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Statement By Leonard Peltier
[The following statement was read to participants at the International Day of
Protest to Free Leonard Peltier on Saturday, December 19, 1998. Peltier, a
Native American, is one of the most important--and longest-held--political
prisoners in the United States. His frame-up for murder has been repeatedly
exposed on national TV newsmagazines, as well as in the excellent popular book
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse by the famed writer Peter Matthiessen--a book we
strongly recommend.--SeeingRed.]
I don't need to tell you of the political atmosphere that was happening on
Pine Ridge. But, we all know that there was government sponsored drive-by
shootings and terrorist acts on the Lakota, Oglala people. Any of us who took
the oath to become a warrior was well aware that these attacks against Native
American Nations was not just taking place on Pine Ridge -- it was happening
throughout Indian Country.
Though I know in my heart I have committed no crimes -- I have never violated
any of their laws, not even a traffic ticket -- the American government
insists that I committed a crime against their Nation. I have no idea what
crime that could be.
First they tell me I am convicted of first degree murder, then their evidence
is impeached and they tell me that I am convicted of aiding and abetting. I do
not know who or what I could have aided and abetted since my co-defendants
were found innocent on grounds of self-defense. So, I guess I am in prison for
aiding and abetting self-defense.
In reality the only thing I am guilty of is defending and standing up for a
nation of people who were being oppressed and were resisting attempts of
complete annihilation. An attempt that no one has yet been made to pay for.
In the last 23 years we have also been fighting my illegal extradition from
Canada. It is an undisputed, known fact that the courts of Canada and the U.S.
concluded the proceedings were fraudulent with manipulation and manufacture of
evidence -- in direct violation of International Law. In 1995, after a lot of
pressure from the Canadian people, Canada's Minister of Justice conducted an
investigation into the extradition proceedings. This report has since been
approved for release by the Privacy Commission, and yet, the current Minister
of Justice, Ann Mc Clellan will not release the report to us. Obviously the
disclosure of this report could prove crucial to my freedom.
We have tried everything possible in the last 23 years to obtain my freedom --
there has been many supporters that have stuck with me since the day of my
arrest and many more who have moved on with their lives . . . but there are
always many more new ones coming to my aid in my hour of need.
I thank all of you for the position you have taken on my behalf. I understand
your frustration -- I feel it every minute of every day. I know some of you
may go to jail for a short while -- I wish I could hold you in my arms and
thank you personally for the sacrifice you are willing to take for me.
The future of our struggle for justice is going to get harder -- not only for
Native people but for all people who love freedom and peace. As we see right-
wing media with its biased reports on what is going on in places such as
Chiapas, Iraq, Palestine, and here at home, we must strengthen our abilities
to communicate with each other and educate our communities to the realities
which we face as caring, compassionate human beings who do have the ability to
live with one another with respect.
I know that one day we will succeed.
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,
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