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The letter below was sent to KOLA by a group of American
Indian inmates at Monroe,  Washington State Reformatory.
We have been in contact with these people for several
years, and they have often complained about the violation
of their religious rights, or about daily harassment by
guards. Several incidents have been documented.

These men have asked us for support. Letters of concern
can be written to:
        Washington State Reformatory
        att. of the Warden
        P.O. Box 777
        Monroe, washington 98272-0777

We have clipped the names of the inmates for their
protection. They risk to be put in solitary confinement
(read "the hole")...

Thank you for your support.
Elsie
 

>"February, 2000
>
>To Whom It May Concern:
>
>This letter is being written in an urgent time of need concerning the Native
>American population in the Washington State Reformatory. A case of racial
>profiling and direct targeting of us, our ways, and our sacred belongings. We
>urge you to take a thorough look at the drastic events that have recently
>taken place:
>
>December 5, 1999   C.U.S. Luzzi and Councelor J. Evans order guards to shake
>down the Native American cells and take eagle feathers, sacred pipe, medicine
>bags, and disrupt medicines. One man whose eagle feathers were confiscated
>had his tribe call here. The next day he was scheduled for transfer by C.U.S.
>Luzzi, Councelor J. Evans, and Sgt. Proctor. Later in the month we were all
>threatened by Associate Superintendant P. Leeburg. He told us that if we
>didn't like their rules, we would all be transferred.
>
>January 1, 2000   The sweat lodge is searched, ransacked by c/o Johnson.
>Medicines are strewn about and eagle feathers are missing.
>
>January 7, 2000   M.S.C. Groundskeeper Turner meets us at the sweat lodge so
>he can search for "extra" wood. He delivers wood weekly for sweats and says
>the last times he needed no authority and searched for extra wood. Nine eagle
>feathers are missing from his searches. We filed grievances on all these
>occurances.
>
>January 21, 2000   A knife is found at the bottom of the wood that Mr. Turner
>just brought in. We immediately report it.
>
>January 30, 2000   The drum keeper's cell is ordered searched by Sgt.
>Proctor. The drum is drug across the floor, dropped, and medicines are thrown
>about.
>
>February 3, 2000   Sgt. Proctor obtains memo from Capt. Evans to give up our
>sacred pow-wow drum, the drum used at drum groups, pow-wows, and sweat lodge,
>and to take it to the chapel.
>
>February 7, 2000   Newly appointed Native American/D.O.C. Chaplain James
>Wilbur tells us we will keep our drum at the chapel from now on. We as Native
>Americans have lost a lot over the years, and there is no reason to change
>anything. He sides with the D.O.C. on the confiscation of feathers and the
>pipe from the Native Americans here as well.
>
>February 8, 2000   D.O.C. Chaplain James Wilbur tells us that his elders told
>him what to do about our drum. When we asked him who his elders were, he
>informed us that they were all dead.
>
>***1996***
>All Native Americans are prohibited from doing beadwork, drawing, or any
>other form of traditional belief in their cells. This policy is still in
>effect despite it being authorized in every other prison in Washington State
>and every other surrounding state.
>
>There is no reason for this persecution, prejudice, targeting, and racial
>profiling. We are asking for a full investigation from you, and hopefully
>some remedy to the atrocities being committed here. We live in constant fear
>of retrobution for trying to protect and preserve out ways.
>
>A new Superintendant L. Rider stands behind being tough on human rights,
>coming from a place that allowed no religious expression. Mr. Abels continues
>to deny Native American art expression in the cells. C.U.S. Luzzi, Councelor
>J. Evans, and Sgt. Proctor have stopped at no bounderies to harass all of us
>and continue to do so in a deep rooted problem of corruption, misconduct, and
>vindictive behavior.
>
>Due to the threat of serious threat, we refrain from giving our names. They
>know they have violated the laws in which they were sworn to protect. We are
>asking for your help.
>
>The Native Americans at the
>Washington State Reformatory
>Monroe, Washington"
>
 

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