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Friends & Comrades:<br>
<br>
For decades, I have been fighting for the amnesty and freedom of not
only myself, but all U.S. political prisoners. Back in 1977, as part
of initiating the first national prisoners’ petition campaign to the
United Nations and establishing the first national prisoners’
newspaper “Arm the Spirit,” I wrote and distributed a call for a
national organization—Political Prisoners Revolutionary Solidarity
Movement (PPRSM). Unfortunately, that call to action was premature,
and activists failed to respond in any appreciable numbers. The
general support base for PPs at that time was sectarian and divided
on political lines of whether one was a revolutionary nationalist,
Marxist-Leninist or Maoist.<br>
<br>
After being paroled from San Quentin and moved to NYS apartheid
prison system, I wrote and had published, with assistance from
Attorney Bob Boyle (editing) and PFOC (publishing), a pamphlet
titled “A Case Against United States Domestic (Neo) Colonialism—for
the National POW Amnesty Campaign.” That pamphlet provided both
legal and political analysis and explanation of the importance of
petitioning the United Nations to redress U.S. failure to give
recognition to the existence of political prisoners, and for our
demand for amnesty.<br>
<br>
By 1980, the United Nations International Jurists toured the U.S.,
interviewing a selective group of U.S. political prisoners, and then
reported to a U.N. Special Subcommittee that political prisoners do
exist in the U.S. Some of those same political prisoners still
languish in prison. … A year prior to the International Jurists
tour, then-President Jimmy Carter fired his U.N. Ambassador Andrew
Young for his response to the question that I asked a journalist to
pose to him: “Are there political prisoners in the U.S.?” He
answered, “Yes, perhaps thousands.” (Ironically, now former
President Jimmy Carter wrote a letter to former President Obama to
grant clemency to Oscar Lopez Rivera. I wonder, did he ever offer an
apology to Andrew Young?)<br>
<br>
Fast forward to 1997-98. I made the call for the Jericho March in
Washington in support of U.S. political prisoners, and more than
6,000 activists across the country responded. Beloved comrades
Safiya Asya Bukhari and Baba Herman Ferguson organized this national
determination culminating with the advent of the Jericho Amnesty
Movement.<br>
<br>
Next year will mark the 20th Anniversary of the Jericho Amnesty
Movement. Jericho has gone under several leadership changes after
the demise of Sister Safiya and Baba Herman. Jericho has provided
political prisoners with legal support, medical assistance, and
political campaign solidarity. Jericho continues to raise the
existence of U.S. political prisoners to the international
community, building solidarity with political prisoner support
groups around the world, and petitioning United Nations forums.<br>
<br>
However, unfortunately, the U.S. progressive community has yet to
provide Jericho the essential support necessary to ensure Jericho’s
growth, development and capacity to represent U.S. Political
Prisoners to the best of its ability. This lack of support and
solidarity generally weakens the overall political prisoner support
movement, negatively impacting the fight to win amnesty and freedom
for political prisoners.<br>
<br>
As we approach the 20th Anniversary of the Jericho Amnesty Movement,
I personally request all those who have a copy of my book “We Are
Our Own Liberators” to read the chapter “A Case Against United
States Domestic (Neo) Colonialism” (pages 41-60), and if possible
make a copy of the chapter and post online if you agree with what
was written over 35 years ago is relevant today in our continued
fight to win amnesty and freedom for our political prisoners.
Furthermore, I ask that you contact Jericho Amnesty Movement
representatives across the country to learn how you can support our
collective capacity to support political prisoners.<br>
<br>
Our collective determination has not diminished. Recognizing we are
entering a new phase of repression, we must come to terms that a
greater potential exists for more activists to become political
prisoners. It is incumbent on all of us to anticipate these
developments and adapt to the changing political environment. While
our successes have been few and far between, the Jericho Amnesty
Movement has been a constant, a 20-year national determination that
will always represent the best character of our class and national
liberation struggles—the character and principles of the indomitable
revolutionary spirits of our political prisoners.<br>
<br>
In the Spirit of Nelson Mandela<br>
in Apartheid NYS Prison System<br>
<br>
Jalil A. Muntaqim<br>
Jan. 30, 2017, Southport
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415 863.9977
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