Pelican Bay Prisoners End Strike
California Prison Focus reported this evening (July 21, 2011) that CDCR claims that the hunger strike in Pelican Bay has ended are true. They report they stopped “in exchange for a major policy review of SHU housing conditions, gang validation process, and debriefing process.” While our experience of reviews within the department are universally that nothing happens, the leaders of the strike have nonetheless achieved a great victory in uniting prisoners across California and beyond for the just demands of the oppressed. This is a struggle to learn from and build on.
Presumably prisoners at other prisons (such as Chino, Calipatria,
Corcoran,
Tehachapi, Folsom, Vally State Prison for Women, San
Quentin) are still on food strike unaware of the agreement.