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.
The American reformers who first devised the penitentiary believed
that criminals could be ‘reformed’ through solitary confinement, labor
and religious indoctrination. The use of solitary confinement and
isolation/sensory deprivation began at Philadelphia’s Eastern State
Penitentiary in the 1820’s. But what was actually discovered was that
conditions of sensory deprivation caused mental deterioration and
psychosis. Leading writers such as Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin,
upon touring the penitentiary, spoke out against its conditions of
mental torture. As Dickens observed: ‘I hold this slow and daily
tampering with the mysteries of the brain to be immeasurably worse than
any torture of the body.’ The Supreme Court ultimately ruled such
solitary confinement ‘mentally destructive’ and outlawed it. It
stated,
“A considerable number of prisoners fell, after even a short
confinement, into a semi-fatuous condition, from which it was next to
impossible to remove them, and others became violently insane; others
still committed suicide, while those who stood the ordeal better were
generally not reformed, and in most cases did not recover sufficient
mental activity to be of sufficient service to the community.” See: In
re Medley, 134 U.S. 160, 168 (1890)
Since that time, however, solitary hasn’t ceased. This is even after
courts and legislators in the late 20th and early 21st centuries have
outlawed even the new and more scientifically designed forms of solitary
confinement.
TX T.E.A.M.O.N.E. was founded by persyns who have endured years and
decades of solitary confinement in the forms of SHU and Ad-Seg (now
called ‘restrictive housing’).
Many modern courts have found the same conditions and injuries to
prisoners from confinement in modern control units as did the high court
of 1890 in the Medley case (see: e.g. Madrid v. Gomez, 889 F.
Supp. 1146 (N.D. Cal. 1995) )
“Many, if not most inmates in SHU experience some degree of
psychological trauma in relation to their extreme social isolation and
the severely restricted environmental stimulation in SHU.” This court
concluded that confinement under such conditions may press the outer
boundaries of what humans can psychologically tolerate. The
psychological consequences of living in these units for long periods of
time are predictably destructive, and the potential for these
psychological stressors to precipitate various forms of psychopathology
is clear cut. “Another court found that isolating human beings year
after year or even month after month can cause substantial psychological
damage, even if the isolation is not total. Davenport v. DeRoberts,
844F,2d 1310, 1316 (1999)
As a study on sensory deprivation by a team of 4 Harvard
psychologists conducted for the CIA revealed:
The deprivation of sensory stimuli induces stress;
The stress becomes unbearable for most subjects;
The subject has a growing need for physical and social stimuli,
and;
Some subjects progressively lose touch with reality, focus inwardly,
and produce delusions, hallucinations and other psychological
effects.
“Segregation is the modern form of solitary confinement. Segregation
inmates are almost completely deprived of the commonplace incidents and
routines of prison life. In theory [RHU] is not punitive. In practice,
it can only be described as punishing.”
It is with the preceding information that TX T.E.A.M.O.N.E. has been
inspired to put Our lives on the line in the most literal sense, by
refusing the necessary nutrients for survival, and good health. This
coming Black August 21st, the 50th anniversary of the assassination of
George L. Jackson, TX T.E.A.M.O.N.E. will be leading the masses on
TDCJ’s Allred Unit in a hunger strike to protest and bring attention to
the fundamental injustice that is embodied in the mere use of isolation
solitary confinement. We ask the inside community to join us in
struggle, as We already have a case in the courts challenging TDCJ’s use
of the RHU. We ask the outside community to join us in solidarity
(solidarity actions will be listed at the end of this pamphlet).
What is BP – 3.91?
Board policy 3.91 has recently been revised and is set to take effect
on August 1st. These revisions seek to create an asexual environment in
prison. If the penal system has its way, all publications, pictures
which may possibly cause arousal will be considered contraband.
While We, T.E.A.M.O.N.E., recognize the needs of some to
rehabilitate themselves from what may be considered perverse sexual
behavior, the same cannot be said for all, nor even most, prison
captives. For factually speaking, each individual has individual needs
to the realm of recovery and redemption.
TDCJ, when it benefits their agenda, seems to agree. For, in recent
years they have mandated that each captive complete an ‘individualized
treatment plan.’ All captive persyns must complete the plan prior to
their release on parole, or risk remaining in prison.
What Penological
Reason Does BP – 3.91 Serve?
At the date of this writing TDCJ has refused to state any reasoning
for this policy amendment. This refusal in itself is unlawful, by the
standard set by the Supreme Court’s Turner case.
That aside, since they’ve left the reasoning up to interpretation,
let’s interpret it:
Why on earth would anyone want an asexual environment? One where in
theory only sexual desire doesn’t exist? We say in theory
only because factually speaking, no matter the variations of
sexual expression, desire and arousal are as natural as breathing. What
then happens when large masses of people are warehoused, cut off from
ALL social stimuli, as We are in RHU? Frankly, this act
falls in line with historical missions of the american establishment, in
terms of genocide, a slow and deliberate de-population of outcasted
sectors.
REMEMBER EUGENICS? The selective breeding of persyns in order to weed
out unwanted social characteristics that were thought to be found in
ones genetics. REMEMBER FORCED STERILIATION of both wimmin and men who
were largely held captive, were mentally unequipped, or otherwise
considered a liability to the social order. This BP – 3.91 is aligned
with this grim history.
But that’s not all! BP – 3.91 will ban any material which depicts a
persyn with their face covered! Still in the middle of a pandemic!
Enough said!?
Solidarity Actions
Phone-zap: Those outside persyns who’re not local should call the TX
Board of Criminal Justice on August 1st (512-475-3250) demanding BP 3.91
be annulled as it has been revised, as it is an unlawful use of prison
censorship.
On August 24th, supporters should call the executive director of TDCJ
(936-437-2101). On the 24th We will have been on strike for 3 days,
which makes it official. Demand that TDCJ begin to rectify its inhumane
confining of RHU inmates indefinitely and without meaningful review.
Express your support for the hunger strikers on Allred.
Those who are local to this region, We ask to come out in droves to
support Our cause via an outside noise demonstration at the grounds of
the Allred prison colony. We need and appreciate your support.
As you know, Black August is here. Do something wherever you are for
all the brothers who gave their lives so our struggle could be easy.
This year I’m asking our comrades to focus not only on our problems, but
focus on our solutions.
I read somewhere, when we think of ourselves as individuals rather
than as collectives, we fail to consider the importance of solidarity
and collective resistance. We are more likely to treat others as
competitors as opposed to comrades.
CDCR administration is anti-Black and Brown, its calculated policy
works against the needs and aspirations of our freedom. It is our duty
to use every necessary and accessible means to protest and to disrupt
the machinery of oppression and so to bring such general distress and
discomfort upon the oppressor.
For you young Afrikan who are asleep, an example was shown last
month. Chicano, Raza comrades here at Calipatria showed collective
resistance to the store for the month. I salute them comrades. At the
end their goal was met. Their focus was the solution, not the problem.
That how brothers fight collectively at the administration.
Abolitionists From Within will show up for this Black August here,
collectively with all willing participants.
What is Black August?
Black August is a promotion of a conscious, non-sectarian mass based
New Afrikan resistance culture, both inside and outside the prison walls
all across the U.$. Empire. Black August originally started among the
brothers in the California Penal System to honor three fallen comrades
and to promote a Black culture of resistance and revolutionary
development.
The first brother, Jonathan Jackson, a 17 year old man child was
gunned down 17 August 1970 outside a Marin County California courthouse
in an armed attempt to liberate three imprisoned Black Liberation
Fighters (James McClain, William Christmans and Ruchell Magee). Ruchell
Magee is the sole survivor. George Jackson, Jonathan’s older brother and
comrade, a great Black revolutionary theoretician and leader was
assassinated 21 August 1971 by guards during a Black prison rebellion at
San Quentin, in an unsuccessful effort to cover up the state’s
pre-planned assassination of comrade George. The third brother, Khatari
Gaulden, was victimized by the blatant assassination of capitalist
corporate medical politics in prison on 1 August 1978. In 1979, over 40
people came together to form the Black August Organizing Committee from
a united front of New Afrikan prisoners formed in 1978 following
Khatari’s murder.
Some tenets for Black August from K.A.G.E. Universal:
We aim to fast as a show of self-discipline and resistance. From
the sunrise until evening meal we will abstain from eating.
We aim to abstain from consuming any type of opioids, or other
smokable or liquid intoxicants during the month of August.
We aim to combat liberalism even by limiting our selection of
non-frivolous TV shows and educational programs i.e., radio, historic
documentaries, journal writings and other creative art
exhibits.
During Black August, we emphasize political and cultural
evolution studies for those participants who care to assemble with other
brothers and sisters rather by way of social media internationally
and/or via facilitation within the institution forum.
Abolish FSP (Florida State Prison) use of force (pepper spray and
cell-extraction beatings) on prisoners who are only voicing their
grievances, while in secured cells, not being violent or destructive,
just voicing grievances.
End FSP so-called “no talking” rule. Prisoners are being deprived
meals and/or pepper sprayed, and/or even beaten during cell extractions,
solely for speaking to each other, our stay on CM (Close Management)
being prolonged – yes, just for talking to each other.
Abolish mental health staff being in cahoots with and approving
of overseer abuse and brutality of innocent prisoners already suffering
from CTSD (Current Traumatic Stress Disorder), being misdiagnosed as
‘disruptive.’
End overseers withholding of prisoners meals as a disciplinary
sanction.
Abolish preparing meals with subliminal intent of feeding pigs at
neighboring swill farms rather than feeding human prisoners.
End FSP serving prisoners meals on mold, greasy and wet trays.
Health risk.
Abolish FSP serving meals cold, which are supposed to be served
hot. Another health risk.
End FSP serving of half cooked meals to prisoners. Yet another
health risk.
Abolish FSP serving of highly carcinogenic, GMO, processed, fake
meat.
End FSP’s blatant and rampant arbitrary deviation from FDOC
master menu, and serving meals in exiguous portions, denying prisoners
legally required nutritional value and calorie count.
Abolish FSP vertical use of black box on handcuffs and waist
chains. Black box and handcuffs are designed to be used horizontally,
not vertically. Even while having to carry personal property, placing
prisoners at great risk of breaking wrists and/or other life-threatening
injuries during falls.
End FSP use of exhaust fans and heaters as control and/or torture
devices as collective punishment of prisoners.
Abolish FSP’s blatant and rampant withholding and delaying of
prisoners incoming and outgoing mail as a censorship tactic.
End FSP’s blatant and rampant arbitrary and retaliatory
impounding and rejection of prisoners’ incoming publications, based
solely on prisoners political beliefs, expression, affiliation and
advocacy/activism.
Abolish FSP repression, re-education campaign and war on
prisoner’s aspiration of genuine essential self-rehabilitation via
political studies, application and practices of genuine essential
self-criticism and rectification.
End conducting of prisoners medical sick-call at cell doors,
depriving prisoners of confidentiality and privacy.
Abolish FSP pepper-spraying and/or beating of mentally ill
prisoners.
End CM (Close Management) solitary confinement of mentally ill
prisoners.
Abolish the blatant and rampant ignoring the audio/video of
prisoners PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) calls on overseers sexual
harassment, or declaring mental health (psych) emergencies.
End FSP overseers taking of prisoners personal property and
giving it to or leaving it accessible to friendly or favored
prisoners.
Abolish FSP discriminatory denying CM I & II prisoners their
JPAY purchased tablets and service, while allowing CM III prisoners
their JPAY tablets and services, denial of JPAY tablet is based solely
on punishment for being on CM I & II status.
End overseer training, indoctrination, instilling mindset that CM
is disciplinary confinement rather than administrative or segregated
housing. FSP staff and overseers literally believe that CM is for
torture of prisoners rather than correction and rehabilitation of
prisoners.
Abolish FSP’s blatant and rampant throwing away/trashing of
prisoners submitted informal and formal grievances.
End FSP fabrication of disciplinary reports, falsifying
documents, solely to prolong prisoners’ stay on CM.
Abolish FSP’s racist/KKK/good-ole-boy code of silence. Prisoners
are being beaten in the medical building, off camera, in blind spots –
being in blues is the new black.
If you are reading this, please understand that the above listed are
only a few of the many injustices occurring here at FSP (Florida State
Prison). Please understand that our backs are against the wall, we are
voiceless, disenfranchised, isolated, alienated and scared of
retaliation. Please understand that we are very well aware of the fact
that we are in prison, and many believe that we deserve to be tortured.
But what we and many others do not realize is the fact that though we
are in prison, technically, we are not the real criminals. The actions
that land us in prison are only reactions and responses to the
mis-education and poverty created and perpetuated by the real criminals,
the plutocrat politicians. Most of us are in prison only and mostly
because we are not corporation owners who are too big for jail, instead
we are the too poor and mis-educated to defend ourselves against the
state and the prosecutors who know full well who the real criminals are,
their bosses and friends, state and capital.
Please help us by spreading the word and emailing the above demands
to all your friends and family, ask them to email it to friends and
family, and post it on social media. The idea is to raise mass
awareness, and to also let the real criminals, the plutocrats, know that
we, the people, know that they are the real criminals, doing all in
their power to perpetuate crime, because crime creates and perpetuates
state jobs, nationwide.
and the Inspector General using the Complaint Form at
fdc.myflorida.com.
“Real change begins with real awareness.”
18 July 2021, approximate 6:22AM, a prisoner in #1217 cell just got
pulled out of his cell and jumped by overseers. Prisoner was already in
restraints, two cells away from his cell. He was slammed to the ground,
one overseer had his knee planted in the back of the prisoners neck
while the prisoner was face down and handcuffed with his hands behind
his back, while the other overseer punched him. I’m in the wing next
door (J-Wing). Prisoners on windows reported it as it happened.
Anti-imperialists watching the Horn of Africa have sounded the alarm
that Amerikans are scheming to further their exploitation of Ethiopia.
In May, United States Agency of International Development (USAID) Bureau
for Humanitarian Assistance head Sarah Charles spoke to the U.$.
Congress about how the Ethiopian government and other armed forces were
restricting the access of Amerikan staff and equipment in the
country.(1) Ten days before the 21 June 2021 elections in Ethiopia, the
U.$. State Department issued a statement expressing “grave” concern
about the conditions of the elections and said they were ready to “help
Ethiopia address these challenges” in order to cast doubt on election
results.(2)
Many concerned about the talk coming from the U.$. government refer
to Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq and Syria as warnings of what could happen
in Ethiopia. Amerikan troops left the infamous sprawling Bagram Airfield
in Afghanistan on 2 July 2021, allowing looters to enter the grounds the
following day.(3) In 2001, the U.$. overthrew the Taliban-ruled
government of Afghanistan. Twenty years later, the Taliban are poised to
regain control of the country following the longest war in U.$. history.
All peace-loving people have an interest in preventing another one of
these long, drawn out wars that have become the norm for U.$.
imperialism as it struggles to dominate the rest of the world.
U.$. imperialists have already begun waging warfare in the form of
economic sanctions against both Ethiopia and Eritrea. Meanwhile, they
continue to push for access by USAID and its affiliated NGOs to meddle
in African affairs. The Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front(TPLF)
launched attacks on the Ethiopian armed forces back in November 2020,
which began the war that seems to have reached a stopping point this
July and has been used by the Amerikans as a reason to get involved. The
TPLF led the Ethiopian government until 2018 when the TPLF president
resigned due to popular pressure. In addition to domestic abuses, they
led Ethiopia in a war for territory against Eritrea during that time.
Eritrea has made peace with the new Ethiopian government led by Abiy
Ahmed and sided with Ethiopia in the recent war against the TPLF.
Ethiopia’s Importance
Ethiopia is the 12th most populated country in the world, and the
second most populated in Africa. In the 1970s, the Derg government led a
quick, forced nationalization of the Ethiopian economy. Current
President Abiy Ahmed has overseen the privatization and liberalizations
of the economy, which began after 1991, when Ethiopia shifted from the
Soviet Union to a U.$. client state. These moves by Abiy will increase
foreign investment and involvement in Ethiopian industry. A 2018 plan by
the Abiy-led government targeted 25% growth rates in manufacturing until
2025.(4) While falling short so far, this indicates their intentions to
become Africa’s leading manufacturing hub. In other words, the Ethiopian
masses still living in semi-feudal conditions are a potential source of
a newly proletarianized population for imperialist corporations to
extract surplus value from.
During the recent conflict, Abiy froze the assets of many TPLF
associated companies with U.$. and other foreign investments, which may
have concerned the Amerikans as well.
As part of their new plan to provide power for this growth in
industry, Ethiopia has been operationalizing the new Grand Ethiopian
Renaissance Dam (GERD). On 6 July 2021, Ethiopia began the second stage
of filling the dam. The Egyptian and Sudanese governments have been
calling for U.N. intervention for fear of the impact on their water
supplies. This will be the biggest hydroelectric project in Africa.(5)
Egypt (run by U.$.-backed dictator Abdel Fattah el-Sisi) has indicated
it would support intervention in Ethiopia to stop this project by saying
all options are on the table. Egypt is one of the most important U.$.
client states, historically falling in the top 3 receivers of military
aid from the imperialists. The Trump administration had supported
Egypt’s interests regarding the dam, and we expect U.$. support to
continue.
Land-locked Ethiopia’s access to the Red Sea is through Eritrea or
Djibouti. Djibouti is a small country between Eritrea and Somaliland. It
is the home of AFRICOM, the United $tates military’s Africa Command, and
a number of other imperialist militaries. These military bases provide
5% of Djibouti’s GDP. China has their only foreign military base in
Djibouti, making it a potential location of conflict between the
Amerikan and Chinese imperialists. This location is also important for
access between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea including
large movements of fossil fuels.
President Abiy has formed alliances with Eritrea and Somalia,
countries the U.$. has used Ethiopia to destabilize in the past. This
show of unity in the Horn of Africa could allow for greater serving of
African interests, rather than Amerikan interests.
Strong Marxist History
National liberation struggles influenced by Marx, Lenin and Mao are
central to the recent history of Ethiopia and Eritrea. In its early
days, MIM often mentioned Eritrea as one of the locations of a
liberatory people’s war in the 1980s. Current President of Eritrea,
Isaias Afewerki, was one of the first members of the Eritrean Liberation
Forces(ELF) to train in socialist China in 1967. He was later part of
the leadership to form the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF),
which split from the ELF and combined the ELF’s strong nationalism with
an explicit Marxist-Leninist line and the strategy of People’s
War.(6)
In Ethiopia a series of Marxist-Leninist organizations emerged to
challenge the feudal system of Haile Selassie. This led to the removal
of Haile Selassie by his own military leaders in 1974, who formed the
Derg government. The Derg undertook a massive nationalization campaign,
labeling itself “Marxist-Leninist” and a socialist state in 1975. The
Derg assigned head of state to U.$.-trained Mengistu Haile Mariam, but
became an ally of the social-imperialist USSR. Their national-brougeois
ideas fit nicely with the revisionist distortions of Soviet
“Marxism-Leninism.”(7)
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front also began in the revolutionary
period of the 1960s. By the late 1970s it was waging guerilla war
against the Derg, under the leadership of the Marxist-Leninist League of
Tigray. At this time there was a split in the revolutionary movement of
Ethiopia around the question of secession, with the Eritrean People’s
Liberation Front leading the call for the right to self-determination of
Eritrea independent of Ethiopia. Others saw secessionist movements in
Ethiopia as linked to the reactionary regionalism of feudalism, and a
division of the peasant masses.(8)
In 1991, MIM Notes celebrated the overthrow of the
“social-fascist Mengistu regime” by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary
Democratic Front(EPRDF) as well as the Eritrean People’s Liberation
Front(EPLF), which abstained from the provisional government of Ethiopia
opting for independence instead. They noted, “MIM doesn’t have much
information about the”revolutionary programs” of the EPRDF, so we must
watch and let the practice of both the EPRDF and EPLF speak for
itself.”(9) Yet, MIM Notes had already quoted the New York
Times under the heading “Victories Betrayed”:
“The best insurance against another hard-line Marxist regime in
Ethiopia appears to be the presence in Ethiopia immediately after the
EPRDF’s victory, of an Amerikan, Paul B. Henze.
“Henze, the station chief of the Central Intelligence Agency at the
United States Embassy in Addis Ababa from 1969 to 1972, was invited to
the capital as a personal guest of President Meles. He spent five weeks
in Ethiopia advising Meles and was upbeat when he left. ‘Meles is
pragmatic,’ Henze says. ‘He and his colleagues are not bothering with
ideological matters. Ethiopia has a good chance of becoming a productive
country.’”(10)
Meles Zenawi was a member of the Marxist-Leninist League of Tigray
before becoming the first president of Ethiopia under the EPRDF
government. As the CIA agent predicted, rather than struggling against
differences between classes and nationalities in Ethiopia, the TPLF used
its power to dominate the government at the expense of other
nationalities and regions, and it soon became a pawn of U.$. imperialism
in its maneuvering for power. As a result, by 1998, Meles(TPLF)-led
Ethiopia had invaded Isaias(EPLF)-led Eritrea. It appears that both
organizations abandoned their Marxist-Leninist lines prior to the
overthrow of the Derg and their seizing of state power as part of the
process of forming the united front against the Derg. This indicates
that there were right-opportunist, liquidationist errors within the
leadership of both movements that allowed them to put the liberation
struggle and overthrow of the Derg above and in place of the struggle
for socialism and a dictatorship of the proletariat. They did not heed
the lessons of Mao’s China on how to keep proletarian leadership within
a united front of class interests against imperialism. This led to
reactionary bourgeois nationalism to play the leading role in these
countries, despite the promising Marxist origins of this shift in power.
The result gives credence to the warnings from those Marxists who argued
against regionalism and secession and opposed the politics of the
earlier ELF and original TPLF.
The Organization for African Unity, started by leaders like Kwame
Nkrumah and Haile Selassie, also took up a line that it was against the
interests of the people of Africa to begin dismantling the states that
were amalgamations of peoples imposed by the colonial powers. History
has proven this strategy to be effective in preventing divisions among
the oppressed. Nkrumah had hoped for the OAU to become a federal
government uniting all of Africa, but that strategy did not win out.
At the same time, Maoists recognize the right to self-determination
of all nations. And the liberation movement in Eritrea held much promise
leading up to liberation. Eritrea also differed from other regions in
Ethiopia in that it was previously a separately administered state under
Italian colonial occupation. Today, Eritrea remains the only country in
Africa without AFRICOM presence, leading to much derision from the
United $tates and Europe over the years. They took pride in their
non-aligned stance in a world divided by the United $tates and the
social imperialist Soviet Union. In 1984, Isaias Afewerki also declared
they had no links or support from China. They did not take a position on
whether China was still socialist at the time. Isaias did look at Cuba
as an example of what happens when you become a client state of the
Soviet Union. Isaias claimed the Cubans disagreed with USSR policy in
Ethiopia and Eritrea, yet Cuban troops operated in Derg-ruled Ethiopia
on behalf of Soviet interests in the 1980s.(11)
While Eritrea has a history of independence and remaining politically
neutral, they have recently provided support for the U.$./Saudi war on
Yemen that has led to a massive loss of humyn life since 2015. This was
likely motivated by financial gain.(12) In the 1980s, South Yemen was in
solidarity with the Eritrean liberation struggle despite opposition by
the imperialist Soviet Union. Like Cuba, South Yemen took on the form of
“Marxist-Leninist” state years after its liberation under the influence
of the Soviet Union. Like the Cubans, they seemed to recognize the
righteousness of the Eritrean liberation struggle. Today, we cannot view
the Eritrean leadership as serving real self-determination when they are
being pitted against Yemen by the imperialists. Ultimately, it was the
abandonment of proletarian politics that led Eritrean leadership to side
with imperialism in the Middle East.
While revisionism seems to have thwarted the popular revolutionary
forces in the Horn of Africa in the late 20th century, the proletarian,
revolutionary line is no stranger to the people of the region. This is
further evidenced by President Abiy having to specifically address and
critique Marx, Lenin and Mao in his recent book.(13) It is only through
the unified struggle of all African people that the current violence,
death and starvation can be properly ended. U.$. and other imperialist
involvement will continue to pit Africans against Africans and other
oppressed people.
Our Role in the Horn of
Africa
In April 2018, Abiy Ahmed of the Oromo Democratic Party was elected
Prime Minister of the EPRDF government of Ethiopia. This marked the end
of TPLF leadership in the EPRDF, which was replaced by the Prosperity
Party coalition in November 2019, excluding TPLF. After his
confirmation, Abiy quickly established peace with Eritrea, still headed
by Isaias Afewerki. This was a historic peace agreement, returning land
to Eritrea that the TPLF had been occupying, signalling unity in the
region against the U.$.-backed TPLF. Eritrea and Ethiopia have remained
united in the war that began in November 2020 with a TPLF attack on
Ethiopian forces. Until the people of the region can mount
proletarian-led struggles for power again, the Eritrean-Ethiopian
alliance remains important for strengthening the region against further
meddling by foreign imperialism.
Our role in all of this is determined by the imperial nature of the
United $tates government. Like all people in the world, it is our duty
to build towards a dictatorship of the proletariat in our own backyard.
But we have the added duty of countering the imperial machinations of
our current government.
We should expose the imperialist nature of State Department agencies
like USAID that want to present themselves as humanitarian
organizations. While President Trump celebrated the Ethiopia and Eritrea
peace deal, the Biden administration has brought those favoring
intervention in the Horn of Africa back into the White House.
Toward the end of his presidency, Barack Obama appointed Gayle Smith
to Administer USAID. Gayle Smith was first employed by USAID in 1994.
She had lived in EPLF-run areas dating back to the 1970’s, where she was
a “journalist” working undercover for the CIA. She later spent time
embedded with the TPLF where she mentored Meles Zenawi, who would go on
to wage decades of war against the EPLF.(14) Another close confidant of
Meles was Susan Rice, who was national security advisor to Barack
Obama.(13) And as we mentioned above, Meles had open relations with
local CIA agents from the very beginning of his presidency.
In 2021, Biden has appointed Samantha Power to head USAID. Samantha
Power had succeeded Susan Rice as Obama’s ambassador to the United
Nations after being mentored by both Rice and Obama. Rice was involved
in the violent separation of South Sudan from Sudan and lied about mass
rapes to justify the invasion of Libya. Rice and Power worked with
Hillary Clinton to greenlight the invasion of that killed Muammar
Gaddafi, which Clinton later laughed about on television.
In 2013, Power led the charge within the Obama administration to bomb
Syria, which Rice came around to support. Power’s book A Problem
From Hell justifies intervention against genocide. She used this
mission statement of hers to justify bombing Syria and Libya, and now
stands behind it to intervene and defend the TPLF.(15) We oppose the
continued expansion of U.$. troops in Africa since President Bush
started AFRICOM in 2008. U.$. support for the TPLF clearly aims to
divide Africans so that they can be better controlled for the benefit of
imperialist-country corporations.
A USW comrade wrote: …the USW Coordinator said, “We
are struggling to maintain our programs FIRST because our former
comrades left, but second because the people we support for years are
not coming out here and putting in work into these programs.” i think
first this is a good example of what i was saying to the comrade in NY,
u acknowledged first your internal factors, while also acknowledging
external ones and these are FIRST and SECOND in that order of
importance.
As to what u said i feel WE comrades on the inside have to start
treating MIM(Prisons) and USW as if they’re OURS, which in reality they
are. The comrade in ULK 72 made a good point about comrades
making donations now that i’m sure a lot of Us have received the
imperialist pacification funds garnered from imperialist
super-exploitation, and oppression. So here in this forum for the
supposed advanced and more dedicated comrades i wanna challenge us all
to donate what We can even if its just stamps, and thereby help OUR
comrades, teachers, and supporters at MIM(Prisons) get some of the other
programs up and running again. That’s called resolving a contradiction
internally!
For years, MIM(Prisons) had tried to raise funds to publish
ULK more frequently, well, now WE comrades got $$$ and instead
of giving that shit back to the enemy state lets invest in OUR
independent institutions, and there-by invest in OUR growth and
development. i’m putting my $$ where my mouth is, i’ve already sent the
comrades 30 stamps and will be sending 30 more with this letter, for a
total of 60. WHO GONNA MATCH ME, COMRADES????
MIM(Prisons) adds: We’ve decided to print this
commentary addressed to other USW leaders for all of our readers. Turns
out the USW leaders have stepped up big time! In March and April of 2021
we received the most donations in 2 months that we’ve received in over 3
years. And back then we had a lot more subscribers.
For years we campaigned to get our readers in prison to fund 10% of
the costs of ULK, but never reached the goal. Well in the last
few months we’ve received donations from the inside totaling about 33%
of the cost of this issue! This is due to 3 things: 1) our mailing list
shrunk, decreasing our costs; 2) we made changes to how we do
ULK so that it is cheaper; 3) comrades stepped up with big
donations.
However, this was only about 10 comrades who contributed this money,
and over 90% of the money came from comrades who are USW leaders. We’d
hope and expect that USW leaders contribute more than others. But we
doubt these comrades will be able to keep up this pace alone. So the
next phase of our funding campaign is to bring in donations from the
rest of you.
We also must recognize that our donations would have been larger if
we could accept checks. A number of people attempted to send us checks
last month. However, as we indicate in every issue of ULK and
elsewhere, we cannot do anything with checks made out to MIM. Especially
if you are having your family send us $5, please don’t waste time and
money on money orders, just have them send us the $5.
With the success of Ehecatl’s call, we have decided to do what many
organizations do and have an annual fund drive. This will help you keep
track of when it’s time to renew your contributions. And we’ve chosen
the Fourth of You-Lie imperialist holiday as our day to raise money for
truth-telling, independent media.
At our current rate of distribution, if you send us 7 stamps by 4
July 2021 you will have covered the cost of your subscription for one
year. That’s it. Seven stamps every 4th of July for the voice of the
anti-imperialist movement Under Lock & Key to your door. Please help out!
K.A.G.E. Universal charges genocide against New Afrikans by the U.$.
imperialists.
Clenched fist salute to all revolutionary New Afrikans! This coming
October 2021, the United Nations(U.N.) will host the 2021 International
Tribunal. At this tribunal many of Our countrymen/wimmin along with
supporters will AGAIN charge the United Snakes government with
committing genocide against Our New Afrikan nation before the world
‘court’ and denouncing them for their treatment of political prisoners
and prisoners of war(PP/POWs).
This action comes on the 70th anniversary of the petition presented
to the U.N. General Assembly in 1951 charging the U.S. with genocide
against Our people. William L. Patterson, one of the original
petitioners, also wrote a book based on the experience entitled, We
Charge Genocide. Subsequently, in 1977, the New Afrikan Prisoner
Organization wrote an essay entitled, “We still Charge Genocide,” to
illustrate, among other things, that the genocide still continues.
We did not choose to scribe this brief piece as a news brief, to
merely inform comrades of what other comrades are up to. Rather, We
scribe this piece to discuss the significance of this tribunal and to
also pinpoint the direction Our nation is going.
Significance: In any and all forms of struggle the
effectiveness and significance of one’s tactics and strategies are
dependent upon the conditions or circumstances therein. The current
direction of the mass front of the ‘Movement for Black Lives’, and
‘Black Lives Matter’ and the like, has the nationalist tendency of Our
people in a very subordinate position. As such it is paramount that a
wide variety of movement media cover and disseminate the Tribunal and
the events and discourse around it. It is extremely significant that
representatives of Our Nation are expounding upon Our national reality
on an international arena, and furthermore, it is important that younger
activists witness a new form or avenue in struggle in this
democratic stage of our liberation movement.
Some, in fact, have not witnessed us as a people claim and expound
upon Our national identity as New Afrikans and the treatment We receive
when captured as political prisoners and prisoners of war, and while
acting in the capacity as politicized prisoners once in captivity. Some
youths haven’t witnessed revolutionary nationalism take a center stage
or act in what many deem as significant capacity, and thus
we’ve been seen by many of the current generation activist as
insignificant. This Tribunal CAN begin to shift those perceptions, as
more of our people begin to view Our struggle in the light of the
colonized nation struggling for its independence, and when those among
us act in accord with the mandate to FREE THE LAND!!! We’re subsequently
treated as any ‘enemy combatant’ of imperialism is around the globe. The
difference being, that this is all hidden from the mass majority of the
public within the empire and abroad.
Direction: As we struggle ahead it is a must that
We, the revolutionary New Afrikans, understand and propagate the just
cause of our liberation struggle in a way that links the genocidal acts
of the empire, which we’ve resisted, fought, and will continue to wage
war against until our goal is met, along with the reality that the
carrying out of genocide is a prerequisite for occupation and
imperialism. By this We mean that imperialism IS genocide!
Many incorrectly picture genocide as a single event; that a genocide
must require a machivallian individual orchestrating the industrial
murders of human beings for a delusional/cynical end goal. Rather,
genocide is a process that evolves and moves and intensifies. Genocide
is like all other social and natural phenomena in this regard. As such,
genocide is one word that encapsulates the many symptoms of OUR national
subjugation under U.S. imperialism. Furthermore, as articulated by the
Spear & Shield Collective, We must COMBAT GENOCIDE! And this slogan
encapsulates the direction we all must take collectively as conscious
New Afrikan nationals.
We can/must combat this genocide in a multi-faceted manner. Creating
community watch squads that can hamper police terrorism is one way of
combating genocide. Building revolutionary base areas within and without
the national territory is combating genocide. Establishing Black
squads within those base areas supplanting the old parasitic lumpen
orgs with them is combating genocide. In terms of Us behind the walls,
mitigating acts of street organization warfare amongst different lumpen
organizations within Our one nation is combating genocide. Practicing
and promoting a New revolutionary way of doing and saying everything, as
to go about breaking the cycle. Educating on health and nutrition
practices is a way to combat genocide. Convert your ‘gang’ into a
revolutionary vehicle.
As u can imagine there are many ways to combat the genocide of our
nations. We are to keep this in mind as we go about our duties, that in
all we do we do it to combat genocide, which is combating imperialism.
CLENCH FIST
The Nevada Department of Corrections, under Director Charles Daniels
and his pet warden, Calvin Johnson, at High Desert State Prison, have,
since their arrival, waged an all out war against Nevada’s prisoners.
This includes illegal theft and misappropriation of prisoners’ money
under the guise of Marsy’s law (money which is still unaccounted for),
to the ban on prisoners’ access to visits, chapel, yard, law library, or
tier, under the premise of safety concerns over COVID-19. Meanwhile
prisoners are still required to work in unsafe and crowded warehouses,
kitchens, etc. as if COVID-19 does not target workers.
These same criminals also committed the crime of biological warfare
when they knowingly ordered prisoners to work while 15 of them had
recently tested positive for COVID-19 but were left unaware of their
status. This was used as a way to spread COVID-19 throughout the prison
more quickly. This was, by definition, a criminal act!
And now, while prisoners are fighting to get access to visits,
chapel, yard, law library, and tier (since the only time they are out of
their cell is when working, or their 30 minutes to shower or use of the
kiosk, or phone when permitted) these criminals have taken another
action to attack prisoners’ rights.
Starting 1 February 2021, High Desert State Prison will implement
O.P. 750 mail procedure as outlined in Warden’s Bulletin #21-07. This
revised operational procedure is an unconstitutional attack against our
right to communicate and be informed.
In effect this new operational procedure mandates the following.
All incoming mail must be in a 4” x 9.5” white envelope written in
black or blue ink only. If the mail received is not written in black or
blue ink on the envelope, the mail will be returned to sender.
All letters and correspondence within the envelope must be written
in black or blue ink. Any other colors will be returned to sender.
Any mail or correspondence received that is scented with perfume and
oils will be returned to sender.
Any letter received with drawings and markings that is not from the
letter manufacturer will be returned to sender.
Any letter received that are stained or discolored will be returned
to sender.
Greeting cards will not be accepted. All greeting cards received
will be returned to sender.
Inmates will not receive the original copy of letters and envelopes
being received with the exception of legal mail. All letters and
envelopes received will be scanned and handed out to the appropriate
inmate. Note: the legal mail procedure will remain the same.
If the inmate name is not properly spelled, the inmate
identification number is not noted, the senders name/address is missing,
the mail will be returned to sender.
If there is writing on the back of a photo sent through mail, the
writing must be written in black or blue ink.
After all mail is scanned and distributed to the inmate population,
the mail will be properly disposed of.
All magazines and newspapers received must come from an established
approved publisher.
Pamphlets and anything copied off the internet will be rejected with
the exception of pamphlets received through religious services.
This new operational procedure (O.P.) is the latest in a long line of
attacks against prisoner rights and protections since Director Daniels
and Warden Johnson have taken on their duties. This O.P. is
unconstitutional and deserves challenge.
First, in order to restrict prisoners’ Constitutional rights, the
state must show how the restriction is in furtherance of a compelling
governmental interest. We do not believe that they can. The fact that
prisoners are not receiving the physical letters/envelopes themselves,
any act or restriction that bars or bans letters for scent, markings,
drawings, stains, etc. cannot be in furtherance of a legitimate concern.
Thus, we believe a legitimate argument can be made that these
restrictions are arbitrary and unconstitutional.
Second, both the sender and receiver of mail/publications must be
notified that censorship occurred as well as the reason censorship
occurred. They must also give each party a chance to challenge the
censorship. This is a very clear due process issue.
Third, we believe that a reasonable argument against the disposal of
mail without due process is that the mail itself is the prisoner’s
property, thus protected by due process.
Fourth, denying all pamphlets and internet copies have already been
ruled unconstitutional.
Fifth, restricting all magazines and newspapers to established
approved publishers poses a serious threat as it will ultimately be used
to ban inmates access to materials and publications that the prison does
not wish to enter the facility, such as Turning the Tide,
Revolution, The Abolitionist, Black and Pink,
Prison Legal News, Under Lock and Key, and other such
publications. While “publisher only” restrictions have been upheld,
rules which outright ban or deny publications have been ruled
unconstitutional.
We are fighting this new attack, as we are fighting others. We are
calling on all prisoners within the NDOC to fight for their families and
friends, abolitionists, prisoner rights groups, and others, to stand up
for NDOC prisoners and call for the resignation or firing of Director
Charles Daniels and Warden Calvin Johnson.
Prisoners must utilize the grievance process, friends and families,
or anyone else who wishes to help must call or write Governor Steve
Sisolak or write Director Daniels - 5500 Snyder Rd. Carson City, NV
89702, and or Warden Johnson P.O. Box 1050 Indian Springs, NV 89070.
All Power to the People.
Let your voices be heard.
MS1 and MS26 - Revolutionary Front - NV
Caselaw: Turner v. Safley 482 U.S. 78.89. 107 S.Ct. 2254(1987)
Lindell v. Frank 377 F.3d 655 659-60 (7th Cir 2004) Allen v. Coughlin 64
F.3d 77. 80 (2d Cir 1995) Williams v. Brimeyer 116 F.3d 351 (8th cir
1997) Procunier v. Martinez 416 U.S.396. 94 S.Ct 1800 Krug v. Lutz 329
F.3d 692.696-97. (9th cir 2003) Thornburgh v. Abbott 490 U.S. 401,
414-19 (1989) Juchlovich vs Simmons 392 F.3d 420 (10th Cir 2004)
Montcalm Publ’g Corp. v. Beck, 80 F.3d 105, 109-110 (4th Cir 1996)
Murphy v. Missourri Dep’t of Corr. 372 F.3d 979, 986 (8th Cir 2004)
Clement v. California Dep’t of Corrections 364 F.3d 1148 (9th Cir 2004)
Prison Legal News v. Lehman 397 F.3d 692. 699-700 (9th Cir 2005) Green
v. Ferrell 801 F.2d 765, 772 (5th Cir 1986) Mann v. Smith 796 F.2d 79
82-83 (5th Cir 1986) Van Cleave v. U.S. 854 F.2d 82, 84 (5th cir
1988)
The Koncentration Kkkamps holding migrant children are horrific. We
see images of dog kennels being used to warehouse these babies and not
enough is being done to shut them down. The U.$. “Left” has been unable
to respond properly and something more needs to be done.
We recently discussed this issue where the Chicano Nation has
supported the actions of many issues and will continue to do so but when
it comes to kids in kkkages the turn out of non-Raza allies is slim to
none. This has to change.
The Republic of Aztlán (ROA) has taken a firm stand on this issue. We
attend all actions that we can for all forms of injustice and we will
continue to have boots on the ground. However, we have reached a
position that if we are asked to do security or speak at an action or
event if the hosts do not speak on the kids in kkkages we will decline.
We will still attend, but will not do security or speak if these allies
are not addressing these kids at this particular action.
We feel that we must apply pressure on the overall movement and push
them to be more revolutionary. This small act may not succeed but we
will have tried.
Children held in dog kennels should affect anyone with an ounce of
humynity. People say “Free all political prisoners.” These kids, in our
opinion, are political prisoners. More than that, it’s a crime against
humynity what is occurring.
The ROA will continue our campaign to free the kids. We are currently
organizing a tour where we will address the Kids in Kkkages from
Califaztlan to New York, so stay tuned.
Up until 12 December 2020, the day we as Mexicans celebrate Our Lady
of Guadalupe, we had been very fortunate here at California Medical
Facility - Vacaville (CMF). That morning I came out at 0500 hrs, for my
insulin and it didn’t take long to notice the change, the C.O.’s and
nursing staff wearing not just masks, which had become the norm by this
time, but wearing face shields and PPE also. Then later that evening
when I came out my cell at 1705 hrs. for my insulin C.O. White informed
us that someone in T-wing had tested positive for the virus. By 2015
hrs. two more men went down with COVID.
Then came the push to once
again take our CPAP breathing machines, and the night of the 13th
they came in the middle of the night with their Gestapo tactics to take
our breathing machines and most of us resisted and did not have to
surrender our DME’s. Then came the threats of 115’s but they had a
problem and that was how to justify level II prisoners in Unit IV
insulation single cells which is where they put us after we fought to
get our CPAP’s back – a fight that MIM was instrumental in our being
able to get our DME’s back the first time.
Then they sent a Sgt. to explain: either we surrender our power cords
to our CPAP’s or they would cell extract us and thereby confiscate our
power cords. So we complied under duress to the confiscation of our DME
power cords. This as almost daily they tested us for COVID and constant
temperature checks at our cell doors as time after time we were slammed
down in our cells. On 15 December, they pulled out 18 more prisoners
with COVID, by the 18th we had at least 35 men down with the virus in
T-wing and we are hearing this is the same throughout the institution.
And the same across the street at Solano State prison, surging. By
Christmas T-wing had become like a ghost tier, not many men left. And
for those of us left breakfast and dinner meals were coming in brown
paper bags, though I must say Christmas dinner was the BEST I have had
in years to keep it real. On 27 December, C.O. Smith was telling us that
we had 200 prisoners hospitalized and a hundred plus C.O.’s with the
virus. My son who is in the hole at Corcoran State Prison tells me that
it was surging where he is at as well. He himself got the virus, thank
God he is young and healthy and was able to pull through though still
feeling some effects of the virus.
On 6 January, while Trump
supporters were engaging in acts of insurrection, I am happy to
report that I did receive the Coronavirus vaccine. The institution is
telling our families that they are returning our DME power cords,
however I can tell you I have not seen it, but I can only speak of what
is happening here in T-wing as we are still on “modified program” here
at CMF at the time of this writing.
All Power to those who deserve it, all those who fight for it and all
those who know. The hunger
strike at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (SATF) over
conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic is still alive. Though the
leaders have suspended the starvation act of the strike, our workers
strike remains alive. We determine that our Covid Intervention Statement
remains relevant as an organizing tool to those involved in the struggle
to force the transparency of California Prisons. It’s sad that it takes
individuals to put their life at stake before the public can have
knowledge made known of the conditions we suffer. But it is how it goes
within the belly of the beast. Leaders plan to resume the hunger strike
at a later date of 2021, and will notice at the point of strike.
We suspend our strike solely because the conditions began to take a
very unhealthy turn, with little adequate record keeping power of the
families and supporters to know just what is happening with the
healthcare of the leaders. By no means do we want our suspension to be
construed as a resolution of our DEMANDS being met. For there can be no
talks of SATF Administration meeting strikers’ DEMANDS when SATF and
CDCR Director Connie Gipson fall silent to ANSWER to the statement of
prisoners at SATF hunger striking. They do not deserve this sort of
CREDIT.
The conditions of building 2, where prisoners receive showers every
72 Hrs. Laundry exchange, including sheets and pillow cases are unknown
to any other living units. And Phone calls have been consistent to once
per week. Meals remain served cold. Showers remain dirty, standard of
PPE remain poor, and the package officer L.A. Alvin is said to have been
rerouted to G Facility Gym 2 weeks ago. For 3 days packages were issued,
and then they were stopped.
The more pressing issue is testing and quarantining prisoners, that
first DEMAND. It would seem that SATF has engaged in testing, hence the
report of the outbreak. The high numbers serve as a focal point and
evidence of the need for families and supporters of prisoners to mend
broken relations between one another and unite against this human rights
disaster. The hunger strikers recognize the support the public gave, and
we say that though SATF and CDCR fall silent to answer the DEMANDS of
the strikers, members of the public did not fall silent. Members of the
public stood in solidarity with the strikers, accepting the terms of
which we testified to be true, spreading this as high as the State
Capitol. We rest in recovery from the loss of body weight, consequent to
starvation. But we know that there are members of the public who are now
directly connected to the struggle here at SATF in the Valley of Death’s
shadow.
In the question of what it is that leaders achieved in starving
themselves in this ACTION, we won the fight to silence prisoners by the
noise of CDCR Covid scheme operations. We raised awareness in the Valley
in solidarity with other prisoner leaderships in prisons across
California, that CDCR’s failure to protect the imprisoned population
where Covid is concerned is unacceptable.
A public stage has been made available to prisoner leaderships in the
shadow of Death Valley, where once it had gone silent. The CDCR culture
known as the ‘Code of Silence’ cannot rule where there are members of
the public willing to speak out and ACT out in criticism of the state,
its departments’ bureaucracy and the ACTIONS of its agents.
The REPUBLIC and SOVEREIGN will of individuals, independent of the
state, acting in collaboration with WE who struggle for human decency
against all odds.
WE together born about a culture that ushers a future where
redemption is real. Reconciliation is possible, and reparations are as
simple as a public admission of guilt, an apology and plan of action to
make right said wrongs.
This is what we struggle for. NO MORE SILENCE, give us answers. The
supporters of the strike have done great in raising awareness that here
at SATF there are those who have starved to improve the conditions
within CDCR as it relates to Covid. We have established court in the
streets, now we will begin releasing our AFFIDAVITS and MOTIONS for
orders against these FACILITIES, like SATF. COMMON LAW RULES everywhere
in AMERICA where the CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM fails. All that is needed
are a few FARMERS who can teach how to GROW and provide WORK to the
UNEMPLOYED, for there remain WE who will WORK for food, and stock
inner-city community food banks. A few BAILS BONDSMAN willing to perform
CITIZENS ARREST of ASSETS LIQUIDATABLE in PERSONAL DAMAGE CLAIMS of
PRISONERS, against correctional staff and healthcare personnel for COVID
ATTACKS.
What the PIGS are doing to us is equal to a carrier of COVID
intentionally coughing in the face of someone who hasn’t been
exposed.
It’s assault and battery.
We will begin putting out BENCH WARRANTS for offenders, and from here
on out the PUBLIC OPINION will decide their FATE. COURT is in the
STREETS.
THE FAILURE OF CDCR HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AS AN ACT OF WAR AGAINST WE
PRISONERS.
Right now we need our supporters to help us get our health back up so
that we can make our next strike. We can use whatever folks can by
making a deposit into our inmate trust account.
Using JPAY Deposits, supporters can send leaders money for canteen
where food purchases, cough drops, lotions, spices, herbs, oil and
vitamins may be purchased to do for themselves what the institution will
not do for them. [Contact MIM(Prisons) to get a name to send donations
to.]
