Obama avoids pipeline comment but urges
tribal sovereignty
Send a link to a friend
[September 27, 2016]
By Valerie Volcovici and Julia Harte
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President
Barack Obama on Monday avoided direct mention of a pipeline that has
provoked high-profile protests from Native Americans but urged tribal
leaders to use the spotlight to continue pushing for recognition even
after he leaves office.
Obama spoke at his eighth and final Tribal Nations Conference, which he
created during his first year in office. Leaders of more than 560 Native
American tribes gathered for the Washington event as one of the largest
Native American protests in decades continues in North Dakota.
In his remarks, Obama acknowledged that Native American tribes have
unified around the demonstrations led by the Standing Rock Sioux, a
tribe that he visited in 2014.
"I know that many of you have come together across tribes and across the
country to support the community at Standing Rock and together you are
making your voices heard," he said. "This moment highlights why it’s so
important that we redouble our efforts to make sure that every federal
agency truly consults and listens and works with you, sovereign to
sovereign.”
In recent weeks, protests against the Dakota Access pipeline have drawn
international attention, prompting the U.S. government to temporarily
block its construction on federal land. Tribal leaders say the pipeline
will desecrate sacred land and pollute water.
When fully connected to existing lines, the 1,100-mile (1,770 km)
pipeline would be the first to carry crude oil from the Bakken shale
directly to the U.S. Gulf. The $3.7 billion project is being built by
the Dakota Access subsidiary of Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners
LP.
Obama discussed the progress made by his administration over the last
eight years to improve relations with tribal nations, and urged leaders
to keep fighting for more visibility and input regardless of who
succeeds him in the White House next year.
“Our progress depends in part on who sits the in Oval Office, and
whether they’re setting the right priorities, but lasting progress
depends on all of us, not just who the president is.”
Various Obama administration officials unveiled initiatives aimed at
upholding Native American sovereignty at the conference.
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced a forthcoming memorandum from
Obama that would require federal agencies to consider Native American
treaty rights in decision-making on natural resource projects, hoping to
avoid future conflicts with tribes such as the current Dakota Access
dispute.
The Justice and Interior Departments also announced settlements with 17
tribes that had sued the U.S. government, accusing them of mismanaging
monetary assets and natural resources that the government held in trust
for the tribes.
The "vast majority" of all such disputes have been settled, according to
the government, which has paid $1.9 billion to resolve the cases since
April 2012.
[to top of second column] |
President Obama holds a baby as he poses with children at the Cannon
Ball Flag Day Celebration at the Cannon Ball Powwow Grounds on the
Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. REUTERS/Larry
Downing
Those settlements characterize the Obama administration's effort to
mend ties "where we have failed in the past in our trust
responsibilities," said Lawrence Roberts, assistant secretary for
Indian Affairs at the Interior Department, on the sidelines of
Monday's conference.
Regan Dunn, 15, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, delivered
opening remarks at the conference.
Dunn said afterward she had never imagined a company might try to
build a pipeline through her homeland, but that the wide opposition
among various tribes - including some she had not previously heard
of - has been "heartwarming."
Brian Cladoosby, president of the National Congress of American
Indians, which represents more than 500 tribes, praised Obama's
legacy on Native American issues and warned the assembly that "there
is no guarantee going forward there will be the same commitment from
the next administration."
When the Justice Department, Interior Department and the U.S. Army
temporarily blocked the pipeline's construction on Sept. 9, the
administration called for "a serious discussion" about how tribes
are consulted by the government on decisions over major
infrastructure projects.
The Army, Interior and Justice departments will hold hearings on the
shortcomings of the present process on Oct. 11, and formal
discussions with tribes in six U.S. regions from Oct. 25 through
Nov. 21.
The deadline for written comments will be Nov. 30, the agencies
announced.
On Thursday, the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, Dave
Archambault, told a House of Representatives panel there was no
"meaningful consultation" before permits were issued to bring the
pipeline through his tribe's territory.
Archambault is scheduled to speak on Monday evening at a rally of
pipeline opponents.
(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Matthew Lewis)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|