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<h1 id="reader-title">Standing Rock Sioux Blasts Forcible
Removal of Water Protectors</h1>
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<p>February 6, 2017<br>
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<p>The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is set to press on in its
legal battle against the Dakota Access pipeline Monday
after leaders issued statements over the weekend
condemning recent violence against demonstrators and
clarifying that they don’t want to see activists
forcibly removed from the protest site.</p>
<p>They also have called on allies to join the tribe in
demanding a fair legal review of the multi-billion
dollar project that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to
usher through to completion.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, <a
href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Police-Raid-Standing-Rock-Last-Child-Camp-Arrest-76-20170201-0067.html">law
enforcement officers arrested 76 protesters</a> who
were camped on land owned by the Dakota Access
pipeline’s developer, Energy Transfer Partners. While
the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe said leaders were working
with federal authorities to stabilize the situation at
the protest site, they indicated that they did not want
protestors to be arrested or ousted from the spot by
force.</p>
<p>“We want to stress that we are cleaning the camps, not
clearing them. We do not support or endorse any ‘raids’.
We have not asked for law enforcement to assist in
clearing camps and in fact have repeatedly told them
there will be no forcible removal,” the tribe noted in a
statement posted on its Facebook page.</p>
<p>Last month, Trump gave the green light to the Army
Corps of Engineers to expedite its review of Energy
Transfer Partners’ application so the pipeline
construction could move forward. Last week, officials
indicated that they were quickening their review
process, but had not yet come to a final conclusion.</p>
<p>Standing Rock Sioux Tribe officials also clarified that
while they will continue in their fight against the
pipeline, protesters need to be more sensitive to nearby
residents at the reservation.</p>
<p>“One of the key tenets of any movement is being
considerate about how we treat the community in which we
bring our voices and respect the places where we are
visitors,” they stated. “The community of Cannonball has
every right to choose how it wants people to help them.
We are still focused on defeating DAPL on all fronts.”</p>
<p>The movement against the pipeline won a victory late
last year when the Obama adminstration blocked the
completion of Dakota Access along its current route,
pending an environmental impact study — a review process
that could take months if not years. But many activists
noted at the time that the fight agains the
controversial project, which has been slammed for
desecrating sacred Indigenous sites and jeopardizing
important water sources, was not over, particularly in
light of anticipated pro-pipeline and anti-environment
policy-making under the Trump administration. </p>
<p>Despite the challenging, the Standing Rock Sioux
expressed optimism in recent statements, calling for
solidarity to propel the movement. </p>
<p>“We are heartened by the successful legal challenge
against the discriminatory travel ban overturned and
sustained this weekend. We believe DAPL project requires
the same legal scrutiny and consideration,” the tribe
stated. </p>
<p>“We must stand together against actions and policies
that unlawfully discriminate and hurt sovereign nations
and Native Americans.”</p>
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<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415 863.9977
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.freedomarchives.org">www.freedomarchives.org</a>
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