Open Letter to President Clinton by John Trudell
T h i s i» our tune
l « t u> embrace i t
Then
is n u fu n g w nxig w ith A m enes i h *
c iv il n g h u movements m the United State»
overreaated at Wounded Knee
Instead o f
after
fr is rquallv d u tu r^ n g and frightening that
carefully
legitim ate
firefight
considering
the
he cured bv what ts nght with Am enes *
despite
inauguration [)«y, 1 9 9 )
subMantial evydeswe o f such im p np rietie»,
resfxxiae
various
which culm inated in a deadly fireligh t on
To the ttkhgemxc» peapie o í Am enes
(T n h n l N atio n al the phrase what u nght
w ith
A m enes
can
and doe» have m am
the
responsible
rh e to rx and d éfinition
between
Far example. the
the
trib e !
«x n m in u tv .
reflecting
and
the
treaties
the
are
law«
legitimacy
atxw u
la w s
a i nations
To
the
and
American
, they h a w been pieces o í paper
to he manipulated at w ill
oí
Law»,
the
In Am enes, a
tribes
still
are
in
« n ig g le to a u rn ve the genocide o f
any
effort»
Am cncsnizstion
» « s te in
hemisphere
populations
to
surrounded
in
o i the
has
the
northern
reduced
sm alle«
majority
investigate
these
taken
to
fervent
a
This not only has prevented
A c ia n e n li
the
one
m ilitary
show
the
sy«em
documents
through
varxats
court
! rneiksn
o f Information
obtained
cases
Act
and
the
reveal
that
as
a
movement
force.
the crim inal
means
of
the U S
A m erican
Jurtwe
political purposes by the F B I
C rim in a l
the
investigation
into
the
of
these
and
other
constitutionality
paramilitary
.'pciations
E w c a h v e Hrarah lixlependent Commission
to
invesiigate
the
F BI
Government
used
ageikies
a more
m
the
and
F B 1
and
ccxxentrated
agairot A I M .
the Nixon \<tniini ctiatuxi be occupying the
the Am encan Indian Movement ( A I M )
Congress has refused to conduct such an
1 9 7 ), this effort expanded to the use o f the
fore«» o f the
Il'S
M arahars
service and the F B I to atterojx to crurfi the
Ridge Indian Reservation. the site o f the
1890 maasacre o f nearly 400 men. wxxnen
investigation
1975.
the
Natxxial
after A I M
Frank
would like this investigaticn's focal points
investigated
political
and
to be in the follow ing areas and wherever
mvextigauon to F B I activities through the
they may lead
Irnxxivt.'sl uxiv began as a ¡xiXesl to
documents
and other
evidence
shows that governmental h eh a iio r included
•
starting
lA x c m b c r
massive and spevnxis crim inal ¡xrnecutxxi
Treaty (la w ) o f I8T4I between the la k o ta .
through the [xesent
(moat
the levels and means o f violence and
In
this
generation
w hile
the
ymtng
killings e a a la te d with the arrival o f the
F B 1 on the Pine Ridge Reservation in
ended
struggles to have
Am erican government honor i respect i the
law o f treats and the laws o f Am erica
w ith
the
Ih e
agreement
violently
71 day
m ilitary ), the F B I began to arm and equip
„ ry e
o f the
a param ilitary
U S
Reservation
loyal
to
However,
arrested,
ignored
its
aftei
the
the
N ixon
pronuaes
the
Native People
reaorvatKxi (out
of a
o f Appeals for the Eighth C ircu it recently
the firefight on June 26.
court
wrote (m ) a letter supporting the growing
members o f A I M
increasingly
become
aware and concerned ai the
illegal and apparently ruthless conduct o i
the F B I and other intelligence agencies in
intim idation
of
Hits climate Lead directly to
1975, M w e e n
and the F B I . Leaving
support o f Executive Clemency far A I M
three
leader
decision to investigate evidence o f F B I
lexxiard
PeltM».
addressed
to
Senator Daniel Inouye
the suppression o f native people's treaty and
popuiatxxi
1 1 ,00 0 k which created a clim ate o f few and
persons, access to lim ited F B I and countless
have
documented
wounded hundreds o f trschtknal people on
to
Judge Gerald Heaney o f the U S Court
we
trffwl
evidence shows this group niurilered and
were
Substantial
years, after contact with attorneys, affected
documents,
the
century
of wrongs
The
United
people
crim inal
States
Ih e courts have, to date, been reluctant
to provide re lie f
G o vtiu m u it
January 1 9 7 )
longer about ju d ic e , the dead cannot be
f«xget then g rie f and. after more than 17
years o f w rongful (ille g a l) imprisonm ent.
I ecxiard Peltier cannot be given those veaux
tack
1 hey did mx > Lee tease
H u t is about truth
de»l
A
activities
June
against
23.
A 1 M
1975.
was
known
• The a iy w rm t givernm ental ccxnplicity in
politically
motivated
murders
Ridge
Ik d iX a
in
Reaervation
the
early
w ith in
to
A m erica should not be a country where
government violence and manipulation of
South
the )u « ic e system w ill he used to suppress
m id I9 7 trs
individuals
including the ambush murder o f O glala
exit a g a in «
Sioux C m l Rights O rganizatxxi leader
M ae
.Aquaah)
asaaaamatian
and
attempts
the
wuxigs a id
seek
who speak
redress o f
W'e pray you luuleistand
Anna
numerous
again«
and w ganizatuxis
legitim ate grievances
P«xlro Btsaouette. the execution o f A I M
member Anna M ae Fhctou ( a k a
I ruth should Fe
Truth can help make a wrong less
wrong
and
«(xxiwevxl armed violence on and o ff the
Pine
H u s is no
given back then lives, then fam ilies cannot
group on the Pine Ridge
adm inistration
adm m i«ration
Over the
which
dissent
Governm ent to investigate and redress a
occupiers
W e are w riting this letter to you on a
matter of urgency and tm p x ia rx e
adm inistration
of
and iXhcr people throughout the wvxld
Ih e reality is that
W ixm ded Knee sc t i n « » » e re diantssed by
«rpfxessrd
in their own
of
Federal Courts due to illegal use o f the U S
Government*» supfvrt for a c irru p t
trihaJ
engaged
indictments
U S
policies o i war (V ie tn a m 1. o f ecology, of
the tribe» were
MX)
the Arajiaho and the I Imted State», and the
people o i Am encan were challenging the
sexism and racism ( n e k
over
Amnesty
Archbishop
Canterbury, the Reverend Jesse Jackson
1972
cultural ro u e s which are strong ben lost to
the
the
5«
mem bers ol the
W e cto not expect on investigation ot
the repeated nolabcxis o f the F art I ararme
of
native dissidents and
I'artiam enl.
IntemalKxial.
Ih e role ol the F B I on the l*me Rtdge
R n e ris tic x i
12.
Indian
Peltiet's effix ts lor a new
these realities to bring justice
w ith are the trestle« recognized a j Law and
the noise a t the m ajority
t anadian
very early |9"’trs
F BI
Valley
tnal have hern supported by over
Iherefo te. we
illegal ip e ra tK x u o f the F B I , lim iting its
Mr
members of t ongress,
during
the 1972 natnsial elections
Church,
Duck
Ih e continued unlaw ful tnipriscxunenl o f
activists
Headquarters o f the Bureau o f
Indian Affairs in Washington, D C
Senate
the
ol the crim inal itLstice sy«em fix p olitical
emhanassed
In te llig e n c e t om m ittee. chaired by Senates
and children o f the la k o ta (S io u x ) Nation
I he
In
requests.
15 month»! on February
on
I ecxiard Peltiei and the Government*» use
attack
intelligence agencies in the U nited States
By
•
iXher
Since
repeated
1979.
purposrs again«
infiltration and d ia u p tx a i of tribal treaty
despite
Sun i«ge
related
and a v i l rights organizations. moat taxable
I9 g |,
of
lanu ly
5k Sunshine tage 3) and E li (.'hanging
I here ts growing evidence that the U S
for
the
her nxxher. 1 eah Hicks M anning, and
in le llig e ik e activities against the Am erican
and >xhcr
of
the Iru d c ll children. R x a rd a Star (age
Indian Movement from I97Q g, present
use o f the
murders
Chairm an John T ru dell, including
Reservation in Nevada
justice
the
anon
his pregnant w ife I ma M an n in g Its »dell
( otnmissicxi on civil rights for a
and
Ih e
A 1 M
Petibcxis by
W e are calling upxxi you to appexnt an
System
•
conduct were also ignored
In l*d t|, Amnesty International,
beginning at toast by 1970. the FB I and
of
subjected to a military style cxcupaticxi by
citing the Peltier case, recommended an
other federal agencies began a campaign of
because
then
crushing
into the
and
the F B I that la«ed month»
F BI
government
independent inquiry
oceupatjcsi o f Wounded Knee un the Pine
A ll the tribes h a w to defend themselves
to
attempted to u tilize
minority
rule concept! of
addition
fa h rx o f F ir« Amendment and treaty right»
tnFwl
democracy
In
redress o f grievances but threatens the very
param ilitary
The
Peoples.
a m ilitary
F B 1
to
No <aie has been held accountable
~ • _nuuesit
in u ro aixxial
N ative
M arshals "
matlers
treaties between A m en es and the tribes
To
the
congrevxnxia!
nor
A m enes*! poiicica o í ambiguity
and
of
was essentially
P*opt*ety
rtsxxurrence
to
committee»
grievances
June 26. 1975, between the N ative Peoples
A great many o í the utuatxxis
connected
and
and the F B I agents and the U nited States
refused
the
are
clear
•ufxcxnm ittees o f the U S ( cxigreaa have
(seed
tribe»
ai
fueftght
The Pine R.dge Reservation was
repeatedly
meanings
by
existence
the
Peace to you,
A I M
leader Rusaell Means
John Trudell
quashed by the Church Com m ittee, the «hry
Ih e Society o f People Struggling to he Free
12439 M agnolia Boulevard. Suite 296
Leonard Peltier
North Hollvwsxid. C a lifo rn ia 9 1 607
Npf
Update
Leonard Peltier, N ative Am erican political
prisoner.
and
his
nqiporters
are
« ill
aw aiting the decision from his November 9,
1992.
Eighth
Hearing
C irc u it
Court
o f Appeals
This appeal for a new trial
hissed on
the
denial
o f due
is
process
in
I ecxuinfs 1976 tnal lor the murder o f two
F B I agents m the 1975 shoot -out between
the
FBI
Indian
and
members o f the
M ovem ent
on
the
Reservation in South Dakota
Peltier
Defense Com m ittee
Kansas
stales
forthcoming
leonarcfs
that
by
American
Pine
kidge
Ih e Ixonaxd
in la w re n ce .
i f a decision
the
end
attorneys
is not
o f July.
w ill
file
a
1993.
W rit
of
M andam us with the court in an effort to gel
a decision
O n May 3. 1 9 9 ), le a v e n worth Federal
Penitentiary, where
imprisoned,
put
ts currently
I ecxiard
its
"M onitoring
High
Escape Risk l*nsoners Program" into effect
This
plan
required
pnscraers
who
were
<iesigiutcd ils high escape risks by the staff V
Io sign in every two hours 1 ecxiard. along ' "
w ith ten others, refused, and they were put
into solitary confinement, known to prison
officials as "under adm inistrative actual"
He
was
acting
on
the
advice
of
(us
attorneys. Ramsey C lark and B ill Kunsller
who tell that by signing a form which labels
him • high nsk inmate. 1 eonard could hurt
his chances for freedom at a clemency or
parole hearing
H is attorneys also advised
the priwwi that with some revision to the
farm I eonard would agree to sign By 7pm
that night everyone » a s out o f solitary and
Leonard now does sign in every two hours
I he
prison
has
vet
to
explain
how
it
S TO P THE O C A ’
determ ined which prisoners to put on this
program, and why 1 eonard was selected
T o learn more about leonarcfs case and
I o n i is i t t i i l o
A t t ir ili t
about the Am erican Indian Movement buy a
copy o f the
I I n v ia i U .ili- I <<•»■ V m m i . i I h h i P i d i l n . i l
v (( r i l l A -l* M i u i s |« i|i|iio v lb«'
As
iiiiiiiii H i
.till in ,it III l« -g ,ili/r « |l d I HI I III. 11 II ll I .lllll II.Ill’ Hl
< >ii i;im » i itii'y, i u lu lili » .m il c l.it f is till*
'In the Spirit o f Crazy
Horse* by Peter Matthiexsen, at rent the
video
"Incident
at O g la la *
Io
donate
towards leonarcfs defense or to subscribe to
S p irit
of
Crazy
Horae,
the
C o m m ittee newsletter contact them at The
Leonaid
Peltier
I
Organic Gardening
& Maintenance
Defense
Defense Com m ittee, PO
I w a n t to Iw lp n o p t h , O C A I
Box 583J«w Tence KS 66044
The
San
conducting
Francisco
a
national
A IM
office
letter
ta
436-0223
writing
P O Box 800
Tolovaru Park, OR 97145
to grant executive clemency to I eonard and
h im
free
They
want
executive
elemenev. because even i f I eonard gets a
retrial
for his murder conviction and
Bonded
»89168
Mana it w h a t I c a n d o
Mara it m y d o n a tio n for D j l O O 0 ) 5 0 D $ 2 5 □ _____ O th e r
I want to pladga »______ monthly to ttop the OCAI
□ l want to volunteer, please give me more information1
)
campaign to convince ITrsident B ill Clinton
set
Mail to: OHFA-FAC, 1951 W gunwMa «1)16, PoKland frit 97209
■
I
1
1
1
N am e
O c ru o a h o n
X M a,
is
I
I
I
I
I
I
found innocent, he could « i l l he tried for
attempted escape from I ompoc Prison in
C alifornia, even though he was there an
false charges
letters
to
Send your clemency req ue«
President
Pennsylvania
Ave
B ill
NW .
C linton.
Washington
1600
DC
ROSALI HD CCISNCK
H C t f iS e O
M A S S A G E
T h tR A P lS T
tx c x D e x & W A s r a ic tu N
2 0 500
P O B O X 122«
C A r r * r o i w a c h o te
I love the dea of God tempering the wind to the
shorn lamp. Put I d hate to have to sell ( to an
American Indian Mignon McLaughlin
Hanson A Holmes, Booksellers
QUALITY USED BOOKS
Bought Ai Sold
azi o
1503) 4 3 6 - 2 4 2 5
Steve llanson
M il 22.3 7610
«14 N W ?1rd Ave
Portland. OR 97210
urrtff itn tact
august
ß
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