2004-07-19. "Written Statement to the 22nd Session of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, July 19

Written Statement to the 22nd Session of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, July 19 – 23, 2004

Item 1 b General Debate

Dear Mr. Martinez,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

being one of the European Contacts for the John Graham Defense Committee, Canada, and having attended the UN WGIP in Geneva for many years, I would like to draw your attention to a case which – sadly enough – has the capacity to become equal to the case of Mr. Leonard Peltier which is well known to you.

It is the case of Mr. John GRAHAM.

Mr. John Graham, a Canadian citizen, First Nations member, is being accused by the US authorities of having had part in the murder of Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash more than 20 years ago.
Mr. Graham is currently awaiting an extradition hearing in Canada, scheduled to start Dec 6, 2004, and is under house arrest in Canada.

Mr. Graham upholds he has no part whatsoever in the killing alleged to him.

In the light of the doubtful circumstances that finally lead to the extradition of Mr. Peltier to the US authorities more than 20 years ago, and his incarceration for more than 20 years in the US,
and in the light of the fact that – again – US authorities are presenting questionable evidence to promote the extradition of a First Nations individual from Canada to the US,
and in the light of the fact that Mr. Graham's case is closely related to the case of Mr Leonard Peltier and to the time known as “the reign of terror” on Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota, US,

the John Graham Defense Committee is seriously concerned about Mr. John Graham and his security.

Human Rights organisations, First Nations Chiefs, trade unions and other groups have expressed their concern about Mr. John Graham's case taking into account the past and Mr. Leonard Peltier's case.

We would therefore like to bring the attached documents* to your attention which explain the case in detail.

Due to constraints in time and finances, at this point in time we are not able to hand in more detailed information and documents to the UN WGIP secretariat.
However, more information can be made available from the

John Graham Defense Committee
15 Firth Road
WHITEHORSE
Yukon Y1A 4R5
CANADA
Phone 001 – 867 – 456 - 4340
e-mail: info@grahamdefense.org
website: www.grahamdefense.org

We thank you for your time, attention and consideration,

Gunter Wippel

European Contact for the
John Graham Defense Committee

and

HUMAN RIGHTS 3000 / MENSCHENRECHTE 3000
Freiburg, Germany
P.O. Box 5102
79018 Freiburg, Germany
e-mail: MeRechte3000@aol.com

* The attached documents referred to are pages reprinted from www.grahamdefense.org.