By Madeleine Neal
The Mississippi Stand Solidarity Network on Tuesday rallied to push the Iowa City City Council to divest funds from federal banks supporting the Dakota Access Pipeline and to instead do business with local banks and credit unions.The network’s letter to the council was accepted into the Tuesday night agenda; the network thanked the council for divesting from Wells Fargo and urged it to cut ties with US Bank and other banks funding the pipeline.
US Bank declined a comment to The Daily Iowan. The DI reached out to Wells Fargo but did not receive a response.
The network uses nonviolent methods of opposition.
“In view of threats to our land, water, and climate, and the violent attacks against the Native American Water Protectors, U.S. Veterans, and others at Standing Rock, the Mississippi Stand Solidarity Network will continue to support the sovereignty and leadership of all Indigenous People,” according to the network’s mission statement. “We will explore ways to halt the completion of pipelines designed to transport fossil fuel production, recognizing that until they have oil running through them, the battle is not lost.”
The statement also noted it will hold decision-makers accountable for their actions.
“We will collaborate with other groups when possible and continue to meet and support one another in this struggle for social and environmental injustice,” the statement said.
Aaron Silander, a member of 100 Grannies for a Livable Future and a member of Mississippi Stand Solidarity Network, said she is worried about the effects of the pipeline.
“We are concerned with the pipeline as it affects our environment because it is not a safe thing,” she said. “They haven’t done the proper environmental-impact studies.”
Silander said she is concerned with land being “ripped” away from sovereign Sioux groups.
“That’s not right,” she said. “So tomorrow we will be doing more activities to stand with Standing Rock.”
Maggie Dressel, a fellow in the University of Iowa Office of Sustainability’s Climate Narrative Project, said these “injustices” go back centuries.
“Pipelines will leak,” she said. “It’s not a question of ‘if,’ it’s ‘when.’ ”
Dressel noted that corporate profit is being paid for by citizens’ health and safety.
“I’m not OK with pay for environmental degradation with [my] health,” she said. “Our water supply needs to be protected.”
Members from the network spoke on the council floor.
Vanessa Fixmer-Oraiz, a member of the Mississippi Stand Solidarity Network, said she hopes Iowa City leaders will listen.
“If we could divest from those banks we can actually make a huge difference,” she said.
Mayor Jim Throgmorton said the council would not deliberate the issue during session.
Fixmer-Oraiz said she hopes the council will further divest from all banks funding the Dakota Access Pipeline.
“[There are] many fires to put out,” she said. “Never underestimate a small group of people committed to change.”
The network will discuss local actions this afternoon at the Bread Garden Market.
