And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
From: "LPDC" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Leonard's Statement for November 1, 1999
Date: Fri, 5 Nov 1999 15:21:56 -0600
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Statement of Leonard Peltier November 1, 1999
Greetings Sisters, Brothers, Friends and Supporters,
I hope everyone who has traveled long distances to be here today, to show
their love and support for me has had a trouble free journey and I�m hoping
that it will be the same when you return home. I want to say to all of you
from the deepest part of my heart, thank you very much.
February 6, 2000, will officially mark my twenty-fourth year in
prison�twenty-four hard years. A lot has happened in my life. I�ve seen my
father pass into the spirit world, also a sister and a brother. Those were
especially hard times for me, as I have always been close with my family. I
wanted so much to be at their funerals to see them off, but of course this
was denied. So all I could do was pray that they had a good safe journey
into the spirit world. I was able to see some of my children grow up into
fine young adults � a couple not so good, but they are all adults who have
started to live their own lives.
I have been a grandfather for sixteen years. There are now seven
grandchildren. I have learned from being a grandfather that it is a special
gift from the Great Spirit. I have Alexandria (16) and Cyrus (14) near me,
thirty miles away in Lawrence, Kansas, raised by special close friends and
supporters for the past eight years. Believe me, this has been an enormous
help and experience for me while I serve this time. I did not know that
anyone could end up loving anyone as much as I have come to love these two
kids. I am not saying that the entire eight years have been trouble-free
with them. There were times when I was not sure that they would have a roof
over their heads. Also, as troubled children who have not had such a great
life themselves, they would make life a little hard for those caring for
them and problems would arise from it � problems that I had no way of
dealing with from here in a prison cell. I want to say to the people, who
have opened their homes and gave me a helping hand with them, thank you very
much, with a warm hug and kiss.
My health at 55 years old is not great. Most of you know what was done to
me at the medical center for federal prisoners in Springfield, Missouri. I
cannot say for certain that the botched operations were done intentionally.
I would like to believe that it was not and the contract doctor, Tom
Collins, who was and is a good man. I do not blame him. I do blame the
Bureau of Prisons as Dr. Collins did not want to do the operation there in
the Medical Center, as they did not have the kind of facilities to perform
this kind of operation. So I live in daily pain and am not able to eat my
food properly. I do not know what can be done about this. Thousands if not
millions are aware of this medical problem. Those who have written, phoned,
faxed and e-mailed government authorities have had no effect. I put out a
plea for lawyers to help me with this, but I never received any responses.
So I filed a law suit of my own and the courts dismissed it claiming that my
medical problems was not cruel and unusual treatment.
I guess, in America, this is normal treatment for prisoners. Just imagine
if this was happening in a country like China or Iraq, the outcry would be
enormous and deafening. I remember a few years ago when the US government
was trying to free the Chinese dissidents. Because of health reasons, all
we heard on TV was how ill these Chinese dissidents were and how the Chinese
government refused to treat them. Knowing myself how big a liar the
government is � and of course the press wasn�t any better, releasing
everything that the government told them to, I began to believe that
everything that was said was true. I thought, gee, they should let them go.
When finally they were given their freedom and they came to the USA, they
were immediately sent to Johns Hopkins Medical Center. When they were
released from the hospital they gave their medical reports that they were in
fine health, treated for abdominal gas and the other was given a new pair of
eyeglasses. What an insult it that must have been for the Chinese
government. No wonder they no longer trust or like the USA.
We did get to see and witness some positive things this year. When Clinton
released my comrades, friends � the Puerto Ricans, of course this was not
done without controversy and made a lot of us know this was not done in the
name of humanity, but possible votes for Hillary in her Senate race. Still
we must give the President credit for doing it. It was a little sad to see
my good friend and comrade Luis Rosa leaving, but happy that he was leaving
this hell called prison. I know that they will not disappoint anyone
because if the others are like Luis then there are some good comrades out
there with you.
I cannot, of course, see with my own eyes how many of you are here today. I
know my staff at the LPDC worked overtime to organize this November
campaign. So I hope that all who have committed themselves are standing and
sitting and listening to my words are just as determined as the LPDC staff
with this new energy to make something happen in my case. I still believe
it can be done. As I sit here writing this, I still cannot understand that
with the millions of people around the world demanding my freedom �the
government can still ignore it all � and how my continued incarceration can
be on a legal technicality. The Constitution of the United States says that
this cannot be. One must be proven guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt. Yet
I sit here and it doesn�t appear that my will be opened any time soon. What
an evil show of disrespect and dishonor this is for those, including my own
family members, who have fought and died in foreign wars for equal and fair
justice for all. Recently we learned that the FBI and prosecutors were
caught lying tot he number one law enforcement officer, Janet Reno. This
certainly was not a surprise tome or my supporters. We know this over 20
years ago in my case. Have you noticed anything about the silence of the
mainstream media? What a joke that word is, mainstream media�on the Waco
massacre. Nothing about it lately and that can only mean that there is
another cover-up coming.
Recently a Canadian Minister of Justice released a report on the
investigation they did on my extradition. Yes, it was another cover-up. If
you read it, you will see how much of a joke this review is. They claim
that there was enough circumstantial evidence to extradite me. If this was
so, why did they have to create and fabricate Myrtle Poor Bear? Come on!
How ignorant do they believe we are? The fact is, I would not have been
extradited on the South Dakota first degree murder charges if they had not
fabricated Poor Bear as a witness. Those are the facts in a nutshell.
I am not going to go into a lot of the legal and political issues involved
in my illegal conviction. I have enough speakers who are more than
qualified to cover everything there in the month of November. If you happen
to miss some of these speakers, we have volumes of literature, some
documentaries and books available. There is just too much to say and my
time is very short. So I cannot speak on any of it today. If you want this
information, please contact the organizers of this November campaign.
I know my friends, family and supporters are growing tired of this battle to
win my freedom. Yes, it has been a long hard fight for me too. I guess it
would not be so bid if we could see a light at the end of the tunnel, when I
was gong to be released. But as of late there is no such light so I cannot
truthfully say, I will be seeing you soon. I can only say, I hope, my
friends, that I will see you all soon. I dream of the day that I can tell
you all, thank you, in person.
So in closing, I can truthfully say, that I will never give up. I ask all
of you, never to give up on me. We can and we will win this battle. That,
I am very confident about.
Let me shake all of your hands. Let me embrace you with my love and
friendship. Thank you, my friends, for showing me all the love you have..
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse
Leonard Peltier
It's 1999, why is Leonard Peltier still in prison???
Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
PO Box 583
Lawrence, KS 66044
785-842-5774
http://members.xoom.com/freepeltier/index.html
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/
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