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* Remember to Write *
Due to your actions, Leonard was transferred back to Lewisburg.
Remember that the changed mission of USP-Lewisburg means that
Mr. Peltier will be transferred yet again.=A0 Please continue to
keep the pressure on the Bureau of Prisons to transfer Leonard to
an appropriate facility.=A0 Today and every day, make your voices
heard.=A0 Send letters, call, and/or e-mail the director of BOP:
http://www.FreePeltierNow.org/transfer.htm.
* Call the White House on February 6 *
Wherever you are and whatever you're doing on February 6 at
12:00 noon, stop and call the White House Comment Line and ask for
Executive Clemency for Leonard Peltier. E-mail or pass out the phone
number to friends, family members, colleagues, etc.=A0 Ask everyone
you know to simply take two minutes out of their lives to make this
call. Call the White House Comment Line at 202-456-1111.
* Events *
Friday, February 6, in Boulder, CO: 33 Years Searching for American Justice=
.
See
http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/01/33-years-searching-for-american-=
justice.html.
Friday, February 6, in Toronto, Canada: 27th annual traditional
Prayer Vigil in honour of the People's Struggle to free Leonard
Peltier.=A0 See:
http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/02/27th-annual-traditional-prayer-v=
igil-in.html.
February 19, in Ottawa, Canada: Peltier Demonstration During the Visit
of U.S. President Obama.=A0 Details TBA.
-----
=A0
Statement from Leonard Peltier: A Heroes Welcome 1/31/09
lynnelakota at ..., wrote=A0=A0 :)
I want to thank each and everyone of you for your efforts in my
urgent time of need, you cannot imagine how much my spirit has been
lifted from the cards and letters, the phone calls and how everyone
kept up the pressure. My gratitude is really more than I can express.
My return to Lewisburg was met like a hero's welcome, and many people
came to assure me of my safety there. It is so ironic that the
prisoners in a federal maximum-security prison can guarantee my
safety, but the Bureau of Prisons will not. I did not say, "cannot",
but "will not" do so. You have to remember the BOP is a little
brother to the FBI and they came from an illegitimate mother called
the JUST-US (Justice) Department.
Do I sound a little angry? Well, I am angry that many of my friends
have died in assuring my survival while I've been in prison. All the
men who were involved in my escape at Lompoc, all died mysteriously
soon after: Dallas Thundershield at Lompoc, Bobby Garcia at Terre
Haute, and Rocky Duenas, whose body was never recovered. And Standing
Deer, he gave away his life when he revealed the assassination plot
against me. He lived under the shadow of death for years, waiting to
be killed for defying the government, until he was eventually paroled
to Texas. He was murdered soon after the same person who contracted
him to have me assassinated warned him about his involvement with my
campaign. Surviving this attack brought back memories of those
losses, and it is with tears of more gratitude in my eyes and in my
heart that no one died this time. I don't ever want to lose another
brother in
protecting me; a human life is precious and important.
I know in other countries, prisoners who have been held by their
government have been placed in house arrest after they have attained
international support as I have. If the BOP cannot guarantee my
safety to the extent the prisoners here can, then I demand to be
returned to my nation, Turtle Mountain, where I can be assured of my
safety!
Turtle Mountain has issued a resolution to transfer me into their
custody, and they have asked to meet with Obama on a nation-to-nation
basis. This has to happen and it will when a lot of energy is placed
behind it. In the past 18 days your efforts brought me out of the
hole and to where there is a measure of safety.
The FBI has said that I will never leave prison alive, and we should
not accept that as an idle threat. There have been a few times that
my life was targeted by the FBI in the 33 years since my capture, and
each of those who have helped me to survive are now dead. The
transfer and attack at Canaan is just a warning to me of what is to
come. The warden's know of the psychological make-up of their inmate
population in their prison, and they clearly knew that placing
someone who is well known, as I am, with connections to many famous
people and at my age, I would be subject to predatory attacks. This
was deliberate by the BOP, and as far as the motivation for the
attack, it could have been ordered by any prison official at the
request of the FBI, or someone trying to curry favor from the feds.
It could have also been a tactic to beat me into submission for
purposes of extortion or
something as stupid as trying to make a reputation.
We know they are afraid and Trimbach's smear letter support that.
They see pressure, in the form of your letters and calls, growing and
they know that my committee has been tirelessly developing plans to
set up a wave of activity. The FBI is now afraid that they will fail
to keep me falsely imprisoned. We are becoming stronger and we must
keep building our network to succeed.
I am proud of the brother's & sisters, the Elder's and my family who
make up the committee; they have all personally sacrificed more than
many people may ever know. It is humbling when I hear about the
difficulties they have had due to being associated with me, but they
do not quit. They are putting in many hours of their lives that they
could be spending with their own families, but I hear they are on the
phones talking to people, writing letters, and networking through the
computers. They have been criticized by a few people and have
attempted to create divisions within the committee through spreading
accusations about them. So let me say this, I know the people I have
invited to serve on my committee, and I've known most of them for
years. A couple of them are my Sun Dance brothers and I have
entrusted my life in their abilities and their commitment to bring
about my freedom.
The decision I have made to place them in their positions of
responsibility is mine, not the critics. I ask all my supporters to
ignore those who would have you waste your time listening to or
reading petty gossip based upon jealousy or personal dislike. These
are activities that the FBI uses to destroy a movement, and they are
not the Indian way of doing things. So we need to be aware that those
who are bad-mouthing my committee, and talking behind their backs to
smear them, may be infiltrators sent by the feds to tear down the
committee. Watch out for those people and make some distance from
them.
I am also asking all of my supporters and allies to follow the
directions of the committee when the plans and strategies are
presented at the Feb. 6th event in Boulder, CO. It had begun as an
educational event and now it will be a very important event because
of everything that has happened recently. We had wanted to release it
when Obama was sworn in, but my transfer placed it on hold. I am a
believer that nothing happens by accident or coincidence. It all
happens for a reason, and it feels as if things are coming together
the way they should. It is significant that an intense campaign will
be begin after 33 years in captivity and with a newly elected
President who could be receptive to my clemency appeal in office.
We will be making our message stronger in what we do and in how we
will do it. I cannot stress how important it will be to increase our
numbers after this event because the committee members,
spokespersons, and their families will be making more personal
sacrifices to help increase awareness. They'll need your support in
organizing other events and networking in your area.
Again, I want to thank everyone who wrote, called and emailed. My
hand in appreciation is extended to those who have held rallies and
protests on my behalf to call attention to the attack on me. I also
extend my gratitude to Cynthia McKinney, former congresswoman for her
recent letter to President Obama urging him to free other political
prisoners and myself.
In all these years, there have been so many people who have prayed
for my safety and freedom from all faiths. There is power in those
prayers and that is what I know will bring about my freedom. I can
feel something different this time, and many others have expressed
the same thought to me. So when you pray, don't pray only for me, but
the warriors of AIM who have died for our people, the victims of
the "Reign of Terror" on Pine Ridge, and other victims who has
suffered as we have. Pray for their families as well. They must not
be forgotten and they must have justice!
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Dallas Thundershield, Bobby Garcia,
Rocky Duenas, Standing Deer, and in The Spirit of Total Resistance,
Leonard Peltier=0A=0A=0A