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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
04 November
2011
Contact:
Delaney Bruce, Legal Team Liaison, Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee,
PO Box 7488, Fargo, ND 58106, USA; Telephone: 701/235-2206; contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info
National Congress of
American Indians unanimously supports freedom for Leonard Peltier
During its annual conference
this week in Portland, Oregon, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
unanimously passed a resolution in support of freedom for Leonard Peltier.
An innocent man, Native
American activist Leonard Peltier was wrongfully convicted in connection with
the shooting deaths of two agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in
1977. Imprisoned for nearly 36 years—currently at the federal prison in
Coleman, Florida—Peltier has been designated a political prisoner by Amnesty
International. Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, 55 Members of Congress and
others—including a judge who sat as a member of the court in two of Peltier’s
appeals—have all called for his immediate release. Widely recognized for his
humanitarian works and a six-time Nobel Prize nominee, Peltier also is an
accomplished author and painter.
The NCAI has adopted resolutions
on behalf of Leonard Peltier in the past. In 1999, the NCAI also supported the
Assembly of First Nations in Canada in an historic joint resolution.
"It's long past time for the
healing to begin between Indigenous Nations and the U.S. government—with regard
to the Peltier case, as well as other tragic incidents of the past. The NCAI
is eager to work with the Obama Administration to work towards that end," said
a spokesperson for the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee in Fargo,
North Dakota.
The Peltier case has been
examined by renowned author Peter Matthiessen ("In the Spirit of Crazy Horse")
and by a documentary film produced and narrated by Robert Redford ("Incident at
Oglala"). Although the courts have acknowledged evidence of government
misconduct—including the coercion of witnesses, the intentional use of false
testimonies, and the concealment of ballistics evidence reflecting his
innocence—Peltier has been denied a new trial.
The power to commute
Peltier's sentence of two life terms rests with President Obama.
"Mr. Peltier is 67 years old
and in poor health. This is the very time for renewed commitment and unity.
We're very pleased that the Indigenous Nations have taken this action on Mr.
Peltier's behalf and are actively involved in securing his freedom."
The Peltier resolution was
unanimously approved in committee on November 2 and presented in the plenary
session earlier today.
Informed of the NCAI's
decision, Leonard Peltier stated, "This means so much to me. I'm grateful for
the support of my People. I thank the NCAI for their efforts."
To learn more about the
Peltier case, visit www.whoisleonardpeltier.info. Also view "US Versus Leonard
Peltier: Evidence of a Wrongful Conviction. From the files of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation" at
http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/download/CriticalFBIDocs.pdf.
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