UP FIRST THIS WEEK, WE HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU ON THE PIPELINE PROTEST THAT MANY OF YOU WROTE IN ABOUT EARLIER IN THE SEASON.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, THOUSANDS OF PROTESTORS, MANY OF WHOM ARE NATIVE AMERICANS FROM HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT TRIBES, HAVE BEEN PROTESTING AGAINST THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE, WHICH WOULD TRANSPORT OIL FROM NORTH DAKOTA AND MONTANA ACROSS THE PLAINS TO ILLINOIS. THE PROTEST IS LED BY THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE, WHO SAY THE PIPELINE WOULD VIOLATE THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS AND THREATEN THE WATER SUPPLY.
WELL, OVER THE WEEKEND, MONTHS OF PROTESTS BROUGHT CHEERS, AS THE ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS ANNOUNCED IT WOULD LOOK FOR AN ALTERNATE ROUTE FOR THE PIPELINE. THE ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS IS THE GOVERNMENT BODY IN CHARGE OF MAINTAINING THE NATION’S ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES. SARA SNYDER HAS THE STORY.
DRUM BEATS… CHEERS … AND TEARS…. THE SOUND OF A VICTORY FOR THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS GATHERED TO STOP THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE. THIS MASS OF HUMANITY LIVING OFF THE GRID JOINED BY THOUSANDS OF MILITARY VETERANS... HELPED EXERT SO MUCH POLITICAL AND LEGAL PRESSURE…IT EFFECTIVELY FORCED THE PIPELINE TO BE RE-ROUTED.
(Chief Arvol Looking Horse/Keeper of White Buffalo Calf Pipe) "People have said that this is a make it or a break it, and I guess we made it!"
THE PIPELINE WAS ALMOST TO THE RIVER…WHEN IT WAS HALTED BY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SO THEY COULD TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT'S PATH…SUNDAY THEY DECIDED IT WAS A NO GO. FOR MONTHS THE SIOUX NATION HAD BEEN DEMANDING THE PROJECT BE SCRAPPED. THEY WERE CONVINCED THE PIPELINE CARRYING CRUDE OIL UNDERNEATH THE MISSOURI RIVER WOULD ONE DAY LEAK… POISONING THE DRINKING WATER OF MILLIONS DOWN RIVER.
(Dallas Goldtooth/Camp Tribal Headsman) "This is too much of a risk to the thousands of people of the Standing Rock Sioux nation. Too much of a risk for the sacred sites all along that route in this area. And too much of a risk for us as a planet."
THE PIPELINE'S PLANNED ROUTE DID NOT GO THROUGH INDIAN RESERVATION LAND BUT THE TRIBE ARGUED THE WATER IS PART OF TREATY LAND…AND THEREFORE THEY TOO MUST AGREE TO ITS PATH…
(Sara Sidner/Reporting) "So you were offered five million dollars and some land by both the land owners and the Dakota Access Pipeline?" (Dave Archambault/Chairman, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe) "Yes." (Sara Sidner/Reporting) "And your response to that was?" (Dave Archambault/Chairman, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe) "We don't want land. We don't want money."
INSTEAD THEY WANTED TO PROTECT THE WATER… NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR SAYS THE PIPELINE WAS 95-PERCENT COMPLETE. THE COMPANY WAS WAITING ON THAT FINAL PERMIT. IT'S NOT GETTING IT. IT SEEMS TO BE A BLESSING TO THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX.
(Chase Iron Eyes/Standing Rock Sioux Tribesman) "What we see has never been seen before in the written history of our people. We have never known a time when non-native American allies have come here in the dead of winter to stand with us to stand together to call for a new day."
Instructional Links
Website Article: Newsela
https://newsela.com/articles/no-dapl-protest/id/24674/
May Need Password
Lesson Plan: New York Times, Battle Over an Oil Pipeline: Teaching About the Standing Rock Sioux Protests
Map: New York Times, The Conflicts Along 1,172 Miles of the Dakota Access Pipeline
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/23/us/dakota-access-pipeline-protest-map.html?_r=0
Website: Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Teacher Resources: North Dakota State Government, American Indians of North Dakota
http://www.ndstudies.org/resources/aind.html