De regering-Obama heeft zich gisteren gemengd in een geschil over de geplande oliepijpleiding in Noord-Dakota. De inheemse bevolking en supporters verzetten zich al tijden tegen de bouw van deze pijplijn die dwars door hun heilige gronden moet komen te liggen.
De inmenging door de regering kwam kort nadat de Amerikaanse District Judge James Boasberg in Washington een verzoek van de inheemse bevolking voor een gerechtelijk bevel om het project te blokkeren had afgewezen. Het optreden van de regering weerspiegelt het succes van de groeiende protesten tegen de pijpleiding.
Het verzet tegen de pijplijn heeft steun van 200 Inheemse stammen en tal van andere van activisten en beroemdheden.
De Standing Rock Sioux zeggen dat de pijpleiding heilige begraven en gebed sites zou ontheiligen, en dat mogelijke olielekken de Missouri en Cannon Ball rivieren kunnen verontreinigen, waar de stam voor water van afhankelijk is.
De Sioux zijn zeer verheugd over de interventie van Obama en hopen dat hiermee de weg geëffend is voor landelijke hervorming voor projecten die gevolgen hebben voor de gebieden van de inheemse stammen.
“Our hearts are full, this an historic day for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and for tribes across the nation,” “Our voices have been heard.” “Onze harten zijn vol, dit een historische dag voor de Standing Rock Sioux Tribe en stammen in het hele land. Onze stemmen zijn gehoord,” aldus Dave Archambault II (voorzitter van de Standing Rock Sioux).
In Bismarck, de hoofdstad van de deelstaat North Dakota, vierden honderden demonstranten de beslissing van de overheid.
Volledige verklaring van de regering:
“We appreciate the District Court’s opinion on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act. However, important issues raised by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other tribal nations and their members regarding the Dakota Access pipeline specifically, and pipeline-related decision-making generally, remain. Therefore, the Department of the Army, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior will take the following steps.
The Army will not authorize constructing the Dakota Access pipeline on Corps land bordering or under Lake Oahe until it can determine whether it will need to reconsider any of its previous decisions regarding the Lake Oahe site under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) or other federal laws. Therefore, construction of the pipeline on Army Corps land bordering or under Lake Oahe will not go forward at this time. The Army will move expeditiously to make this determination, as everyone involved — including the pipeline company and its workers — deserves a clear and timely resolution. In the interim, we request that the pipeline company voluntarily pause all construction activity within 20 miles east or west of Lake Oahe.
“Furthermore, this case has highlighted the need for a serious discussion on whether there should be nationwide reform with respect to considering tribes’ views on these types of infrastructure projects. Therefore, this fall, we will invite tribes to formal, government-to-government consultations on two questions: (1) within the existing statutory framework, what should the federal government do to better ensure meaningful tribal input into infrastructure-related reviews and decisions and the protection of tribal lands, resources, and treaty rights; and (2) should new legislation be proposed to Congress to alter that statutory framework and promote those goals.
“Finally, we fully support the rights of all Americans to assemble and speak freely. We urge everyone involved in protest or pipeline activities to adhere to the principles of nonviolence. Of course, anyone who commits violent or destructive acts may face criminal sanctions from federal, tribal, state, or local authorities. The Departments of Justice and the Interior will continue to deploy resources to North Dakota to help state, local, and tribal authorities, and the communities they serve, better communicate, defuse tensions, support peaceful protest, and maintain public safety.
“In recent days, we have seen thousands of demonstrators come together peacefully, with support from scores of sovereign tribal governments, to exercise their First Amendment rights and to voice heartfelt concerns about the environment and historic, sacred sites. It is now incumbent on all of us to develop a path forward that serves the broadest public interest.”
(bron)
