Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

November 28, 2016

Standing Rock Medics Urge Army Corps to Rescind Eviction Notice to Prevent Morbidity and Mortality

The front line between Water Protectors and Riot Police on Thanksgiving on treaty land. Photo by Rob Wilson Photography

The front line between Water Protectors and Riot Police on Thanksgiving on treaty land. Photo by Rob Wilson Photography
Standing Rock Medics Urge Army Corps to Rescind Eviction Notice to Prevent Morbidity and Mortality

By Standing Rock Medic Healer's Council

Censored News
November 28, 2016

RE:  Urgent request for Lieutenant General Todd Semonite (US Army Corps of Engineers), Secretary Robert A. McDonald (US Department of Veteran Affairs) and Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell (US Department of Health and Human Services) to immediately rescind the December 5th, 2016 eviction notice given to the Oceti Sakowin camp by the Army Corps of Engineers as well as a removal of the blockade on Highway 1806 in order to prevent unnecessary further morbidity and mortality
The Standing Rock Medic Healer’s Council (SRMHC) is a council of traditional Indigenous healers, physicians, nurses, paramedics, midwives, and medics who have provided continuous medical care at the camp since August, in response to poor healthcare access and escalating use of violence by Morton County Sheriff’s department and Dakota Access Pipeline security upon unarmed people who are peacefully assembled to protest a pipeline going through the source of drinking water for 16 million people.
We have been active in assessing the health needs and have been keeping people safe in what US veterans have described as “war-like conditions”—with surveillance aircraft, police checkpoints and the constant threat of violence from local law enforcement. We have also been providing daily no-cost care for acute and chronic conditions to thousands of people assembled peacefully to exercise their first amendment rights.
The vast majority of cases we have witnessed and treated -- in patients ranging from the young to elderly -- have been the direct result of the following:
Blunt force trauma, including but not limited to near amputation, retinal detachment, and multiple fractures, concussions, lacerations, and contusions as a result of rubber bullets, battery with batons, and concussion grenades,
Bites from attack dogs
Exposure to chemical weapons.
Hypothermia as a result of water cannons power blasting individuals in freezing temperatures.
Since October, the Morton County Sheriff’s department has blocked the northbound highway 1806, currently with razor wire, military vehicles and concrete blocks. This is in violation of the Geneva Convention, Article 18, first paragraph, of the 1949 Geneva Convention II which provides that “[a]fter each engagement, Parties to the conflict shall, without delay, take all possible measures … to ensure … adequate care” of the shipwrecked, wounded and sick.” The blockade makes quick and expeditious travel by emergency services to the nearest level two trauma center in Bismarck impossible. What should be a 35 minute ambulance ride in an emergency becomes over an hour due to this blockade and checkpoints. This has been and continues to be a major threat to public health that has been not been addressed by local health agencies.  We urge you to address it immediately.
Of greatest concern is the previously mentioned December 5th eviction notice by the Army Corps of Engineers upon the Oceti Sakowin camp. Based upon all evidence to date we have good reason to believe that excessive, violent force will be used against unarmed people in winter conditions that threaten life simply through hypothermia. In our professional opinion, the Oceti Sakowin community composed of several thousand women (many of whom are pregnant) men, children, elderly,are firmly committed to remaining upon the land that was clearly outlined by Treaty laws belonging to the Lakota and Dakota peoples. We affirm that during the entire term of our service we have never seen any evidence of weapons, whether in the form of firearms or incendiary devices.  Given the urgency and immediacy of the care we provide, such evidence would be impossible to conceal. If the goal is to protect health and well being, that purpose will best be served by allowing the Oceti Sakowin to remain, unmolested, in full exercise of their constitutionally protected First Amendment rights.
We want to make clear that the SRMHC is committed to fulfilling the spirit of the Geneva Convention by providing medical services to Oceti Sakowin regardless of the  decisions and conditions imposed by state agencies. This decision occurs despite clear observations that designated and labeled medics are being unethically and illegally targeted by law enforcement -- once again in violation of the Geneva Conventions (Rule 25. Medical personnel exclusively assigned to medical duties must be respected and protected in all circumstances).
We urge your respective agencies to prevent the alarming threat to loss of life and limb on December 5th. From our assessment as the medical team on the ground, the violence from law enforcement has been the largest threat to public safety. If you are concerned for human health and safety, we call for the following:
A rescission of the December 5 eviction notice as it provided a de facto invitation for Governor Jack Dalrymple to order an “emergency” evacuation under the false premise of public health. This in turn provides  the Morton County Police Department justification to enter and inflict harm upon the current encampment referred to as Oceti Sakowin
Acknowledging that the excessive violence, militarization, and disregard of the well being of the community is the source of violence and public health endangerment, we call for a disarmament of the Morton County Sheriff’s Department.
The immediate opening of northbound county highway 1806 to allow expeditious travel by emergency health services.
The Army Corps of Engineers has the power to immediately de-escalate the situation by denying the easement and bringing a permanent end to the construction of the DAPL through Lake Oahe.
As health workers, we urge you to recognize this as a public health issue and address it accordingly—with respect for human dignity and the right to clean healthy water which we all know is absolutely crucial for human health.
Respectfully,
Standing Rock Medic Healer Council
Linda Black Elk, PhD, Ethnobotanist, Sitting Bull College
Noah Morris, EMT
Michael Knudsen, MPH candidate
Vanessa Bolin, ALS paramedic
Amelia Massucco, RN
Howard Ehrman MD, MPH, University of Illinois, Chicago
John Andrews, RN’
David Kingfisher, MD/JD Witchita State University
Jesse Lopez, MD, Heartland Surgical Care
Kalama O Ka Aina Niheu, MD Aha Aloha Aina
Rupa Marya, MD, University of California, San Francisco, Do No Harm Coalition
Kristina Golden, EMT
Sebastian Rodriguez, RN
Rosemary Fister, RN, MNPHN, DNP candidate
Geeta Maker-Clark, MD, University of Chicago
Elizabeth Friedman, MD

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Trail of Tears, grabbed native people out if their houses in winter. The VIOLENCE of the HIStory of American repeats itself!
Longest Walk,
Massacres, ...
RENO NEVADA running down indigenous people with a truck...
Standing Rock, USA attacks people in prayer, no charges on USA filed. USA is revealed to have separate law for privileged,
No Justice for Indigenous

Anonymous said...

Thank You for the snow!!
Yay snow!!
Snow insulates! Snow keep the ground from freezing deeper and helps the roots.
Blanket of snow conserves heat of the soil.
Winter-sown wheat.
Snow feeds the rivers and waters the plains.
Snow is water!
Thank you Snow!

Anonymous said...

The reason why indigenous people froze in the winter was not due to their inability to live with environment.
The reason native people froze on
TRAIL of TEARS and Death was that they were
dragged out of their homes at gun point and FORCED MARCHED in WINTER without adequate Clothing or Shelter or Food or Medicine and Necessary Provisions.
The forced removal by local & state militia was on a route that was long and treacherous and made them stay out in danger, starving and dying along the trail.
Massive deaths occured estimates
6,000 deaths.
Then president, Andrew Jackson, was responsible for the mass extermination and land grab of the beautiful lands of Cherokee & other tribes and was never charged or tried for his crimes against humanity.
The sophisticated and eloquent and educated Cherokee had won their case in the Supreme Court of America, but Jackson ignored the ruling and killed, plundered, & pillaged the people and stole the land.
Standing Strong with
Standing Rock.

Anonymous said...

Urge U S President Barak Hussein Obama to Nationalize North Dakota Guard to open State Hwy 1806 for Medical and Food and life sustaining Human Rights reasons and Guard 1st Amendments rights under U S Constitution as, Standing Rock citzens follow IRA government of 1934 Act and deserve equal protection under Federal Law. They need to "Under-cut" the State on North Dakota out just like JFK & RFK cut out the State of Alabama in the early 1960's. Who wants to try to purify poisoned oily Missouri River Water? Impossible people!

Anonymous said...

Fracking creates
RADIOACTIVE WASTE.
NORTH DAKOTA, USA has inappropriate disposal of radioactive waste for years.
*IHD Solids Management's
Illegal radioactive matter from oil to fill waste found during inspection May and June 2016
*Secure Energy Company
*Gibson Energy Company
*Crosby ND 5 miles from Canadian border
*Noonan ND
*RADIOACTIVE FRACKING 'BRINE'
DUMPED ON ROADS in NORTH DAKOTA
*Radioactive Waste Disposal UNREGULATED by the USA Federal Government.
*Inadequate state laws to protect the public
* North Dakota doesn't have to report oil spills information to the public?

Anonymous said...

The healing medics are saying to:

NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNMENT & DAPL to
STOP TRYING to INJURE & KILL WATER PROTECTORS !!
Stop injuring water protectors,
Stop threatening to kill water protectors,
North Dakota governor sounds like threatening to cut off food, medicine, life to water protectors.!
Stop the DAPL & N.D. VIOLENCE Against Unarmed Peaceful Water protectors exercising Freedom of Speech..
Stop the Violence

Anonymous said...

Fracking = Air Pollution
Fracking = Cancer
Fracking = Health damage to
*Nervous system:
Brain
Spinal cord, nerves,
*Respiratory:
Lungs,airways,nose..
*Immune system:
White blood cells,
Tissue, organs