Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Research Paper

Water Protectors
As of 2009, 13% of First Nations homes on reserves lack clean drinking water in the United States. ("2009: Many Reservation Homes Lack Clean Drinking Water") Unfortunately another reserve could soon lose their access to safe water. This is the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Energy Transfer Partners current pipeline project is threatening Lake Oahe and the Missouri River which is the Tribe’s water source. The people of Standing Rock are facing injustice in regards to acts and treaties, a lack of resources, and facing dangerous situations due to the potential pipeline. The Dakota Access Pipeline Project has resulted in negative effects for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe politically, economically, and socially. The Standing Rock …show more content…
Standing Rock is facing dangerous weather during their protests. “a ferocious blizzard rolled into the area, with wind gusts up to 50 mph and wind chills near 20 below zero. The camp itself was buried in snow drifts as high as 7 feet […] leaders of the Sioux Nation asked non-Sioux to leave the camp, for their own safety.’ ” (Garsd) Such weather conditions can be life-threatening to people who are not accustomed or prepared for them. Many of the protesters are traveling from afar to support the cause and staying in camps with sub-par shelters that are not meant to withstand these conditions. Being asked to leave by the tribe themselves just confirms that this is a dangerous situation. Next, Standing Rock is facing dangers due to demonstration control. “Police use water cannons, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and tear gas on unarmed water protectors during ongoing protests over pipeline construction.” (Virtue) and “Dallas Goldtooth of the Indigenous Environmental Network told ABC News today that 160 people were injured [at bridge protest] and that of those, 17 had to be hospitalized.” (Thorbecke) Authorities have been using such tools to control protesters during demonstrations. These control methods incite panic in individuals which can result in more injuries. Any situation in which people end up in the hospital is dangerous. Standing Rock are facing dangerous detainment. “police aggressively detained them, crowded them into vans, wrote numbers on their arms to track them, conducted invasive body searches and showed a lack of respect for native culture […] ‘The cops threw me to the ground,’ said Wambli Red Bird, 19, of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe. ‘One of them had a knee on my neck and they were shouting “Stop resisting.” I was telling them, “I’m going peacefully.” ’ ” (Levin) Unwanted or culturally inappropriate physical

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