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Report on Leonard Peltier March in Prague,
Czech Republic

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Recently created LPSG Czech Republic had organized a Peltier March in Prague on December 10, 2000 in solidarity with LPDC's Peltier Clemency March of the same day. There were a few dozens of people marching and a lot of tourists watching and showing their support - and all this in spite of the fact that it started to rain persistently when we were arriving to the proximity of the US Embassy. We gathered in Betlemske Square in front of the Museum of Aboriginal Cultures where we made a circle and prayed for Leonard's release, accompanied by drumming. We were about 70 people and some other persons joined us in the course of our walk. From there we walked across the river Vltava (Moldau) over the Charles Bridge and stopped in its middle with our banners in Czech and in English to make some photos for our Indian friends, so they could see how beautiful city is Prague (one picture was send to Leonard to prison). The bridge was as usually crowded by tourists who were stopping and asking about the reasons of all this. Some of them followed us on our way on. We crossed the bridge and stopped near to the river and again joined in a circle and burned a bundle of sweetgrass brought from Indian country to purify the circle. We prayed to the river to take our wishes of freedom for Leonard to the Ocean and make them arrive to the other side of the Atlantic. There the March had to be officially ended, as the near US Embassy couldn't be accessed in case of this kind of events. There was an incredible number of cops in uniforms and plainclothes (they are so easy to recognize :o))) - I would estimate it to some twenty or more cops at all - quite ridiculous compared to the number of protestors. But they were very kind and polite, I went to them and kindly explained what our protest was about and, you won't believe me, two of them said that the case does interest them and that they will have a look on my site and eventually sign the petition! They really don't like the FBI!

After the official end I continued to the US Embassy as a "private" person, accompanied by some 30 other "private" persons (mostly young folks) and tried to hand over my letter asking President Clinton to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier, signed in the name of LPSG Czech Republic. The Embassy was surrounded with metallic fences and policemen, and there were five police cars. Policemen at the entry of Embassy building explained me that nobody was inside, that there were only Marines, not allowed to talk to visitors. We were talking for a while, I explained them what the case of Leonard Peltier was about and gave them our leaflet with basic info and web addresses. They seemed to be very interested and listened. The other "private" citizens unfolded banners and drummed and whistled. The policemen looked like wanting to rush on them, but I asked the kids to behave and they obeyed and stopped. Policemen just checked my identity and the id of a few other persons and calmed down. Our people started to sing AIM's anthem "Hope" and, suddenly the door of the Embassy opened and an employee came out to ask, who I was and what did we want. I told him that with a great pleasure and handed him over my letter for Clinton. He thanked politely and returned to the building.

Our Peltier's March had an unexpected medial success. Czech TV3 - one of the main private TV stations covering a major part of the Czech Republic transmitted in the Prime News a very good reportage about the event (2 minutes) including the main factual info about the case, Leonard's portraits and paintings, presenting the case as a flagrant example of US injustice and putting it into the context of US presidential elections and speaking about Wild Horse's petition and the New York March. It passed as second info of the news block and it was retransmitted at 10 P.M. and still twice in the morning of the following day.

By coincidence, the US Ambassador in Prague John Shattuck had given a speech on human rights on the same day. Yes, a very good and moving speech about heroic efforts of human rights defenders and US government's and people's efforts in this area. Saying, how important the human rights organizations were for the process of building of democracy in our country. I just hope that he will prove his sincerity transmitting my letter to the White House. That's also one of the things he's paid for from US tax money, isn't he? I also wrote him a personal letter asking him to support Peltier's clemency as a former human rights activist (he served as Vice Chair of the United States Section of Amnesty International, and as an Executive Committee member of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights).

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Letter to President Clinton

asking executive clemency for Leonard Peltier, handed over to the US Embassy at the end of Prague Peltier March on 10 December, 2000

President William Jefferson Blythe Clinton
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington DC 20500

Prague, 10 December 2000

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing you to ask you to grant executive clemency to Leonard Peltier, an American Indian sentenced to life prison for aiding and abetting to a murder of FBI agents Coler and Williams committed in Pine Ridge Indian reservation 24 years ago. I am following his case for more than 10 years and although I am not a lawyer, I think to have a fair knowledge of his case. I believe that Leonard Peltier has never received a fair trial – the documents of FOIA released posteriori to the trial established that witnesses who testified against Peltier were intimidated and evidence which could have proven his innocence was concealed from the defense. Other two persons indicted for participation in the same incident were released after a court ruling saying that they acted in self-defense. During one of many appeals that followed the original sentence, the prosecution itself declared not to know who did actually kill the agents. Ms. Poor Bear, who had signed the affidavits leading to Peltier’s extradition from Canada, testified recently in front of a Canadian judge that she agreed to implicate Mr. Peltier in the 1975 shooting deaths only after she had endured months of unrelenting harassment and threats from other FBI agents. The release of FOIA documents on this case had brought clear evidence that the FBI used illegal methods and this is why I have serious doubts about the objectivity of Mr. Freeh’s emotional letter enumerating arguments against Leonard Peltier’s clemency.

I know that even courts in a democratic country can be wrong - law systems are not always reflecting the real justice and the wheels of their machinery can crush even an innocent man. I believe that this is the case of Mr. Peltier and therefore I ask you to intervene in his favor. Leonard Peltier has a honorable record of good deeds behind bars, like sponsoring a Native scholarship program, adopting children in Central America, supporting battered women's centers and substance abuse programs, and sponsoring an annual Christmas clothing and toys drive for the children of Pine Ridge. He has become a talented artist-painter and an accomplished writer through his book “Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sundance”, already translated into four languages until present. His present clemency request is supported by a petition signed by more than 15 000 people and by calls for his release issued by the National Congress of American Indians, the Assembly of First Nations, the Amnesty International and others. His past requests were supported by personalities like late Mother Theresa, The Dalai Lama, Nobel Price laureate Rigoberta Menchu, Nelson Mandela, Sen. Daniel Inouye, Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Robert Redford, Oliver Stone, Whoopi Goldberg and many others.

Mr. Peltier has spent the last 24 years in prison and he is suffering of diabetes, heart condition and sight problems. I am afraid that if he is not granted clemency before the end of your mandate, it is highly probable that he would die in prison. Leonard Peltier has become a symbol for the Native American community, which would perceive his release as a very positive sign in the healing of centuries old history of injustices and pain resulting in the present situation of American Indians. Granting of clemency to this internationally notorious US prisoner would certainly strengthen the image of your country as a worldwide guarantor of human rights and democracy. The case of Leonard Peltier has become known in my country, too and is gaining support in the Czech public opinion.

I humbly ask you to consider my request and try to imagine that in Mr. Peltier’s situation would be someone of your family or friends. Therefore I ask you to consider his case with the mind of an excellent lawyer and the heart of a sensitive human being that you are.

With my sincere respect,

Bushka Bryndova
Leonard Peltier Support Group Czech Republic

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