Water is life: Locals take a stand at Standing Rock

By Becky Gillette – Local residents Vela Giri, Francesca Garcia Giri and Simon Cummings had a front row seat to history Saturday at the camp in North Dakota where Native American water protectors and supporters are working to protect water quality and native cultural sites by opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).

The Giris had visited the camp at Thanksgiving and returned last weekend for what turned out to be the most momentous day so far of the long campaign. Cummings has been there since mid-August.

“It was a truly inspiring gathering of solidarity, cooperation and dedication – one of the most empowering events of my life,” Vela said. “This is how to answer the Trump fascist coup. We will resist to our last breath.”

Vela was among an estimated 5,000 veterans at the camp who came to support the water protectors. Francesca, a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner who operates the Flora Roja Acupuncture Clinic in Eureka Springs, has been providing medical assistance.

Vela said veterans were willing to lay down their lives to prevent the pipeline. They had been planning to take a hill across from a drilling pad by the lake. But the potential for loss of life was averted Saturday when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers halted construction of the DAPL under Lake Oahe, an ACE reservoir on the Missouri River, until an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) can be conducted.

“It was a really intense moment when they announced the Corps had stopped construction of the pipeline,” Vela said. “Just before that there was a big prayer circle and a talk about the Sacred Hoop of Life from the Black Elk tradition. A native prophecy said the circle would be re-united. The leading Medicine Man at the camp, Orville Standing Horse, went out and had people encircle the whole camp. Young men on horses led the circle. More and more people came and united the circle. The Sacred Hoop of Life was ritually reunited. In the center were the Seven Sacred Council Fires not lit since Custer’s time. About 15 minutes after the Sacred Hoop got united, the word was spread that the Corps is demanding an EIS and the company can’t go on with project until that is done. There was absolute jubilee at that announcement. This was absolute synchronistic magic. The hair on your head stood up.”

Vela estimated the crowd at about 10,000. As with any large protest, there was confusion and conflicting opinions. Vela felt fortunate to be in contact with Simon Cummings, who could be trusted to know what was really going on.

“Simon is 100 percent enmeshed and committed,” Vela said. “He has been in on several assaults. He has been tear gassed, hit by rubber bullets and had a concussion grenade go off on his shoulder and start his jacket on fire. Simon has been on the front lines. I said I would put my life on the line. That was theoretical. But Simon has actually done that. Simon is Eureka Springs’s number one hero.”

Before the government decision blocking the pipeline, Vela said a lot of veterans were disappointed at being blocked from plans to take the hill across from the drilling pad.

“Veterans had their battle gear and body armor together,” he said. “But the Native elders didn’t want to create an incident causing bloodshed. The whole endeavor is being led by the Native Americans. We are simply here to support them. This is a prayer camp. Prayer is the primary thing. Everyone here has to listen to the Native elders. And this was a better outcome because of the magic that happened by following the prayers and the guidance of the elders.”

Vela said the decision means a lot of people will leave the camp before the brutally cold part of winter.

This past summer president-elect Trump sold his investment in Energy Transfer Partners, which is building the DAP designed to carry 570,000 barrels a day of shale oil 1,170 miles from North Dakota to Illinois. Trump has not announced what action he might take after becoming president. Energy Transfer Partners said it is committed to completing the project without a reroute.

Vela said if Trump pushes the pipeline permit through, veterans and water protectors would be back despite the hostile atmosphere they experienced.

“Helicopters are constantly flying by,” he said. “Drones are flying over. There is all the super surveillance going on. There are infiltrators in the camp who are sowing disinformation where they can. It feels like controlled chaos or anarchy. Internal security did raid at 4 a.m. looking for weapons, and that was very upsetting. But it is beautiful how everything was being done that needed to be done. We self-organized into little units to do things like sorting medical supplies for the medical tent. There are so many other donations there is constant sorting of stuff. There is no lack of food or supplies.”

Vela said Francesca’s 18-year-old granddaughter, Kaley Haul, of Fayetteville, was at the camp during the visit at Thanksgiving.

“She was a shining example of youth standing up and taking responsibility,” he said. “She took the leadership of the coffee fire. People have to drink gallons of coffee here because it is so cold.”

Vela said the action is about far more than one pipeline.

“This is the beginning of the revolution,” he said. “This is the kick off creating the opposite of what Trump and the fascists stand for. A total fascist takeover of the country is underway, and we have no time to sit back and let them do their shit. We have to be absolutely united in solidarity and ready for action. We have to put our lives on the line and create a world contrary to the one that is being planned by those running this country. We have to create a whole new system. When implementing fascist policies, we have to stand up to them and say, ‘No, we aren’t taking this’.”

“A lot of vets came with no return plan,” Vela said. “We knew it was possible it would be the last day of our life. It is that kind of commitment we must have to create a world that is going to survive. Everyone has to put life, energy and resources on the line. This is it.”