You may have seen stories, posted across your Facebook and Twitter feeds, about the Native American Indian protests taking place in the Dakota’s, Iowa and Illinois. The Oceti Sakowin are a Native American Indian tribe standing in the face of a potential environmental crisis and the violation of their human rights.
They are protesting against a plan approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This plan allows for the construction of a 1883 km pipeline, $3.7 billion pipeline. This pipeline would run from North Dakota, through South Dakota and Iowa, down to Illinois. It would carry 570 000 barrels of crude oil a day. Crossing the Missouri River 1,6 km north of the Standing Rock Reservation.
While one may think there is no great harm in this, the hard facts are that a potential oil spill could destroy sacred land or pollute the tribes main source of drinking water. It could also pollute 200 smaller rivers and creeks.
Celebrities Take Up Solidarity
Last week, the stars of the upcoming movie Justice League, filmed an endorsement of Rezpect Our Water – A campaign launched by the tribe’s youth. These include: Ben Affleck, Ray Fisher, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller.
The celebrities shared the following message:
“As a gang of Earth defenders, we want to send a big shout-out to the Oceti Sakowin and those who stand with them in opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline,” Miller says in the video.
“Join us in supporting the youth of Standing Rock as they fight the Dakota Access Pipeline, which will leak into their drinking water!” Momoa wrote on his Instagram, adding that “Aquaman is pissed.”
Leonardo DiCaprio
Although the protests have come to an intense stand off in past weeks, the battle against the Dakota Access Pipeline has been on the go since May. Oscar-winning actor, Leonardo DiCaprio took up solidarity with the cause at its outset, tweeting:
Standing w/ the Great Sioux Nation to protect their water & lands. Take a stand: https://t.co/nKKMIe4csA #RezpectOurWater #KeepItInTheGround
— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) May 10, 2016
Since then, many other celebrities have added their voices to the cause:
On the 25th of August, actors Shailene Woodley, Riley Keough and Susan Sarandon joined tribe members in a court house in Washington DC to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline. Sarandon gave a heart felt argument:
“I’m here as a mother and a grandmother to thank the people of the Standing Rock community for bringing our attention to this horrible thing that is happening to their land, which in turn will endanger all of us … because all of our waters are connected.”
https://youtu.be/jQig9vT9y8U
Pharrell Williams
Musician Pharrell Williams praised the extraordinary 3219 km run that the tribe’s youth accomplished as part of their protest, saying on Facebook:
“We have so much we can learn from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other Native American tribes,” he said. “The children of Standing Rock ran 2,200 miles on foot to Washington, D.C. to save their sacred land from the oil industry. Let’s help protect them so they can continue to live in peace #rezpectourwater.”
The youth ran from North Dakota to the U.S. Army Corps doorstep in Washington DC to take the protest to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We are running for our lives against the Dakota Access Pipeline because it’s right in our backyard,” said Three Legs, one of the participants, in the statement. “Now is the time for the people to hear our voices that we are here and we will stand strong.”
Mark Ruffalo
Actor and prominent environmental activist Mark Ruffalo has added his voice to the cause. He asks where President Obama and Democratic presidential candidate Hilary Clinton stand.
.@POTUS @HillaryClinton As Dakota Access Pipeline Fight Grows, Where Are Obama and Clinton? | Common Dreams https://t.co/Q2xlsaMIzx
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) September 8, 2016
The Washington Post reports that many Native American tribes have rallied in support of the Oceti Sakowin:
“Over the past few weeks, thousands of Native Americans representing tribes from all over the country have traveled to this central North Dakota reservation to camp in a nearby meadow and show solidarity with a tribe they think is once again receiving a raw deal at the hands of commercial interests and the U.S. government.”
“More than 200 Native American tribes have declared their support, and many have sent food and supplies,” the Post writes.
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