If the camp is evicted or raided, it will only hinder or stop the cleanup
It’s raining and hailing hard at the Oceti Sakowin camp right now where the Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux plus their allies having been protecting the precious water source, the Missouri River in North Dakota, from being compromised by the Dakota Access Pipeline since last spring. Today the remaining Water Protectors face arrest at this moment. The remaining are committed to cleaning up the areas that are in a potential flood zone but they need more time. Arresting those cleaning up defeats these efforts.
From Tom BK Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network:
Tonight and tomorrow morning and during the day, put up prayers and ceremony for protection, safety, and for no one to get hurt or injured at the Oceti Sakowin and other water protector camps. Last week, the governor of North Dakota signed an emergency evacuation order reaffirming tomorrow Wednesday, February 22nd, as the deadline for people to leave the main Oceti Sakowin camp.
The camp is within a known floodplain. The governor said the reason was due to the unseasonable warm weather and melting snow that people’s safety is now in danger. Even though the camp and the Tribe have been cleaning up the camp, the Army Corp will be stepping in they said. The encampment has been asking for more time to continue the cleanup. County sheriffs, State Patrol, National Guard and National Park Rangers have all converged to evacuate the camp tomorrow. BIA Law Enforcement has road check points on the reservation side of the Cannonball Bridge. The situation is tense. Some people will not vacate Oceti Sakowin camp, they said.
From Dallas Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network:
#NoDAPl Update 2/21 7:40pm CST
Tomorrow[TODAY] (2/22) is the Army Corps of Engineer’s deadline for all water protectors to vacate from the land that the Oceti Sakowin, Rosebud and part of the Sacred Stone Camps have occupied since last fall.Effective at 2pm CST law enforcement will begin arresting/removing anyone who remains in the “big” camp aka Oceti Sakowin aka Oceti Oyate.
There are many who plan to move to higher ground and will not be arrested, and there are many others who intend to not move, who WILL be arrested.
At midnight tonight the BIA check point on Hwy 1806, near the Cannonball turnoff will become an exit only blockade.
There will be a last call at 12:00 pm tomorrow, February 22nd for people who want to leave camp.
There will be a designated area by South gate (cannonball river bridge) for folks to gather and be shuttled out of camp area.
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Please support the legal defense and bail supportBail support: https://fundrazr.com/pro…/sacred-stone-solidarity-collective
Legal Defense: https://waterprotectorlegal.org/
Please watch and share. Video: Trip Jennings/Balance Media
Water protectors are hard at work making sure to leave the Oceti Sakowin camp area better than we found it. Fake news about the ‘mess’ is rampant, so hopefully this clears up questions. We are still committed to protecting the water of the Missouri River. But if the camp is evicted or raided, it will only hinder or stop the cleanup.
From Arvol Looking Horse:
Right away I woke remembering our history of abuses we have suffered from the continued need from Mother Earth’s Resources. My heart is heavy today, for what we are all facing together with tomorrow’s deadline in the removal of the Standing Rock’s Camps.
Today I would like to support my kola Mitch Walking Elk’s call in the gathering of the people tonight at 7pm and send prayers together in the world for healing.
Because of the seriousness of this situation, I humbly would like to once again call upon all the Religious/Spiritual Leaders, URI and the People who traveled to Standing Rock’s sacred fire on December 4th. (Sari At Uri) Pray with us at your own sacred places for Mother Earth, her Mni wic’oni (water of life) and the protection of our People who are still at the Standing Rock Camps.
We also need to remember healing for those who are making these dangerous decisions that have only ended up abusing all life.
I too will stand in the sacred place with our Sacred Bundle to offer prayers – if anyone would like to join me by bringing offerings to the Bundle, they are welcome – @ 2:00pm mountain time on Wednesday February 22, 2017.
Please pray with us where ever you are upon Mother Earth.
Mother Earth is a Source of Life – Not a Resource.
From Chase Iron Eyes, Last Real Indians:
Oceti Oyate Camp is not the end of a movement or fight, it’s merely a transition.
Come what may, they cannot extinguish the fire that Standing Rock started. It burns within each of us. So let’s rise, let’s resist, let’s thrive.
Sending loving thoughts to the water protectors on along the banks of the Cannonball River, today. May everyone be as safe as can be. ~Dallas Goldtooth
For more background on #noDAPL see our (Meteor Blades and I) past posts on it: News Timeline of Standing Rock Water Protectors’ resistance to Dakota Access Pipeline
From Dallas Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network (11:38 AM Pacific):
This is just a real brief update and clarification about what is happening in the big camp on the north side of the Cannonball River, today.
Morton County Sheriff’s will be enacting an eviction of any waterprotectors remaining in the camp after 2 p.m. Central Time. Just a few minutes ago, waterprotectors concluded a final symbolic prayer March out of camp. The medic healer Council has set up buses on the south side of the Cannonball River to help shuttle people out of the eviction Zone. They’re roughly 100 people who have stated that they intend to disobey the eviction and face arrest. The remaining amount of people will move to other established campsites that are not on Army Corps of engineer land, or may make transition home.
There are a number of structures burning at this point. But those structures are entirely emptied out wooden structures that were purposely ignited in accordance to cultural protocols of certain tribes.
There is a lot of media in the camp right now mainstream and independent. Morton County developed an obscure media accreditation process that does not protect independent journalist. As such, at 2 p.m. the vast majority of media are also risking arrest if they remain in the evictions zone to document.
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