EDITORIAL
Free Leonard Peltier
& Mumia Abu-Jamal
This
December a critical juncture arrives for the movement to free two political
prisoners: Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu-Jamal.
After
25 years in a federal prison, and eight years after presidential candidate Bill
Clinton promised to free him, Peltier's petition for executive clemency sits on
outgoing President Clinton's desk. Under intense pressure from the progressive
movement and world public opinion, Clinton is at last weighing the possibility
of Peltier's release before he leaves office. A decision is likely before the
winter holidays late this
month.
Meanwhile
the FBI is mounting a propaganda campaign aimed at keeping Peltier behind bars,
falsely claiming that he killed two federal agents at South Dakota's Pine Ridge
Reservation. The FBI has set up a toll-free number and taken out full page ads
in major newspapers for this purpose.
Brother
Peltier and his defense committee have appealed to all workers and progressives
to call the White House comments line every single day and demand his release.
That number is (202) 456-1111, and we urge our readers to call
frequently.
It
is equally vital for the working-class movement to take action in the streets
now to demand freedom for the political prisoners. An important march is
scheduled for Dec. 9 in New York's Harlem community for Abu-Jamal, and marches
are also planned in San Francisco, Seattle and other cities. On the following
day, Dec. 10, there will be a march for Peltier to the United Nations in New
York. Next Jan. 20, a national protest at the inaugural in Washington will
target the prison system and demand freedom for political
prisoners.
In
the spirit of solidarity, the organizers of the two New York actions have joined
forces. They have issued a joint leaflet and are taking other measures to
maximize turnout at both protests.
Peltier's
and Abu-Jamal's cases are inextricably linked. As the two best-known political
prisoners in U.S. jails, their names are virtual battle cries for those fighting
racism and social
injustice.
Both
activists were framed by arms of the racist capitalist state. In Peltier's case
it was the FBI; in Abu-Jamal's it was the Philadelphia Police Department. And
they were framed for the same reason. Both prisoners were--and are--dedicated
fighters for the rights of their oppressed communities and for all poor and
working
people.
Both
men had sham trials. Both have been denied new trials by the courts despite
overwhelming evidence of their innocence. Both are subject to racist
disinformation campaigns by the cops and the big-business
media.
There's
another similarity. Peltier and Abu-Jamal both face the equivalent of a death
sentence.
In
Abu-Jamal's case its clear. He's on Pennsylvania's death
row.
But
Peltier's life, too, is in considerable danger. For several years his health has
been in decline. Prison officials have denied him access to qualified doctors.
They even subjected him to a botched jaw operation that left him in constant
pain and unable to eat solid food.
Leonard
Peltier must be freed now so that he can receive consistent medical care and
return to his loving family and
friends.
Because
their cases are so closely linked, a victory in freeing Leonard Peltier would be
a tremendous contribution to Abu-Jamal's freedom struggle. It would energize the
movements against racism and the prison-industrial complex and be a blow against
the forces of racism and
reaction.
The
time to act is now. All out to free Leonard Peltier! Forward to freeing Mumia!
Onward to the Jan. 20 march on Washington!
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