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American Indians, ancestral gravesites, archaeological sites, burial sites, Cannonball River, Civil Rights, clean water, corruption, criminals, Dakota Access Pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners, environment, Federal Court, flaunting the law, historical sites, law, law enforcement, legal action, Missouri River, Native American, Native Americans, Natural Gas & Oil Drilling, North Dakota, prayer, prayer sites, protectors, restraining order, sacred sites, Sacred Stone Camp, sacred tribal burial site, Sioux, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, violating the law, water, water protectors
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Administrative Building
Sept. 6th, 2016 Press Release:
September 3rd, 2016 Press Release from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe:
“Standing Rock Sioux Tribe condemns destruction and desecration of burial grounds by Energy Transfer Partners
CANNON BALL, ND—Sacred places containing ancient burial sites, places of prayer and other significant cultural artifacts of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe were destroyed Saturday by Energy Transfer Partners, Tribal Chairman David Archambault II said.
On Friday, the Tribe filed court documents identifying the area as home to significant Native artifacts and sacred sites.
“This demolition is devastating,” Archambault said. “These grounds are the resting places of our ancestors. The ancient cairns and stone prayer rings there cannot be replaced. In one day, our sacred land has been turned into hollow ground.”
Construction crews removed topsoil across an area about 150 feet wide stretching for two miles, northwest of the confluence of the Cannon Ball and Missouri Rivers.
“I surveyed this land and we confirmed multiple graves and specific prayer sites,” said Tim Mentz, the Standing Rock Sioux’s former tribal historic preservation officer. “Portions, and possibly complete sites, have been taken out entirely.”
Thousands of people from across the United States have joined the Standing Rock Sioux to protest Energy Transfer Partners’ building of the 1,200-mile Dakota Access Pipeline. If built, a half-million barrels of crude oil would pass through the line daily.
The Standing Rock Sioux have filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to stop construction. The Tribe says it was not properly consulted before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers fast-tracked construction approval.
A decision in that case is expected by Sept. 9.
“We’re days away from getting a resolution on the legal issues, and they came in on a holiday weekend and destroyed the site,” said Jan Hasselman, attorney for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. “What they have done is absolutely outrageous.” (Emphasis our own. See original press release here: http://standingrock.org/data/upfiles/media/Press%20Release_Standing%20Rock%20Sioux_%2009032016.pdf
Press Release updates here: http://standingrock.org/news/srst-press-release/
Tim Mentz video explaining what was destroyed: http://youtu.be/9EAWpI5L_Bc
Official site for donation: http://standingrock.org/news/standing-rock-sioux-tribe–dakota-access-pipeline-donation-fund/ Even if they have pro-bono lawyers, money could be needed for filing and travel.
Dakota Access,LLC, building the Bakken pipeline, also known as the Dakota Access Pipeline, is a subsidary of Energy Transfer Partners https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Transfer_Partners
The Judge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_E._Boasberg
Standing Rock and the Standing Rock Traditional Story.
Notice the water in the Background.
US Dept Of Interior Images of Standing Rock Administration Building; Standing Rock Image and zoom of traditional story merged by us.
Original Press Release via Standing Rock Facebook page. Click to Enlarge.
