Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais
APTN National News
It began with a handful of people from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
They set up camp in protest of the Dakota Access pipeline that would cut through their ancestral lands.
That small protest turned into a movement.
Their call to action brought thousands of people from across North America.
They stood before armed police in protest, many getting injured.
Until last Sunday, when the United States Army Corps of Engineers put a stop the final permit to continue construction.
It’s was seen as a victory, but not all want to leave, despite the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe calling them do so.
“By them staying there they are putting their lives at risk. They’re also putting the people that will be sent out to rescue them,” said Dave Archambault. “Their lives will be at risk and so it’s a selfish act.”
With an environmental impact report promised and the potential to have the pipeline rerouted, the water protectors’, as they are known, work is done.
“All the work we have to do to make sure this decision by the Corps of Engineers does not get reversed, it doesn’t have to be here. The purpose of the camp has been served,” said Archambault.
But some don’t see it his way. In fact, they think work is still going on.
“They haven’t stopped, they’re still digging. They have the drill pad set up over there,” said demonstrator Christopher Francisco. “We’ll still be here and a lot of people feel that they want to stay…I want to stay… I want to stay until it’s over.”
I started working pipelines when I was seventeen work many years, specializing in the clean up of the lines once it has gone through, I am a treaty person, who is from Cowessess First Nation#73, I am not a hypocrite, once I gave up the life of a pipeliner to stay closer to home to watch our children grow,we must remember the teaching of our elders , but I have seen pipe line company’s push and bully their way across the land using the dollars to push ,you see money is not a object , and do not be fooled by government , oil is big business and they will stay punching through Mother Earth under the water up the other side , I know this is what will happen! Tribal chairman of Standing Rock has no understanding that big oil buys people,( or does he) and he should be providing supplies and supporting,everything starts somewhere and it’s has!