Monday 26 March 2012

Special Rapporteur at Sinte Gleska University; Leonard Peltier Awareness Event


There are some important and headline worthy events coming up in the next several weeks. Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Reservation will be hosting James Anaya, the Special Rapporteur for Indigenous Rights on May 1-2. According to information at lastrealindians.com, the visit will be a consultation on a variety of issues, including
“1) Treaties, land and resource rights
2) Cultural Rights, language and protection of Sacred Sites
3) Self-determination and self-government
4) Food Sovereignty and environmental protection
5) Education and health; social and economic rights
6) Indian Child Welfare and removal of Indian Children from communities and families.”

Another scheduled event is highlighted at NativeNewsNetwork. This is the 13th Annual Leonard Peltier Awareness Event, which is scheduled for June 28 on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Who is Leonard Peltier? Amnesty International lists him as a political prisoner. The detail of the events of his case can be found at the Amnesty link. Robert Redford narrated a documentary on Leonard Peltier, “Incident at Oglala”. A book, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, gives the history of the relationships of the Oglala peoples and the US government, and provides an indepth analysis of the case that was brought against Leonard Peltier. Robbie Robertson, indigenous musician who once played in The Band, made a song that includes the voice of Leonard Peltier--describing his situation-- called “Sacrifice.”

These are both important events and more information as well as the outcome from these will be covered in future posts on this blog.

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