GUEST BLOG: Hone Harawira – Another Pipeline, Another Struggle
ANOTHER PIPELINE – ANOTHER STRUGGLE
When a Maori hears about a protest against a pipeline in the US, he naturally thinks of Standing Rock. Unfortunately … there’s more.
The corporate hunger to pump oil has seen another protest over in Minnesota, led by one Winona La Duke (the woman just doesn’t stop!) against another pipeline – LINE 3, owned and run by a company called
ENBRIDGE, a Canadian multinational wanting to pump oil across the lands and lakes of Minnesota.
The protest has been building for about 5 years.
ALL the tribes on the line are against it, heaps of white folks are against it, most of the state agencies are against it, and things got so hot the governor called Winona in for a special meeting to gauge public opposition to the line.
In fact, while we were over Pine Ridge, Winona met with a couple of the matriarchs from the Red Warrior society up on Standing Rock to share stories and plan action.
I flew out on the last day of the hearings, mokopunaz downstairs holding up the banners, grandma upstairs fighting the good fight.
LATEST: the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved the line. Expect the opposition to ramp up … Here’s a clip of Winona firing the first shot
Hone Harawira is the leader of the MANA movement and is currently on tour of Native American hui.
Research shows that multiple oil leaks into drinking water have already occurred.