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Star Wars Call-In - Cassini and Peltier: What's the connection?
1. GlobeNet Call-In Days -- Stop Star Wars
The Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space is promoting an action to contact the U.S. Government to ban spaced-based weapons. The Call-In is proposed for Monday through Wednesday this week, September 13-15. For details visit GlobeNet's website.
www.globenet.free-online.co.uk/
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1. Cassini and Leonard Peltier
Question: What's the connection between Cassini and the imprisoned American Indian Movement activist, Leonard Peltier?
Answer: Uranium, Injustice and Human Rights Concerns.
In the early 1970's, geologists from the US Geological Survey discovered uranium deposits on Pine Ridge Lakota Indian Reservation. Due to the history of the Lakota struggle over the Paha Sapa (Black Hills), the U.S. government knew that traditional Lakotas would resist selling land for coal and uranium mining rights. A corrupt tribal government was induced to begin a reign of terror. Over 60 traditional Indians on Pine Ridge were killed by a group that allegedly had FBI support. None of the sixty homicides was ever investigated.
In 1975, Lakota elders sent an appeal to members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) for protection. AIM set up an encampment on the Jumping Bull compound on the Pine Ridge Reservation. On June 26, the FBI staged a raid, two FBI agents and one Indian were killed. Two AIM members were captured after their escape and found not guilty for reasons of self-defense by a jury.
Leonard Peltier was captured in Canada and extradited by government-induced fraudulent testimony. Also, the Judge chosen to preside over Peltier's case had a reputation of being prejudiced toward Indians. The evidences of Leonard Peltier's innocence for self defense reasons were not permitted to be entered for consideration by this court. The chief prosecutor later admitted that they had no evidence showing that Leonard Peltier actually shot the two FBI agents, he was quoted saying, but, "...someone had to pay for it."
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In November there will be a major month long campaign for executive clemency for Leonard Peltier. Please consider signing the document below and send it to President Clinton and to the Northwest Leonard Peltier Support Network, Tacoma Office; P.O. BOX 5464; TACOMA, WA 98415-0464 E-mail: bayou@blarg.net
NOVEMBER FREEDOM MONTH DECLARATION IN SUPPORT OF EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY FOR LEONARD PELTIER
WHEREAS; The events that led up to the firefight on the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Reservation on July 26, 1975 created a situation of extreme concern for the lives and well-being of many Oglala people. Because of that great concern traditional Oglala Elders requested the assistance of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and among the AIM members who responded to the request was Leonard Peltier.
WHEREAS; On July 26, 1975, two unmarked cars came into the area where AIM had an encampment in the same manner that most other driveby shootings had occurred on Pine Ridge, the AIM members believed that they were under attack. In the firefight that resulted one AIM member and two FBI agents were killed. In the first trial of AIM members this was clearly shown for they were found not guilty because the jury believed that they acted in self-defense.
WHEREAS; In the case of Leonard Peltier, there is proven FBI misconduct including fraudulent affidavits used to extradite him from Canada, the suppression of key evidence of innocence at his trial, the coercion of witnesses, perjury by government agents and the refusal of the trial judge to allow the same type of defense evidence that led to a not guilty verdict in the first trial. For these reasons Leonard Peltier did not have a fair trial and was found guilty.
WHEREAS; Leonard Peltier's attorneys have disproved the government's case against Leonard, in the appeals process, to the point that the government's prosecutor in this case has conceded that they don't know who killed their agents, and if they had to try Leonard again they do not have the evidence to reconvict him.
THEREFORE; We the undersigned view the continuing imprisonment of Leonard Peltier to be extremely unjust and a blight upon the principles that the United States of America claims to follow. Throughout the world and along with many citizens of the United States, people of all walks of life have called for you, President Clinton to grant Leonard Peltier executive clemency. We the undersigned wish to add our names to that request.
Please sign here how you wish to be listed, name, tribe, organization, city, state, country and send to President Clinton and to the NWLPSN
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The following is an excerpt from an excellent article and interview with Leonard, published in the London Guardian Unlimited.
http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3881972,00.html
Chief behind bars
He's been in jail for 23 years - the innocent victim, says his supporters, of institutionalized injustice to Native Americans. And the longer he's there, the greater the legend of Leonard Peltier grows. By Andrew Mueller
Saturday July 10, 1999
When I apologise to Leonard Peltier for keeping him waiting, he smiles and tells me not to worry - the thunderstorms that had delayed my flight to Kansas City for nearly 36 hours had passed over Leavenworth's maximum security Federal Penitentiary as well. And Peltier, icon of the American Indian Movement and focus of its claims of institutional injustice, knows a fair bit about waiting.
United States Prisoner 89637-132 has been waiting for just over 23 years. According to current plans, he'll be waiting 41 more - two consecutive life sentences for the murders of two FBI agents during a shoot-out on the Oglala Lakota Indian reservation on Pine Ridge, South Dakota, in 1975, plus seven for an escape attempt in 1979.
The complete article was posted at the following URL link:
http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3881972,00.html
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since the launching of NASA's Cassini space probe in 1997.