Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe condemns human rights violations by Energy Transfer Partners

The blood on this attack dog's teeth is of Native Americans.
Native Americans were defending a major burial place
desecrated by pipeline bulldozers on Saturday.

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe condemns human rights violations by Energy Transfer Partners

“This assault on peaceful people reminds me Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 or Wounded Knee, South Dakota in 1890.”  -- Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman Harold Frazier.  

By Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman Harold Frazier

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EAGLE BUTTE, South Dakota (September 4, 2016) —A private security force employed by oil company Energy Transfer Partners committed numerous human rights violations against peaceful tribal protesters when the oil company unexpectedly destroyed significant sacred sites on Saturday, according to Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman Harold Frazier.

More than 1000 peaceful protesters have been camped for weeks on the Missouri River at the site of an oil pipeline project that is planned to cross through sacred sites on tribal treaty lands and under waters that impact the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and others.

On Saturday, Energy Transfer Partners bulldozed over a series of rock formations sacred to the Lakota people, which were first brought to light in court documents filed by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe on Friday.

Several tribal activists engaged in nonviolent opposition to the demolition and were met by a private security force employed by the oil company.  North Dakota state police and local sheriff’s deputies were not on site, despite being a constant presence over the past several weeks of protest.

Energy Transfer’s private security force arrived dressed in bulletproof vests, armed with mace and attack dogs with helicopter air support.  Dozens of tribal protesters were assaulted with mace and several were bitten by the oil company’s dogs.  Although North Dakota law enforcement was nearby, they failed to arrive until after the confrontation had subsided.

The Morton County Sheriff’s office has issued a statement claiming that the protesters broke numerous laws, however, the Morton County Sheriff’s office has not made any arrests.

“The oil company attacked women, children, and elderly members of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe with German shepherds and mace when they were peacefully protesting on Saturday.  Where was North Dakota law enforcement?” asked Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman Harold Frazier.  “This assault on peaceful people reminds me Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 or Wounded Knee, South Dakota in 1890.”  

Mr. Frazier continued, “This oil company has billions of dollars and they will build this pipeline at any cost.  They have been working for weeks to force the Indian people to engage in violence with them.  I cannot condemn their actions today strongly enough.  Our women and our children and our old people are at this protest site.  I am worried every day that Energy Transfer will cause something terrible to happen here.”