SWAN Village-to-Village Messaging System: Re: To Tribal Leaders of Alaskan

Re: To Tribal Leaders of Alaskan

Posted by Margaret on 2/18/2009, 2:34 pm, in reply to "To Tribal Leaders of Alaskan"
65.74.26.130

BY FAX 907-264-6602.
Hugh Fleischer, Vice President
Alaskans Against the Death Penalty
c/o Sue Johnson, AADP Coordinator.

RE: Alaska Natives Oppose an Alaska Death Penalty
We oppose passing any laws providing for the implementation of a death penalty applicable in Alaska.
We are concerned that the death penalty will be disproportionately used against indigenous people and ethnic minorities, as it was during Territorial days.
Alaska Natives are already vastly over represented in the Alaska correctional system. Despite this, there are virtually no studies recognizing the historic and ongoing discriminatory structure of the justice system in Alaska.
We believe the death penalty will be a cumulative factor in discriminatory state action against the indigenous people of Alaska.
Dated this _______ day of ________________ 2009.
____________________________
Executive Director
Sent by fax 907-264-6602. To Alaskans Against the Death Penalty

NATIVE VILLAGE OF ________________________________

RESOLUTION # ____ - ________
OPPOSING AN ALASKA DEATH PENALTY
WHEREAS, the Council is the governing body of the Native Village which is the modern day successor to the historical sovereign tribe for the region; and
WHEREAS, the death penalty has been shown to be disproportionately imposed on minorities. According to the Federal Death Penalty Resource Counsel Project, between 1988 and June 28, 2006, 73% federal government death penalty prosecutions were against minority population, and
WHEREAS, the death penalty was used exclusively against Alaska Natives and ethnic minorities between 1903 and 1957 in Territorial Alaska, although most murders were committed by white men, and
WHEREAS there has been little research into criminal justice issues impacting rural off-reservation Indigenous peoples as described in Archambeault, William G., “Government Reductionism and Academic Bias in Criminal Justice Research on American Indian Crime and Justice Issues" Indigenous Policy, Journal of the Indigenous Policy Network, Vol. XVIV, No.2 Summer, 2008; and
WHEREAS, Alaska Natives already suffer prosecution and incarceration rates far beyond their representation in the population, and
WHEREAS, Alaska Natives are entitled to protections of International law pertaining to discriminatory state actions against indigenous peoples.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we oppose laws subjecting indigenous Alaskans to the death penalty.
Done this ____ day of ______________________ 2009, by a majority of a quorum of the Council.

Signed: _______________________ President Attest: _________________________ Secretary

Copy faxed to Alaskans Against the Death Penalty at 907-264-6602