Exclusive eyewitness report from #Standing Rock

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More than 15,000 Native Americans and their supporters are currently camped in sub-zero temperatures in a peaceful effort to stop the construction of the North Dakota Access Pipeline cutting through their ancestral homes and burial grounds, protected by treaty, and threatening to pollute the Missouri River which supplies water to 17 million people. Tomorrow prayer vigils will be taking around the world to appeal to the US government to stop this. We have just been sent this eyewitness report from a family from Wisconsin who joined the vigil.

Nov. 29, 2016. My son Chris and his two boys, just came home yesterday from supporting the Water Protectors in North Dakota.

They were super impressed with the community organization, inclusive team-work, responsible self-policing management of the camp and arrangement of services available. And esp. all the training, role-playing practice sessions on how to be arrested, & emphasis on strict practices of non-violent Civil-Disobedience. . . . How to hold your ground against militarized police provocation and remain non-violent. . . . and how to watch for hired 'provocateurs' in your crowd who would throw rocks at cops to provoke/justify violence by the cops.

All this non-violent action has some progress: the feisty sheriff has been dismissed. (Some say, he was trying to get revenge for Custer's Last Stand !) The order that the protest camps be forcebly evicted on 12/4, has been cancelled.

But the harmony and drama of the camps was impressive, . . . all these 15,000 diverse kinds of people, many internationals, all races, incomes, living together with a common focus in this tipi and tent city, with occasional motor home. Free meals, medical tent, volunteer medics, legal services, volunteer latrine keepers, warm clothing donations, garbage pick-up and staffed compost bins, . . . even volunteers cutting free fire-wood from donated logs. And since all is off-the-grid, lots of solar panels and wind generators, and cell/laptop charging stations. And picturesque Indians on horse-back riding thru the camp and escorting prayerful marches to The Bridge.

But another dramatic sight was at night, with campfires, and tipis and tents aglow with inside lanterns. Some nights zillions of stars overhead. And on Chris's last day, 2" of snow on everything. Oh, yes beyond all the romantic images, there was cold rain, and ever fierce wind threatening the tents and tarp shelters. { Tipi's and Yurts resisted the wind by their round-ness and good design.}**

Scheduled marches to the bridge were only a lesser part of the activity. A larger part was the teach-ins, CD training, and working to keep the camp an orderly place of fellowship. And of course the sharing of stories with dedicated strangers.

One of my Indian friends said, "Sorry to say, I've never seen an Indian community so organized and coordinated." Ah, the power of a Cause. Just what WE ALL need to utilize til 2020.

So in SUMMARY two prominent 'take-away' impressions from Chris:

1. How a community spirit of common cause could accomplish orderly sharing of resources on a barren prairie hillside as winter moves in, and the military threatens to attack again while you vow non-violence.

2. The wonder of all these diverse people committed to linking arms in non-violent civil- disobedience to protect the eco-system from exploitation & pollution.

** Jane Fonda donated 20 yurts to the camp. Other 'celebs' in & out. And daily press conference for dozens of media reporters. I want to watch a variety of news sources to get my own perspective of what kind of results such actions can accomplish.

*** In London a second vigil is planned from 6- 8 this evening in Parliament Square.

For more information and links see: ICN 28 November 2016 London: Solidarity vigil for Standing Rock www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=31442