Credit: National Lawyers Guild
December 2, 2016 - Mariposa, CA – On December 11, 2016, community organizers, with the support of The Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, will host a rally and fundraiser to draw attention to the human and legal rights violations in North Dakota against the Standing Rock Sioux and other people there to protect their sacred sites and drinking water from oil contamination.
This event will feature traditional singing, talks from The Southern Sierra Mi-Wuk Tribal Chair and elder, Lois Martin and other volunteers. A prayer will be given by Tribal Vice-Chair and elder, Bill Leonard. There will be opportunities for discussion, donation and action throughout the event. All people are welcome. A march will precede the rally. Participants are expected to be peaceful, respectful and bring their own signs if they choose. The march begins at 2:30pm, Sunday December 11, 2016 at the four-way stop (intersection of Hwy 140 and 49 on the east side of town) and will end at the Arts Park in downtown Mariposa. The rally will commence at 3pm and is expected to finish by 5pm. There is mostly on the grass seating, so bring your own chair if you need one.
“It is important that Native people raise their voice on this issue.” said Tribal Chair Lois Martin. “We know from our ancestors that water is life. Without it, the land cannot survive and our people cannot survive. We support the Tribal sovereignty of the Standing Rock Sioux to protect the drinking water for themselves as well as all the non-Native people down the river.“ On Thursday December 1, the Tribe voted in favor of sending a letter of support to the Standing Rock Sioux Nation to assist them in their advocacy work. Assaults by highly militarized police forces against unarmed, peaceful demonstrators/protectorshave continued to escalate in North Dakota with increasing numbers of American citizens, mostly Native, being arrested and charged with a variety of crimes. Most recently, officials in Morton County North Dakota sprayed peaceful people with water cannons, during sub freezing conditions.
“We have been horrified at the treatment of American Citizens and the violation of treaty agreements” said Andrea Rhoan, a co-organizer of the march and rally. “Of critical importance is protecting the legal rights and physical safety of all Americans to exercise their First Amendment rights as well as Native autonomy on tribal land, according to treaty.” The Standing Rock West organizers and Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation encourage people to make tax-deductible donations to the Water Protectors Legal Collective of the National Lawyers Guild. Donations can be made on the Guild’s website at https://www.nlg.org/donate/waterprotectorlegal/
Source: Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation
