Peltier Supporters to Demand Gov't Action id PAA25959; Sat, 4 Oct 1997 15:05:47 -0400 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit ------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the October 9, 1997 issue of Workers World newspaper ------------------------- AT U.S./CANADA BORDER RALLY: PELTIER SUPPORTERS TO DEMAND GOV'T ACTION By Jim McMahan Seattle An important action in support of imprisoned Native warrior Leonard Peltier will take place Oct. 12 on the United States-Canada border. While commemorated by the U.S. government as "Columbus Day," perpetuating the myth that Europeans "discovered" North America, this date has become known as Indigenous Peoples Day to millions in this hemisphere. The march at the border is being organized by Native peoples from Washington state and British Columbia, as well as by the Northwest Leonard Peltier Support Network. Peltier has been in prison since 1975. He and African American journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal are considered the two most prominent political prisoners in this country. Peltier has remained active while behind bars. He has exposed the trail of lies, murder and harassment against Native people that led to his imprisonment 22 years ago after a struggle with the FBI on the Pine Ridge, S.D., reservation. The Oct. 12 demonstration will demand that the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hold hearings into these events. Peltier's supporters have been demanding such hearings for over a year. Between 1972 and 1975, over 80 traditional people and members and supporters of the American Indian Movement were killed on the Pine Ridge reservation. AIM charges they were murdered by FBI agents and government-organized goon squads. Testimony at Peltier's trial showed that he and his supporters were the targets of an FBI attack on June 26, 1975, and fired back in self-defense. This was during a time of extreme anti-Indian hysteria in that conservative part of the country. A petition for executive clemency for Peltier has been sitting on President Bill Clinton's desk for over four years. The border march will demand that he sign it. On Oct. 10, a "Caravan for Justice" will travel from Olympia, Tacoma and Seattle to the Lummi reservation in northern Washington state. On Oct. 11, a "Run for Justice" led by Native youths will begin at the reservation and proceed to the Canadian border, arriving on Oct. 12. There the demonstrators from Washington will meet marchers from Canada. A rally involving Native leaders, elders and cultural performers will be held at the Peace Arch, a major border- crossing point. Future plans include a big benefit/rally for Peltier in San Francisco on Nov. 16. For more information on the caravan or march, readers can contact the Northwest Leonard Peltier Support Network at (253) 383-9108. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Permission to reprint granted if source is cited. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: ww@workers.org. For subscription info send message to: info@workers.org. Web: http://workers.org) ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytrc-10.04.97-15:05:46-13993