Treaty rights defenders report violations

By Darren Thompson

Native Sun News Today Correspondent

 

BEMIDJI, Minn. — As construction continues on Enbridge Energy Inc.’s Line 3 replacement project, so does activity by opponents of the controversial tar-sands oil pipeline here in Anishinaabe treaty territory.

On June 23, several people locked themselves to equipment used by Enbridge to bore through the Straight River in Hubbard County. The same day, the Red Lake Treaty Camp was informed that Minnesota’s Pennington County Sheriff’s Office would order eviction and arrest people for trespassing on land Enbridge claims. Two days earlier, in Palisade, Minn., law enforcement arrested three participants at a ceremonial prayer lodge protected under treaty law and federal order.

“I write to give notice of DNR officers and Aitkin County Deputies intentionally violating the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, Public Law No. 95-341, 92 Stat. 469 to cause fear and intimidate and interfere with our tribal member’s cultural and religious practices to protect and preserve our inherent right of freedom to believe, express, and exercise their traditional religious rites, spiritual and cultural practices,” said Executive Director of the 1855 Treaty Authority Frank Bibeau to Commissioner of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Sarah Strommen and Aitkin County Sheriff Dan Guida.

“Please respect our treaty rights and obey the federal laws that protect our rights,” wrote Bibeau.

Several days ago, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office brought attack dogs in an effort to evict the Red Lake Treaty Camp. The use of attack dogs by private security was reminiscent of activity at the 2016-2017 Standing Rock Indian Reservation resistance to construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, which was heavily scrutinized by the public.

However, on the evening of June 23, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the Minnesota Department of Transportation rescinded a trespass order, indicating that people are not required to leave the area of the Red Lake Treaty Camp. This camp is an official camp endorsed and supported by the Miskwaagamiiwi-Zaagaiganing—Red Lake Nation.

According to the Red Lake Band’s official monitor for Line 3 construction, Sasha Beaulieu, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office has declared the tribe’s treaty camp an “unlawful assembly.” The sheriff’s office did not respond to Native Sun News Today’s request for comment.

“Enbridge continues to violate the reserved rights under the Old Crossing Treaty of 1863, ignoring the law and preparing to drill for the Line 3 pipeline to go under the Red Lake River without a tribal monitor and consent of the Red Lake Nation,” said the Indigenous Environmental Network in a statement.

One of the main bones of contention over Enbridge Line 3 is that the pipeline carries tar sands under many of Minnesota’s waterways. Native opponents contend that because the pipeline’s route includes 22 river crossings in water-rich central Minnesota, the project threatens wild rice. Harvesting wild rice is a vital treaty right for the Anishinaabe tribes and is protected by federal law. An oil spill in northern Minnesota threatens the habitat for wild rice—a risk too great for many.

Another focal point of the dissent is that the project was initially approved to use 500 million gallons of water through its construction in Minnesota, but adversaries claim, the project recently has been approved to use 10 times the initial amount, at nearly 5 billion gallons of water.

According to MPR News, most of the northern half of the Midwest region is currently in a drought, while but 75 percent of Minnesota is officially in drought conditions. To trench the line, Enbridge is currently draining rivers, lakes and other waterways in northern Minnesota in the midst of a drought and record-setting heat that has the region in extreme fire danger for the month of June.

“Our actions against Enbridge continue, as they assault and drain our rivers during a drought for their endless greed,” said Giniw Founder Tara Houska to Native Sun News Today. Over 500 people have been arrested since Enbridge “began its Line 3 deconstruction of the sacred,” she noted.

“President Biden, stand up for Anishinaabe treaties, stand up for our wild rice, stand up against fossil fuel expansion,” Houska insisted.

(Contact Darren Thompson at darrenjthompson@hotmail.com)

The post Treaty rights defenders report violations first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

Visit Original Source