Water Protectors Awaken Global Movement of Pipeline Resistance and Divestment

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ARKANSAS DIAMOND PIPELINE LOCKDOWN MONDAY

Water protector Tyler Hamilton was arrested Monday. Tyler is being held without bail in the Pope County jail in Russellville, Arkansas. Tyler is being charged with 3 misdemeanors and one felony (criminal mischief in the second degree). The arresting officer stated that this class D felony charge is being pursued by the prosecuting attorney as a direct result of time and money lost by Diamond Pipeline.

Water Protectors Inspire New Resistance Camps, Global Divestment in Dakota Access Pipeline

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News

Because of the water protectors who stood on the frontlines and were shot with rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons in freezing weather, who locked down and went to jail and were abused in jail, the movement is now a rallying point for the world.

Divestment in the banks funding the Dakota Access Pipeline is one of the victories of the water protectors who camped at Standing Rock.

An Indigenous Women's Delegation to Norway was announced today, carrying the voices of the water protectors at Standing Rock to Europe, and urging divestment in Dakota Access Pipeline.

The delegates to Norway include Dr. Sarah Jumping Eagle (Oglala Lakota and Mdewakantonwan Dakota living and working on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation); Wasté Win Young (Ihunktowanna/Hunkpapa of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Former Tribal Historic Preservation Officer); Tara Houska (Anishinaabe, tribal attorney, National Campaigns Director of Honor the Earth, former advisor on Native American affairs to Bernie Sanders); Autumn Chacon (Diné/Navajo writer and performance artist); and Michelle Cook (Diné/Navajo, human rights lawyer and founding member of the Water Protector Legal Collective at Standing Rock) - with the support of Delegate organizer Osprey Orielle Lake (Executive Director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network, WECAN) and Tanyette Colon (documentary filmmaker). Read more at Censored News http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2017/03/indigenous-womens-divestment-delegation.html

Now, throughout the United States new camps are fighting other pipelines and water protectors are rising with the same fortitude, dedication and courage to protect the water, rivers, land and sacred places.
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Photo courtesy Arkansas Rising

On Monday, Tyler Hamilton was arrested as he locked down to halt the Diamond pipeline in Arkansas. Water protectors on the border of Texas and Mexico are battling the Trans Pecos pipeline owned by Dakota Access Pipeline, Energy Transfer Partner owner Kelcy Warren.

In Oklahoma, a new camp is rising on Choctaw land. In Iowa, water protectors have created the Little Creek Camp. In Florida, water protectors are battling the Sabal Trail pipeline. New water protector camps are rising as the KXL pipeline from the dirty oil tarsands in Alberta, Canada, again threatens the Ogallala Aquifer and heartland.
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Sicangu Lakota youth Destiny Wilcuts locked down to halt Trans Pecos
pipeline on Texas border during January.

The movement is intensifying as farmers, ranchers and small families are now having their lands seized by eminent domain for private pipelines -- as President Trump pushes the agenda of big oil over people and their land rights.

Indigenous Sami Lead Way for Divestment

Sami with Water Protectors at Standing Rock Camp

"In an act of international solidarity between indigenous peoples, the Sami parliament in Norway has persuaded the country’s second largest pension fund to withdraw its money from companies linked to a controversial oil project backed by Donald Trump," The Guardian in London reports.
After lobbying by the Sami parliament, Norway’s local authority pension fund KLP announced it would sell of shares worth $58m in companies building the pipeline.

Seattle, Davis and Santa Monica withdrawing billions from Wells Fargo
Bloomberg reports Wells Fargo and Company shareholders will vote next month on whether to require the bank to adopt policies to help protect indigenous groups after protesters targeted its role in financing the Dakota Access pipeline.

On Feb. 7, Seattle severed its relationship with Wells Fargo, leading the way for other cities.

The Nation reports, "Now, inspired by the Seattle model, campaigners in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Bellingham, Raleigh, Albuquerque, and even Berlin, are bringing DAPL divestment to their communities."

"As of late February, officials in two other California cities, Davis and Santa Monica, had also pledged to bail on future banking contracts with Wells Fargo. Davis will be withdrawing its $124 million account from the bank; Santa Monica plans to take its $1 billion elsewhere as well."

More:
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/17/sami-dakota-access-pipeline-norway-pension-fund-divest
Bloomberg:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-15/wells-fargo-s-dakota-access-financing-prompts-a-shareholder-vote
The Nation:
https://www.thenation.com/article/these-cities-are-divesting-from-the-banks-that-support-the-dakota-access-pipeline/

Norway's Largest Bank Pulled Assets Out of Dakota Access Pipeline

Indigenous Sami at Standing Rock worked together with the camp's legal team Water Protectors Legal Collective to expose the human rights abuses by militarized police, and threat to the water. Photo copyright Jeff Chad.

DNB Dumps Dakota Access Pipeline

By Brenda Norrell

Censored News

WASHINGTON, DC -- The largest bank in Norway, DNB, has sold its assets in Dakota Access Pipeline. Indigenous Sami worked together with the Water Protectors Legal Collective in Standing Rock Camp to document the human rights abuses by militarized police and the threat of the underground crude oil pipeline to the Missouri River water.http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2016/11/sami-people-and-standing-rock-camp.html

Greenpeace said Thursday this decision was the result of 120,000 signatures from Greenpeace Norway and others to DNB, urging the bank and other financial institutions to pull finances from the project.

Greenpeace said:

The largest bank in Norway, DNB, has announced that it has sold its assets in the Dakota Access pipeline. The news follows the delivery of 120,000 signatures from Greenpeace Norway and others to DNB urging the bank and other financial institutions to pull finances for the project. DNB [www.democracynow.org/2016/11/8/headlines/norwegian_bank_dnb_considering_cutting_funding_of_dakota_access_pipeline]recently indicated that it is reconsidering the loan it provided, which amounts to 10 percent of the total funding.

In response to the news, Greenpeace Norway Sustainable Finance Campaigner Martin Norman said: 
“It is great that DNB has sold its assets in the disputed pipeline, and it is a clear signal that it is important that people speak out when injustice is committed. We now expect DNB to also terminate its loans for the project immediately.” 
“There should be a clause in the lending agreement that deals with human rights violations, and DNB should use it to get its money back and end all involvement in the Dakota Access pipeline. If they don’t have such a clause they must accept they have a bad contract and take the loss.” 
Greenpeace USA spokesperson Lilian Molina said: 
“The writing's on the wall for the Dakota Access pipeline. People power is winning. The news that DNB has sold its assets and is considering terminating its loans is a victory for the water protectors who are fighting to stop this disaster of a project. All financial institutions with a stake in the pipeline must quickly realize that financing this project is toxic. It would be smart for them to get out ahead of the growing movement of customers looking to divest from banks that finance the destruction of our planet and ignore Indigenous rights and sovereignty. Citigroup, TD Securities, Wells Fargo, SunTrust, and the other banks backing this project should see this as a sign to get on the right side of history.”