[Ppnews] News from CA hunger strikers Mutope, Abdul and Zaharibu

[Political Prisoner News]

We got a letter from Mutope Duguma (James Crawford), Sitawa's 
(Dewberry's) cellmate, yesterday dated July 28, saying he's lost over 40 
pounds "and getting smaller by the day" -- all fat gone, body eating 
muscle now. "There are several who already fell out from effects of the 
HS and we have some who have been placed in the hospital and the prison 
specialty clinic. But there are many of us who will see this out to the 
end. We are still strong. "They moved all of us on HS in the Short 
Corridor to D2 Building, so my cell number is D2-104 lower," he says.

But would you believe, from his letter and the letter from Yafeu Iyapo-I 
(Leonard Alexander) also dated July 28 that I quoted from earlier (with 
that memorable line, "staff here finally regained a teaspoon of their 
senses"), we learn that PBSP is dredging up the back papers -- they're 
actually looking for the places they stashed them -- and distributing 
them, so the guys have something to read. I don't know what prompted 
that or how many people it affects; they think it's everybody. Mutope 
says they're getting all their periodicals: Bay View, PHSS, Rock and 
Prison Focus.

Abdul Shakur (James Harvey) writes in a postcard dated July 29: "I have 
been moved to administrative segregation under the fraudulent allegation 
that I am one of the reps. As you know, they moved 14 of the reps to 
Administrative Segregation to further isolate them. The top brass 
ordered that I also be placed in Administrative Segregation. I was 
requested to attend two meetings, on July 2nd and the 24th, by the top 
brass out of Sacramento. They know I was not a rep for the hunger 
strikers and I made it clear I was not a rep, but after the July 24th 
meeting with the top brass I was placed in further isolation along with 
the 14 reps. But nothing changed, my sista. We are now on our 21st day 
and maintaining our course."

A postcard came from Zaharibu (Michael Dorrough), Heshima's cellmate in 
Corcoran, saying, "There has been retaliation within the Health Care 
Department where policymakers have apparently decided to subordinate 
what's in the best medical interest of prisoners to Custody." Unlike 
Pelican Bay, Corcoran must be holding mail. The postcard is dated July 
21 but not postmarked until July 30.

Everyone's writing reflects the strain the hunger strikers are under and 
the increasing weakness, both in what they say and how they write it 
down. I'm very familiar with their handwriting and writing style and can 
see the effects of the struggle. Mutope says, "Let me say this next week 
we will be having major complications from the HS."

-- 
Mary Ratcliff
SF Bay View
(415) 671-0789
www.sfbayview.com



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