BELCOURT, ND – NDN Collective hosted a celebratory event and community meal at the Sky Dancer Event Center in Belcourt, ND last week to honor Leonard Peltier’s return to his homeland after 49 years of unjust imprisonment, the collective charged.
President Biden granted Peltier executive clemency on Biden’s last day in the White House, commuting the rest of his sentence.
Peltier is a Native American activist and member of the American Indian Movement (AIM) who was convicted of murdering two Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents in a June 26, 1975, shooting on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, which he denies, supporters report.
The Guardian wrote human rights watchdogs, such as Amnesty International, and political figures including Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, and the 14th Dalai Lama, campaigned for clemency for Peltier. Even the top prosecutor in his trial urged clemency.
NDN Collective and its partners said they built on 50 years of advocacy and played a key role in securing Peltier’s release with the organization and local leaders guiding the process of bringing Peltier back to the Turtle Mountain community, reports NDN Collective, offering Peltier a chance to reconnect with his community and readjust to life with his people.
Nick Tilsen, NDN Collective Founder and CEO, said, “We promised to free Leonard Peltier and bring him home – and we have now fulfilled that promise. We celebrated Leonard’s return in a meaningful way, honored his legacy by feeding the community, expressed gratitude to those who fought for him, and remembered those who fought for his freedom and are no longer with us.”
Janene Yazzie, NDN Collective Director of Policy & Advocacy, noted, “We understand that many people across Turtle Island and around the world would have loved to join in celebrating our elder’s homecoming.
“A great deal of love and care went into ensuring that Leonard’s welcome was carried out in a respectful manner, honoring the efforts and prayers of everyone who dreamed of this day, while surrounding Leonard with the love and gratitude he deserves as he begins his journey toward peace and healing.”
