I-DRUM delegation helping water protectors at Standing Rock

A delegation of local community members and organizers of Indigenous D.R.U.M. (Indigenous Defense & Resistance Unity Movement or I-DRUM) arrived from San Bernardino to Standing Rock, North Dakota on Tuesday to provide assistance and deliver winter donations to the community resisting the Dakota Access Pipeline.

This is the group’s second trip to Standing Rock to support the indigenous residents protesting the construction of the site at the reservation’s Oceti Sakowin/Oyate Red Medicine Liberation Camp.

In September, I-DRUM members traveled to Standing Rock to deliver school and medical supplies for the camp school and emergency response crew.

According to I-DRUM spokesperson Jason Martinez the delegation’s focus this time is to provide cold weather supplies to help long term camp residents survive freezing, blizzard conditions.

“The donations included: 3 wood burning stoves, four propane tent heaters, 10 sleeping bags, camp stoves, propane, and 20-40 cold weather coats amongst other cold weather apparel,” reads a statement provided by Martinez.  {These supplies and more were donated by various members of the Inland Empire community, including the Sierra Club, All of Us or None, San Bernardino Valley College Gay Straight Alliance members of San Bernardino Valley College and the Chicano Community for Culturally Conscious Advocacy and Action (ChICCCAA).

Indigenous DRUM is a coalition formed by Southern California indigenous residents and allies to support the defense of native lands. The dedication of coalition members to the #NODAPL movement at Standing Rock correlates with the struggles here in the Inland Empire, according to Martinez

“The struggle for protection of water is similar to our fight for clean air where the Inland Empire has the worst air quality in the nation,” said Martinez.
I-DRUM members are scheduled to return in January.