Cannon Ball, ND – Sacred places containing ancient burial sites, places of prayer and other significant cultural artifacts of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe were destroyed Saturday by Energy Transfer Partners, Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault II said.
On Friday, the Tribe filed court documents identifying the area as home to significant Native artifacts and sacred sites.
“This demolition is devastating,” Archambault said. “These grounds are the resting places of our ancestors. The ancient cairns and stone prayer rings there cannot be replaced. In one day, our sacred land has been turned into hollow ground.”
Construction crews removed topsoil across an area about 150 feet wide stretching for two miles, northwest of the confluence of the Cannon Ball and Missouri Rivers.
“I surveyed this land and we confirmed multiple graves and specific prayer sites,” said Tim Mentz the Standing Rock Sioux’s former historic preservation officer. “Portions, and possibly complete sites, have been taken out entirely.”
Thousands of people from across the United States have joined with the Standing Rock Sioux to protest Energy Transfers’ building of the 1,200-mile Dakota Access Pipeline. If built, a half-million barrels of crude oil would pass through daily.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe have filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to stop the construction. The tribe says it was not properly consulted before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers fast-tracked construction approval.
A decision in that case is expected by September 9.
“We’re days away from getting a resolution on the legal issue, and they came in on a holiday weekend and destroyed the site,” said Jay Hasselman, attorney for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. “What they have done is outragous.”
DAPL construction on Saturday
Posted by Wakíƞyaƞ Waánataƞ (Matt Remle- Lakota)
Matt Remle is an editor and writer for Last Real Indians and LRInspire. Follow @wakiyan7
LRInspire 
Reblogged this on LiLi SoRuM and commented:
This is just so wrong. 😦
#noDAPL
Enough . It must stop for ever . This government and all who keep taking land from the tribes in this country have to be held accountable. Joe P
This is utterly outragous.
Not only that they bring in security guards with attack dogs and helicopters trying tobstart shit with peaceful protectors.
Pingback: North Dakota Pipeline #NoDAPL Articles – All About Being Human (award-free zone)
Every bit of their machinery and vehicles need to be completely destroyed now for what they have done!
I believe it is a Federal offense to do what they just did. Now we need to make sure they’re prosecuted for this crime.
Thank you for your bravery aND sacrifice! You areally inspiring all of us who care about Mother Earth and future generations. Whatever our race or ethnic identity we all need clean water. For those of us who can’t join you please tell us how we can contribute to sustain you heroic effot…
We must stand together to stop this pipeline and all pipelines in the future. There are alternatives to oil! This is just big oil corporate greed!! The Native Tribes are standing for all human beings and our Mother and all sentient beings! Do not be afraid! We have the power in our numbers to stop this insanity!!! Be the 100th monkey!!
The Indians are still getting screwed
They left out the part where the corporation, while committing a crime, turned attack dogs on the land protectors and sprayed protectors with mace. Will these assaults, which were video taped, be prosecuted? Will this unlawful go-ahead pending a judges decision be prosecuted and/or have a negative influence on the judges decision?
This sickens me. Of all the issues that our so called president could speak against..why can’t the jerk say something against this? With all of the alternatives to power we have now, why are we still so dependent on oil? Oh yeah…the almighty buck. For once…leave these people and their land alone!!!
this is just another way to show corporate greed and abuse of power and i believe the government should leave my heritage alone they already took most our land pushed most on to reservations and again u wish to attack i am truly ashamed of this nation we become my friends and people keep fighting i am at utter disgust with our government and president for allowing this to start
This is a vile,and disgusting abuse of power
The “powers that be” seem to have a problem with keeping things sacred.
Passing on the article through FB. Asking friends to share. Trying to build support.
Fines and jail time!! Sometimes I think the only thing worse than Black in America is being Native American. At least they care enough to opress us. With the ‘Indians’ they don’t even care. Shameful!
Shame to those who have had a hand in this! This is OUR land and we keep it safe from harm, unlike you. Put this pipeline somewhere else for your greed is not welcome here. You will be cursed over and over again. Leave Mother Earth alone. You have already created your end.
Didn’t the land belong to the tribe? This is wrong on so many levels! Hasn’t the govt done enuf damage to native Americans in the name of greed?!!! Outrageous and shameful!
Yes, according to both the 1851 and 1868 Ft. Laramie treaties.