Not all the Standing Rock Sioux are protesting the pipeline

[1bigbeatlesfan]

Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, North Dakota (CNN)
Ask around and you'll hear stories of pipeline protesters who've traveled great distances. They've come from Japan, Russia and Germany. Australia, Israel and Serbia. And, of course, there are the allies, not exclusively Native American or indigenous, who've flocked here from all corners of the US.

Comments

[soleiltropiques]

Yeah, I'm honestly not surprised there are people who disagree. I mean -there are ALWAYS people who disagree with any protest. I really don't think that proves anything, quite honestly.

Besides which, part of the recent movement against the protests seems to have been led by Standing Rock youth (i.e. I invite you to look at the links I posted in the comments of the previous post to this comm regarding this issue, which were created by Standing Rock youth).(2) (Standing Rock youth also ran 2,000 miles to Washington D.C. earlier this year to protest the pipeline.) (5, 6)

There is also the fact that it is a seminal moment for indigenous people from all over North America: Canadian and U.S. indigenous tribes have "have signed a treaty to jointly fight proposals to build more pipelines to carry crude from Alberta’s oil sands, saying further development would damage the environment". (1)

So intimating (as this article seems to) that this is not a protest movement that is being led by indigenous people is rather disingenuous IMO.

Also, here is a paragraph from an article in slate.com which discusses the U.S. government's legal obligations in this matter WHICH, AS OF YET, DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MET: "The United States has affirmative obligations, both legal and moral, to protect Indian water, land, culture, and religion. The reservation established by the Treaty of Fort Laramie of 1851, for example, included extensive lands that would be crossed by the pipeline. Although the government soon violated provisions of both that 1851 treaty and the Treaty of Fort Laramie 1868, the tribe may still have outstanding claims. In addition, various federal laws have been promulgated precisely to give the tribes a role in decisions affecting tribal resources off-reservation. As part of its review of the pipeline consultation process, the government promised to consider reform measures more broadly. Any reforms to the federal consultation process should require affirmative mutual consent between the federal and tribal governments regarding undertakings that impact tribal resources. There must be an opportunity for tribes to review, shape the terms of, and agree to federal projects affecting them before those projects get underway, as well as an open channel of government-to-government relations during and after project completion." (3)

Also, regarding the hearings the gentleman in the article mentioned, I wonder: how well publicized were they? Did all those concerned by the pipeline really have an opportunity to be head? Did the Sioux people effectively have a say in the decision-making process? I really doubt that this is the case, since the tribe recently "sued the Army Corps of Engineers, which permitted the project, alleging that the agency violated the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)". (4)

Anyways, this is just my 0.02$ on why this is not the best article on all this. :) My apologies OP -this isn't againts you, but I feel the need to be honest! :-)

References:
(1) 'Canadian and US tribes band together to fight Alberta oil sands pipelines'. At URL: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/22/pipelines-alberta-oil-sands-aboriginal-tribes
(2) 'North Dakota pipeline activists say arrested protesters were kept in dog kennels'. At URL: http://ontd-political.livejournal.com/11636968.html
(3) 'Standing Tall. The Sioux’s battle against a Dakota oil pipeline is a galvanizing social justice movement for Native Americans.' At URL: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2016/09/why_the_sioux_battle_against_the_dakota_access_pipeline_is_such_a_big_deal.html
(4) 'What to Know About the Dakota Access Pipeline Protests'. At URL: http://time.com/4548566/dakota-access-pipeline-standing-rock-sioux/
(5) 'These Native American Youths Are Running 2,000 Miles to Protect Their Water. At URL: http://people.com/politics/these-native-american-youths-are-running-2000-miles-to-protect-their-water/
(6) 'Native Americans bring oil pipeline fight to Washington'. At URL: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/290650-native-americans-bring-oil-pipeline-fight-to-washington