The following is a statement by the #NoDAPL Oceti Sakowin Headsmen Council. With its permission, it is being re-posted here on this blog:
Oceti Sakowin Camp, The Horn
January 28th, 2016
Local Leadership comes to decision, Oceti Sakowin Headsmen meet with ND Governor.
Cannon Ball River, ND – After days of deliberation between the North Dakota Governor’s office, the Oceti Sakowin Headsmen Council and numerous Tribal Reps – the state will begin taking apart the backwater bridge barricade. Removing razor wire, and some of the concrete. They have also agreed to pull back the visible amount of the Nat’l Guard on the hills overlooking camp. The Governor’s office has also stated that they will encourage law enforcement near the backwater bridge to not have any weapons (lethal or non-lethal) on their person during this desecalation.
So we, the Headsmen Council, are asking everyone respect this process and let them remove the barricade in order to ensure the task is managed safely.
This was NOT a negotiated agreement between our parties. The Governor, based on demands given by Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Headsmen Council, decided to take the aforementioned steps of his own volition with only the verbal commiment by our party to tell the camps of the Governor’s plans.
Monday January 30, 2016
We will begin the process of cleaning up discarded and abandoned camp sites and unneeded trash and/or supplies. We will have volunteers bringing heavy machinery, dump trucks, drop boxes and bobcats to help.
Meanwhile, we have a call out for allies and people across the country to stand up where they are, and enact mass civil disobedience as a showing of solidarity for Standing Rock. The fire of the Oceti Sakowin has been taken by 10,000 potential organizers from across Turtle Island, people who have been trained in Nonviolent direct action and we need you to hit the ground immediately to help educate others and further this movement.
We continue to be thankful and encourage all to stand strong and take courage.
Lila Wopila,
Oceti Sakowin Camp Leadership
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