超过2000名退伍军人加入达科塔管道抗议活动

Thousands of Veterans to Join Dakota Pipeline¹ Protest 超过2000名退伍军人加入达科塔管道抗议活动

More than 2,000 U.S. military veterans are expected to join a protest at a camp in North Dakota. Thousands of activists² have been protesting against a large oil pipeline project near a Native American reservation.

A reservation is an area of land in the United States that is kept separate for Native Americans to live and govern.

The protesters, who call themselves "water protectors," are concerned about drinking water on the reservation and downstream on the Missouri River.

At the camp, activists are facing snow, storms and below-freezing temperatures.

The veterans are part of a group called Veterans Stand for Standing³ Rock. They are building temporary housing and working with protesters.

Protesters have spent months opposing plans to build the Dakota Access Pipeline beneath a lake near the Standing Rock Sioux tribe’s reservation. The protesters say the $3.8-billion pipeline is a threat to water resources and holy Native American burial grounds.

The veterans plan to form a human wall in front of police to protect protesters. Local police officers say they have made more than 525 arrests connected to the protest since August.

On November 21, police fired tear gas and large water cannons⁵ in below-freezing temperatures. They also fired rubber bullets. Some people were wounded.

A spokesperson for the sheriff’s department said protesters had started fires on the bridge and other places that night. But protesters said they lit controlled fires for warmth. CNN reported that protesters also said police flares⁷ started fires in the grass.

Protesters ordered to leave

On Monday, North Dakora state officials ordered that activists leave the camp because of dangerous weather conditions. On Wednesday, however, officials also said they would not force the people to leave.

The U.S. Army Corps⁸ of Engineeres controls the land where the protest is taking place.

However, the protesters say the Standing Rock Sioux tribe owns the land under a treaty from the 1800s.

On Thursday, North Dakota's chief law enforcement official called some of the protesters “frightening” and said it was "time for them to go home.”

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump⁹ on Thursday said he supports the completion of the pipeline. Trump’s transition team also said he supports peaceful protests.

Members of the North Dakota Veterans Coordinating¹⁰ Council condemned¹¹ the involvement of veterans and asked them not to take part.

North Dakota Governor Jack¹² Dalrymple has said it was probably not possible to build the pipeline in a different place. But, he said he would try to rebuild a relationship with Standing Rock Sioux leaders.

Dalrymple said that state officials never thought about forcibly removing protesters. He also said his order for them to leave was mostly because of concerns about extreme weather putting people in danger.?

The Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, LP, owns the 1,885-kilometer pipeline project. It is complete except for the part under protest.

Words in This Story

veteran - n. someone who fought in a war as a soldier, sailor, et cetera

pipeline - n. a line of connected pipes that are used for carrying liquids and gases over a long distance

downstream - adv. in the direction in which a stream, river, etc., flows

water cannon⁴ - n. a machine that shoots a large, powerful stream of water and that is used by police to control violent crowds

flare⁶ - n. a weapon that fires out a large flame – often used to attract attention

attorney - n. lawyer; a person whose job is to guide and assist people in legal matters

transition team - n. a group of people who manage the change between one system or administrative regime and another

1 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 cannon   

n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮

参考例句：

• The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
• The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

5 cannons   

n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 flare   

v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发

参考例句：

• The match gave a flare.火柴发出闪光。
• You need not flare up merely because I mentioned your work.你大可不必因为我提到你的工作就动怒。

7 flares   

n.喇叭裤v.（使）闪耀( flare的第三人称单数 )；（使）（船舷）外倾；（使）鼻孔张大；（使）（衣裙、酒杯等）呈喇叭形展开

参考例句：

• The side of a ship flares from the keel to the deck. 船舷从龙骨向甲板外倾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation. 他是火爆性子，一点就着。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

9 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

10 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

11 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

12 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。