Indian reserve last month. Sadly, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved the construction of the pipeline and now the Sioux tribe has resorted to chaining themselves to backhoes and tractors to get their attention. This article shows, showing the issue of constructing a pipeline through an Indian reserve, what processes will take place if the pipeline is allowed to go through Standing Rock, and how it will affect the Native Americans if they proceed with building the pipeline through the Standing Rock reservation.
Native Americans are being disrespected, harmed, and their homeland is being taken from them. Am I talking about events taken place centuries ago? No, because these unfortunate circumstances yet again are occurring right here, now, in the present. This horrid affair has a name: The Dakota Access Pipeline. This Pipeline is an oil transporting pipeline, which is funded by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, who have devised a plan for the pipeline to run through the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois. However, unfortunately, this pipeline will run straight through the reservation of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe, expressing their distress for the pipeline have said, that the pipeline will be “Destroying our burial sites, prayer sites, and culturally significant artifacts,” Arguments for the pipeline however have tried to counter this claim, trying to emphasize that “The pipeline wouldn 't just be an economic boon, it would also significantly decrease U.S. reliance on foreign oil”, and that the pipeline is estimated to produce “374.3 million gallons of gasoline per day.”, which could help the sinking oil economy. (Yan, 2016) However, despite the economical growth it could achieve, the Dakota Access Pipeline could have damaging environmental effects on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the areas surrounding.
The Dakota Access Pipeline is a story that has been in the media for months, with a great deal of controversy surrounding it. Many have heard and seen the protests that are ongoing, in hopes to halt its construction. The most passionate opponents of this pipeline are the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, in North Dakota. While the pipeline does not cut through sacred land, it does pass under the Missouri River, a vital source of water for the tribe. This controversy is one with many sides and moreover, many misconceptions. The Dakota Access Pipeline is an ethically corrupt and potentially disastrous project that threatens the safety and wellbeing of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.
The first group we will outline is the Sioux peoples of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. The outermost layer, the positions of these people, are that that the proposed pipeline trespasses on their land that is believed to have been illegally taken in 1868, and furthermore that they were completely left out of the initial decisions to move forward with the pipeline plans. Going deeper, we can look at the interests of the Sioux people and see that what they wish to achieve out of the conflict negotiation is to gain back rights on their land, receive respect, and to have their voice heard through democracy. Lastly, at the core we may find their needs. Most likely, the Sioux peoples would say they require clean drinking water (which could be affected by the placement of the pipeline), their land, and their livelihoods. The second stakeholder to look at are concerned environmentalists. As a spectator interest group, their onion speaks for the health of the land, water, and life near or on the proposed site. The environmentalists’ position is that they are against a pipeline structure that could result in environmental damage, and demand awareness of environmental health, as well as a thoroughly accurate environmental impact statement. Their interests are respect for the land, water and wildlife, accurate public information, and environmental protection. Lastly, if we look at the