"In addition to authorizing drone strikes and surveillance, the state has also cut off access to water to the Sioux who are protesting the pipeline." --BELLA COLES
North Dakota has recently become the first state to allow drone strikes and surveillance in the US. In North Dakota, drones are not authorized to carry lethal weapons, but can administer teargas and other deterrents that are capable of causing serious injuries. They are also utilized for surveillance, to keep a constant eye on protesters in the area. This decision has largely affected the current protesters of the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline.
The Dakota Access Pipeline is a pipeline proposed to transport fracking oil from North Dakota to Illinois. Supporters of the pipeline say that it has the potential to transport oil in a more cost effective way, while also reducing railroad exportation.
Many environmentalists are opposed to this, however, as the pipeline has a probable chance of causing environmental catastrophes. The pipeline would run underneath the Missouri River, which is the longest river in North America, as well as a huge water source for most of the nation. Protesters of the pipeline worry that its close proximity to the river opens the risk of leaks and contamination.
The Standing Rock Sioux tribe are most vocally against the proposal, as the pipeline crosses through sacred sitelines for their tribe, and early construction of it has already demolished sacred burial sites for them. The people of the Sioux are members of the Dakota and Lakota nations—the Lakota being the larger group.
The Sioux have lived legally on their current reservation since 1868, whose ground covers land throughout North and South Dakota. Since then, the Federal Government has continuously downsized the land reserved for them. Regardless of legal reservations, the Sioux have been in the area since before they were even states. The Sioux have been actively protesting this pipeline since February 2015. Their protest has taken many different forms, including filing lawsuits to block construction.
Many environmentalists are opposed to this, however, as the pipeline has a probable chance of causing environmental catastrophes. The pipeline would run underneath the Missouri River, which is the longest river in North America, as well as a huge water source for most of the nation. Protesters of the pipeline worry that its close proximity to the river opens the risk of leaks and contamination.
The Standing Rock Sioux tribe are most vocally against the proposal, as the pipeline crosses through sacred sitelines for their tribe, and early construction of it has already demolished sacred burial sites for them. The people of the Sioux are members of the Dakota and Lakota nations—the Lakota being the larger group.
The Sioux have lived legally on their current reservation since 1868, whose ground covers land throughout North and South Dakota. Since then, the Federal Government has continuously downsized the land reserved for them. Regardless of legal reservations, the Sioux have been in the area since before they were even states. The Sioux have been actively protesting this pipeline since February 2015. Their protest has taken many different forms, including filing lawsuits to block construction.
Marianna Ariel is a 24-year-old activist residing in Seattle. She’s been involved with the group Rising Tides, an activist group based in Seattle that focuses on working with environmental issues. Her involvement in the protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline was accidental if anything. She had asked her friend Max if he wanted to hang out on a Wednesday night, and what was a simple invitation to hang out turned into an opportunity to tag along up to North Dakota to stand against this environmental catastrophe.
It is one thing to say you are in solidarity with a movement, and another to actively go and protest; Ariel stayed two weeks in North Dakota, at a camp with around two thousand other protesters. She described her time spent in North Dakota as intense but also heavily community influenced. Whilst there, Ariel participated in many prayer circles, meetings for mobilization of direct action, and counterinsurgency strategies.
Protesting in North Dakota takes a number of different actions. Confronting authority by verbally protesting is a large tactic, while others are taking more intense forms of direct action; such as locking themselves to machinery and making it physically impossible for companies to continue with construction.
In addition to authorizing drone strikes and surveillance, the state has also cut off access to water to the Sioux who are protesting the pipeline. Ariel noted that there was some violence instigated by the protesters, but unlike the media has been portraying, the majority of it has not been originating from the protesters.
“Being violent doesn’t make much sense, or isn’t smart right now,” she explained. “It wouldn’t be beneficial to the cause.” Ariel noted that the corporations had people causing fights with the protesters: beating them up, using pepper spray, or even having their dogs attack, while the cops overlooking the apparent violence, without putting a cease to it.
Despite the violence, the community of protesters continues to grow. Perhaps the most notable being Jill Stein, Green Party presidential candidate. A video of Stein spray-painting a DAPL bulldozer went viral on the internet September 6th.
With such strong authority positions against this pipeline, one has to wonder if it is justifiable to invade a people’s land and history for the sake of the economy? Is it worth the environmental risk of catastrophe?
It is one thing to say you are in solidarity with a movement, and another to actively go and protest; Ariel stayed two weeks in North Dakota, at a camp with around two thousand other protesters. She described her time spent in North Dakota as intense but also heavily community influenced. Whilst there, Ariel participated in many prayer circles, meetings for mobilization of direct action, and counterinsurgency strategies.
Protesting in North Dakota takes a number of different actions. Confronting authority by verbally protesting is a large tactic, while others are taking more intense forms of direct action; such as locking themselves to machinery and making it physically impossible for companies to continue with construction.
In addition to authorizing drone strikes and surveillance, the state has also cut off access to water to the Sioux who are protesting the pipeline. Ariel noted that there was some violence instigated by the protesters, but unlike the media has been portraying, the majority of it has not been originating from the protesters.
“Being violent doesn’t make much sense, or isn’t smart right now,” she explained. “It wouldn’t be beneficial to the cause.” Ariel noted that the corporations had people causing fights with the protesters: beating them up, using pepper spray, or even having their dogs attack, while the cops overlooking the apparent violence, without putting a cease to it.
Despite the violence, the community of protesters continues to grow. Perhaps the most notable being Jill Stein, Green Party presidential candidate. A video of Stein spray-painting a DAPL bulldozer went viral on the internet September 6th.
With such strong authority positions against this pipeline, one has to wonder if it is justifiable to invade a people’s land and history for the sake of the economy? Is it worth the environmental risk of catastrophe?
