Peaceful gathering to support Native American land threatened by pipeline

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo Haudenosaunee-Native American Research Group and the Native Graduate Students Association will host a peaceful gathering in support of the Standing Rock Sioux and #NoDAPL from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16, at the Student Union Field on UB’s North Campus.

The Dakota Access Pipeline Project, which will link oil fields in North Dakota to refineries in Illinois, is a 1,170-mile underground crude oil pipeline designed to carry 470,000 barrels of crude oil daily.

Developers say the project will reduce dependence on foreign energy, but Native American tribes and environmental groups say the pipeline is a threat to cultural and historic sites and safe drinking water in the region.

Last week, the Obama administration temporarily blocked construction of a section of the pipeline north of the Standing Rock Sioux reservation near Fort Yates, North Dakota, but demonstrations have continued.

“In the last few days, sacred sites have been destroyed, people have been threatened with dogs and there is significant concern about environmental degradation,” said Hilary Weaver, professor in the UB School of Social Work and associate dean for academic affairs. “Last week, Native American faculty members at UB met and determined that as members of an educational community we could play an important role in sharing information and promoting dialogue.”

Organizers of the gathering will collect supplies, such as gift cards for Home Depot and Loews, tents, cold weather gear and cell phone battery packs, for Sacred Stone Camp, an alliance dedicated to protecting sacred land from the pipeline

Friday’s gathering is co-sponsored by UB’s Humanities Institute, First Nations Students Association, Graduate Student Association, the School of Social Work and Department of Transnational Studies.

For more information, contact Theresa McCarthy at tm59@buffalo.edu.