[Pnews] 500 People Rally Outside Detention Center; Hunger Strike Continues

[Prisoner News]

April 9, 2014


500 People Rally Outside Detention Center; Hunger Strike Continues with 
Ongoing Use of Solitary Confinements


Tacoma, WA---Five hundred people gathered on April 5th outside of the 
Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) in order to call attention and offer 
support to the ongoing hunger strike inside. Organizers hosted workshops 
and discussions about the history of the detention center and the 
conditions detainees currently face, while people rallied, hearing from 
family members affected by deportation. At one point, hunger strikers 
called organizers of the event, and they were able to listen to the 
large crowd cheering them on from outside. Since Saturday, April 5, 
there have been at least 60 people on hunger strike in the detention 
center.


One hunger striker, Maria Cecilia Huaya Mara, offered this message to 
supporters: "I've been in the US for forty years. I've been in detention 
for two months. I went on a hunger strike for the first time to stop the 
deportations because I see all these women here, that have been here so 
long, being torn from their children. There's tears every day, there's 
so much suffering that it's basically unbearable. The conditions in here 
are not fit for dogs, the food is mostly beans all day long, and it's 
horrible, so I'm protesting that, and I thank everybody out there for 
their support." (audio available upon request) The rally was part of a 
nation-wide series of actions in over 80 different cities on April 5 to 
call attention to the high numbers of deportations under the Obama 
administration. It is predicted that the administration will reach 2 
million deportations during the month of April. Outside the NWDC, 
supporters placed 200 flowers, each flower representing 10,000 people 
deported.


Despite the release of 20 detainees from solitary confinement on April 
4th, several hunger strikers remain in isolation. A campaign begins 
today calling for the release of Ramon Mendoza-Pascual, Jesus Cipriano 
Rios, Hassall Moses, and others from solitary confinement, with support 
from the National Day Laborers Organizing Network. Mr. Mendoza-Pascual 
has been on hunger strike for at least 24 days and was sentenced to 20 
days in solitary for striking. Two hunger strikers are once again in 
medical isolation, and are facing threats of forced feeding. Army 
Veteran Hassall Moses, who has been in solitary confinement for at least 
13 days, after being charged with inciting a work stoppage, said this 
about being in isolation: "I was put in here because I asked people to 
take part in a no working strike. Because if you want to make a 
difference, we are the backbone of this facility; not only in here, but 
out there, we are what makes America." The full audio of Mr. Moses 
addressing his supporters is available upon request.


A press conference will be held on April 10 at 12:30 pm outside the 
Gates Foundation. Community organizations and Gates grantees are 
demanding divestment by the Gates Foundation from private prison 
companies, including the GEO Group, which operates the Northwest 
Detention Center. That same day, an indigenous solidarity group will 
gather at the immigration offices at 12500 Tukwila International 
Boulevard at 3:30 pm, calling for a rally, prayer and round dance to 
support indigenous immigrants detained in Tacoma and for an end to the 
criminalization of immigration.The hunger strikers continue to challenge 
the deplorable conditions at the facility, including the quality of food 
and pay of only $1 per day of work.


Petition on behalf of Hunger Strikers and latest releases available at: 
www.notonemoredeportation.com/2014/03/10/detention-hunger-strike/ 
<http://www.notonemoredeportation.com/2014/03/10/detention-hunger-strike/>


Fund to support the families of human rights hunger strikers: 
http://www.gofundme.com/7orehg



-- 
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415 
863.9977 www.freedomarchives.org
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