Via Indigenous Environmental Network:

Cannon Ball, ND – Today Colonel John W. Henderson of the United States Army Corps sent a letter to Dave Archambault II, the Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, stating that on December 5th all lands north of the Cannon Ball River will be closed to the general public. This includes the Oceti Sakowin encampment where nearly eight thousand people are camping to resist the Dakota Access Pipeline. Henderson said, “This decision is necessary to protect the general public from the violent confrontations between protestors and law enforcement officials.”

In response to the Army Corps’ letter Chairman Archambault and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe stated, “the best way to protect people during the winter, and reduce the risk of conflict between Water Protectors and militarized police, is to deny the easement for the Oahe crossing, and deny it now.”

The following is a statement from the Indigenous Environmental Network:

“We stand by our relatives of the Oceti Sakowin and reaffirm their territorial rights set in the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851. If the Corps wants to keep people safe and prevent further harm, then deny the easement, rescind the permit, order a full Environmental Impact Statement, and send Department of Justice observers. This decision by the Army Corp and the United States is short-sighted and dangerous. We have already seen critical injuries cased by the actions of a militarized law enforcement. We implore President Obama and the White House to take corrective measures and to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline once and for all.”