DAPL redirected to Sioux County, sparks outrage

Isa Saaverda-Weis, RubicOnline Editor|November 25, 2016

Protests take place around the country in opposition of DAPL. Fair Use Image: Flickr Creative Commons

The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), a pipeline that will be built from from North Dakota to the Gulf of Mexico, was originally going to run through Bismarck but it was redirected to instead snake through Sioux Country, this move sparked outrage.

Senior Ella Matticks, Co-President of the Students for Social Justice club, is very passionate about the issue.

“I definitely believe that the government or the company should take precautionary steps to avoid oil spills into the water, because it [Dakota Access Pipeline] not only affects the indigenous people, but everyone around the country who relies on the Mississippi river”

 

The reason the pipeline was moved from Bismark to the Sioux Country was because of the potential risk that the oil from the pipeline would spill and leak into the water source of the people of Bismark. When the pipeline blueprints were moved, Bismark no longer faced the potential poisoning from the pipeline. However, the people of Sioux reservation still do.

Both the Standing Rock tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux will be affected by this pipeline, and soon after the decision was made to not go through Bismark, protests broke out. The pipeline would not only jeopardize the water, but it would also ruin places of cultural importance to many of the Native Americans in the area.

According to BBC news, more the 525 people have been arrested while protesting the DAPL since August. Protests have taken violent turns, as well, with officers using rubber bullets, tear gas and water hoses in freezing weather. Both protesters and officers have gotten injured. The protest itself has cost the government $20 million, and an eviction notice has been released, announcing that the protestors must get off the land they are protesting on by December 5.

To many, this conflict also has to do with race. According to the 2010 Census, Bismark is 92.4% white, and the new location of the pipeline goes through a mostly Native American part of North Dakota. To others, this conflict is about protecting the Earth versus providing oil and jobs.

“The government needs to take a step back and look at history. We always look at history books about all these problems with not treating the indigenous people with the respect, but we always seem to avoid giving them what we promised.” Matticks said. She continued, “The government in the present day should take steps to reiterate and keep their promises, just out of blatant respect for those people.”

For students who have opinions on any of the sides of the DAPL, there are plenty of ways to be part of the decision making. For those who are not able to attend the actual protests in Sioux County for various reasons, there are other more local ones they can attend.

“Maya Edstrom and I have looked into local protests, but unfortunately, a lot of them happen during school. They’re all non-violent, and those would be great to get people to go too. But the easiest way to get involved is donations or raising awareness of it.” Matticks said.   

Student for Social Justice is running a supply drive for the protesters until this friday in hopes of getting the food, blankets, and more to Sioux County before thanksgiving. Talk to seniors Ella Matticks and Maya Edstrom in the upcoming days for additional details.