Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

"The campaign to obtain the medical attention that American Indian Movement political prisoner Leonard Peltier desperatly needs has been making great headway", Arthur J. Miller, of the Northwest Leonard Peltier Support Network wrote. "Thousands of messages have been received by the the Bureau Of Prisons (BOP). People have contacted Senators who have then contacted the BOP and the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee."

Miller said, "On March 16th, a video conferencing phone call took place between Leonard, Bureau Of Prisons Springfield Doctor Thomas Collins (he did the two surgeries on Leonard), Springfield Adminstrator McDermott, Director of the Leavenworh Prison Medical Facility Dr. Hill, Doctors Jackson and Thrapp. Dr. Collins stated that there was nothing that they could do at the Federal Springfield Prison Medical Facility to relieve Leonard's continuous pain."
[**Note See: Springfield BOP Medical Staff Confirms "Unable to Treat Leonard Peltier"]

"With this information, the BOP's refusal to allow Leonard to be treated at the Mayo Clinic by Dr. Keller (this being the only place where he can receive proper treatment) is a direct violation of Leonard Peltier's human rights!" Miller stated.

The NWLPSN is asking that "all people who believe in social justice" help by contacting the BOP and their local elected officials, concerning Leonard Peltier's medical situation.

"We implore you to send as many messages as possible." Arthur Miller of the NWLPSN wrote adding, "All those involved in this campaign believe that we are now close to gaining medical treat for Leonard. But we now need to apply even greater pressure on the BOP."

---

Some Back Ground On the Struggle of Leonard Peltier
by Arthur J. Miller, of the NWLPSN

---

           "Leonard Peltier is an Ojibwa-Lakota American Indian Movement (AIM) activist who was framed on murder charges in the deaths of two FBI agents in a firefight on the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Reservation in South Dakota on June 26, 1975. The following are two of the main reasons that the firefight took place on that day.

      "1. Because the Lakota people had refused to take money for the stolen Paha Sapa (Black Hills), the U.S. Government knew that if they were to take any more Lakota land there would be resistance. In the area of Sheep Mountain on the Pine Ridge Lakota land, the U.S. Geological Survey had located major uranium deposits. Working in the direct interests of the nuclear power and weapons industry, agents of the U.S. Government set out to do two things: First, to suppress the traditional Lakota people and their allies AIM, who would resist the taking of their land. Second, to create a diversion to hide their illegal acquisition of the Sheep Mountain area. At the same time that the firefight took place, the papers were signed that took away 133,000 acres of Lakota land and gave it to the U.S. Government.

      "2. AIM was viewed as a direct threat to the interests of multi-national companies that sought the great amount of mineral resources found on Native land. AIM and others had inspired a new movement of resistance to the U.S. Government's Indian policies. For this reason the FBI used it's COINTELPRO program to try to destory AIM.

           "After the 1973 Wounded Knee Liberation the U.S. Government tried to suppress AIM by the means of placing hundreds of its members on trial across the country. On the Pine Ridge Lakota land, there was a campaign of terror against traditional Lakota people in which homes were burned, cars were run off the road, there were drive by shootings into people's homes and 66 known murders of traditional Lakota people.

           "Because of this reign of terror traditional Lakota people asked for help from AIM. AIM set up a camp on the Jumping Bull property for the purpose of protecting the people and setting up self-determination community programs. Before the firefight, hundreds of government agents were brought in to Pine Ridge. The day before many family members of the death squard were moved out of Pine Ridge. On the morning of the firefight roads were blocked off around the area. The FBI used the lame excuse of following a truck in which they claimed there was a person who was wanted for the theft of a pair of boots. Rather than stopping the truck out on the blacktop, two unmarked cars came rushing on to the Jumping Bull property in the same manner in which the drive-by shootings had taken place. The AIM members believed that they were under attack by the death squad and accordingly defended themselves. As a result of the firefight, one AIM member and two FBI agents died. Under the assault of hundreds of government guns, the AIM members were able to excape.

           "Later, three AIM members were captured and placed on trial. Because Leonard was captured in Canada, the first trial included only two AIM members. In their trial they were found not guilty for reason of self-defense. Leonard was extradited based upon false documents given to the Canadian court. Then the government transfered Leonard's trial from the original judge to a hand picked judge who would not allow self- defense evidence or evidence of the government's illegal use of false documents. To insure Leonard's conviction the government fabricated ballistic reports in order to connect him directly to the agents deaths. The government also coerced witnesses into giving false testimony against Leonard. Leonard was found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment for two lifetimes.

           "Over the years, Leonard's defense has disproven the government's case to the point that a U.S. prosecutor assigned to the case has stated that the government does not know who killed the agents, and that Leonard is only guilty of "aiding and abetting" because he was there on that day. What this means is, since the first two defendants were found not guilty for reason of self-defense, then Leonard has been locked-up for 23 years for "aiding and abetting" an act of self-defense."

---

End the Torture of Leonard Peltier Now!

---

           "Over the years the government has continuously harassed Leonard in prison. Leonard is currently suffering from complications of a previous maxilla-facial surgery at the Springfield Medical Prison facility. In that surgery Leonard almost died. Not only did that surgery not improve Leonard's condition, it made it far worst. Leonard is now in continuous, excruciating pain. He cannot open his mouth enough to bite his food, nor can he even chew. Leonard, for very good reasons, does not want to go back to Springfield. The renowned maxilla-facial surgeon Doctor Keller of the Mayo Clinic has written to the prison telling them that he is willing the treat Leonard. But so far, the federal Bureau Of Prisons (BOP) has refused to let Leonard be treated. If the government, for political reasons, causes and allows a prisoner to suffer great pain, there is no other word for that than torture.

           "We are calling upon all people who believe in social justice to help in the campaign to end the torture of Leonard Peltier NOW! Please send messages to:"

Ms. Kathleen Hawk, Director, Bureau Of Prisons:
Email: khawk@bop.gov or swolfson@bop.gov,
Postal address:
320 First St.NW
Washington, DC 20534
Phone: (202) 307-3198 - FAX: (202) 514-6878

Deputy Attorney General, Mr. Eric Holder
950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C., 20530
Phone: (202) 514-2000 - FAX: (202) 514-0467

Warden Booker, Leavenworth Federal Prison
Box 1000, Leavenworth, KS 66048

Senate Judiciary Committee
224 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-6275
Phone: (202) 224-5225 - FAX: (202) 224-9102

House Of Representatives Judiciary Committee
2138 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3951 - FAX: (202) 225-7682

---

For More Information

---

For more information on Leonard's case and what you can do to help please contact:

The Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
P.O. Box 583, Lawrence, KS 66044 U.S.A.
Phone: (785) 842-5774 - FAX: (785) 842-5796
Email: lpdc@idir.net (Ask about the LPDC information email list.)
URL: International Office of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee

Visit also: Leonard Peltier & AIM Information!

---

Leonard Peltier Solidarity Action Circle

---

The purpose of the Leonard Peltier Solidarity Action Circle (LPSAC) is to give direct support to the campaign for justice for Leonard Peltier and to aid in the well-being of Leonard while his is in prison. Through discussion, education, organizing and action the LPSAC hopes to help advance Leonard’s cause. The LPSAC works through the direction set by Leonard Peltier and the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee.

The LPSAC came about through the organizing and sacrifices made by the Leonard Peltier Solidarity Fast/Hunger Strike. All supporters of Leonard Peltier are welcomed to join us. We have an e-mail list to help us in this work. To be placed on the email list send a message with subscribe in the body of the text to: peltier-fast-request@iww.org