Blogspot: Friends of Peltier

Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee: 04 February 2012: International Day of Solidarity...

2011-09-29T16:12:00.000-04:00

Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee: 04 February 2012: International Day of Solidarity...: International Day of Solidarity with Leonard Peltier: Clemency Now! The Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee calls on supporters worl...

Leonard Peltier Moved to Florida

2011-09-14T15:55:00.001-04:00

According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Leonard Peltier has been moved from Oklahoma City to the U.S. Penitentiary at Coleman, Florida.

The United States Penitentiary I in Coleman is a high security facility located in central Florida approximately 50 miles northwest of Orlando, 60 miles northeast of Tampa, and 35 miles south of Ocala.

LEONARD PELTIER #89637-132
USP COLEMAN I
U.S. PENITENTIARY
P.O. BOX 1033
COLEMAN, FL 33521

This is nearly 2,000 miles from Leonard's Nation, the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, in North Dakota! Tell the Federal Bureau of Prisons that the only acceptable transfer is one to a medium security facility in close proximity to (within a 500-mile radius of) his family and Nation. Ideally, Leonard should be moved to the medium security facility at Oxford, WI.

Dr. Thomas Kane, Acting Director
Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
320 1st Street, NW
Washington, DC 20534
Phone: (202) 307-3250 (Director); (202) 307-3198 (Switchboard)
Fax: (202) 514-6620

Leonard Peltier Has Been Moved

2011-09-13T13:02:00.001-04:00

Leonard Peltier has been moved from USP-Lewisburg. At this time, he is at the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This is an administrative and "holdover" facility. That means he will be held in Oklahoma temporarily -- although "temporarily" could mean months -- after which he will be transferred to another facility.

Please continue your efforts on Leonard's behalf. Keep calling the White House -- 202-456-1111. Obama must free Leonard Peltier.

Keep demandng a transfer for Leonard that is within 500 miles of his home. Tell the Federal Bureau of Prisons that the only acceptable transfer is one to a medium security facility in close proximity to his family and Nation.

Please send e-mails, write letters and call BOP every single day. Make reference to Leonard Peltier #89637-132 and contact:

Dr. Thomas Kane, Acting Director
Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
320 1st Street, NW
Washington, DC 20534

E-Mail: info@bop.gov
Phone: (202) 307-3250 (Director); (202) 307-3198 (Switchboard)
Fax: (202) 514-6620

August 6 and 7: Vigil and Rally for Leonard Peltier in Lewisburg

2011-07-25T15:24:00.003-04:00

Solitary Confinement is Torture!

Free Prisoners from Solitary! Free Leonard Peltier!

What: Candlelight Vigil and Rally
When: Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7, 2011
Where: Corner of Route 15 (N. Derr Drive) and William Penn Drive, Lewisburg, PA

* Please Circulate Widely *

Join us at 7:00 p.m. on August 6th for a candlelight vigil to protest the use of solitary confinement in the U.S., and in solidarity with prisoners at the federal penitentiary at Lewisburg -- in support of Leonard Peltier, in particular.

Gather at 10:00 a.m. on August 7th for a Free Peltier Rally. Native American activist and political prisoner Leonard Peltier is currently being held in solitary confinement at USP-Lewisburg. Rally for his freedom -- from solitary, from prison. Demand clemency for Leonard Peltier!

Bring posters and banners, drums, candles, water, food-snacks, etc.

For updates and information on lodgings, visit http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/vigil.htm.

Donations welcome. Send a check or money order to the LPDOC, PO Box 7488, Fargo, ND 58106 or donate electronically. Click on the "Donate" button on our home page at http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/index1.htm.

Leonard Peltier placed in "Hellhole"

2011-07-25T15:20:00.001-04:00

Mass Call-In for Leonard Peltier Today!

2011-07-11T09:58:00.003-04:00

Image by Sheila Steele via Flickr Mass Call-In to CNN Monday, July 11, 2011

Join us in a coordinated mass call-in to CNN on behalf of Leonard Peltier. Shut CNN down until they realize they have a story.

On Monday, July 11th, at 10 a.m. (Eastern Time), start calling with your statement. It is important that the calls to CNN start promptly at 10 a.m. Insist that they cover the injustice posed by the continuing imprisonment of Leonard Peltier. Advise them of Leonard's current situation (see http://lpdoc.blogspot.com/2011/07/leonard-peltier-in-hole-at-lewisburg.html), and tell CNN personnel that they should contact the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee at 701-235-2206 for information and referrals.

Then call back and ask for specific news anchors to cover/respond. Remember to be firm, but polite. Tell them freedom for Peltier is the only solution to this 35+-year injustice.

They may tell you that they get their stories from their affiliates (local) channels. While this is true, it is also true that they cover both whatever they wish and stories that demand coverage. We MUST demand coverage.

Call CNN at 404-827-1500 at 10 a.m., Monday, July 11, 2011. Dial one for both of the first and second automated prompts/choices.

You also may submit story ideas online. Visit http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form11e.html to submit a story idea or http://www.cnn.com/feedback/tips/newstips.html to submit a news tip.

Or Tweet them: @TeamCNN.

----

Launched into cyberspace by the
Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
PO Box 7488, Fargo, ND 58106
http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/
contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info

Alert: Leonard Peltier Needs Your Help!

2011-07-07T11:42:00.002-04:00

On June 27, Leonard Peltier was removed from the general population at USP-Lewisburg and placed in solitary confinement. We know this was not done for Leonard's protection. We also are certain that Leonard has done nothing wrong. He should immediately be returned to the prison's general population. Our concern is two-fold. First and foremost, Leonard must not be railroaded by prison authorities as has happened in the past. Second, Leonard's age and health status are a concern. Leonard suffers from diabetes and other health conditions. He must have the means by which to monitor his blood sugar. He must receive the proper diet. Leonard otherwise must continue to receive his prescribed medications. He must immediately be returned to the prison's general population. For more information on how you can help, please visit http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/alert.htm.

No justice for Native Americans: Leonard Peltier

2011-06-28T13:07:00.000-04:00

News from Indianz.Com

2011-06-28T12:59:00.001-04:00

www.indianz.com

Letter: Attorneys take excessive fees in trust fund settlement (6/28)
Turtle Talk Recap: Supreme Court is still bad for tribal interests (6/28)
Cherokee Nation says Chad Smith wins chief's post by 7 votes (6/28)
Court rejects challenge to Oneida Nation law enforcement deal (6/28)
Kalispel Tribe cancels Fourth of July celebration due to flooding (6/28)
Interview with Jarrid Whitney about Indian student recruitment (6/28)
Tigua Tribe purchases majority interest in minor baseball team (6/28)
Hualapai Tribe to meet with Skywalk partner after court ruling (6/28)
Recount confirms results of Little Traverse Bay Bands election (6/28)
Tuscarora Nation members upset over 'secret' council meeting (6/28)
Brothers from Sault Tribe to appeal fishing violation conviction (6/28)
Navajo Nation man pleads guilty in second degree murder case (6/28)
Osage Nation expects word on gaming applications 'this week' (6/28)
Pala Band seeks to renegotiate gaming compact with governor (6/28)
Editorial: Decision makes California play fair with tribal casinos (6/28)
Mark Trahant: Tribes and counties better off working together (6/27)
Vi Waln: Helping our tribal elders prepare for their last journey (6/27)
Wambli Sina Win: Pretendians -- the hostile takeover of tribes (6/27)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on Native CLASS Act (6/27)
Editorial: Victory with $3.4B settlement of Indian trust lawsuit (6/27)
WPR: Lac du Flambeau chair hopes BIA improves trust system (6/27)
Upwards of 30K in Arizona to share in $3.4B Cobell settlement (6/27)
In These Times: Fractionation a big issue in Cobell settlement (6/27)
Patti Jo King: Truth and myth about Apache warrior Geronimo (6/27)
Tribes press for fix to land-into-trust ruling at nation's capitol (6/27)
Supreme Court won't accept Osage Nation diminishment case (6/27)
Turtle Talk: Indian law outcomes in Wisconsin Supreme Court (6/27)
WPR: Military officers forcing tribal soldiers to give up tobacco (6/27)
Cherokee Nation elects new leader by slim margin of 11 votes (6/27)
Non-Indians bragged about attack on Reno Sparks man online (6/27)
More headlines... www.indianz.com

28 June 2011: Today's Democracy Now!

2011-06-28T12:57:00.003-04:00

www.democracynow.org

"A Perfect Product of the Religious Right": Deconstructing Michele Bachmann’s GOP Presidential Bid

The rising star of the Tea Party movement, Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann, has launched her bid for the Republican 2012 presidential nomination. On the eve of her announcement, Bachmann was tied with Mitt Romney in The Des Moines Register’s Iowa Poll, the first survey of voters who plan to attend the Republican caucuses. The former tax lawyer identifies as a conservative Christian and is a fierce opponent of abortion and gay marriage. Bachmann also supports teaching intelligent design in public schools, and she’s claimed that global warming is a hoax. She has largely built her campaign around accusing Obama of favoring government intervention, pushing the U.S. toward socialism and having “anti-American views” and is particularly fierce critic of Obama’s healthcare overhaul. While Bachmann is known for advocating a limited government, she has recently come under scrutiny for allegedly accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in agricultural subsidies for her family farm in Wisconsin. We are joined by journalist Karl Bremer, who has covered Michele Bachmann’s political career for the last decade from Stillwater, Minnesota, which is where the Bachmanns currently reside. We also speak with journalist Michelle Goldberg, author of the book, "Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism.”
As Obama Quietly Pushes for a Nuclear Weapons Renaissance, Wildfire Threatens Los Alamos Nuclear Lab

In New Mexico, an out-of-control wildfire that began Sunday has already burned nearly 80-square miles and is a mile or less from Los Alamos National Laboratory, home to a nuclear weapons plutonium facility. Pieces of ash from the fire have dropped onto the laboratory grounds, sparking "spot" fires. A senior investigator with the Project on Government Oversight said a fire at the facility would be a "disaster" that could result in large and lethal releases of radiation. Officials insist explosive materials on the laboratory’s grounds are safely stored in underground bunkers made of concrete and steel. But the group, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, told the Associated Press that the fire appeared to be about 3.5 miles from a dumpsite where as many as 30,000 55-gallon drums of plutonium-contaminated waste were stored in fabric tents above ground. The group said the drums were awaiting transport to a low-level radiation dump site in southern New Mexico. We speak with Greg Mello, the director of the Los Alamos Study Group, a citizen-led nuclear disarmament group based in New Mexico. “Los Alamos National Laboratory is becoming the center of plutonium manufacturing for the country,” Mello says, even though “it is a place with a lot of natural hazards, not just fires, but also earthquakes.”
It Takes People On the Outside: Prestigious Author Alice Walker to Confront Israeli Naval Blockade of Gaza on U.S. Aid Ship

Israel continues to threaten a group of international activists planning to sail to Gaza this week with humanitarian aid. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said participants in the 10-boat flotilla are seeking "confrontation and blood." Last year, Israeli forces killed nine people aboard the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara. Meanwhile, activists say one of the 10 boats scheduled to sail to Gaza has been sabotaged in a Greek port. Saboteurs reportedly cut off the propeller shaft of a ship shared by Swedish, Norwegian and Greek activist. Organizers say the boat will be repaired in time to sail to Gaza. One of the other ships that will try to reach Gaza from Greece is the "Audacity of Hope." It’s set to carry up to 50 U.S. citizens carrying letters to Gaza residents. One of the ship’s passengers is the acclaimed author, poet and activist Alice Walker. She has written many books, including “The Color Purple,” for which she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. On Monday, Alice Walker spoke at a Freedom Flotilla news conference in the Greek capital of Athens. “I am going to Gaza because my government has failed to understand or care about the Gazan people, but worse than that, it is ignorant of our own history in the United States,” Walker said. “For instance, when black people were enslaved for 300 years, it took a lot of people in the outside of our communities to help free us.”

Headlines

•Thousands of Greeks Begin 48-Hour General Strike
•Japan: 15 Tons of Radioactive Water Leaked Into Ground Near Facility
•Los Alamos Nuclear Weapons Lab Remains Closed As Massive Wildfire Approaches
•Israel Continues To Threaten Gaza Flotilla Activists
•Libya Government Denounces International Arrest Warrants For Gaddafi and Aides
•Syrian Opposition Leaders Gather In Rare Public Meeting
•Number of Afghan U.S. War Refugees Reaches 250,000, Double Previous Year
•U.S. Drones Kill 21 in Pakistan
•Federal Judge Blocks Key Parts of Controversial Georgia Immigration Law
•Trial Begins For Former Khmer Rouge Leaders
•Wisconsin Bans Planned Parenthood Funds, Indiana Issues Injunction Against Blocking It From Medicaid
•Flood Waters Begin to Recede in North Dakota Following Widespread Destruction

www.democracynow.org

26 June 2011 Statement from Leonard Peltier

2011-06-28T12:54:00.000-04:00

Hello my friends and relations,

I always try to come to you full of good spirit and vigor. But I cannot lie. There are days when the ugliness of my situation weighs me down. I swear I never thought this could happen. I never believed law enforcement and the government of this country would go so far for so long to keep their dirty laundry hidden away.

Over the years, you my dedicated friends and believers have kept a vision of justice alive. That really is something special. Because of you, we have learned of hidden evidence, coerced testimony, and outright lies by the FBI and prosecutors. Because of you we have been able to uncover thousands of documents the government wanted to stay secret. And yet they have been able to squirrel away thousands more pages of their biggest secrets about me, about the theft of Indian land, their motives behind murder, and their operations to silence people like me. I am living proof that my case is about squashing Indian rights and Indian sovereignty, otherwise why would I be serving a sentence so much longer than what is normal for my so-called conviction?

Those that believe in law and order should be the loudest voices calling for my release! The fact is the day I walk free is the day they are forced to deal with my innocence, and they are so very afraid of doing just that! No matter what they say, the dirty little secret underneath all of this is America’s fear and loathing of Indian people. In over five hundred years, they have not yet learned how to deal honorably with us.

The burden is great sometimes, but the encouragement I get from you helps me to keep my faith that freedom will one day come my way. No matter what happens, on the day I draw my last breath I will be proud to have taken my place alongside my ancestors, knowing I did all I could do, and gave all I could for my people. For those FBI agents and prosecutors in my case, their last moments will include shame.

So remember all of you my friends and relations, this case is about much more than me. If you believe in truth, justice, honor, freedom, all of what is supposed to make America great, then help me open the door to my release. If you believe in Indian sovereignty, join my cause and in doing so help yourself. Take your place in the struggle and do all you can to eradicate injustice.

Thank you for your time. Thank you for your consideration. Thank you for your work. Thank you for your love.

Aho! Mitakuye Oyasin!

Doksha,

Leonard Peltier

News from Indianz.Com

2011-06-09T12:28:00.001-04:00

www.indianz.com

Headlines:

Native Sun News: Oglala Sioux Tribe falls victim to 'UN' scam (6/9)
Witness list for SCIA hearing on indigenous rights declaration (6/9)
Navajo Nation official to discuss sacred sites at SCIA hearing (6/9)
David Wilkins: Indigenous nations in immature United States (6/9)
Turtle Talk: Indian law rulings in South Dakota Supreme Court (6/9)
Two Apache tribes in Arizona threatened by a growing wildfire (6/9)
Seneca Nation will appeal latest decision in tobacco tax battle (6/9)
Trial of Crow Creek Sioux Tribe chairman delayed until August (6/9)
County joins investigation in Hoopa Valley drive-by shooting (6/9)
Coushatta Tribe sends youth to Missouri to help relief efforts (6/9)
Former chairman of Chitimacha Tribe told he can't run again (6/9)
Ex-Shinnecock Nation leader on Long Island Press Power List (6/9)
Opinion: Proposed iron mine poses a risk to Bad River Ojibwe (6/9)
Media Co-op: First Nations under surveillance by government (6/9)
Bizarre Crime: Man blamed wife's death on fallen totem pole (6/9)
Vincent Armenta: Santa Ynez Band shares gaming revenues (6/9)
Agua Caliente Band to spend $2.1M on renovations at casino (6/9)
Bill to legalize casinos in Massachusetts is back on the table (6/9)
Michigan man continues effort to lure off-reservation casino (6/9)
Tim Giago: Lakota people were pushed out of nest too early (6/8)
Stephanie Woodard: Yankton Sioux victims seek day in court (6/8)
Kevin Gover: First Lady takes on obesity among Indian youth (6/8)
Let's Move: Indian children help plant garden at White House (6/8)
Turtle Talk: Indian law success rate in Alaska Supreme Court (6/8)
Crow Tribe forced to eliminate 150 employees after flooding (6/8)
Ute Tribe runs out of funding due to flooding on reservation (6/8)
Omaha Tribe evacuates homes due to Missouri River floods (6/8)
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe spared from Missouri River floods (6/8)
Poarch Creeks donate $25K for victims of Alabama tornado (6/8)
Terry Cross, Indian child welfare advocate, to receive honor (6/8)
Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes leadership dispute continues (6/8)
More headlines... www.indianz.com

09 June 2011: Today's Democracy Now!

2011-06-09T12:16:00.004-04:00

www.democracynow.org

Obama Hides Meeting with Top Bahraini Leader—And Mutes Criticism of Ongoing Crackdown

Amidst an intensifying crackdown on anti-government protesters in the tiny Gulf island kingdom of Bahrain, President Obama met Tuesday with Crown Prince Salman bin Isa al-Khalifa, a visit that was not announced beforehand. We speak with Nabeel Rajab, president of Bahrain’s Center for Human Rights, based in Manama. "On the ground, we don’t see anything, any signal, that makes us optimistic that the government has the willingness to go for a dialogue with the opposition and to listen to the grievances and the demands of the people," says Rajab, noting that soldiers from Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain continue to arrest protesters and the doctors treating those injured during pro-democracy demonstrations. [includes rush transcript]
Critics Dub Planned Puerto Rico Pipeline the "Death Route" for Alleged Threat to Environment, Public Health

President Barack Obama is due to visit Puerto Rico next week in what will be the first official U.S. presidential visit to the territory in 50 years. His trip comes as controversy grows over a proposed 92-mile natural gas pipeline that would cut across much of the island. Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuño has made the $450 million project a central goal of his administration and insists it is a safe and environmentally friendly way to lower utility bills. Called Vía Verde (Green Way), the pipeline has been dubbed Vía de la Muerte (Death Route) by critics who say it will expose people living near it to deadly explosions, and cause irreversible damage to the island’s environmental and cultural resources. We speak with Dr. Arturo Massol, a biology professor and director of the Scientific and Technical Commission of Casa Pueblo, a community-based organization in Puerto Rico that is leading opposition against the pipeline project. He calls for development of infrastructure that can harness the island’s solar and wind power to meet its energy needs.
Annie Jacobsen on New Book, "Area 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base"

Located some 80 miles north of Las Vegas, the secret U.S. military base Area 51 in Nevada was established in the 1950s to build and test hi-tech spy and war planes including the U2, the stealth bomber and surveillance drones. Located inside the Nevada Test and Training Range, Area 51 also played a key role in nuclear weapon tests. For decades, the government denied Area 51 even existed, but in recent years many CIA and military documents have been declassified. We speak with Annie Jacobsen, author of the new book, "Area 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base."

Today's Headlines:

•U.S. Increases Secret Yemen Bombings in Saleh’s Absence
•Clinton Meets With Libya Contact Group in UAE
•ICC Prosecutor: Gaddafi Sanctioned Rape Against Opponents
•U.N. Security Council to Debate Syria Censure
•Senate Panel Questions Afghan Spending
•Obama Expresses "Sorrow" for Afghan Deaths
•Al-Qaeda Leader Threatens U.S.
•Egypt-Gaza Border Reopens
•U.N. Convenes AIDS Session, Hundreds Protest for Universal Treatment
•Sudan Rejects New Genocide Allegations From ICC
•Prosecution of NSA Whistleblower Thomas Drake in Doubt

More

Wednesday, June 08, 2011
•Bill Moyers on His Legendary Journalism Career: "Democracy Should Be a Brake on Unbridled Greed and Power"

Tuesday, June 07, 2011
•Trapped in Gaza: Rafah Crossing Closed to Palestinians Soon After Egyptian Pledge to Reopen It
•“There is a Women’s Spring Beginning”: Playwright Eve Ensler and Congolese Activist Christine Schuler Deschryver on Gender Violence in Congo
•Eve Ensler Responds to Sexual Assault Charges Filed Against Former IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn

Monday, June 06, 2011
•Yemenis Celebrate as President Saleh Flees to Saudi Arabia, Transfers Power to Vice President
•Former Black Panther Leader, Geronimo Ji-Jaga Pratt, Wrongfully Imprisoned for 27 Years, Dies in Tanzania
•Dr. Gabor Maté: Obama Admin Should Heed Global Panel’s Call to End "Failed" U.S.-Led Drug War

Tune in tomorrow: www.democracynow.org

Woman expected to plead guilty in 2001 UW arson

2011-06-09T11:04:00.000-04:00

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015269427_arsonplea09m.html

Woman expected to plead guilty in 2001 UW arson

Briana Waters, who was awaiting a retrial for her alleged role in the 2001 Earth Liberation Front arson attack on the University of Washington's Center for Urban Horticulture, is expected to plead guilty to federal charges next week.

By Mike Carter

Seattle Times staff reporter

A California woman who is awaiting a retrial for her alleged role in the 2001 Earth Liberation Front arson attack on the University of Washington's Center for Urban Horticulture is expected to plead guilty to federal charges next week.

Briana Water's change-of-plea hearing is scheduled for Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Ronald Leighton. It comes as the Department of Justice prepares for the return of her one-time boyfriend and the attack's alleged ringleader, Justin Solondz, who faces extradition from China, where he's spent the last three years in prison on drug charges.

Waters, a 34-year-old violin teacher from San Francisco, was convicted in 2008 and sentenced to six years in prison in 2008 for her role in the arson at the center, which caused an estimated $6 million in damage. Waters allegedly helped secure the car used by the group and was a lookout the night the fire was set.

She was acquitted of or the jury couldn't decide on several other charges, including a count of manufacturing a destructive device, which carried a mandatory 30-year prison sentence.

However, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the conviction last year, saying her trial before U.S. District Judge Frank Burgess, now deceased, was riddled with judicial errors. The appeals-court judges said that, while the evidence against Waters may have been sufficient for a conviction, "our review of the record does not leave us convinced that her conviction was fairly obtained."

The government has since moved toward a retrial and Waters has been home after she was released pending her retrial.

Details of the plea arrangement were not immediately available.

Waters' attorney, Neil Fox, acknowledged a plea agreement was pending, but said he could not discuss the specifics. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle did not immediately return telephone messages for comment.

Waters was reportedly part of a five-member Earth Liberation Front (ELF) cell that conspired to burn the center down. Prosecutors say it was part of an ELF-sponsored spree of arson attacks throughout the West from 1996 to 2001.

Damage to targets that included a slaughterhouse, timber-company headquarters and a ski lodge at Vail, Colo., was estimated in the tens of millions of dollars.

Two other women, Lacey Phillabaum and Jennifer Kolar, pleaded guilty to the UW arson and were sentenced to three and five years, respectively. Both testified against Waters.

Also charged in the UW arson were William C. Rodgers, who committed suicide in December 2005 in an Arizona jail, as well as Solondz. Solondz, who was on the FBI's most-wanted list, was a fugitive until his arrest in Dali, China, in 2009.

Michael Nance, the attorney appointed to represent Solondz in the U.S. proceedings, said he did not know when his client would be returned to the U.S., but suggested it would be "in the near, or relatively near, future."

Mike Carter: 206-464-3706 or mcarter@seattletimes.com

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.

Transition of a Soldier / Geronimo ji jaga Memorial Info

2011-06-09T10:58:00.000-04:00

Transition of a Soldier / Geronimo ji jaga Memorial Info
From Marina Drummer
A3 Newsletter
International Campaign to Free the Angola 3

Transition of a Soldier

On 2 June 2011 we lost a soldier....geronimo ji jaga. It's no exaggeration to say that without geronimo's initial efforts, the Angola 3 Coalition would have never existed. In 1997, Colonel Bolt, who had spent 20 years in CCR with Herman Wallace, Albert Woodfox and Robert King, went to geronimo's release party to talk to him about the Angola prisoners, and so the campaign to free the Angola 3 was born.

From that moment on, the effort took on a life of its own, but geronimo ji jaga was always there to support. In 2001, geronimo provided us with a statement of support for the Angola 3 Coalition's first newsletter. It barely seems possible that just a few weeks ago, geronimo attended the commemoration of Herman and Albert's 39th year in solitary confinement in New Orleans.

geronimo's generous nature and philanthropic efforts were given full reign during his fourteen years of freedom. His work through the Kuji Foundation, which he founded, and his deep ties to Africa are just two of the many highlights of what he contributed during his years in minimum security.

We are thankful that his passing was swift and know that those of us whose lives he touched will forever keep him in our hearts. To the thousands of political prisoners in America's Gulags his contribution is an inspiration and his warrior spirit lives on wherever freedom struggles continue.

(*His way of being humble, geronimo never capitalized his name, so out of respect for him here, we spelled it as he did.)

In 2001, geronimo issued the following statement in support of the Angola 3:

Robert King Wilkerson, Albert Woodfox, and Herman "Hooks" Wallace are very dear to me because they come from my home state of Louisiana. The Louisiana chapter of the Black Panther Party was one of the best chapters we organized and they were some of our best, most disciplined soldiers. They were the kind of soldiers who never cried out to anyone for help, even though they were facing life imprisonment.

Understand that after being in that kinda situation for so long, I can personally attest to the highly disciplined and dedicated nature of these askaris. They endured, and they survived, over all the years, with very little help from the outside world. They are the kind of unsung heroes who we must come forward to help, because they never asked for anything from us in exchange for suffering what they have suffered.

To Struggle for the People and not expect anything selfish in return is a rare thing and this is what King, Wallace, and Fox have personified throughout all those hard years. They most certainly deserve our strongest salute.

There will be a memorial service at 10AM on June 18 at the Morgan City Auditorium in Morgan City, Louisiana, geronimo's hometown. For more info call Jones Funeral Home at: (985) 384-8643.

There will also be a memorial service for geronimo at the Eastside Arts Alliance in Oakland on July 15th at 6pm. This is a celebration of the life of a Revolutionary. East Side Arts Alliance is located at 2277 International Blvd. For more info call Billy X at (916) 455-0908.

Congressional Hearing Today: Domestic Policy Implications of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

2011-06-09T10:52:00.003-04:00

OVERSIGHT HEARING on Setting the Standard: Domestic Policy Implications of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Thursday, June 9 2011
2:15PM (Eastern Time)
Dirksen Senate Office Building 628

Description:

The hearing will explore the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as an international policy goal to which the United States is signatory, the current ways existing domestic policy achieves the UNDRIP goals, and additional domestic policy considerations to make the United States a world leader in indigenous rights and implementation of the UNDRIP.

WITNESS LIST

Panel I

MR. DONALD “DEL” LAVERDURE, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC

Panel II

MR. ROBERT T. COULTER, Executive Director, Indian Law Resource Center, Helena, MT

MR. JAMES ANAYA, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, United Nations, Tucson, AZ

MR. LINDSAY G. ROBERTSON, Professor of Law / Faculty Director of the American Indian Law and Policy Center / Judge Haskell A. Holloman Professor / and Sam K. Viersen Presidential Professor, University of Oklahoma College of Law, Norman, Oklahoma

MR. RYAN RED CORN, Filmmaker / Member, 1491s, Pawhuska, OK

Panel III

THE HONORABLE FAWN SHARP, President, Quinault Indian Nation, Taholah, WA

MR. FRANK ETTAWAGESHIK, Executive Director, United Tribes of Michigan, Harbor Springs, MI

MR. DUANE YAZZIE, Chairperson, Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission, Window Rock, AZ

MS. MELANIE KNIGHT, Secretary of State, Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Tahlequah, OK

http://www.indian.senate.gov./hearings/hearing.cfm?hearingID=e655f9e2809e5476862f735da16ddd16

Change for Change

2011-06-03T18:32:00.002-04:00

Transmitted on behalf of the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee

03 June 2011

The Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee (LPDOC) is sending two delegates, including Attorney Robert R. Bryan, to the Ligue des droits de l’Homme (Human Rights League) 86th Congress to be held in Reims, France, June 11-13. We need to quickly raise funds for air fare, lodgings, meals and incidental expenses.

How to Help

> Donate what you can. No amount is too small.

> Send your donation to the LPDOC, PO Box 7488, Fargo, ND 58106.

> Or donate online. (Click on the donate button at the top of our home page at www.whoisleonardpeltier.info).

Leonard is counting on you to make this important trip possible.

Time is short, so please make that donation today.

Thank you.

Launched into cyberspace by the
Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
PO Box 7488, Fargo, ND 58106
contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info
www.whoisleonardpeltier.info

03 June in Oakland: COINTELPRO 101

2011-06-03T13:01:00.002-04:00

The term "Cointelpro" refers to the official FBI Counter Intelligence Program carried out to surveil, imprison, and eliminate leaders of social justice movements and to disrupt, divide, and destroy the movements themselves. Understanding the history and continuing impact of Cointelpro is absolutely central to understanding the U.S. government's wars and its suppression of progressive movements. COINTELPRO 101 opens the door to understanding this complex history.

Panel discussion follows with:

Ward Churchill - author and Native American activist,

Ericka Huggins - activist, former political prisoner & leader in the Black Panther Party &

Claude Marks - director of the Freedom Archives & former political prisoner.

Sponsored by Eastside Arts Alliance & Freedom Archives

COINTELPRO 101:

A New Film from Freedom Archives
Friday, June 3, 2011 7pm
EastSide Cultural Center
2277 International Blvd, Oakland

Indigenous, Community and Spiritual Leaders Affirm Commitment to Protect Holy San Francisco Peaks‏

2011-06-03T12:47:00.002-04:00

Owners of the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort last week began construction of a wastewater pipeline on the San Francisco Peaks, a volcanic mountain range held sacred site by more than 13 Indigenous Nations. Following the unwelcomed move by the resort company, Indigenous representatives, local NGOs and others came together to affirm their commitment to protect [...] Continue Reading:

http://intercontinentalcry.org/indigenous-community-spiritual-leaders-affirm-commitment-to-protect-holy-san-francisco-peaks/

25 June: BBQ for Native American Prisoner of War Leonard Peltier

2011-06-03T12:38:00.001-04:00

BBQ for Native American Prisoner of War Leonard Peltier

Saturday June 25, 2011

(Rain Date: Sunday June 26, 2011)

From 1 pm-4 pm

Dias y Flores Community Garden
(13th Street between Avenues A & B)

Native American Flute by Franc Menusan

Potluck BBQ: To arrange what dish to bring for the potluck, call MD (our food coordinator) after 7 pm: 347-731-9947.

Since we are unable to accept monetary donations at the Garden, we strongly encourage YOU to bring a dish in the true spirit of a potluck!

The three years following the occupation of Wounded Knee are often referred to as the Pine Ridge “Reign of Terror” because anyone associated with the American Indian Movement was targeted for violence. People’s homes were burned and their cars run off the road. People were struck by cars, shot in drive-by shootings and beaten. Between 1973 and 1976, over 70 traditionalists were murdered and scores more were assaulted.

As the situation worsened, the traditionalists asked AIM to return to the reservation to offer protection. Leonard Peltier was among those who answered the call. He and a dozen others set up camp on the Jumping Bull ranch at Pine Ridge, the home of a number of traditional families.

In Native American history, June 26th is a day of anguish. On that date in 1975, two FBI agents in unmarked cars pursued a red pickup truck onto the Jumping Bull ranch. Gunshots rang out. While mothers fled the area with their children, other residents started to return fire. A shootout erupted between the FBI agents and the residents. Law enforcement immediately mobilized. Within a couple hours, over 150 FBI swat team members, Bureau of Indian Affairs police and GOONs surrounded the ranch.

Peltier helped lead a small group of teenagers out of the Jumping Bull area, barely escaping through the hail of bullets. He fled to Canada and was illegally extradited to the U.S. in 1976 based on false information provided by the FBI.

This assault has not ended. For 35 years, Leonard Peltier, a Lakota/Anishinabe organizer of the American Indian Movement (AIM), has been in prison, falsely accused of killing the FBI agents. U.S. prosecutors have publicly admitted that they do not know who actually fired the shots that killed the agents, but they have refused to consider Peltier for parole or to turn over thousands of pages of documents that could prove his innocence.

This event is honoring AIM warrior Leonard Peltier, so no alcohol or drugs are permitted

NYC Chapter of the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee • nyclpdoc@gmail.com • 718-325-4407

18 June: COINTELPRO 101

2011-06-03T12:31:00.001-04:00

COINTELPRO 101
Film and Discussion

Saturday, June 18, 2011

The Brecht Forum, 451 West Street
(between Bank & Bethune Streets, Manhattan)

4 to 6 pm

We have tight time constraints, so we WILL be starting sharply on time!

Panelists:
Former Political Prisoners
Shaba Om, Laura Whitehorn, Francisco Torres

Beginning in the 1950s with a focus on the Puerto Rican independence movement and continuing through the 1960s and into the 1970s when much of its focus had shifted to the Black Liberation, Chicano Liberation and American Indian Movements, COINTELPRO racked up a number of assassinations, false imprisonments and ruined lives. No government official was ever punished for actions taken under the program’s auspices. The film by Freedom Archives details this history through the artful use of still photos and moving images of the period covered. Films of police attacks and protests; still photos of revolutionary leaders and police murders graphically remind the viewer of Washington’s willingness to do whatever it takes to maintain its control. Organizers who began their political activity during the time of Cointelpro discuss the effect the program had on them and the organizations and individuals they worked with. Indeed, several of the interviewees were themselves targets and spent years in prison (some under false accusations, as in the case of Geronimo ji-Jaga Pratt) or on the run.

Former Black Panther member Kathleen Cleaver states toward the end of the film that Cointelpro represented the efforts of a political police force making the decision as to what is allowed politically and what is not. Anything outside the parameters set by this force was fair game. Nothing that was done by government officials or private groups and individuals acting on the government’s behalf was perceived as wrong or illegal. As Attorney Bob Boyle makes clear in his final statement in the film, Cointelpro is alive and well. The only difference now is that most of what was illegal for the government to do during Cointelpro’s official existence is now legal. The PATRIOT Act and other laws associated with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security have insured this.

Cointelpro 101 is a well made and appealing primer on the history of the US police state. Produced, written and directed by individuals who have themselves been the target of tactics documented in the film, it has an authenticity and immediacy that pulls the viewer in. Although too short to cover the history in as full detail as some may desire, the film’s intelligence and conscientious presentation of the historical narrative makes it a film that the student, the citizen and the activist can all appreciate.

Light Refreshments will be Served!

Sponsored by:
NYC Jericho Movement, Malcolm X Commemoration Ctte, NYC Chapter of the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee, ProLibertad, NYC Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition

For more information: www.jerichony.org • nycjericho@gmail.com • 718-325-4407

Call to Action: The 5th of June for the Cuban 5

2011-06-03T12:27:00.002-04:00

THIS 5TH OF JUNE, MAKE A CALL, OR SEND A FAX, OR AN E-MAIL, OR A TELEGRAM to the WHITE HOUSE to demand President Obama free the Cuban 5 imprisoned in the United States for defending their homeland. Ask all your friends to do the same.

Let's continue to demand President Obama to make use of the rights conferred upon him by the US Constitution, as a lawyer, as a father, as a son, as a husband, and as a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, to END THIS COLOSSAL INJUSTICE AND TO FREE THE 5 NOW!!!

Read the details.

News from Indianz.Com

2011-06-03T12:20:00.000-04:00

www.indianz.com

Headlines:

Native Sun News: Protecting sacred Bear Butte at all costs (6/3)
Steven Newcomb: Military compares Seminoles to al Qaeda (6/3)
Russell Means: Republic of Lakotah demands treaty respect (6/3)
Flooding expected to hit Fort Peck Reservation on Saturday (6/3)
Echo Hawk refuses to meet with Indian protesters at forum (6/3)
Lavina Washines, first woman to lead Yakama Nation, dies (6/3)
BIA asked to intervene in Cayuga Nation leadership battle (6/3)
Cabazon Band seeks to protect rights in enviromental flap (6/3)
Leech Lake Band due in court over reservation power line (6/3)
OKC: A 25th anniversary celebration at Red Earth Festival (6/3)
Editorial: Agua Caliente wind turbines will have big impact (6/3)
Western Front: Klallam people celebrate removal of dams (6/3)
Sault Tribe hires governor's former attorney as its counsel (6/3)
Investigation into death of man at Blood Tribe's police cell (6/3)
Winnebago Tribe taking precautions for flooding at casino (6/3)
Tenants take Seminole Tribe to court over casino dealings (6/3)
Local officials surprised by Gun Lake Tribe revenue sharing (6/3)
Native Sun News: Ride honors modern-day Lakota warriors (6/2)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee to take up UN declaration (6/2)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee plans hearing on NAGPRA (6/2)
DOI to announce consultation process on land consolidation (6/2)
DOJ submits brief for Osage Reservation diminishment case (6/2)
Kevin Abourezk: Therapist to speak about historical trauma (6/2)
Evacuees from Crow Tribe to relocate to reservation center (6/2)
Fort Peck Tribes asks about 40 families to evacuate homes (6/2)
Editorial: Sac and Fox Nation changes the game on highway (6/2)
Hundreds evacuated at Hatchet Lake First Nation due to fire (6/2)
Police treating death of 13-year-old Native boy as homicide (6/2)
EPA takes action against another business on Cabazon land (6/2)
Judge extends temporary order over New York's tobacco tax (6/2)
Two council members for Cayuga Nation forced to step down (6/2)
More headlines... www.indianz.com

03 Jun 2011: Today's Democracy Now!

2011-06-03T11:57:00.002-04:00

www.democracynow.org

Seymour Hersh: Despite Intelligence Rejecting Iran as Nuclear Threat, U.S. Could Be Headed for Iraq Redux

In his latest article for the New Yorker magazine, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh says the United States might attack Iran based on distorted estimates of Iran’s nuclear and military threat – just like it did with Saddam Hussein’s government in Iraq. Hersh reveals that despite using Iranian informants and cutting edge surveillance technology, U.S. officials have been unable to find decisive evidence that Iran has been moving enriched uranium to an underground weapon-making center.
Seymour Hersh on the Arab Spring, "Disaster" U.S. Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the Looming Crisis in Iraq

Veteran investigative reporter Seymour Hersh assesses the popular uprisings sweeping the Middle East and North Africa amidst ongoing U.S. wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. Despite touted gains and an upcoming U.S. military withdrawal deadline in Iraq, Hersh says: "Whatever you’re hearing, Iraq is going bad ... It’s sectarian war, and the big question will be whether we pull out or not." On the uprisings, Hersh says Saudi Arabia—fearing an overthrow of the regional order—is driving the embattled regimes’ attempts to crush the protests.
WikiLeaks Cables Reveal "Secret History" of U.S. Bullying in Haiti at Oil Companies’ Behest

The Nation magazine, in partnership with the Haitian weekly newspaper, Haïti Liberté, has launched a series of reports based on more than 19,000 classified U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks. Called "The PetroCaribe Files," the series begins with an exposé of how the United States—with pressure from Exxon and Chevron—tried to interfere with an oil agreement between Haiti and Venezuela that would save Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, $100 million per year. "It is really amazing to see an ambassador pushing around a president, and all his officials telling them what to do, trying to tell them what Haiti’s interests are. It is the epitome of arrogance," says the report’s co-author, Kim Ives. We are also joined by veteran Haiti correspondent, Dan Coughlin.

Headlines

•NATO Strikes Hit Tripoli
•Clashes Continue in Yemeni Capital
•23 Civilians Reported Dead in Syria Gov’t Attacks
•Exiled Syrian Opposition Calls for Assad Departure
•E. Coli Strain Could Be Deadliest; Bacterium Would Be Legal in U.S.
•U.S. to Probe Hacking of Email Accounts
•Pentagon: Cyber-Attacks Could Constitute Act of War
•Panel: "War on Drugs" a Failure
•Civil Rights Groups Challenge Georgia Anti-Immigrant Law
•Ex-Black Panther, Political Prisoner Geronimo Pratt Dies at 63

www.democracynow.org

News from Indianz.Com

2011-05-26T21:24:00.000-04:00

www.indianz.com

Headlines:

Native Sun News: 8th Circuit rules against Oglala Sioux man (5/26)
Fairness hearing in Cobell settlement scheduled for June 20 (5/26)
United Keetoowah Band hails BIA action on land-into-trust (5/26)
Crow Tribe starts assessing damage after massive flooding (5/26)
Cheyenne-Arapaho family lost home in Oklahoma tornado (5/26)
Shelly Crow, former 2nd Muscogee Nation chief, dies at 63 (5/26)
Deaths of Spirit Lake Dakotah children treated as homicide (5/26)
Column: Ojibwe man speaks out on fetal alcohol syndrome (5/26)
APRN: Hearings start on Alaska Native corporation land bill (5/26)
Conference looks at preserving Native languages, culture (5/26)
WUWM: First Lady launches Let's Move! in Indian Country (5/26)
Eight from Spirit Lake Dakotah Nation charged for stealing (5/26)
Energy company withdraws federal suit against Crow Tribe (5/26)
Sault Tribe won't hold special election to replace chairman (5/26)
Construction company offers settlement to Navajo Nation (5/26)
Tribes awarded over $7M for wildlife conservation projects (5/26)
Seminole Tribe asking public to help name two baby otters (5/26)
RCR Wireless: Hopi Tribe works to improve telecom service (5/26)
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community installs fence (5/26)
Business sues Pojoaque Pueblo over casino management (5/26)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe shares $2.9M in casino revenues (5/26)
Eastern Cherokee leader looking to restart compact talks (5/26)
Narragansett Tribe questions push for gaming referendum (5/26)
Mohegan Tribe to start work on gaming facility in Catskills (5/26)
Native Sun News: IHS criticized for service in South Dakota (5/25)
Dorgan announces Center for Native American Youth board (5/25)
Conditions on Crow Reservation treacherous after flooding (5/25)
Blackfeet Nation declares emergency due to rising waters (5/25)
Parts of Cherokee Nation report damages from tornadoes (5/25)
Mary Pember: Traditional healers to be part of NIH exhibit (5/25)
Tribal leaders worried about future of Navajo Nation plant (5/25)
More headlines... www.indianz.com

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