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Action Alerts
To: Date: July 2002 Dear Commissioners, After careful consideration of the facts in Mr. Peltier's case, I ask you to grant Mr. Peltier parole. I note that the United States attorneys and the courts have long held that they do not know who killed Mr. Coler or Mr.Williams. In spite of this fact, Mr. Peltier has served more than 26 years in prison for their deaths. Although Mr. Peltier maintains that he did not kill the agents, he has openly expressed remorse and sadness over their deaths. Mr. Peltier has no prior convictions and has advocated for non-violence throughout his prison term. Mr. Peltier does not represent a risk to the public. To the contrary, his release would help to heal a wound that has long impeded better relations with Native Americans. Furthermore, Mr. Peltier has been a model prisoner. He has received excellent evaluations from his work supervisors on a regular basis. He continues to mentor young Native prisoners, encouraging them to lead clean and sober lives. He has used his time productively, disciplining himself to be a talented painter and an expressive writer. Most admirably, he contributes regular support to those in need. He donates his paintings to charities including battered women's shelters, half way houses, alcohol and drug treatment programs, and Native American scholarship funds. He coordinates an annual gift drive for the children of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, which last year garnered more than 1,000 gifts. He is widely recognized in the human rights community for his good deeds and in turn has won several human rights awards, including the 2001 Ontario Federation of Labour Human Rights Award and a current nomination for the Right to Livelihood Award. Lastly, I note my deep concern with Mr. Peltier's health. He is now 57 years of age and he suffers from partial blindness, diabetes, a heart condition, and high blood pressure. Mr. Peltier deserves to live the remaining years of his life in peace. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely yours, Free Leonard PeltierTo: Date: Dear Mr. Reilly, I write you this letter as a concerned member of the environmental and human rights organization FOR MOTHER EARTH BELGIUM. I ask for the release of Leonard Peltier through parole. Mr.Peltier has served 26 years in prison now. His case is filled with irregularities which have gone unanswered for years.Millions of signatures and letters, resolutions from human rights organizations, concerned world citizens, foreign governments, religious organizations, tribal and Congres people show to the world the injustice that has been done to Peltier by his wrongful incarceration. After the siege of Wounded Knee, from 1973 to 1976 the FBI used the Pine RidgeReservation as a training ground for SWAT team tactics. Hundreds of FBIagents were brought to the reservation for realistic training in operationsdirected against the American Indian Movement. A vigilante GOON squad wasallowed to operate with impunity. A wave of violence and terror engulfedthe reservation. Traditional people on the reservation felt that they hadbeen abandoned by the United States Government. I ask you in the name of justice and human rights to give Leonard Peltier his freedom back. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and to listen to my concerns in this very important matter. Sincerely,
Native Prison Support: Religious FreedomsTo:
Mr. Eldon Vail
A. Fernandez
date: Dear ,
Immediately following the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, D.O.C. officials inWashington State responded to Congress by attacking and dismantling religious programs for Native Americans incarcerated in the state of Washington. In September 2000, the amendments to the "RFRA" were enacted as a remedy to constitutional problems with the Act, and re-establishing the "Least Restrictive Means Test". D.O.C. response once again was to de-sensitise Native religions by dismantling religious programs at the Washington State Reformatory in order to justify less intrusive-arbitrary policies at other Washington facilities (W.S.R. has been, and should have been/remained a model for all other states in concerns of Native American religious policies). The following summarises extreme attacks on Native religious freedoms at Washington State Reformatory. 1. D.O.C. has informed Natives at W.S.R. that they will no longer be allowed any wood for sweat lodge ceremonies due to alleged legislative budget cuts. However, there has been no "Notice" of constitutional change, nor is there any evidence of D.O.C. financing wood. Please request an audit to see if D.O.C. has been charging tax payers for free/donated wood. 2. At W.S.R., it was recognised for decades that the sweat lodge ceremonies began at the sunrise ceremony, or the lighting of the fire, and concluded after the sweat lodge is undressed. A new policy will allow only 2 Native prisoners the benefit of the entire ceremony, the rest being ordered back to their cells for 2 hours. Once again, D.O.C. has become an expert on Native American religions and denies Native prisoners the right to full benefit of ceremonies. 3. New policy at W.S.R. allows only one Native American to create beadwork in cell as a religious tenet. Non-Natives are allowed to purchase a licence to do beadwork. 4. Native Americans have been physically assaulted by staff (24 February 2001, 1 March 2001). The videos of these assaults have mysteriously disappeared. 5. Discrimination and threats at W.S.R. by a silent retaliation guard force against Native Americans. 6. In a sworn affidavit by a D.O.C. Superintendent, Richard Morgan has testified that Native inmates could not worship certain tenets, because other Non-Indian inmates would be affected negatively, (or could assault Natives). The Superintendents opt not to enforce State and Federal policies prohibiting hate crime acts, sending a clear message that it is O.K. to discriminate against another because of their race or religious belief. It appears that D.O.C., who is struggling for budget approvements, is attempting to establish an environment of hate and violence to gain legislative support. We urgently request your intervention before this becomes irreparable. We hope to receive a reply to this letter, For FOR MOTHER EARTH BELGIUM
Statement of Support for the Gwich'in people
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Friends of the Earth Flanders & Brussels (formerly For Mother Earth) is a member of Friends of the Earth International