ACTIONS ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST FOR LEONARD PELTIER
The Leonard Peltier Support Group, Atlanta presents a Benefit Concert featuring the Ex-Pand Band and Kathy Carllile Saturday, February 6 from 9:00 pm until the reptile smiles at the Somber Reptile 842 Marietta Street (1.4 miles west of CNN) 404-525-4360 $7 at the door (Proceeds go to the Lenoard Peltier Charitable Foundation and the Leonard Peltier Chiapas Relief Fund) CrossRoad Support Network-South 1066 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., SW #232 Atlanta, GA 30310 404-820-6809 / crsnsouth@yahoo.com "fighting for freedom is not a crime ... it is a duty" Sekou Odinga, New Afrikan Prisoner-of-War
There will be a Boston demonstration to demand freedom for Leonard Peltier, Mumia Abu-Jamal and all political prisoners on Saturday, February 6 at 12 noon. The action will take place at the Park Street T Station in downtown Boston. This is part of an international day of action for Leonard Peltier.
The demonstration is being sponsored by United American Indians of New England/LPSG (781-331-3690, email at uaine19@idt.net, web at idt.net/~uaine19) and the National Peoples Campaign (617-522-6626,email npcboston@yahoo.com, web at home.earthlink.net/~npcboston).
February 6th marks the anniversary of the arrest of American Indian Movement warrior Leonard Peltier on February 6, 1976. Framed up by the U.S. government for the shooting deaths of 2 FBI agents on Pine Ridge Reservation in 1975, he is currently serving two consecutive life terms in federal prison. Substantial evidence demonstrates Peltier’s innocence, including the fact that the FBI itself says that they do not know who killed the 2 agents. The courts have denied all of Peltier’s appeals for a new trial, and Pres. Clinton refuses to review the clemency petition that has been before him since his first term of office.
Mumia Abu-Jamal, noted African-American journalist and former Black Panther Party leader, has been on Pennsylvania’s death row since 1982, falsely convicted of shooting a Philadelphia cop. Despite substantial new evidence exonerating Mumia, the Pennsylvania courts have denied him a new trial and he is on a fast track in Federal Court toward a new execution date. Activists from all over the world are mobilizing for a massive Millions for Mumia March in Philadelphia on April 24, Mumia’s birthday.
The cases of these two political prisoners are known by millions internationally and symbolize the repression of the U.S. government against any political resistance.
UAINE calls on Native people and supporters of Leonard Peltier to join in supporting Mumia Abu Jamal to march on Philadelphia on April 24. Here is what Leonard has to say about Mumia’s case:
LEONARD PELTIER STATEMENT IN SOLIDARITY WITH MUMIA ABU-JAMALGreetings Friends, supporters, and Mumia,
I know that this must be a sad and frustrating time for you as the negative defeats that we have received in my case have been to us. I know it is easy for me and others to tell you not to give up the fight. I personally understand and know the feeling many times through this twenty-three years of wanting to say the hell with it and give up—believing that there is no way to defeat this evil empire. Sometimes it just seems hopeless. When this happens I am always reminded by my courageous supporters, like those of you who are here today, that to accept defeat is not a warrior’s way. As long as the people have not accepted defeat, neither will we. So I would like to encourage you to stay strong and continue the fight until Mumia is victorious.
It is an outrage that the courts continue to ignore blatant evidence and continue to play legal games with our lives. This insanity is a huge insult, not only to those of us who remain unjustly imprisoned, but to allof you who dedicate your lives to our freedom and are ignored by the corporate owned justice system and media.
I want to encourage supporters to intensify the struggle for Mumia’s life. I know you can stop this execution because no matter how evil a government may be they still cannot defeat the power of the people. Your work and help is needed more than ever. We must now live and breathe Mumia’s case twenty-four hours a day.
If we are able in unity to stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal, we are not only saving the life of the man who speaks for those who are not often heard and whose stories are rarely told, but you are saving all of us who remain unjustly behind bars from the depths of hopelessness.
FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL! In The Spirit of Crazy Horse, Leonard PeltierFor more information about Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu Jamal, please go to the UAINE website (http://idt.net/~uaine19) for links to their home pages.
Please read at your local event:
Message of Thanks to Leonard Peltier and the LPDC from Mumia Abu Jamal
January 21, 1999
Ona Move!
We, all of us, give solid thanks to Leonard Peltier and his numerous supporters worldwide, for the principled assistance in France recently. I deeply appreciate it - we ALL do.
Many years ago, when I was doing radio commentary for several Philadelphia college stations, I frequently received taped reports from communications people from AIM (American Indian Movement ), and promptly reported such information to my audience. What I learned was that the U.S. government was waging a vicious and unrelenting war against native people. In (It) was a phase in that war that an innocent Lakota activist, Leonard Peltier was dogged by this government, and framed for murder.
For almost a quarter of a century, this kind and gentle warrior, this artist, this son of his people, has withstood the brutal assaults of the U.S. government, against its own "law," its own constitution, its own precedent.
On February 6, 1999 the calendar will strike 23 long and lonely years in U.S. gulags for Leonard Peltier. Twenty-three years since an overtly illegal extradition from Canada to the U.S. Twenty-three years in a Yankee Iron Cage for the "crime" of resisting American repression.
As we enter a new century, it is past time for us to correct this vile injustice against Leonard Peltier. Let a new century begin with an act of justice for the Oglola people.
Free Leonard Peltier! Free the MOVE 9! Long Live John Africa! In the Spirit of Nat Turner And Crazy Horse! Ona Move! Mumia
MASSACHUSETTS
WESTERN MASS. FEB. 6th ACTION:
Join the International Day of Protest to Free Leonard Peltier at the Federal Building, 1550 Main Street, in Springfield, Mass. Beginning at noon, Saturday, February 6th 1999 RALLY AND MUSIC BENEFIT Friday, February 5, In Support of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee AT THE JAVA HUT CAFE (Rte. 116 in Sunderland, MA) Beginning AT 8:00 P.M. / TEL: (413)665-2255. For More Information Contact The Leonard Peltier Support Group P.O. BOX 1999, Wendell Depot, MA 01380 noflyby@nonviolence.org or the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee /Box 583, Lawrence, KS 66044 Tel: 785-842-5774 http://members.xoom.com/freepeltier/index.html
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