Interview: CDER's Mari Margil on the Thom Hartmann Show-8/10/2021

CDER's Executive Director Mari Margil appeared on The Thom Hartmann Show this week to discuss the first “Rights of Nature” enforcement case in Tribal Court. She took the time to share how Manoomin (wild rice) stood as plaintiff alongside the White Earth Band of Ojibwe to stop the State of Minnesota from allowing the Enbridge corporation to use five billion gallons of water for the construction of the oil pipeline known as “Line 3.”

In December 2018, the business committee of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe adopted a “rights of manoomin” tribal law, which recognized wild rice as having the rights to exist, flourish, regenerate, and evolve, as well as inherent rights to restoration, recovery, and preservation. This enforcement case is an extension of treaties like this, and serves to protect manoomin as a sacred entity within the tribal community and its laws.

We welcome you to watch the interview on YouTube here.