Hundreds gathered in Albuquerque, N.M., this past weekend to mark the 40th Anniversary of the imprisonment of Leonard Peltier. The International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, whose headquarters are in Albuquerque, in coalition with several groups including The Red Nation and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, organized events to get people mobilized to demand that President Obama grant Peltier executive clemency.
The Red Nation, a coalition of Native and non-Native organizers formed to highlight and bring attention to the Native struggle, organized a rally to demand clemency for Leonard Peltier on Friday, Feb. 5. This rally brought out over 75 people, who stood in front of the Pete V. Domenici Courthouse in downtown Albuquerque for over two hours.
Nick Estes, co-founder and organizer with The Red Nation, read a statement highlighting not only the importance of freeing Peltier but also how Peltier has become a symbol of Native and Indigenous struggle worldwide. “Leonard Peltier has become an international symbol for Indigenous liberation. After serving 40 years in federal prison for a crime he did not commit, it is time progressive people of the world demand President Obama grant Leonard clemency.”
On Feb. 6, well over 200 people attended an indoor event held at the First Unitarian Church. The event included a panel of Native activists and artists. Lenny Foster, a longtime AIM member and spiritual adviser to Leonard Peltier, spoke about the history of AIM and the importance of getting Leonard Peltier out of prison. John T. Nez, a founder and president of the Indigenous Fine Arts Market in Santa Fe, spoke about how Leonard Peltier has been painting and working on becoming a painter and defended the decision by IFAM to showcase Peltier’s paintings at last year’s market in Santa Fe in spite of receiving criticism.
Border town violence
A theme that ran through the entire weekend of events was border town violence. At both the rally and the indoor event, the AIM song was sung. Many speakers took the opportunity to point out that this song was and is a song about border town violence and that AIM was a movement created to end border town violence. In addition to highlighting the struggles that Native women face, including becoming the fastest growing prison population in the United States, Radmilla Cody spoke about the work she does with the Red Nation and the Immediate Action Group feeding and clothing the homeless Native Population in Gallup, N.M.
Red Nation organizer and University of New Mexico Professor Jennifer Denetdale also spoke this weekend, highlighting the ongoing violence Urban Natives face in border towns, including Albuquerque, where last year two native men were beaten to death.
Many people want to know what they can do to support Leonard Peltier. At the events in Albuquerque, everyone was told that the most important thing we all can do is to write a letter to the White House or to call the White House and demand that President Obama grant Leonard Peltier executive clemency. Also needed is a large outpouring in the streets. The White House needs to know that Leonard Peltier is widely supported. Organizing events such as teach-ins, letter writing and phone calling, and rallies and pickets will all be essential to getting Leonard Peltier out of prison this year.
People can also check out the International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee website to find out more information.
