Autumn 2017

Written By Michelle Cook

Over two weeks in early October 2017, a second Delegation traveled to Germany, Switzerland and Norway to follow up and continue forward motion on advocacy efforts, and participate in a variety of strategic platforms; high-level bank, insurance company and government meetings; public events; and press conferences.

Delegates shared their experiences and analysis, emphasizing that Indigenous people are demanding their rights as outlined in international law (including Free, Prior and Informed Consent), and calling for divestment of corporate level or project level finance from extractive fossil fuel projects at the source and in infrastructure, such as the Dakota Access Pipeline, Line 3 and Keystone XL,  which threaten Indigenous rights, sovereignty, lands and ways of life.

Autumn 2017 Delegation members included - LaDonna BraveBull Allard (Lakota historian, member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and founder/landowner of Sacred Stone Camp); Michelle Cook (Diné/Navajo, human rights lawyer and a founding member of the of the Water Protector Legal Collective at Standing Rock);  Jackie Fielder (Mnicoujou Lakota and Mandan-Hidatsa, Campaign Coordinator of Lakota People's Law Project and organizer with Mazaska Talks); and Tara Houska (Anishinaabe, tribal attorney, National Campaigns Director of Honor the Earth, and former advisor on Native American affairs to Bernie Sanders); alongside Osprey Orielle Lake (WECAN International Executive Director).

Indigenous Women’s Divestment Delegation To Europe, Autumn 2017 (left to right): Michelle Cook (Diné/Navajo), LaDonna Brave Bull Allard ( Standing Rock Sioux Lakota), Tara Houska (Anishinaabe), and Jackie Fielder (Mnicoujou Lakota and Mandan-Hidatsa…

Indigenous Women’s Divestment Delegation To Europe, Autumn 2017 (left to right): Michelle Cook (Diné/Navajo), LaDonna Brave Bull Allard ( Standing Rock Sioux Lakota), Tara Houska (Anishinaabe), and Jackie Fielder (Mnicoujou Lakota and Mandan-Hidatsa) in Norway - Photo via Teena Pugliese

Over the course of this Autumn 2017 Delegation, WECAN International organized ten high-level meetings, including with Norwegian Parliamentarians, DNB, the Council on Ethics to the Norwegian Oil Fund, UBS, Credit Suisse, Zurich Insurance, Swiss Re Insurance, BayernLB, Allianz, Deutsche Bank and organized two strategy sessions with local groups in Switzerland and Germany and held three public events.

The Delegation was invited to return by Norwegian Parliamentarians to support further efforts to include Indigenous rights in the guidelines of the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund. Reuters reported on the Delegation's divestment meeting with the Council on Ethics to the Norwegian Sovereign Fund held on October 3rd 2017, after the Council stated that it is now reviewing allegations that Energy Transfer Partners, the pipeline company behind Dakota Access Pipeline and many others, may be breaching the fund’s investment guidelines related to the environment, human rights and other issues.

On November 21, 2017 the executives of the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund recommended to the Norwegian Parliament that all gas and oil investments be removed from the fund. In December of 2017, DNB and UBS, two of the banks the Delegation met with and sent evidence to regarding rights violations, chose not to renew ETP’s credit facilities with their institutions.

Listen to Michelle Cook share more about this work on Rising Up With Sonali - Indigenous Women Take Pipeline Activism

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Autumn 2017
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Over two weeks in early October 2017, a second Delegation traveled to Germany, Switzerland and Norway to follow up and continue forward motion on advocacy efforts, and participate in a variety of strategic platforms.

Spring 2017
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Michelle Cook
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