MIM(Prisons) is a cell of revolutionaries serving the oppressed masses inside U.$. prisons, guided by the communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.
Under Lock & Key is a news service written by and for prisoners with a focus on what is going on behind bars throughout the United States. Under Lock & Key is available to U.S. prisoners for free through MIM(Prisons)'s Free Political Literature to Prisoners Program, by writing:
MIM(Prisons) PO Box 40799 San Francisco, CA 94140.
La gente de Savar se junto alrededor de una fábrica derrumbada para
unirse con esfuerzos de rescate y encontrar a seres queridos. Los
acontecimientos recientes alrededor de los bombardeos en Boston han
confundido a internacionalistas. La semana pasada lamentamos las tres
muertes innecesarias y las más de 200 personas heridas que ocurrieron en
Boston el 15 de abril del 2013. Hoy lamentamos las más de 250 muertes
innecesarias (y aumentando) y más de 800 otras personas que siguen
otrapadas en los escombros en Bangladesh [actualización 10 de Mayo 2013:
el numero de muertos ha pasado los 1000]. Aún estamos confundidos,
aunque no sorprendidos, por las expresiones de tristeza tan
desproporcionadas entre estadounidenses sobre estos dos casos. Los dos
fueron consecuencias innecesarias del imperialismo. Hoy informes
reportan que uno de los bombarderos en Boston dijo que fue motivado por
las invasiones y ocupaciones de Iraq y Afghanistan por los Estados
Unidos - ambas son ocupaciones imperialistas por los recursos del Tercer
Mundo. Las muertes en Bangladesh ocurrieron después que un fabricante de
prendas, quien produce artículos para el mercado estadounidense amenazo
a sus empleadas con inanición para obligarlos a que trabajen en un
edificio inseguro, el cual termino derrumbandose mientras ellos estaban
adentro.
Gente muere todos los días en bombardeos en lugares como Iraq y
Afghanistan donde han tenido bastante participación militar
estadounidense y aún no vemos estadounidenses respondiendo como lo han
hecho durante esta última semana. Esas personas a quienes se les
llenaron los ojos de lágrimas sobre las muertes en Boston mientras
apenas registraron las muertes en Bangladesh como un punto abajo de la
pantalla de sus televisiones son emblemáticas del problema del
chauvinismo nacional que existe en los estados Unidos. En lugar de este
punto de vista nosotros promovemos la responsabilidad colectiva. La
sociedad humana es un producto de actos humanos que nosotros como una
especie colectiva determinamos. Para nosotros que vivimos en el país más
poderoso del mundo, nuestra responsabilidad es tanto así más grande.
El lector estadounidense podría preguntar ¿debemos ceder a las demandas
de cualquiera que deje una bomba casera entre una multitud? Claro que
no. Lo que nosotros estamos diciendo es que si los estadounidenses le
pusieran la misma atención a las muertes causadas por su propia nación
como a las muertes infligidas a su nación entonces éstas últimas serían
menos frecuentes. Pero claro, éstas últimas son leves en comparación a
los anteriores porque los estadounidenses matan mucha más gente de otras
naciones que viceversa. Asumiendo la responsabilidad por ésta verdad y
actuando para cambiarla es lo más práctico que uno puede hacer para
prevenir todas las muertes innecesarias. La mayor parte de la
“respuesta” a los bombardeos en Boston han sido impresiones artificiales
de los políticos y subjetivismo emocional - todo teatro y nada de
sustancia. Para la gente del mundo que sólo soluciones verdaderas ganan
respeto no palabras vacías.
Un mundo pacífico sí es posible. Pero un mundo pacífico es prevenido por
uno con explotación. No se puede mantener desigualdad de riquezas y
motivos de ganancias sin usar la fuerza. MIM(Prisiones) está por un fin
a ese uso de fuerza, por un fin a toda opresión y explotación, y por un
fin a las muertes innecesarias que son el resultado del sistema
imperialista en varias formas. Hacemos un llamado a ciudadanos
estadounidenses a que se unan con nosotros para asumir la
responsabilidad colectiva por los actos de nuestro gobierno y las
muertes y destrucción que resultan de ellos. Asumir responsabilidad
significa tomar acción para cambiar esas cosas y luchar contra el
chauvinismo cultural que domina nuestra sociedad.
Greetings to all revolutionary comrades who are captives in the gulags
of these United $nakes of Amurderer. In light of the many struggles that
have come to the forefront in these past few years I was dismayed at the
lack of attention May Day received this year.
Inside the gulag called Ohio State Penitentiary, 30 days prior to May
Day 2012 [this was originally published as 2013 - editor] several
captives began planning what was hoped to become a massive hunger
strike. This was to take place in C-Block where captives considered to
be the most violent in the state are held.
The plan was to begin the strike on May 1 to coincide with the general
May Day strikes taking place all over the world.
There were about 30 who had decided to go for the long run, but because
some paperwork detailing some of our demands and our prospected start
date was confiscated haphazardly by an escort pig, we decided on a whim
to start a day early. This took the pig-overseers by surprise as some
had taken that Monday off work anticipating confronting us at the onset
of our demonstration.
So our core began a day early and we were joined by the rest on May Day,
giving us a total of about 60 out of 140. By day 6 we were beginning to
lose numbers but our point had been made: solidarity and organization
can happen inside 23-hour lockdown, even on short notice.
Several pieces were run in the local newspapers. We had the attention of
the bourgeoisie who responded negatively to a captive’s article on how
austerity has caused smaller food portions.
Our main demand was for the ending of the hopelessness of an indefinite
classification to level 5-A & 5-B, better known as supermax, of “3
years or more.” For so-called lesser offenses, one can receive this same
classification for a period of “less than 3 years.”
As we began to lose participants Warden D. Bobby decided to address the
demands by adding good behavior incentives: extra phone calls, photos
every three months, extra visit per month, etc. Basically they were
saying that it is our negative behavior that keeps us here. They also
began showing 3 new-release movies per week as well as offering lots
more mental health and drug abuse programs.
As
California
has learned, not much changes without massive efforts and
solidarity. This attests to our need for further acts of solidarity and
organization for struggle, and the development of leadership backed by
science to bring about a movement for change.
Thursday, May 23 at 11pm, 20 or so captives began flooding the ranges as
backlash to the enforcement of an old rule stating “no loan, borrow, or
trading” amongst captives. We remain on lockdown 23/7 while there is one
person allowed out of our cell at a time for recreation. In an attempt
to stop the passing and sharing of coffee, literature and photos, this
captive’s rec is terminated if caught passing. Because rec is a
so-called guarantee, and it’s our only out-of-cell time besides a
shower, many rallied to address this. Some even swore to battle the
captors if need be to prove their unwillingness to stop passing or give
up rec.
A meeting with D. Bobby led to a promise to back off the rule and also
give a few more behavioral incentives, and add a few more TV stations;
pacification, no real change, and proof for the need of protests on May
Day and beyond.
MIM(Prisons) responds: The persecution of prisoners who share
literature and coffee is akin to the recent
persecution
of prisoners for participating in group exercise in California.
These
policies
oppose peace and unity among the prison population. The
criminalizing of the passing of literature also helps keep prisoners
ignorant and supresses their ability to gain outside support. So we
stand in solidarity with these comrades’ struggle to oppose such
repression. For our take on May Day in North America see our article
“Big
Fat Elephant in the May Day Dialogue,” where we expose the double
standard applied by those in the left-wing of white nationalism to
workers in the First World compared to those in the Third World.
I want to comment on your article
“Soulja
Boy Dissed by Amerikan Rappers,” featured in ULK22. Personally it is
a grave disappointment to witness what hip hop has morphed into. We went
from “Fuck da Police” and “Don’t Believe da Hype” to “A Milli” and “Arab
Money.” Ironically the vast majority of the people that these modern day
braggarts grew up around don’t even have U.S. middle-class money, let
alone “Arab Money.”
Modern day hip hop artists seem unable and/or unwilling to move beyond
this brag-about-my-wealth style of rap. Of course there’s exceptions to
this but in general there’s no longer any social consciousness or depth
to the lyrics of these mainstream hip hop artists. I’m no hater and I
love to see people prosper and enjoy life but an album has to go beyond
an artist detailing his or her good fortunes, to really have merit.
But pertaining specifically to the article, is it any real surprise that
these artists ostracize an associate for something as simple as speaking
his mind? The one main thing that the Black nation has been consistently
good at throughout the years is attacking one another and embracing
division, internal division.
Additionally all, or most of, the major hip hop artists are personally
benefiting from the current system and establishment so naturally they
stay in tune with it. They don’t care that the overwhelming majority of
people who look like them have been systematically discriminated against
and oppressed from the very origin of this racist and corrupt country.
The Hollywood set of the Black nation, which most of these hip hop
artists integrate to, would sell their mothers and sisters for the
crumbs their “massa” throws to them.
In part it goes all the way back to their forefather’s house, which is
Uncle Tom’s cabin. A place where anybody who opposes “massa” is the
enemy. And these descendants of Uncle Tom are the same today, they will
go the extra mile, extra 1,000 miles, to protect their imperialists
masters’ interests; chiefly because they perceive some sort of shared
interests and maybe even camaraderie.
Many people, even some in the underprivileged class, accept and embrace
the glaring inconsistencies and contradictions which permeates U.$.
society. They willfully embrace the lie that the establishment means
good for them and the rest of the world, and when they’re being pacified
with their “Arab-Money” there’s little chance they’ll think any
different.
MIM(Prisons) responds: While we share this comrade’s dismay at
the current state of politics from major hip hop artists, we don’t see
them as quite so isolated in their benefits from the current system.
While the New Afrikan nation certainly faces ongoing national oppression
within U.$. borders, they also enjoy the wealth of an imperialist
country and can see that they are better off than the majority of the
world’s people. The vast majority of U.$. citizens, regardless of
nation, are earning more than the value of their labor and are part of
the labor aristocracy. So in a way, hip hop artists who speak about
their good fortune, do represent something real to their audience, even
if their level of wealth is unattainable for most of their listeners.
And the shared interests with the imperialists are real: the wealth of
the labor aristocracy is won from the exploitation of the Third World.
Amendment I of the Bill of Rights of the United States:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
After decades of expanding the repression of the U.$. prison system, and
despite their effectiveness in misleading and breaking up unity, the
control units remain a flashpoint of struggle within U.$. borders. These
flashes do take time to develop, due to the excessive restrictions
placed on those in these units. So when they do come to light, they
emerge from much struggle and are not likely to fizzle out soon.
The struggle against control units is a struggle against torture. It is
a struggle against not just the violation of some of the most basic
rights that this country was founded on, but also basic humyn needs like
sunlight, exercise, mental stimulation and social interaction.
Orders From the Top
As U.$. president, Barack Obama once honored Rosa Parks and the movement
of civil disobedience that she symbolized. It was a movement of Black
people for basic rights under U.$. imperialism. Yet today the Obama
administration gives its explicit approval to the torture and repression
going on in a country that imprisons more of its population than any
other state in humyn history, and a higher percentage of Blacks than the
openly racist Apartheid state of South Africa.
U.$.
prisons also hold a higher percentage of their prisoners in long-term
isolation than any other state that has been documented.
The 2014 federal budget proposed by Obama includes an overall increase
in funding for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. More damning, it describes
the remodeling of the recently acquired Thomson Correctional Center in
Illinois to include an Administrative Maximum Custody (ADX) and Special
Management Unit (SMU). ADX “houses the most violent, disruptive,
dangerous and escape-prone inmates within the Federal Prison System
including those convicted of terrorist activities.” “The SMU program is
for inmates who have participated in or had a leadership role in
geographical group/gang-related activity or those who otherwise present
unique security and management concerns.” The budget proposal claims
that one in six prisoners in maximum security are “gang affiliated.” It
does not specify how many of the 2100 beds will be SMU or ADX
classified.(1) While lawsuits challenge the constitutionality of the
treatment people face in these units, and international bodies like the
United Nations condemn them as torture, the Obama regime is providing
clear leadership to the hundreds of state and local agencies involved in
the U.$. prison system on how prisoners are to be treated.
Obama’s role is even more clear in Guantanamo Bay, where prisoners are
being held as enemy combatants by the military. Prisoners there began
another hunger strike on 6 February 2013. Since then the ranks of the
strike have grown to over 130 people.(2) Many are being force-fed, and
many are skeletal in appearance now.
All this is being done as the United $tates still has the audacity to
claim it is promoting freedom around the world, with bombs. As we
highlight the connections of the struggle against control units to the
struggle against the imperialist system itself, the global importance of
this struggle becomes evident. As RAIM pointed out in their recent
statement to the international communist movement,
failures
at building socialism in the past have been connected to a temptation to
imitate Amerikan ways. One way the anti-imperialist minority in the
First World can strengthen the movements in the Third World is by making
it very clear that this is not a model to follow, and that the Amerikan
dream is built on torture, genocide, exploitation and injustice.
What to Expect
A Yemeni prisoner held in Guantanamo Bay, who has been on hunger strike
since the start had an Op-Ed published in The New York Times,
where he wrote,
“I will never forget the first time they passed the feeding tube up my
nose. I can’t describe how painful it is to be force-fed this way. As it
was thrust in, it made me feel like throwing up. I wanted to vomit, but
I couldn’t. There was agony in my chest, throat and stomach. I had never
experienced such pain before. I would not wish this cruel punishment
upon anyone.
“I am still being force-fed. Two times a day they tie me to a chair in
my cell. My arms, legs and head are strapped down. I never know when
they will come. Sometimes they come during the night, as late as 11
p.m., when I’m sleeping.
“There are so many of us on hunger strike now that there aren’t enough
qualified medical staff members to carry out the force-feedings; nothing
is happening at regular intervals. They are feeding people around the
clock just to keep up.”(3)
Another prisoner who has since been released from Guantanamo Bay after a
438-day hunger strike reported how the force feeding was brutal and they
did not clean the tubes between feeding people. The prisoners asked
military personnel why they were doing this:
“They told us, ‘We want you to break your hunger strike.’ They tell us
directly like that. They ask us to break our hunger strike. They said,
‘We’ll never deal with you as the detainees until you break your hunger
strike.’”(2)
Comrades from NCTT-Corcoran-SHU (a New Afrikan think tank) have reported
that staff at Corcoran State Prison have been announcing similar plans
to prisoners in California, indicating that they will not be providing
proper medical care and attention to strikers in their prison in the
future. These threats, which violate state policies, will also result in
undercounting strikers.(4) It is possible that information will not flow
as freely this time around, meaning outside supporters will have little
information to go on until the struggle is over. This reinforces the
need for strong unity among those inside and the ability to act
independent of outside support.
We’ve also received word of plans to move prisoners and staff around
strategically over the next couple months. In particular, Special Needs
Yard prisoners are reportedly being moved to other facilities and given
work assignments. Prison staff apparently thinks this will dilute the
spirit of prisoners. However, depending on the balance of forces, this
could go either way. We know there are strong supporters of the
prisoners’ rights movement in SNY already, and we hope these coming
months provide the conditions to further break down the divisions within
the imprisoned lumpen class. While we know that staff regularly bribe
prisoners to create disruptions among the population, the mass support
for the interests of all prisoners will make it hard for these bribed
prisoners to create disruptions openly in the coming months, hopefully
longer.
There have been positive reports of prisoners being moved to areas they
once could not go, as a result of the
agreement
to end hostilities that has been in place for over 6 months now,
which was endorsed by the largest organizations in California prisons.
In particular, positive reports have come from Pelican Bay and Corcoran,
where two of the main SHUs are located. San Quentin death row has also
reached out to share ideas to build their own prisoner rights campaign
over the coming months.
We have received some letters about ideas on tactics for advancing the
prisoner rights movement in California. We’ve printed some in
ULK and shared others with United Struggle from Within members
in California. But in most cases it is impossible for us to have a full
understanding of the balance of forces, and thus we are not in a
position to determine which tactics are best. In addition, conditions
vary so much between facilities. Clearly the comrades in Pelican Bay and
Corcoran took the lead in struggling to shut down the SHU and they will
likely continue to do so. What we can say for sure is that July 8 will
be an opportunity to have your voice amplified by acting in solidarity
with all across the state, and many in other states as well. To
determine how you can best do this, you must think through and balance
the effectiveness of your tactics with the risks involved.
Where we can provide leadership is in our ideological alignment. Some
lists of goals that are circulating include things that are not humyn
needs. These demands may be subjectively popular among the prison
masses, but will greatly damage support from the outside and
internationally by trivializing the struggle for basic rights. As we
presented in ULK 31, below are the strategic goals that, if
attained, we think would represent the establishment of basic humyn
rights for prisoners (note a small change to point 1.f.).
An end to torture of all prisoners, including an end to the use of
Security Housing Units (SHU) as long-term isolation prisons.
Basic humyn needs are centered around 1) healthy food and water, 2)
fresh air and exercise, 3) clothes and shelter from the elements and 4)
social interactions and community with other humyns. It is the SHU’s
failure to provide for these basic needs that have led people around the
world to condemn long-term isolation as torture. Therefore we demand
that the following minimum standards be met for all prisoners:
no prisoner should be held in Security Housing Units for longer than 30
days. Rehouse all prisoners currently in SHU to mainline facilities.
interaction with other prisoners every day
time spent outdoors with space and basic equipment for exercise every
day
healthy food and clean water every day
proper clothing and climate control
an end to the use of and threat of violence by staff against prisoners
who have not made any physical threat to others
access to phone calls and contact visits with family at least once a
week
timely and proper health care
ability to engage in productive activities, including correspondence
courses and hobby crafts
a meaningful way to grieve any abuses or denial of the above basic
rights
Freedom of association.
As social beings, people in prison will always develop relationships
with other prisoners. We believe positive and productive relationships
should be encouraged. Currently the CDCR makes it a crime punishable by
torture (SHU) to affiliate with certain individuals or organizations.
This is contrary to the judiciary’s interpretation of the First
Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. We demand that prisoners of the
state of California only be punished for violating the law, and that
there be:
no punishment based on what books one reads or has in their
possession
no punishment for jailhouse lawyering for oneself or for others, for
filing grievances or for any challenges to conditions of confinement
through legal means
no punishment for what outside organizations one belongs to or
corresponds with
no punishment for communicating with other prisoners if not breaking the
law
no punishment for tattoos
no punishment for what individuals of the same
race/nation/organizational affiliation do unless you as an individual
were involved in violating a rule or the law, i.e. no group
punishment
no punishment for affiliation with a gang, security threat group, or
other organization - in other words a complete end to the gang
validation system that punishes people (currently puts people in the SHU
for an indeterminate amount of time) based on their affiliation and/or
ideology without having broken any rules or laws
El inmigrante proletario ha sido componente fundamental del incremento
en el número de prisioneros en los Estados Unido$ en los últimos años.
Debido a ello están sufriendo en sus propias carnes las tácticas de
tortura que los Amerikanos utilizan contra sus propios ciudadanos. Un
informe reciente muestra que la oficina de Inmigración y Aduanas de los
EEUU tiene a más de 300 prisioneros en aislamiento en 50 de sus mayores
cárceles, lo que supone un 85% de sus detenidos. La mitad son mantenidos
en aislamiento durante 15 o más días y cerca de 35 de los 300 llegan a
permanecer en esas condiciones más de 75 días(1).
Aunque estas condenas son relativamente cortas comparadas con las que ya
se consideran habituales en los Estados Unido$, las experiencias vividas
en ellas son particularmente difíciles para el inmigrante que no habla
ingles y han sido víctima del trafico de seres humanos.
Los autores del articulo citado anteriormente relatan con tono cauteloso
que los Estados Unido$ usan el aislamiento más “que cualquier otra
nación democrática en el mundo.” Esto solo indica que es posible que
otros países utilicen el aislamiento todavía más. Una de las razones por
las que no pueden obtener estadísticas sobre las prácticas carcelarias
de algunos países es que éstos son regímenes títeres de los Estados
Unido$ que se administran de una forma intencionadamente opaca para
permitir formas extremas de opresión contra los pueblos oprimidos. No
hemos podido encontrar pruebas de una nación mitológica que torture en
confinamiento solitario a más gente que Amerika.
Los Amerikanos encarcelan a más gente que ninguna otra nación incluso
excluyendo a aquellos que mantienen en prisiones de terceros países. Con
al menos 100,000 personas en aislamiento de larga duración dentro de las
fronteras de los EEUU, parece altamente improbable que ningún país pueda
superar sus números. Podemos encontrar más pruebas si observamos el
estado de las prisiones en la mayoría de los países del tercer mundo,
las cuales son más transparentes con su información que cualquier
prisión de baja seguridad en los Estados Unido$. Las excepciones a esta
regla siempre son los países con gran actividad militar o de
inteligencia Amerikana, donde normalmente son los propios Amerikanos los
que gestionan las prisiones.(3)
El ciudadano de los EEUU Shane Bauer fue encarcelado con cargos de
espionaje por el gobierno de Irán, el cual es independiente de los
Estados Unido$. Bauer nos ofrece ejemplos de como sus condiciones en
aislamiento se distinguen en lo positivo y en lo negativo de las de
aquellos encarcelados en Pelican Bay SHU en California. Lo más llamativo
es el tiempo total pasado en aislamiento, que en su caso fue de sólo
cuatro meses. Comparándolo con el “democrático” sistema de injusticia de
los EEUU, Bauer escribe sobre Iran: “Cuando Josh Fattal y yo finalmente
nos presentamos ante la corte revolucionaria de Irán, teníamos un
abogado presente, pero no se nos permitió hablar con el. En California
un reo que se enfrente a la peor condena posible, con excepción de la de
muerte, no puede tener a su abogado en la sala. No se le permite
acumular o presentar evidencias para su defensa. No puede llamar a
testigos. Muchas de las pruebas, recabadas por informantes, son
confidenciales y por lo tanto imposibles de refutar. Eso fue lo que el
Juez Salvati nos dijo después de que la persecución soltase su discurso
acerca de nuestro papel en la vasta conspiración Americano-Israelí:
había montones de pruebas, pero ni nosotros ni nuestro abogado podíamos
verlas.”(2)
Cita luego una decisión de la corte de los EEUU: “el juez dictaminó que
‘un prisionero no tiene garantía constitucional de inmunidad al haber
sido falsa o injustamente acusado de una conducta que pueda resultar en
la privación de su libertad.’ En otras palabras, es perfectamente legal
que las autoridades de la prisión mientan con el objetivo de encerrar a
alguien en aislamiento.”(2)
La célebre prisión Californiana de “Pelican Bay” informa de un promedio
de tiempo de los reos en el SHU (Unidad de Confinamiento Seguro) de 7.5
años. Muchos de los que pelearon por la liberación nacional contra el
imperialismo Estadouniden$e han pasado 30 o 40 años en aislamiento en
prisiones a lo largo de los Estados Unido$. MIM(Prisons) no conoce
informes de ningún otro Estado que utilice el aislamiento como
herramienta de castigo hasta estos extremos.
Las técnicas de tortura desarrolladas en las unidades de control
Amerikanas fueron diseñadas para destruir el espíritu combativo de las
personas y grupos sociales que desafían el status quo, en
particular el imperialismo de los Estados Unido$. Treinta años después
de su desaparición, la posesión de materiales del Black Panther Party
(Partido de los Panteras Negras) todavía mete a la gente en problemas de
forma regular, siendo incluso citados por una infracción del tipo “Grupo
de Amenaza a la Seguridad” (Security Threat Group). Éste es el termino
Amerikano para los “crímenes de pensamiento”.
Puede que estas técnicas se están desarrollando en centros de detención
de inmigrantes como forma de disciplina para el proletariado Mexicano
que los Amerikanos temen como una fuerza social de cambio. O puede ser
un ejemplo de la cultura de una nación opresora extendiendo sus
tentáculos hacia otras naciones. Sea como fuere, esta es una de varias
formas de opresión que sirve para socavar el mito propagandístico de
Amerika como nación que promueve la libertad.
Durante años, los Estados Unido$ han sido criticados por las Naciones
Unidas como el principal Estado responsable del uso del aislamiento de
larga duración como forma de tortura. Hoy, el Alto Comisionado de las
Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos dijo, “Debemos ser claros: los
Estados Unido$ están en clara violación no solo en sus propios
compromisos sino también en leyes internacionales y normas que están
obligados a cumplir.”(4) Estas palabras figuraban en una declaración
dirigida a los 166 extranjeros que llevan más de una década detenidos en
la prisión de Guantanamo Bay, muchos sin ningún cargo.
Así como el armamento de alta tecnología no pudo ganar la guerra de los
Amerikanos en Afghanistan, las técnicas más sofisticadas de tortura de
las modernas unidades de control no pueden acallar el ultraje extendido
de las masas que viven bajo el dominio imperialista. Las oportunidades
para hacer conexiones internacionalistas en el movimiento de prisiones
dentro la fronteras de los EEUU no hace más que crecer a medida que más
y más gente de fuera de esas fronteras son atrapados por el
sistema.
I’ve been siting here in North Kern State Prison for the last 3 months
waiting to see my counselor so I could get cleared for transfer to my
next place of confinement. We don’t get much action or anything here,
reading material is always hard to come by. But the other day I got the
chance to read your Under Lock & Key newspaper and I must
admit I liked it, a lot!
Through the grapevine I heard about what was planned for July 8th, 2013,
but to be real no one knew if it was true or not. Until reading your
newspaper it was just a rumor, and today we know it’s not, thanks a lot
for the information.
MIM(Prisons) adds: It may seem like information about the hunger
strike in California was widely available to prisoners based on the high
number of participants, but this letter demonstrates the slow and
difficult work involved in building such an action. Each pod, or
sometimes each cell, is isolated from all others, and getting
information about what’s going on depends on the whims of the censors at
each prison, who might get transferred, and what outside contacts people
have. This is one reason we stress the importance of everyone getting
their own subscription to Under Lock & Key. You never know
when you will be isolated from your comrades, but as long as you can
receive mail you will at least get some news from ULK. In
addition, the more people subscribed, the more likely that one or two
copies of the newsletter will make it past the censors in any prison.
I have now been put in a terrible dilemma. As I’ve tediously pursued a
path of peace between all other structures, humbly accepted harsh
criticism, and deeply entrenched myself and all those I’m entrusted to
lead here in Texas in a now awkward ordeal. I’ve painstakingly strove to
clean up my own structure’s fumbles and reestablish a mutual trusted
bond to the numerous others who speak of their fundamental views which
essentially determine how the inner structures function.
Surrounding us who strive for our established agendas are numerous
confidential informants and rats who refuse to come out their cell cage
and constantly inform to the authority on any of our attempts. Sadly
these rats have been studying how we try to heal differences, and move
past minor mishaps. Then when given the opportunity, these rats inject
ploys which are specifically designed to cause immediate distrust and
steps backwards, as it induces paranoia and causes all to erect the
walls of defense.
All forward progress I have made has crumbled, as I passed items to
another, the booklet on freedom of information, right to communicate,
and a kite of explanation. The booklets made it to the other structures,
but then the kite disappeared. I had drawn the assumption they had the
kite (my bad).
I then moved to pass information to the structure’s main spokesperson.
Upon arrival of said material, he deduced I was playing and seeking to
disrespect him, his creed, ethics, and morals. To avoid a verbal dispute
I avoided all until it mellowed out. Then, when he approached me I
verified yes, I apologized for the crossed wires, but the rats seen were
at negative work and attacked both he and I by falsely filing to alter
our medical diets, cell searches, and my legal requests to invoke doubt
that I was attacking them, and make me think they were retaliating. This
was a massive ploy instigated by the confidential informant rat. At the
same time, one of them verbally threatened the rat, and mysteriously he
got moved. But, due to the melodramatics the rat was orchestrating, and
myself being under the gun, they believed that I initiated and
instigated these ploys.
So, I and all I represent are at arms. I have tried to keep honest peace
between us, but due to hard heads and extreme views of subordinates they
kept the seeds of hate and distrust germinating.
I am designated the lead representative for mine here. All I’ve
tediously striven to build with MIM(Prisons)’s guidance of United Front
has been undermined. Now a vicious wedge has been shoved in between us
and our ability to move forward. I have tried to speak, apologize for
circumstances beyond my control, and offer all we can to resolve the
problem. But this is the second time rats have attacked our struggle.
MIM(Prisons) adds: Developing the ideas behind the
United Front
for Peace in Prisons (UFPP) was the first, easy task. The hard part
is actually getting people to look past previous disagreements and
conflicts to unite for a common interest. This comrade sheds light on
one of the big problems our anti-imperialist organizers face behind
bars: the same kinds of covert attacks that the revolutionary movement
has faced for years from the government. While prison conditions have
done much to bring LOs together to see their common circumstances, there
is not much freedom to operate under such repression. It takes careful
communication and education to build around these attacks. One thing
that we can do to help prevent these problems is educate people about
the
COINTELPRO-like
attacks that will happen to progressives, so that people are on the
look-out and aware of what might be done by the pigs.
We want to hear from the various groups and cells that have signed on to
the UFPP statement. How have you implemented the principles? What
progress and setbacks have you seen? How can we build on each others’
experiences? Often we learn more from negative experiences. So send your
reports in to Under Lock & Key. We also still welcome
statements of unity from groups new to the UFPP. Both help us promote
the United Front and the struggle for peace.
Recientemente el estado de California ha creado lo que ellos llaman el
programa “Step Down”, el cual nosotros en el SHU de Pelican Bay hemos
rechazado. Las huelgas que barrieron las prisiones Amerikanas en el 2011
se iniciaron con la intención de obtener cinco demandas, las cuales el
estado no ha concedido hasta el día de hoy. Este Julio se cumplirán dos
años desde que la población presa se movilizó por primera vez en torno a
estas cinco demandas y el Estado aún sigue fabricando excusas tras
excusas y dando vueltas en círculos arrastrando las cosas con promesas y
más promesas.
Hemos llegado a lo más profundo para tener algún poco de paciencia que
todavía nos quede como personas que han sufrido por años y en algunos
casos décadas bajo la tortura brutal del Estado. Y aún así, esta
paciencia fue tomado como debilidad, así como todos los opresores toman
la paciencia o los buenos gestos que vienen de los oprimidos. Hemos
tratado de resolver este asunto con el Estado brutal mediante el
diálogo, y mediante acuerdos, sin ningún resultado. ¡Ahora entendemos
que como todos los esfuerzos por la dignidad y los derechos humanos esto
tomará una gran lucha!
En todos partes del mundo donde la gente luchó la opresión fue mediante
la lucha, con actos de sacrificio y desinterés en alguna manera. La ley
de dialécticas comprueba que la lucha, el sacrificio y sufrimiento
producen justicia, libertad y paz. Una se apoya en la otra en una unidad
de oposiciones y una contradicción perpetua y esta es la contradicción
en la que hoy los prisioneros nos encontramos y que creo la condiciones
para que las huelgas del 2011 salieran a la superficie.
California, como todas la cárceles y prisiones imperialistas, han
dependido del tratamiento brutal para poder controlar a sus prisioneros.
Es el vivir dentro de una sociedad capitalista que crea estos campos de
prisión, estos campos de concentración que capturan a nuestra gente, que
capturan a nuestra juventud y nos tienen viviendo bajo una fuerza
ocupada, colonizada no solamente físicamente sino también mentalmente.
La suerte de nuestras naciones dentro de las prisiones deben de lo que
hagamos hoy.
En las últimas décadas el movimiento por los derechos de los presos ha
estado estancado en un punto y coma, muchos han sido comprados con la
ideología burgués insignificante donde todos buscan el salir adelante y
hacer dinero, demasiados buscando el escasísimo en las drogas o el
alcohol, muchas veces escucho a los presos hablar sobre “hacerse ricos o
morir tratando,” pero como dijo el fallecido Prez, “necesitamos
liberarnos o morir tratando.”
La pregunta es, ¿Continuaremos encerrados en condiciones opresivas o nos
levantaremos finalmente y demandamos nuestra dignidad? Más y más de
nuestra juventud entra en estos campos de concentración formandose de
tras de nosotros y caminando en sincronización al matadero conocido como
el SHU o el Hoyo. El estado nos ha arrebatado tantos de nuestros
“privilegios.” Nuestros seres queridos también sufren por tener que
viajar largas distancias para visitarnos, y tener que pagar precios
atroces por llamados telefónicas y productos caros, y con todo eso lo
seguimos aceptando. Esto ha ocurrido por demasiado tiempo y nuestra
paciencia se acabó. Estamos envejeciendo, nuestra salud esta empeorando,
nuestra cordura está en peligro bajo estas condiciones crueles y
decrépitas que parecen no tener fin. Sin ver luz al final del túnel,
seremos nosotros los que tendremos que encender la chispa que creará
nuestra propia luz al final del túnel.
Le hemos dado a la prisión hasta el 8 de Julio para cumplir con las
demandas del 2011, si no se cumplen, nuestra huelga de hambre continuará
ese día. Demandamos ser tratados como seres humanos, no continuaremos
siendo torturados. Lo que aprendimos del 2011 fue la represión que
vendrá de una protesta no-violenta y muchas ideas han nacido de esto.
Aprendimos muchas lecciones desde la última huelga. Lecciones que nos
harán mucho más fuertes la próxima vez. Hacemos un llamado a todos los
oprimidos para que utilicen el 8 de Julio como grito de huelga y día
histórico para llamar la atención a tu sufrimiento, a tu tortura y
condiciones agobiantes. Así, les pedimos que todos unidos entremos el 8
de Julio en huelga de hambre en unidad por todos los presos, no
solamente en Estados Unidos sino alrededor del mundo.
unidos podemos lograr lo que sea, mientras activemos como uno. Tenemos
que recordar que nuestros opresores actúan como uno cuando crean leyes
tan severas y botan la llave. Actúan como uno cuando a palos nos rompen
la cabeza y nos someten a condiciones tortuosas. No importa sus
antecedentes formación o nacionalidad, sus botas y palos se sienten
igual en nuestros cuerpos. Así también usemos todos los presos esta
unidad en un frente unido en el cual cada calabozo forme sus propias
demandas el 8 de Julio para mejorar las condiciones donde sea que te
encuentres.
Todavía quedan algunos meses para que llegue esta fecha, y es mejor
tener tiempo para preparar la mente y estar listos. California ha
iniciado a desarrollar zonas de paz en todas la cárceles y prisiones
donde los presos y a no se pelean entre ellos mismos, oprimiendose los
unos a los otros. Ahora, en vez de guerrear entre nosotros, los presos
en California están buscando maneras de mejorar sus condiciones de vida.
Estamos promoviendo la paz y creando zonas de paz en todas la
instituciones. Están con la mirada fija hacia en verdadero opresor y
desarrollando una cultura más revolucionaria en todas las prisiones,
cárceles y centros de detención juvenil. Solamente creando un ambiente
más revolucionario es como el verdadero cambio puede llegar y no
solamente en nuestras condiciones en la prisión, sino también en
nuestras relaciones en los los unos y los otros detrás y dentro de estas
paredes de la prisión. Hay que crear estas zonas y mirar a aquellos que
también están cautivos como luchadores en contra del mismo opresor.
Sitting here I thought I would touch base and let you know that the pigs
in Raleigh got caught red-handed. I’m in an eight-plaintiff lawsuit
against 23 defendants, including the former and present wardens at
Central prison.
Last year they put a guy in a wheelchair. Pigs were aware that the
cameras didn’t record or even have the capacity to record in certain
areas and would put prisoners in restraints and then beat them down.
They broke several of my ribs.
We are working on getting new cameras and a video retention policy,
which currently they don’t have. I have been working like hell to get a
light shown on these corrupt pigs so as the hunger striker said in
ULK 24, “Let’s Rock!!”
The case is: Stanley Earl Corbett et al., v Warden GJ Branker et
al., U.S.D.C. Eastern District of NC Western Division,
No. 5:10-CT-3135
Of course, the Department of Public Safety turns around and accuses
ULK of promoting violence and lawlessness, having censored
every issue we’ve put out since November 2011. As the rampant abuse and
corruption of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety comes to
light, we have comrades struggling against these abuses on many
different fronts including censorship,
grievance
procedures and physical brutality, as well as education and
recruitment on the inside. And despite all the censorship, as one reader
points out, it seems
interest
in Under Lock & Key only continues to grow.
While many of our readers write to us to express the lack of
consciousness and unity in the prisons where they are held, one USW
comrade pointed out in ULK 31 h realization that
ULK
is a venue where conscious prisoners can come together and build,
minimizing that isolation. We try to make ULK a tool that helps
the development of the growing new prison movement. But primarily it is
to be the “voice of the anti-imperialist movement” in U.$. prisons, and
it is a Maoist-led project. This not only sets this newsletter apart,
but makes for what we believe is a more effective way to address
oppression.
Over the years, we’ve received comments from some USW comrades that
ULK is too light on international news and analysis. With all
the reader surveys we’ve gotten back recently, we’ve had many say they
love the content of ULK and like to hear about similar
struggles throughout the U.$. prison system. But a few have said they
find the prison reporting dry and, more importantly, it does not provide
a clear political message to the less ideologically developed comrades.
If true this would be a grave error.
Even if we unite the handful of conscious comrades in each prison across
the country, we are still only dealing with a small minority of
prisoners, not to mention the whole U.$. population. One young comrade
recently wrote us, “I write this because I seek advice. At times I feel
like giving up trying to fight this fight because it seems like I’m here
fighting by myself.”
While the day-to-day struggles of USW comrades are primarily focused on
the conditions of oppression that the prison masses around them face, a
reformist strategy would understandably lead one to defeatism. This is
particularly true if you accept our line that Amerikans in general
support the current injustice system and have made it what it is today.
How could asking them for change ever change anything? That is why we
strive to help prisoners build reformist battles in targeted ways that
build a movement, while realizing the limitations of such struggles.
Campaigns for prison reform are a tactic to push the prison movement to
develop.
One important piece of our strategic orientation is the strategic
confidence we have from our global class analysis. Basically, our
analysis says that the vast majority of the world’s people, a solid 80%,
will benefit materially from an end to imperialism. This is why we
believe anti-imperialism is destined for success. Subjectively, this can
be important to keep in mind in an environment surrounded by class
enemies or by those with bourgeois consciousness.
Pulling these theoretical points together into our practice, as editor i
will continue to push for international content in each issue of
Under Lock & Key, as has been our policy. One way i plan to
expand the international connections we make is to have a section in
each issue to print news snippets on events from the Third World that
demonstrate determined resistance and a broad class consciousness that
is opposed to imperialism. We hope that our readers find inspiration in
this information that you probably aren’t getting from other news
sources. With no further ado, here are a few recent events that help
illustrate why we have strategic confidence in the people’s struggle
against imperialism.
Paktiya province of Afghanistan, 17 April 2013 - Hundreds of angry
residents protested against NATO occupation troops for conducting a
night-time raid that killed at least one
citizen.(Khaama
Press) The sentiments of the people of Afghanistan are so clear that
even U.$.-backed President Karzai has continuously called for an end to
these raids led by the Amerikan military.
In India it is reported that Maoist forces have established a “Red
corridor” allowing troop movement between the two key fronts of the
People’s War in southern Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, near Gumla.
(Hindustan
Times, 15 April 2013)
The Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been leading a
People’s War for decades, has clearly opposed the use of the Philippines
to stage a U.$. war in Korea:
“With not even a hint of advocating or forging an independent foreign
policy, the Aquino regime declared it an ‘obligation’ on the part of the
Philippines to side with and support US warmongering under the RP-US
Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) of 1951. The Filipino people must take a
stand and resist the Aquino regime’s puppetry to US imperialism and for
dragging the Philippines into intervening in the Korean Peninsula and
the Asia-Pacific. Such a policy endangers the Filipino people.”(CPP Ang
Bayan, 10 April 2013)
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s Nasrallah said in a TV statement, “Syria has real
friends in the region and the world that will not let Syria fall in the
hands of America, Israel or Takfiri (extreme jihadi)
groups.”(The
Guardian, 30 April 2013) Russia and Iran continue to support the
Syrian government, while Obama threatens intervention and Israel has
reportedly bombed the capital of Damascus. This over two year “civil
war” is an example of why we say World War III is already here, and it
is characterized by U.$. hegemony and low-intensity warfare in the Third
World involving both local interests and the conflicting interests of
the imperialist camps.
In South America, indigenous people have once again interrupted
construction of the Belo Monte Dam in Brazil. Hundreds of people
including, “Munduruku, Juruna, Kayapo, Xipaya, Kuruaya, Asurini,
Parakana, Arara, fishermen and peoples who live in riverine communities”
occupied the site releasing a statement that read, in part,
“You invent stories that we are violent and that we want war. Who are
the ones killing our relatives? How many white people have died in
comparison to how many Indigenous people have died? You are the ones
killing us, quickly or slowly. We’re dying and with each dam that is
built, more of us will die. When we try to talk with you, you bring
tanks, helicopters, soldiers, machineguns and stun
weapons.”(Earth
First! News, 2 May 2013)
Finally, in Ecuador, the media has covered the continuing struggle of
the Wuaroni and Kichwa people who have pledged to fight to the death to
keep oil operations out of their homeland in pristine Amazon rainforest
habitat. Both struggles stand strong against formidable opposition of
the local state and multinational corporations.