Dear RN list, April 21
This Saturday, April 24, in Philadelphia but also in many other cities
around the world, there will be protests to free Mumia Abu-Jamal and to
insist on racial and social justice.
As we know (and as the the following message points out), the issues (Mumia,
human rights, war, environmental destruction, etc.) are related... What is
fascinating is to see how international and widespread the support for Mumia is!
all the best, Jan
PS New subscribers to this list may not know who Mumia Abu-Jamal is. Just
let me know; I can forward you some more information.
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From: •••@••.•••
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 00:57:45
Subject: !*MOBILIZE!-(4/20/99)-Updates/Info on MILLIONS FOR MUMIA
* * * * * * * A P R I L 2 4 * * * * * * * * *
P H I L A D E L P H I A
C I T Y H A L L
* * * * * * * S A T. 1 2 P M * * * * * * * * *
MILLIONS FOR MUMIA MARCH
*Against police brutality...
*Against the death penalty...
*Against the jailing of youth...
*To end racism & repression...
*To free all political prisoners...
*For social & economic justice...
==============================================================
FROM BRAZIL TO SOUTH AFRICA
World movement says 'Save Mumia'
By Greg Butterfield
The spirit of international solidarity lives among public school
teachers in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. These workers plan
to strike in support of death-row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.
"The education workers of Rio de Janeiro state schools shall stop
work on April 23 for one hour to carry out a meeting to demand
freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal," declared a March 13 resolution of the
Union of Education Workers of the State of Rio de Janeiro.
On April 23 students worldwide will put down pencils and books and
walk out of schools to demand "Stop the execution" and "A new trial
for Mumia"--one day before mass demonstrations called Millions for
Mumia occur in Philadelphia and San Francisco.
International pressure was key to the successful campaigns to save
the Scottsboro Brothers, Angela Davis and other condemned political
prisoners in the U.S.
Millions for Mumia has become that kind of movement. His cry for
justice has been heard, and embraced, on every continent.
Abu-Jamal, a former Black Panther and award-winning radio journalist,
was sentenced to death for the 1981 killing of a white Philadelphia
cop. Abu-Jamal has always maintained his innocence. Supporters say he
was framed because of his lifelong fight against racism and police
brutality.
Brazil's National Confederation of Education Workers Congress had
declared Feb. 13: "[We] call for the immediate freeing of Mumia Abu-
Jamal. The defense of this courageous fighter against oppression has
become the international symbol of the struggle against the racist
death penalty."
Brazil has the second-largest Black population in the world, after
Nigeria. To many people there, and around the world, Abu-Jamal's case
exemplifies the racism and hypocrisy of the U.S. government.
Those connections are sharply focused now. The vicious New York
police slaying of African immigrant Amadou Diallo is one reason.
Another is Washington's claim that it drops bombs on the people of
Yugoslavia for "humanitarian reasons."
UN commission hears testimony
"The U.S. has made a business out of violating the human rights of
the world community," charged Zack de la Rocha, lead singer of the
popular band Rage Against the Machine. De la Rocha testified about
Abu-Jamal's plight at an April 12 hearing of the United Nations
Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland.
"A crime is a crime regardless of the tools used in the trade," he
said, "whether it's a Stealth bomber over Belgrade or a sham trial
and a syringe in Philadelphia.
"Mumia Abu-Jamal was targeted in this case for political and racial
reasons," de la Rocha explained to the UN commission. "Judge [Albert]
Sabo showed bias throughout both the trial and the appeal. The
prosecution falsified and suppressed evidence that could have
exonerated Mumia. Blacks were illegally excluded from the jury, there
was police intimidation of witnesses, and the prosecution coerced
witnesses into providing perjured testimony."
At the time of Abu-Jamal's sentencing, Sabo had already earned his
reputation as a "hanging judge," having condemned 26 people to death--
24 of them Black, de la Rocha said.
De la Rocha's testimony made headlines across Europe and the United
States, and was featured on MTV.
Since the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied Abu-Jamal's appeal last
October, the European Parliament and elected officials in Belgium,
Denmark, and Norway have issued demands and signed petitions calling
on President Clinton and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge to stop the
execution--which could take place within six months--and urging that
Abu-Jamal be given a new trial.
Aline Pailler, a member of the European Parliament, will speak at the
Philadelphia Millions for Mumia protest. Danielle Mitterrand, head of
the France Liberté Foundation and the former First Lady of France,
also endorsed the April 24 mobilization. Mitterrand, a prominent
death-penalty opponent, will visit the U.S. in late April to meet
with Abu-Jamal and Native political prisoner Leonard Peltier.
SOS-Racismo in Portugal has collected over 700 signatures from
prominent individuals. Among the signers are 1998 Nobel Prize for
Literature winner Jose Saramago, a renowned author and member of the
Portuguese Communist Party. Eight representatives from each party in
the national parliament signed, as did both major union federations,
the CGTP and UGT.
"We intend to deliver this text to the U.S. Embassy, with a press
conference, shortly before the Philadelphia demonstration April 24,"
said Antonio Louca of SOS-Racismo.
The Millions for Mumia Mobilization received an article that appeared
in the Calcutta, India, newspaper Sangbad Pratidin, reporting on the
Feb. 26 "Evening of Justice for Mumia" at New York's Town Hall. "The
organizers with all their strength have launched an all-pervading
movement on the issue and it is spreading rapidly, too," said the
report.
West Bengal leader speaks
"... Mr. H.A. Halim, Speaker, West Bengal Legislative Assembly, got
the invitation to attend today's meeting in New York. ... Mr. Halim
says that he has had a detailed discussion with the former Attorney
General of the USA [Ramsey Clark] on the matter....
"In Calcutta this Thursday noon Mr. Speaker said, `I had the
intention to be present there but could not do so. However, my mind
is there. The massive mobilization that has taken shape, striking at
the root of the internal structure of the American world, is very
significant. Here [in India], I am trying my level best at
contemplating to promote an effective coordination with'" the April
24 mobilization.
Many international Millions for Mumia demonstrations and press
conferences are planned.
The Socialist Front of Puerto Rico , for example, is building for a
large protest in San Juan on April 24. The Front helped lead last
year's massive People's Strike against the privatization of the
national telephone company.
The Puerto Rican people know a lot about solidarity with political
prisoners after 101 years of U.S. colonial domination. Sixteen Puerto
Rican independence fighters languish in U.S. jails.
Independence hero Rafael Cancel Miranda--himself a former political
prisoner-- will make the journey to Philadelphia April 24 to lead the
Latinos for Mumia contingent.
Other cities hosting April 24 protests include: Carlton South and
Melbourne, Australia; Vienna, Austria; Toronto and Vancouver, Canada;
London, England; Paris, France; Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg and Rheine,
Germany; Belfast, Cork and Dublin, Ireland; Rome, Italy; Amsterdam,
the Netherlands; and Oslo, Norway.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions, President Nelson Mandela
of South Africa and Bishop Desmond Tutu have spoken out on Abu-
Jamal's behalf.
The Azanian People's Organization of South Africa sent a "message of
solidarity to the family, friends and organization of Mumia Abu-
Jamal.
"We would be pleased if our name can be added to the organizations
throughout the world who support this campaign to have Comrade Mumia
Abu-Jamal retrialed or released unconditionally."
- END -
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====================================>
MORE INFO:
CALL: 215-476-8812 (ICFFMAJ)
212-633-6466 (NPC)
215-724-1618 (NPC)
EMAIL: •••@••.•••
•••@••.•••
•••@••.•••
FAX: 212-633-2889
215-476-7551
MAIL: P.O. BOX 19709
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19143
WEB: http://www.mumia.org
http://www.peoplescampaign.org
A NEW TRIAL FOR MUMIA IS A SIMPLE APPEAL FOR JUSTICE!
ALL OUT FOR APRIL 24, 1999 -- CITY HALL, PHILADELPHIA, PA!
