February 6, 2006, marks the 30th year that Leonard Peltier, American Indian Movement (AIM) leader, has been illegally imprisoned. Like the worldwide movement to free Nelson Mandela, human rights activists have been working long and hard to free Leonard Peltier. Amnesty International calls Mr. Peltier, “a U.S. political prisoner of conscience.” The history of this case is well documented at www.leonardpeltier.org.
Why is this beautiful human-being kept in prison, isolated from his people, silenced within the corporate media, and demonized by the FBI? What is so fearsome to the powerful U.S. Government about this aging warrior of Native American Rights? What threat does he pose, and to whom?
Perhaps the infamous lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, a longtime Republican Party operative who is currently under indictment, could shed some light on this puzzle.
According to Robert Robideau, co-director of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, “Abramoff isn't in hot water for selling political influence. He got caught ripping off his clients--in particular, Native American tribes who run casino and gambling operations. The tribes would hire Abramoff to lobby for them over gaming issues, and Abramoff would tell them which politicians to make political donations to. What he didn't say was that he and his business partner Michael Scanlon were sometimes working for groups whose interests were directly opposed to the tribes. For example, in 2002, Abramoff and Scanlon worked for religious conservatives lobbying the state of Texas to shut down a casino run by the Tigua of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in Texas--at the same time that Abramoff was charging the Tiguas millions to lobby for the casino.
Abramoff had nothing but contempt for his Native American clients. In e-mails exposed a few years ago, Abramoff called tribal members "trogdolytes" and "morons." "I have to meet with the monkeys from the Choctaw tribal counsel," he wrote to Scanlon. Overall, the Abramoff scandal is offering a glimpse of how political power is bought and sold in America, but this particular aspect is shining a light on a small part of an injustice that dates back even longer--the U.S. government's genocide against Native Americans, its theft of their land and the crushing of anyone who stood in their way.”
If the American people were truly informed about this travesty of justice; if they had read Mr. Peltier’s poems, letters, words of encouragement to youth, and opinions on sovereignty for indigenous tribes; if they could for one moment put themselves in Leonard Peltier’s place; would not this innocent man be free today?
Leonard Peltier’s poem, “Silence” is printed below, in the hope that readers will open their hearts and minds to the suffering of this humble man, and not rest until he is free.
Silence, they say, is the voice of complicity. But silence is impossible. Silence screams. Silence is a message, just as doing nothing is an act. Let who you are ring out & resonate in every word & every deed. Yes, become who you are. There's no sidestepping your own being or your own responsibility. What you do is who you are. You are your own comeuppance. You become your own message. You are the message. In the Spirit of Crazy Horse Leonard Peltier
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
According to the 1999 release by Amnesty International, Leonard Peltier was not declared a prisoner of conscience. According to the information I have revieved, that has not changed. Could you supply documentation.
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John Keaveny (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Sunday, Feb 5, 2006 at 9:13:59 PM
Congressional Briefing for Leonard Peltier
Washington D.C., May 17, 2000
Carlos Salinas, Amnesty International
Introduction:
Carlos Salinas is the acting legislative director for Amnesty International here in Washington DC -- and he is going to give us Amnesty International’s perspective on the case.
Carlos Salinas: I have been asked to be brief and I think I will actually achieve that. Amnesty International is an independent worldwide movement working impartially for the release of all prisoners of conscience, fair and prompt trials for political prisoners, and an end to torture and executions.
Just last April, Amnesty International called for the immediate and unconditional release of Leonard Peltier -- an Anishinabeg-Lakota Indian and a leading member of the American Indian Movement. Peltier was serving two consecutive life sentences at Leavenworth Penitentiary for the murders of two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, who were killed on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of South Dakota in 1975. Court and parole application decisions over the years failed to dispel substantial and lingering doubts about the fairness of the legal proceedings against Mr. Peltier.
Amnesty International has reviewed this case extensively over many years. We have sent observers to his trial in 1977 and to subsequent appeal and evidentiary hearings in 1978, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1991. Indeed Amnesty International has long expressed concerns about the fairness of Peltier’s trial in 1977 and the subsequent hearings which we have witnessed ourselves.
Some of the points that we have noted: (1) the FBI knowingly used perjured testimony to obtain Peltier’s extradition from Canada to the United States, (2) Peltier’s attorneys were denied the right to call relevant defense witnesses, and (3) prosecutors withheld vital evidence. Amnesty International is further concerned that Peltier’s political activities and beliefs may have influenced the circumstances of his arrest and subsequent trial.
Amnesty International for many years advocated that Leonard Peltier should be granted a fair retrial. We are disappointed at the authorities’ failure to initiate such a proceeding. At this point after so many years of imprisonment and having exhausted all available legal appeals we recognize a retrial is no longer a feasible option.
Leonard Peltier has now spent 23 years in prison. Amnesty International considers Leonard Peltier to be a political prisoner and again we further recognize that the legal redress opportunities have been exhausted. The United States Government continues to deny request for a special executive review; Amnesty International believes that Leonard Peltier should be immediately and unconditionally released. Thank you very much.
Transcript from the Congressional Briefing for Leonard Peltier, Washington D.C., May17, 2000
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Eto Akwahnv (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 1 comments) on Tuesday, Feb 7, 2006 at 3:56:51 PM
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