KLAMATH TRIBAL HORSE TREK TO OREGON STATE CAPITOL

KLAMATH TRIBAL HORSE TREK TO OREGON STATE CAPITOL

 Voiceless tribal members to send message by horseback

By Willa Powless

Censored News

CHILOQUIN, Oregon -- Horseback riders have saddled up and began a 250 mile trek to the Oregon State Capitol. The ride is organized by the group “Honor the Treaty of 1864”. Riders began their horse trek Thursday morning at Pine Ridge road in Chiloquin, Oregon. They expect to arrive at the state capitol on Wednesday and will be holding a rally to begin about 5pm.

The rally at the state capitol will be touching on various issues including tribal water rights, the Klamath Basin Water Agreements, Senate Bill 133, and the LNG Pipeline. 

The group ride stands for the right for the voice of the Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin people to be heard. While tribal politicians often publicize their agenda it is rare that the tribal people have an opportunity to have their voice heard. Tribal member Garin Riddle stated that “The ride shows the lengths we are willing to endure to exercise our right to be fully heard and understood. We the people are against fracking pipelines, we are against Senate Bill 133, and we are against any negotiations relinquishing our treaty rights. “

Quinten Bettles the ride organizer said “The riders are carrying with them an Oregon State flag that was obtained by Priscilla Bettles from former Oregon Governor Tom Mcall and given to Marine Cecil J. Bettles when he shipped out to Vietnam. As Cecil was leaving Vietnam he met Marine Ray Fryberg who just arrived in Vietnam. Ray Fryberg brought this flag home and gave the state flag to Marine Quinten J. Bettles whom passed the flag once again. This flag was passed to a 7th Generation Marine named Cecil K. Bettles whom carried the colors throughout his tour in Fallujah, Iraq in 2004. Marine Cecil K. Bettles brought the flag home once again and this is the flag that is being carried to the State Capitol. This Oregon State flag was carried with honor at peril of life and limb by United States Marines who are also Tribal people. Riders plan to present the flag to Governor Kate Brown and ask her ‘Will you Honor the treaty of 1864’?”

Supporters are welcome to join in Salem or along the route. To offer support or join the rally please contact Eric Cooper or Quinten Bettles

More information at facebook.com/treatyof1864

Media Contact:

Willa Powless

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Photos courtesy of the Bettles Family

40th Anniversary Oglala Commemoration June 25 -- 27, 2015

40th Anniversary Oglala Firefight, we will host several events, 
JUNE 25: 4:30, meeting, Bro Rene Hall
JUNE 26: "LEONARD PELTIER DAY"
9 am, Run For Freedom (meet White Clay), 
NOON, Prayer Circle and Walk For Justice, Littles Cemetery,
2pm, Jumping Bull Land, Speakers and give away,
4pm, DINNER, Bro Renee Hall, 
7 pm WAKANYEJA WACIPI, Oglala Pow Wow grounds, Special Honoring for Bruce Ellison and Edgar Bear Runner 
JUNE 27, WAKANYEJA WACIPI, Oglala Pow Wow grounds, 1pm & 7pm Grand Entry, 
EVERYONE WELCOME!!!!

EVENTS HOSTED BY: AIM grassroots, LPDOC Grassroots, Last Real Indians

40th Anniversary of the Incident at Oglala

40th Anniversary of the Incident at Oglala

22 June 2015

Contact: Peter Clark, International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, PO Box 24, Hillsboro, OR USA contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info

Forty years ago, on June 26, 1975, two agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—Jack Coler and Ron Williams—entered private property on the Pine Ridge Indian reservation, South Dakota.  They drove unmarked vehicles, wore plain clothes, and neglected to identify themselves as law enforcement officers. They allegedly sought to arrest a young Indian man for the theft of a pair of cowboy boots.

Members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) were camping on the property (having been invited there to protect elders from the extreme violence on the reservation at that time).

For unknown reasons, a shoot-out began. A family with small children was trapped in the cross fire. Throughout the ranch, people screamed that they were under attack and many of the men present hurried to return fire. When the skirmish ended, the two FBI agents were dead. A young Native American man, Joe Stuntz, also lay dead, shot through the head by a sniper bullet. 

Activist Leonard Peltier was wrongfully convicted in 1977 in connection with the shooting deaths of the FBI's agents. Imprisoned for nearly 40 years—currently at the federal prison in Coleman, Florida—Peltier has been designated a political prisoner by Amnesty International. Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, 55 Members of Congress and others—including a judge who sat as a member of the court in two of Peltier’s appeals—have all called for his immediate release. Widely recognized for his humanitarian works and a six-time Nobel Prize nominee, Peltier also is an accomplished author and painter.

For two years prior to the shootout, reservation residents were victims of beatings, drive-by shootings, and stabbings carried out by local vigilantes who collaborated with the FBI.  The AIM activists were forced into a defensive posture to protect not only their lives, but the lives of others—elders, women, and children.  Indeed, Mr. Peltier’s co-defendants were acquitted on grounds of self-defense.  Had he been tried with his co-defendants, Peltier also would have been acquitted.

The evidence shows the U.S. government's intent to achieve Mr. Peltier's conviction by any means—including falsifying extradition documents and intentionally committing fraud on a Canadian court, as well as coercing witnesses, intentionally using false testimonies, and suppressing evidence of Mr. Peltier's innocence during his trial.  By the government's own admission, the critical part of the prosecution’s case against Mr. Peltier was the ballistics testimony which, years after his conviction, was discovered to be false.  Although the courts have acknowledged evidence of government misconduct, Peltier has been denied a new trial.*

The Peltier case has been examined by renowned author Peter Matthiessen ("In the Spirit of Crazy Horse") and by a documentary film produced and narrated by Robert Redford ("Incident at Oglala").  The absence of fairness in every stage of Peltier's case troubles many people around the world and compels foreign governments and international human rights organizations to question Peltier’s continuing imprisonment. 

The power to commute Peltier's two life sentences now rests with President Barack Obama.

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*US Versus Leonard Peltier: Evidence of a Wrongful Conviction.  From the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at http://goo.gl/ZbP45h

International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
PO Box 24, Hillsboro, OR 97123

(505) 217-3612
www.whoisleonardpeltier.info

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HAWAII Mauna Kea Warriors Resisting Renewed Construction Threat to Sacred Mountain

Aloha Aina Warriors of Kailua-Kona

RESPONSE TO THE TMT PROJECTS PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING INTENT TO CONTINUE CONSTRUCTION AND DESECRATION THIS WEDNESDAY JUNE 24, 2015

Media Contacts:
Kamahana Kealoha
s​acredmaunakea@gmail.com 

Aloha mai kākou,
Sacred Mauna Kea Hui would like to respond to the T​MT’s press release sent to local news media earlier tonight, June 20th 2015:
"SMKH reaffirms strongly, proudly and with all aloha our commitment to reinforce the blockade and continue to pursue legal routes while being forced to protect the Mauna with our bodies.
SMKH strongly feels that many laws have been circumvented that make UH, DLNR, the State of Hawaii and the TMT project disparagingly liable for breach of law and legal processes and with the Supreme Court case confirmed that it would be illegal, immoral and unethical for the TMT project and its supports to disallow the full and entire process of law to run its course regardless of the Governor's relinquishing of responsibility in giving the ok for the TMT project to move forward.
We implore the Governor, UH, DLNR, the State of Hawaii and the TMT project to rescind its intention to continue desecration and violation of the mandate to steward the endangered species environment that is our Mountain's summit and reaffirm that all these entities are subject to all responsibility for the well­being of the Mauna and protectors being forced by the Governor, UH, DLNR, the State of Hawaii and the TMT project to put body, freedom and life in jeopardy in order to facilitate the just process of law that is still in motion and should be respected.
SMKH reaffirms its commitment to continue to call on its world wide and local support for all protection efforts of the Mauna including continuing to put our bodies between the desecration of construction and our sacred Mauna and endangered species environment so poorly managed and neglected in regards to legal mandates set in place currently

meant to protect the conservation district and cultural resources that are the Piko, or sacred summit of our First born elder Mauna Kea."
Kamahana Kealoha Head Facilitator Sacred Mauna Kea Hui
We continue to agree with the Governor’s criticism on the mismanagement of Mauna Kea. Sacred Mauna Kea Hui’s opinion, however, on the TMT project remains in regards to the TMT project’s intent to continue regardless of the fact that there is a pending Supreme Court case confirmation to review this matter.
From G​overnor David Ige’s press conference:​

• ●  The importance of respecting our host culture and the special places of Hawai‘i.
• ●  The critical role that science and technology play in the economic and educational life of our community. Our young people need to reach for the stars, literally and figuratively.
• ●  Respect for the laws and the process of seeking and receiving approvals to do work in Hawai‘i.
• ●  The need in all of our work as government, and as people, to take the time to listen, and to learn, from each other and especially from those who feel they have not been heard.
• ●  To act always with aloha.
  For further information:
  E­mail: s​acredmaunakea@gmail.comFacebook: S​acred Mauna Kea Hui ­ Fanpage​w​ww.facebook.com/sacredmaunakea Twitter: @sacredmaunakea
  Visit our knowledge­well at​sacredmaunakea.com​to learn more.
  Sacred Mauna Kea Hui has been collecting news statements and stories of interest to counter the pro­TMT media bias. We welcome submissions by other writers, as long as these are in line with our belief of protecting Sacred Mauna Kea against the desecration of the TMT and other corporate ventures.
  Visit our fundraising website at g​ofundme.com/SacredMaunaKea​to donate.
  The Sacred Mauna Kea fund guarantees transparency and a willingness to provide donors with a list of expenditures upon request. We also facilitate other hui with our donations that cover travel expenses and encampment logistics for the protectors of Mauna Kea. Food, gas, outer­island air travel, carport tents, electric generators and other camp equipment have been funded by the donations to Sacred Mauna Kea.
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Sacred Mauna Kea Public Relations
89-564 Mokiawe Street
Waianae Hawaii 96792
(808) 853-8062 (Mobile)
www.facebook.com/sacredmaunakeaTwitter: @sacredmaunakea
www.sacredmaunakea.com