Mni Waconi | American Indian OIC

To the Members of the Minneapolis City Council –

This letter has been written on behalf of the Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors Group with full unanimity to achieve the following purposes:

1) To formally announce our collective opposition to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) in order to protect our natural fresh water supply, Mother Earth, and our teyospaye who live on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. This pipeline represents a very real threat to the integrity of our fresh water supply in the region, as well as to the surrounding natural ecosystem.

2) To collectively urge the Minneapolis City Council to follow suit and stand proudly in solidarity with the Urban American Indian community leaders here in the Twin Cities, the people of Standing Rock, and with all of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous warriors currently maintaining a peaceful vigil in protection of our natural water supply. Such solidarity can be powerfully exhibited through your approval of the Indigenous Resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline Resolution introduced by Council Member Cano on August 19th, 2016 – and that currently has 11 Council Members listed as co-authors.

There is nothing more sacred than the gifts given to us by the grace of the creator in the form of the natural bounty that sustains our ability to live. Of all these gifts bestowed upon us, there is nothing more important than clean water.

On behalf of all creation, with a full understanding that your actions today will be held to account by our children and our children’s children, the membership of MUID calls on the full support of this body to stand together with our American Indian community who is in resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Mni Waconi. Water is life.

Wopila Tanka and Chii Migwetch!

Joe Hobot, Ed.D
Chair, Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors Group
President & CEO, American Indian OIC
Hunk Papa, Lakota, Standing Rock Reservation

American Indian OIC stands in solidarity with the Lakota Nation of Standing Rock as they refuse the incursion of the Dakota Access Pipeline from being constructed near vital waterways – including the Missouri River – directly adjacent to their tribal lands and natural water supplies. This pipeline represents a direct and lethal threat to both the water and our tiyospaye who live on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. For the sake of the water, Mother Earth, and our children, the construction of this hazardous and unsecure pipeline cannot be allowed to happen.

This is a dangerous exploitation of our Mother Earth and American Indian OIC fully supports the warriors fighting the battle on the protest’s front lines. We implore our community members and our non-Native allies and accomplices to sign the Stop the Dakota Access Pipeline petition and to make a contribution to the warriors’ litigation fund.

Water is life. Mni Waconi.

For a brief history of the DAPL, follow this link.

American Indian OIC

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Letter to the Minneapolis City Council from the Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors

We Stand with Standing Rock

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