Amnesty International is calling on Bill Clinton to release Leonard Peltier before he leaves office
 |
|
by Chris Barrett/PNN Amnesty International made news last Friday by calling on Bill Clinton to exercise his executive power and release Leonard Peltier. The issue of clemency has been ignored by this government for years. The original clemency appeal was filed back in 1993, but Peltier supporters feel that the time is right to press the matter. The letter's timing is crucial because we all know that the next man to sit in the Oval Office will not have the courage or the inclination to pardon anyone. Pierre Sané, Amnesty International's Secretary General writes, "Since all of Leonard Peltier's legal appeals have been exhausted, it is our firm view that an act of clemency is not only timely, but a necessary step in the name of justice," Peltier has been in jail for 23 years and the next Parole hearing on his case is scheduled for 2008. Peltier stands accused of shooting two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation during a gunfight involving 150 FBI agents and 30 Native Americans. A young Indian activist was also killed in the shootout. Leonard Peltier was an activist and member of the American Indian Movement, which was being targeted by the FBI's Couner Intelligence Program. During the early 70's the Pine Ridge Reservation was under the control of a BIA backed tribal chairman, Dick Wilson. The sovereignty of the Sioux Nation was and is a murky question and FBI presence on the Reservation was a source of agitation for years. 64 people were murdered during the years of Wilson's administration and though the land was covered with FBI agents, no investigations into the violence were carried out. AIM responded to the terror through armed resistance. The questions surrounding Leonard Peltier's case are numerous and grave. Three other men were accused. Two were acquitted by juries who saw evidence that the FBI fired first and felt that the men acted in self-defense. A third saw the charges dropped so that the government could bring its full attention to the Peltier case. Judges denied his right to produce a ballistics test proving his innocence. The FBI coerced witnesses and actively lobbied for his conviction. His appeals are spent and the Parole Board refuses to hear his case until he confesses. The urgency of his release is compounded by the fact of his deteriorating health. There is no political currency to be gained from denying his clemency. His appeal is supported by such diverse and knowledgable sources as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Rigobertha Menchu, the Judge who denied his Appeal and the US Pardon Attorney Roger C. Adams. The Democratic Party of California even passed a unanimous resolution in support of Executive Clemency for Peltier. Clinton's Presidency has been marred by a continual slide to the right. Would pardoning Peltier put an asterisk on his legacy? Would it make national news and give American history a taint of social justice? It could be the most profound act of the Clinton Administration. It would surely be a leap of faith, but also a return to the progressive ideals of Clinton's past that could rejuvinate a cynical and tired electorate. Peltier supporters are urging people to get the message out, as major news organzations ignore the story. There is a phone campaign to combat FBI efforts to deny clemency. People are encouraged to call the White House and support the appeal for clemency. To do this call the White House Comments Line at 202-456-1111 or send a letter to the White House fax number at 202-456-2461. More information and a petition can be obtained form the Leonard Peltier Defense Committe website http://www.freepeltier.org/ and Amnesty International at Let William Jefferson Clinton know that he can still make a difference. |