And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Message-Id: <v04020a19b3c39905056f@[204.94.119.126]>
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 08:56:42 -1000
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: WORKING GROUP ON INDIGNEOUS PEOPLES 1999 - GENEVA IN SESSION
NETWARRIORS FRONTLINE REPORT
17th WGIP 7/27/99
____________________________
Indigenous Relatives and Supporters:
Commission on Human Rights
Sub-commission on prevention of Discrimination and protection of Minorities
U.N. Working Group on Indigenous Peoples Seventeenth session 26-30 July 1999
Agenda Item 4
Protection of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms of Indigenous Peoples:
General Statement
Native American Prisoner Leonard Peltier
Madame Chairperson,
Once again we would like to bring to your attention to the continued unjust
incarceration of Native American political prisoner, Leonard Peltier. He
has now been in prinson in the United States for twenty-three years for a
crime he did not commit. He has been become a notorious symbol of injustice
toward Indigenous Peoples. During the official celebration of the 50th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Paris last
December, Leonard Peltier was recognized by the world community as a human
rights defender. At this occasion several Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and
human rights NGOs including Amnesty International, France Liberts, and the
International Federation of Human Rights called for the immediate release
of Mr. Peltier.
As you may recall, in November of 1993 former attorney general, Ramsey
Clark, filed a petition for Executive Clemency at the White House. On
average a review of such a petition is completed in six to nine months and
rarely does it take longer than two years for one to receive a response.
However it has been over six years since Mr. Peltier's petition was filed
and the President has not yet respondet.
President Clinton recently visited the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation where
the incident which led to the incarceration of Mr. Peltier occurred. Though
many Lakota people inquired as to his standing on the Peltier case during
the visit, he chose not to address their concerns.
Additionally, Mr. Peltier has been held eight years in excess of the Parole
Commission's own guidelines for release. The Commission set his next parole
hearing for the year 2008, 17 years in excess of the Commission's release
guidelines and six years after the date set by Congress for the total
abolition of the Parole Commission itself. The reasons the Parole
Commission have given for denying him parole have been arbitrary,
capricious, discriminatory, and in violation of his civil and human rights.
Such practices can be considered a clear form of arbitrary detentioen in
violation of Internationel law standards.
Furthermore, M. Peltier's health continues to deteriorate as a result of
the prison authorities' denial of proper mediacl treatment. This violates
several articles of the United States Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners. If Mr. Peltier does not receive immediate medial
treatment, his health conditions will further deteriorate into a life
threatening situation. One can easily interpret the terrible health
condition that Mr. Peltier has been forced to endure for many years as
another cruel and unusual punishment for a crime he did not commit. To
allow him to remain in such excruciating pain for the last three years may
also be considered a form of torture.
International support for the release of Leonard Peltier is growing. Last
February 11th, the European Parliament adopted a new resolution on this
case insisting that he be granted presidential executive clemency, that he
be transferred to a hospital where he may receive appropiate medial
treatment, and reiterated their call for an investigation into the judicial
improprieties involved in his conviction.
In recognition of the urgency to secure the immediate release of Leonard
Peltier from prison, and because of the crucial timing of the campaign, the
Leonard Peltier Defense committee is asking all sectors of society, both
domestic and international to make themselves heard during an enormous
effort being focused in Washington DC this November. This effort will be
focused at the Clinton Administration and the Congress and we are asking
for Indigenous and Human Rights Organizations to participate. Rigoberta
Menchu, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for the International Decade of the
World Indigenous Peoples, has already agreed to take part in this effort by
bringing a delegation of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates to Washington DC. We
would like to invite you, Madame Chairperson and the members of the Working
Group on Indigenous Peoples to join our effort this Fall to secure the
release of this Human Right Defender.
Madame Chairperson, I thank you for your attention
Bobby Castillo
Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
LPDC-International Office
The Power of Peace
____________________________________________________
Survive & Resist Genocide - We Want Peace
GLOBAL INDIGENOUS MEDIA IN ACTION
http://www.hookele.com/netwarriors/media-action.html
>>>>>>>>> NetWarriors <<<<<<<<<<
http://www.hookele.com/netwarriors/1998.html
Peace without Truth is Genocide
Una Paz sin la Verdad es Genocidio
La paix sans la verite est Genocide
>>>>>><<<<<<<
Reprinted under the Fair Use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html
doctrine of international copyright law.
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
UPDATES: CAMP JUSTICE
http://shell.webbernet.net/~ishgooda/oglala/
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