Leonard Peltier remembers Bob Robideau

Greetings my relatives!
By Leonard Peltier

It is with a real deep sense of loss that I write this. The loss of my brother in the struggle for Indigenous rights who was also my blood cousin and also a defendant in the Oglala shoot-out trials. I am speaking of Robert Robideau, who we called Bob most of the time. Bob was a tireless campaigner for my freedom and Indigenous rights all over the world. I can’t express enough how greatly his leaving this level of existence will be missed.

Bob and I grew up together. We were involved in the 70’s American Indian Movement together. We were shot at together. We were on the run together and over the 33 years of my imprisonment, Bob was a person I could count on for a lot of reasons. We laughed together, quarreled with one another, praised one another and had strong disagreements at times. Bob was the one person I could truly count on to tell me the straight of it, whether I liked it or not. I didn’t talk to Bob in person that often, as of late, but just the thought of knowing it will be a while before I talk with him again, causes a sense of missing him like never before. He was sometimes my worst critic and sometimes my best support, but he was always my brother and I loved him dearly. I wouldn’t doubt that wherever he is at, he’s organizing a support group of some sort. If I thought there was anything that I could say that would bring him back to us, this statement would go on for as long as it took. However, reality being what it is, I know Bob will appreciate our concerns for the loved ones he left behind and want us to go on and do the very best we can to make this a better and more free, more just world we live in and he would surely remind us that we are the guardians of the future and the keepers of today.

It is always difficult to address the loss of people you knew and cared about, but every once in awhile, there is a loss that is deeper than all the rest. In this loss, there is often a loss of words. It is a time when the shock of the situation is so close that you just don’t know what to say. One thing I can say for sure is that the loss of Bob Robideau is a loss to all. And to Bob, I don’t know how long I’ll be here myself, but that doesn’t matter. I look forward to seeing you again my brother, some other time, some other place. May the Creator be with you wherever you are and wherever you go.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Bob Robideau, Steve Robideau, Joe Stuntz, Bobby Garcia, Roque Duenas, Nilak Butler, Anna Mae Aquash, , and all the others who gave of themselves for our People.

Mitakuye oyasin

Leonard Peltier

Wounded Knee Commemoration to honor Robideau

From International Peltier Forum

.

Longest Walk photo, Morning Star Gali, Colo/08

Photos by Jofreal Elliot, Longest Walk click here

Photos by Cornelia Vandenberg 1993 click here

.

Robert Robideau passed away at his home in Barcelona, Spain on Tuesday, February 17, 2009. He was a member of the Turtle Mountain and White Earth Ojibwa tribes. Robideau was a member of the American Indian Movement (AIM) since 1973. Darrell (Dino) Butler, and Robert Robideau were acquitted in the deaths of two FBI agents in 1976 on grounds of self defense. The charges arose after a shootout with the FBI on Pine Ridge reservation in June of 1975 that left two FBI agents and an Indian man dead. This period known as the reign of terror, in which 60 AIM members were killed and hundreds more assaulted in a government sponsored action to destroy AIM. These killings and assaults came in the aftermath of the Wounded Knee takeover by AIM in 1973. The third defendant, Leonard Peltier was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in a separate trial. Leonard, an internationally known political prisoner, has been incarcerated for 33 years now for the same alleged offense as Bob Robideau and Dino Butler were charged and acquitted.

The following is an email message we received yesterday from Robert's cousin, James Robideau: Thursday, Feb 19:

"Bobby passed away on Tuesday in Spain. I will be going to Spain to help with the arrangements. The relatives said he wanted to be buried in Oglala. I'll try to have more details tomorrow. Jim

PS: I'm also working with Edgar Bear Runner on the 36th Annual commemoration of Wounded Knee. Scheduled for Feb 27. We will honoring Bob at that time. Anyone wanting to help with the WK commemoration can contact Edgar at 605-454-5349. Address is P.O. Box 242, Porcupine, SD 57772."
IPF WEBSITE: http://users.skynet.be/kola/index.htm and www.myspace.com/leonardpeltierisinnocent

IPF e-mail: ipforum@skynet.be

Also, please visit the website of the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee (LPDOC): http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info

LPDOC e-mail: contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info

UPDATE: From the Robideau family

From Starr Robideau

Good Day Everyone,
It has come to my attention of a couple of changes to the account set up for donations; the correct information is located below. Arrangements have been made to bring Robert back to the United States and plans are in the works in regard to services, we should know a definite date early next week, if not sooner. Friends and family of Bob are all welcome to attend the services, we will have TWO (2) services; the initial services are planned to take place in Portland, Oregon, some time within the next couple of weeks. Exact date and location will be announced soon. For those who cannot make it to Portland, there are plans for services to take place after Portland, in New Mexico, just outside of Albuquerque in Edgewood.
As with the passing of a loved one, an account has been set up to assist the family with the financial responsibilities of laying Bob to rest. If you would like to help, please send donations to:
In the benefit of Robert Robideau

US Bank 153662026936
*You can send it to any US Bank in the United States, via mail or transfer, or walk-in.
I truly apologize for any confusion, and of course your positive thoughts, prayers and assistance are greatly appreciated during this time.
On behalf of The Robideau Family, Thank you!
Respectfully,
Starr Robideau

Celebration of Robideau's life, Albuquerque area
Hello,

Please help us celebrate the life of a great Warrior.

We will be needing any information of any chapter of Aim, LPSG's, or individuals interested in attending. If possible please pass this on.

We will be having an honoring ceremony, a celebration of the life of Robert Robideau, co-defendant of Leonard Peltier, and an honoring feast in the Albuquerque area approximately the second week of March. Exact dates to follow soon.

There will be host homes, tenting places, and food for anyone that comes.Thank you for any and all assistance

nantinkirose@hotmail.com

Nantinki Rose and Badger, Bob's brother

Listen to Bob's last interview, Red Town Radio, hosted by Brenda Golden:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/RedTownRadio

Photo: Bob with Tomas and Yukio on the Longest Walk 2 northern route, in southern Colorado, March 2008. Photo Morning Star Gali.

UN testimony: Canada discriminates against Aboriginal rights

UN CERD Submission Canada Racial Discriminates Against Aboriginal Proprietary Rights

Indigenous Network on Economies and Trade (INET)
http://www.wman-info.org/thenetwork/profiles/inet/

(Geneva, Switzerland, February 19, 2009) Bertha Williams and Arthur Manuel were given opportunity to address the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, (CERD) Working Group on Early Warning and Urgent Action, on a written submission they made to CERD. Bertha Williams is from the Tsawwassen Peoples and resident of the Tsawwassen Indian Reserve near Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Arthur Manuel is Secwepemc and spokesperson for the Indigenous Network on Economies and Trade (INET). Mr. Manuel is from the Neskonlith Indian Reserve in south central British Columbia near Kamloops, Canada.

Mr. Arthur Manuel stated "the document submitted to the UN CERD points out that Canada racially discriminates against Indigenous Peoples proprietary rights, by systemically not recognizing judicially recognized and constitutionally protected Aboriginal Title. This is causing irreparable damage and harm to Indigenous Peoples." He said "this is very contradictory to the way Canada should be behaving since Canada sits on the United Nations Human Rights Council. Canada should lead the way in terms of recognizing Indigenous proprietary rights since they are essential to our human rights. But Canada voted twice against the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Canada is living in the dark ages when it comes to our human rights as Indigenous Peoples."

Bertha Williams told the UN CERD Working Group that she felt that her Aboriginal Title will be extinguished and she stated "This is my birthright handed to me by my parents and grandparents and ancestors. This is a legacy that I want to pass to my children and grandchildren. But, it will be severed come April 3, 2009 when the Tsawwassen Agreement comes into force."

Bertha Williams asked the UN CERD to "scrutinize – investigate the treaty vote process" and "delay the effective date – April 3, 2009".

Arthur Manuel provided the Working Group with a power point giving a brief background of how the Canadian government has been forcing all groups of Indigenous Peoples negotiating with the government to borrow money and comply with the federal and provincial policy to extinguish their Aboriginal Title under the Nisga'a modified rights model.

Arthur Manuel raised the Sun Peaks' expansion and the Xaxli'p and Lheidli T'enneh negative experience with the British Columbia Treaty Process.

Mr. Manuel raised Sun Peaks' expansion - business as usual - without any negotiations or consultation and accommodation. Mr. Manuel said "our land is being sold right from under our feet". Mr. Manuel asked "Sun Peaks expansion must stop until the Aboriginal Title is settled".

Mr. Manuel also pointed out how the federal and provincial government uses the poverty of Indigenous Peoples to loan money to Indigenous Peoples under the British Columbia Treaty Negotiation Loan Fund. In Mr. Manuel's power point presentation pointed out that the federal and provincial governments have given Indigenous Peoples $345.6 million dollars in treaty negotiation loans since 1993.

Mr. Manuel specifically raised the Xaxlip Peoples bad experience with these loans. Specifically pointing out that the Department of Indian Affairs wants "either our land or our money". In this particular situation the Department of Indian Affairs said that it is at their discretion to triple the "working capital ratio" unless the loan is paid off. The Department of Indian Affairs is asking that the $2.1 million dollar loan to Xaxli'p be paid over 5 year period at 4.2% which would result in $23 thousand dollars monthly payments.

The BC Treaty Loans are responsibility of all Band Members and are supposed to be taken off the top of any cash settlement funds after a Final Agreement is reached. Bertha Williams said in Tsawwassen Final Agreement, the loans were approximately $5 million dollars and the cash settlement is approximately $15 million dollars, which means their cash settlement would be only $10 million dollars.

Mr. Manuel also raised the issue of the Lheidli T'enneh who voted against their Final Agreement and how the Department of Indian Affairs used the working capital ratio and loan payments to threaten the Lheidli T'enneh elected Chief and Council to stay in the BC Treaty Process despite the fact the Lheidli T'enneh voted against the Final Agreement. The purpose of staying in the BC Treaty Process was to organize a revote on the Final Agreement.

Mr. Manuel asked the UN CERD Working Group to support the position that these loans not be repayable and that the whole treaty loan negotiation program be examined.

Mr. Patrick Thornberry, Chairman of the UN CERD Working Group on Early Warning and Urgent Action thanked Bertha Williams and Arthur Manuel for their oral and written submissions and advised them that a decision will follow after further investigation and that meetings will happen next week on this matter.

The attached "Executive Summary" and the "Request for Urgent Action under Early Warning Procedure to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination of the United Nations, by Bertha Williams of the Tsawwassen Peoples; Dexter Quaw, Hereditary Chief of the Lheidli T'enneh Peoples; Chief Darrell Bob, Xaxli'p Indian Band; and Skwelkwek'welt Protection Center, In Relation to Canada, February 9, 2009, Prepared with the Assistance of the Indigenous Network on Economies and Trade", more fully develop the racially discriminatory practices of Canada in regard to Aboriginal Title.
Contact:
Arthur MANUEL amanuel@telus.net or +41 022 734 74 64
Bertha WILLIAMS bertha856@hotmail.com or +41 022 733 08 74
_________________________________________________________
Arthur Manuel
amanuel@telus.net

Indigenous Peoples Global Summit on Climate Change

The Inuit Circumpolar Council is hosting April 20-24, 2009 in Anchorage, Alaska a Global Summit on Climate Change that will bring together indigenous delegates and observers.The purpose of the summit is to enable Indigenous peoples from all regions of the globe to exchange their knowledge and experience in adapting to the impacts of climate change, and to develop key messages and recommendations to be articulated to the world at the Conference of Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009. Info: http://www.indigenoussummit.com/servlet/content/home.html

Earthcycles, north to Alaska

Earthcycles producer Govinda Dalton, and cohost Brenda Norrell of Censored News, hope to travel to Alaska to broadcast the climate summit. We hope to take two Native youth interns to train in radio broadcasting, audio production and online news coverage. If you are able to help as a financial sponsor, please contact brendanorrell@gmail.com

Listen to the five-month live broadcast of the Longest Walk at: http://www.earthcycles.net/

Photo Earthycles radio bus at US Capitol at end of Longest Walk/Brenda Norrell