House Democrats hosted a forum Thursday to discuss Federal trust responsibility to Native American tribes, tribal sovereignty and treaty obligations.
The forum hosted several guests currently involved in protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline south of Mandan. The guests requested the Army Corps of Engineers withdraw existing permits for the pipeline, and for the entire process of establishing an environmental impact statement to start completely over. Dave Archambault is Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, and was a panelist on the forum. He told Congressional Democrats tribes from across the nation don't oppose economic development, energy independence or national security - but they oppose it being done "on their backs" and without proper permission. He says the tribes want "meaningful consultation" on infrastructure that impacts their lands. Archambault says even when action is legal - it doesn't make it right.
"We've been in this battle for a couple years that's been ongoing - we were going through litigation with the Corps of Engineers, because we felt that we are a sovereign nation, and we've never had meaningful consultation for a project like this. Another project that's bringing infrastructure through our territory without us having a say. And that's where the law is flawed, so we want to make sure that this doesn't happen. We should have an opportunity in the future to have a say."
Gracey Claymore is a member of the Standing Rock Youth Council. She is 19 years old, and attends Sitting Bull College. Claymore says the tribes' opposition to this pipeline is not just about protecting Native people, but also about protecting the human race as a whole - and about protecting future generations.
"We have this ceremony in our way of life called sundance, and in that time we go without food and water for four days - and I apologize if I cry, I can't talk about this without crying, but - I've been involved in that since I was a little girl. And I know what it's like to go without water for four days - and that could soon become my reality. What am I going to tell my little siblings if this pipeline comes in to ruin our waters, what am I going to tell them? What am I going to say to them? 'Oh, you have to wait to have water'? I can't say that to them."
The guests gave two hours of testimony. At the end of the forum, Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva (gri-HALL-vuh) told the tribal representatives that those responsible for ignoring proper process and the desecration of sacred sites on tribal lands will be held accountable.
"They made a mistake, a big mistake. They were disrespectful, materialistic, and kow-towing to some big money special interests in moving forward with this project. They have to correct that. And they have to correct it in a respectful, meaningful way. And so this administration and the agencies involved have a limited window to correct it, and they need to correct it soon."
Grijalva says it won't be as simple as starting the process over, but evaluation of the entire process must take place.
