A Protest was held outside the US Consulate in St Kilda Rd, Melbourne today as part of the international day to support Leonard Peltier. Members of the Leonard Peltier Supporters Group, Melbourne Anarchist Black Cross, Industrial Workers of the World and Militant Socialist Organisation spoke to passers by and held a vigil for several hours. For up to date back ground who better to explain Leonard's situation than Leonard himself: From: Leonard Peltier Defense Committee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: statment by Peltier for DEC 19 Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 19:51:23 -0600 ______________________________________________ statement by Leonard Peltier for December 19th 1998 protests February 6th, 1999 will mark my 23rd year in prison. Twenty-three years is a long time. It is nearly one half of my 54 years of age. In these 23 years we have filed three direct appeals countering and attacking the evidence used to convict me. Each time we have made some advancement and success in exposing the corruption and conspiracy to imprison me. I don't need to tell you of the political atmosphere that was happening on Pine Ridge. But, we all know that there was government sponsored drive by shootings and terrorist acts on the Lakota, Oglala people. Any of us who took the oath to become a warrior was well aware that these attacks against Native American Nations was not just taking place on Pine Ridge-it was happening through out Indian Country. Though I know in my heart I have committed no crimes-I have never violated any of their laws, not even a traffic ticket-the American government insists that I committed a crime against their Nation. I have no idea what crime that could be. First they tell me I am convicted of first degree murder, then their evidence is impeached and they tell me that I am convicted of aiding and abetting. I do not know who or what I could have aided and abetted since my co-defendants were found innocent on grounds of self-defense. So, I guess I am in prison for aiding and abetting self-defense. In reality the only thing I am guilty of is defending and standing up for a nation of people who were being oppressed and were resisting attempts of complete annihilation. An attempt that no one has yet been made to pay for. In the last 23 years we have also been fighting my illegal extradition from Canada. It is an undisputed, known fact that by vote, the courts of Canada and the U.S. concluded the proceedings were fraudulent with manipulation and manufacture of evidence-in direct violation of International Law. In 1995, after a lot of pressure from the Canadian people, Canada's Minister of Justice conducted an investigation into the extradition proceedings. This report has since been approved for release by the Privacy Commission, and yet, the current Minister of Justice, Ann Mc Clellan will not release the report to us. Obviously the disclosure of this report could prove crucial to my freedom. We have tried everything possible in the last 23 years to obtain my freedom-there has been many supporters that have stuck with me since the day of my arrest and many more who have moved on with their lives- there are always many more new ones coming to my aid in my hour of need-I thank all of you for the position you have taken on my behalf. I understand your frustration-I feel it every minute of every day. I know some of you may go to jail for a short while-I wish I could hold you in my arms and thank you personally for the sacrifice you are willing to take for me. The future of our struggle for justice is going to get harder-not only for Native people but for all people who love freedom and peace. As we see right wing media with its biased reports on what is going on in places such as Chiapas, Iraq, Palestine, and here at home, we must strengthen our abilities to communicate with each other and educate our communities to the realities which we face as caring, compassionate human beings who do have the ability to live with one another with respect. I know that one day we will succeed. In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Leonard Peltier ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To subscribe, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your email address, send a message to lpdc-change@mail- list.com with your old address in the Subject: line Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/
