Dear RN, I am pleased to pass this message on to you, from Helen Forsey, an activist friend from Ontario. (She is now writing a book on her father, the much-loved MP and constitutional expert, Eugene Forsey.) all the best, Jan *************************************** From: "Helen Forsey" <•••@••.•••> Subject: Time to act re: Leonard Peltier Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 21:47:17 -0500 Dear Friends, Greetings. I want to pass this message on, as it is important and the timing is NOW: Apologies for any duplication of stuff you may have alreeady received and acted on. The main message is short - two paragraphs from my friend Jennifer Tsun; then I've added in a background message she sent me a couple of days ago. I tried calling the White House this evening, but (not surprisingly) got a bunch of recorded messages, a reference to some specific policy questions for comment (not about Leonard) and the instruction to call back between 9am and 5pm EST Monday to Friday if I wanted to do something other than press buttons. They did, however, also provide their fax number so that may be an option for you. The Fax number is: (202) 456-2461. I'll either fax them this evening or call back tomorrow morning. Meanwhile I'm sending this on to you. All the best, Helen **** Family and Friends: Please take the time to call the whitehouse at 202 456-1414 and ask for a pardon for Leonard Peltier who has been in prison for over 20 years. Bill Clinton has named November Native American Month and so we are asking everyone to make calls on Leonard's behalf. I have followed this case now for 14 years and I believe the man is innocent. I would like to one day shake hands with Leonard. Please help to make my dream come true and you will be doing a lot more than that for Leonard, for Native people and for yourself in the long run. For more information, check the website at http://www.freeleonardpeltier.com Kahntineta Horn will be in Washington, D.C. today with a large group of Native women, holding a rally for Leonard Peltier's release and all the other political prisoners in the USA. This campaign for Leonard has gone on for many years. Nelson Mandela was freed almost ten years ago. We really hope that Leonard will be let go this time. Jen Tsun •••@••.••• My url is http://www.perth.igs.net/~elphinseer "Are you the dreamer or are you the dreamed?" P.S. And let me know if you make the call. JT **** >----- Original Message ----- >From: Nancy Thomas <•••@••.•••> >To: LeonardPeltier List <•••@••.•••>; Paths-L >Mailing List <•••@••.•••> >Sent: Saturday, November 20, 1999 6:05 PM >Subject: fw: Statement About FBI Involvements >> Forwarded by Nancy Thomas <•••@••.•••> >> ---------------- Original message follows ---------------- >> *From: LISN E-mail: •••@••.••• >> *To: •••@••.••• >> *Date: November 20, 1999 >> *Subject: Statement About FBI Involvements >> >> LISN NEWS, INFORMATION & UPDATES {excerpted from} >> Volume 2, #185 (11-19-99) >> >> Statement About FBI Involvements On Pine Ridge Reservation: By >> William F. Muldrow, Former Director [R/O-U.S. Commission on Civil Rights] >> ============================================ >> Leonard Peltier Freedom Month: >> What's Happening in Washington, D.C.? [With Photos] >> http://www.lisn.net >> ============================================ >> >> Statement About FBI Involvements >> On Pine Ridge Reservation: >> >> P.O. Box 2462 >> Santa Fe, NM 87504 >> November 1, 1999 >> >> From: William F. Muldrow >> Former Director (Retired) >> Rocky Mountain Regional Office >> U.S. Commission on Civil Rights >> >> TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: >> >> I have been asked to make a statement with regard to F.B.I. >> involvements on the Pine Ridge Reservation before and after >> the shooting of two agents there in June 1975. The U.S. Commission >> on civil rights as an independent, fact-finding agency of the Federal >> government, exercises its responsibility to collect and study information >> related to the denial of civil rights and make recommendations for >> corrective action. >> >> A history of mistrust of the FBI for the traditional Indian people was >> intensified during the period following the occupation of Wounded Knee >> in 1973 when over 500 indictments resulted in dismissal or acquittal due >> to spurious actions by the FBI. An unprecedented climate of fear and >> terror gripped the Pine Ridge Reservation for the next three years, due >> in large part to tensions between the more traditional Indians and those >> who were more politically, or governmentally, oriented. These tensions >> were exacerbated during the regime of tribal president Dick Wilson and >> his vigilante, self-termed "goon squad." During this period there were >> over 60 unsolved murders on the reservation for which the investigatory >> responsibility lay with the FBI. >> >> In one particular incident in Wanblee, a community on the reservation >> of more traditional Indian people, members of the goon squad arrived >> to shoot up the town, allegedly in retaliation for the community's >> resistance to Wilson's policies. One person was killed. FBI agents >> called to respond from their headquarters in Rapid City allowed the >> shooting to continue the entire night, stating that they were an >> investigatory, not an enforcement agency, thus heightening the >> perception on the reservation that the FBI had no sympathy for >> traditional Indian people. >> >> It was in this climate of fear and tension in 1976 that the two FBI >> agents, in unmarked cars and clad in civilian clothes, were shot in >> a firefight. This occurred after they chased a pick-up truck into an >> isolated homestead that contained an Indian family with small children, >> and where there was a nearby encampment of American Indian Movement >> activists. Joe Stuntz, an Indian in the compound, was also killed during >> the shootout, but no charges or arrests were ever made in connection >> with his death. >> >> Following the shooting, the reservation was turned upside down by >> the more than 300 combat-clad FBI agents, armored vehicles and >> helicopters that were sent in to find the perpetrators. The Commission >> on Civil Rights immediately began to receive calls from reservation >> residents regarding abuses by the FBI. As a Civil Rights Analyst for >> the Commission, I was sent up to observe and report on the happenings. >> Terror reigned. Roadblocks were set up and all vehicles were stopped >> and searched. There were reports of numerous incidents of isolated >> farmhouses being surrounded by military vehicles, with a helicopter >> overhead and the occupants ordered by megaphone to leave their >> homes. More first-hand accounts told of agents with automatic >> weapons breaking down doors to search houses without warrants. >> >> In the period which followed Anna Mae Aquash, a Canadian citizen, >> who was seen as a key witness, and who was allegedly threatened and >> abused by the FBI, was found shot to death and her body dumped in a >> ravine. An FBI-ordered autopsy failed to reveal the large bullet wound in >> the back of her head, leading to more criticism of the FBI and their >> methods. At the request of members of the Canadian parliament, who >> were upset over the extradition of Leonard Peltier to the United States >> under a false affidavit, and the alleged mistreatment of one of its >> citizens, the Commission on Civil Rights sent me as their representative >> to Canada to review the alleged abuses by the FBI that I have described >> above. >> >> In memoranda to the U.S. Justice Department, the U.S. Commission >> on Civil Rights reported that the FBI was an extraneous force on the >> reservation whose agents often lacked any comprehensive understanding >> of Indian culture or traditions. It was noted that the FBI's actions and >> investigations were seen as biased, and were the source of much tension >> and controversy. The Commission recommended that the FBI be relieved >> of its responsibility to investigate felonies on the reservation. This >> recommendation was never implemented. >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------- >> League of Indigenous Sovereign Nations of the Western Hemisphere >> E-mail: •••@••.••• >> LISN Web Site: http://www.lisn.net >> ---------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> >> ---------------------------------------- >> To subscribe to the "Leonard Peltier" mailing list >> send a message to •••@••.••• >> In the body of the message type: subscribe LeonardPeltier >> To unsubscribe type: unsubscribe LeonardPeltier >> (no subject is necessary for the message). >> ------------------------------------------ >> To subscribe to the "Paths-L" mailing list >> send a message to •••@••.••• >> In the body of the message type: subscribe paths-l >> To unsubscribe type: unsubscribe paths-l >> (no subject is necessary for the message). >> ---------------------------------------- >> To subscribe to the "Leonard Peltier Defense Committee" >> email list, send a blank message to •••@••.••• >> To unsubscribe, send a blank message to •••@••.••• >> ------------------------------------------
