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No. 1145 PaleSllala: Tanks of Injustice Israeli Occupadon of Wast Bank Md Gaza Page 2-Revolutionary W>rker-April 7, 2002

Now from Revolutionary Worker Online

Complete text of the n~w Draft Programme of the RCP,USA Available on rwor.org in both HTML and PDF formats including the complete appendices of Part 2 1 . The Party and the Masses 2. Revolution Means Waging People's War 3. Create Public Opinion, Seize Power! Prepare Minds and Organize Forces for Revolution. The Central Task of the RCP,USA 4. The United Front Under the Leadership of the Proletariat Part 1: Why · and How the Proletariat Builds and Leads the United Front 5. United Front Under the Leadership of the Proletariat Part 2: Who Are Our Friends, Who Are Our Enemies? A Brief Presentation of Classes in U.S. Society 6. The Party Under Socialism, and the Transition to Communism 7. Consolidating the New Proletarian Power, Developing Radically New Institutions 8. Proletarian Dictatorship, Democracy and the Rights of the People 9. Internationalism and International Relations 10. Uprooting National Oppression and White Supremacy 11 . Ending Discrimination Against Immigrants 12. The Proletarian Revolution and the Emancipation of Women 13. Art, Science, Education, Sports, and the Challenge of Creating a Whole New Superstructure in Socialist Society 14. The New Socialist Economy Part 1: Grasp Revolution, Promote Production 15. The New Socialist Economy Part 2: Agriculture, City and Countryside, Ecology, and Planning ..... - 16. Proletarian Morality- A Radical Rupture With Traditi~n·s Chains'

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On March 29, the Palestin ian people of = Ramallah fact:d the second invasion within a month by occupation forces, as 150 Israeli tanks rumbled into the West Bank town. Crushing cars and anything else in their way, many of the tanks headed to the offices of the Palestinian Authority (PA) located in a walled com­ pound. TI1e Israeli troops forced their way into the compound, smashing gaping holes in the walls as they fired tank shells and machine guns. Soon the Israeli milt­ tary had control of the compound, and PA head Yasser Arafat was holed up in a second-floor office~the electricity cut off, a cell phone his only means of com· munication to the outside world. S ince December, Arafat has been held a virtual prisoner in Ramallah, prevented from traveling outs ide of the town by Israeli troops. But this latest assault sig­ naled a new and very heavy intensification of Jsraeli military moves against the Some of the hundreds of Palestinians rounded up by Israeli troops in Ramallah for "questioning," Pa\est\nian areas. As we go to press, Israel March 30. continues to hold Arafat hostage - and it is unclear how things will develop. What basically recognized as a "head of state" schoolboy, saying that Arafat had not capital; and a solution to the situation of is certain is t.hat the new Israeli offensive by governments around the world. Yet, in " done enough" to shut down armed Palestinian refugees. Israeli officials in the West Bank and Gaza will mean fur­ Ramallah, Israel deployed its massive mil­ Palestinian groups, and refused to guaran­ called the proposal a "non-starter." And ther . death and destruction for the itary- bristling with powerful high-tech tee that Arafat would be allowed to return by the weekend, they were backing up that Palestinian people-more people cut weapons thanks to U.S. aid-to swoop if he traveled to the summit. The U.S. also stand with tanks aimed right at Arafat. down in tbe streets. by overwhelming down on the PA offices in a lightning scolded Arafat for "not doing enough" to The immediate justification used by Israeli firepower. more houses razed to the strike and utterly humiliate Arafat in front shut down the resistance and denied him a Israeli officials for this invasion was that ground by Israeli military bulldozers, of the world. It was a naked power move chance for a meeting with Vice President they were responding to a series of recent more fly-by murders by U.S.-supplied jet to deliver a gangster-like message: We are Dick Cheney. At the same time, Bush's Palestinian suicide bombings, especially fighters and helicopter gunships. the ones in charge here, we're the one~ special envoy to the Middle East, General one in the Mediterranean coast city of The scene in Ramallah- the tank inva­ that occupy this land, and we hold your Zinni, demanded that the Palestinians Netanya that ki lled more than 20 people sion of a town and the s iege of the PA fate in our hands. agree to a ceasefire which did not even attending a Passover celebration. But headquarters-pointed to the essence of There is another message that Israel's mention the Palestinian state. according to reports in the media, Israeli the two sides of conflict in Palestine: Zionist rulers are delivering: If there are to TI1e Arab League summit endorsed a Premier Ariel Sharon and his generals had occupier vs. occupied, justice vs. injus­ be any "truces" or " peace agreements," it proposal from the Saudi crown prince been discussing possible " broad military tice, Z ionism and imperialism vs. the will be on terms dictated by Israel and the which offered official recognition of the action" against the PA a week before the oppressed peopie of Palestine. The Israeli U.S. to the Palestinians. Just a few days state oflsrael by Arab League members­ recent suicide bombings. action put a glaring spotlight on the real before the invasion of Ramallah, Israel in return for Israel's withdrawal from The Sharon government declared that power relations that exist in Palestine. For had prevented Arafat from attending a areas seized in the 1967 war, establish­ the invasion of Ramallah and Arafat's years, Arafat has worked with the U.S. summit of the Arab League in Beirut, m ent of a Palestinian state in the West headquarters was only the start of major and Israel in the ir "peace process" and is Lebanon. Sharon treated Arafat like a Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as the military operations in th e West Bank and Gaza that will go on "without a time limit." In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces divided this small area__:which is already like a huge prison packed with poor peo­ ple- into three smaller zones. And hun­ dreds of Palestinians were reportedly being rounded up for "questioning" by Israeli troops. Earlier in March, Israeli forces had attacked Palestinian refugee camps and towns throughout the West Bank and Gaza in the biggest Israeli mili­ tary operation since the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Now, Israel has launched an even more massive and brutal assault on the Palestinian people. **** As the Israeli troops seized control of the PA compound in Ramallah, Colin Powell emerged from a National Security Council meeting to speak to the press. The news footage from Ramallah showed dozens of Israeli tanks surrounding the compound and heavily armed troops swarming over the area, leaving Arafat trapped and helpless. Meanwhile in Washington, D.C., Powell blamed Arafat for bring ing on this current "crisis" by not doing enough to stop "terrorism." Powell March 3~1.000 said he " understood" lhe Israeli response Ir people marched and praised Sharon for showing " fl ex ibi~ ._.Rs Ar-- j ~ and rallied in San ~ - .:_·-.... Francisco to ity" in negotiations in recent weeks. But at I : . ' protest Israel's the same time, Powell declared that Arafat Hv/VT£R'c::: ON actions against the continues to be "central" to the "process" ...) Palestinian people. Continued on page 14 ""'r'NJ"""\ . ~""""""' Page 4-Revolutionary V\brker-April 7, 2002 India Offers Mare Support far Caunter-reValutian in Nepal At the end of March, Nepal's Prime Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). The nomically, politically, AND militarily. other's territory should not be used for Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba went to Indian government quickly endorsed the Deuba met Indian Home Minister L.K. "terrorist activities," and agreed to India for six days with a I 00-member del­ Nepalese government's "search and Advani, External Affairs Minister Jaswant strengthen a 1953 extradition treaty. The egatiorl. He met with India's top govern­ destroy" campaign by the Royal Nepalese Singh, Defense Minister George Fer­ Indian ambassador to Nepal said, '!The ment and military officials and at the top Army against the Maoists and sent I I nandes, as well as India's Prime Minister border authorities of the two cou'ntries are of the agci:ida was getting India ·s help in trucks full of sophisticated weapons and Atal Behari Vajpayee. Indian officials already having very close cooperation to combating the popular Maoist insurgency surveillance equipment to be used against came out of these meetings announcing a see that Maoists don't get a!)y support that has been going on in Nepa~ since the Maoists. The Indian government also public pledge to help Nepal with intelli­ from India and cross over 'to the Indian I996. gave Nepal two Cheetah helicopters. gence information, equipment and train­ territory." In his meeting with Deuba, There were good reasons for Dcuba to For the last few months, the fighting ing to help crush the Maoist insurgency. India's home ministJr suggested that the think he could get help in New Delhi. between the Royal Nepalese Army and An Indian official, who did not want to two countries have a mutual legal assis­ India has long dominated Nepal and has Maoist guerrillas has intensified. And con­ be identified, told the press, "We offered tance treaty and work closely on intelli­ been watching the gro\\ ing Maoist insur­ trary to the government's initial bragging to cooperate by way of exchange of infor­ gence sharing to help both countries.con­ gency in Nepal with much concern. Soon that it would quickly quell the Maoist mation, cooperation between intelligence trol their borders effectively. after September I I, the Foreign Minister insurgency, the fighting has remained very agencies, improved surveillance along the Last fall India had already begun of India made a point of calling the two-sided-with reports of battles involv­ border and offers of equipment and train­ puning more soldiers on the porous India­ Maoists in Nepal •·terrorists"-a label that ing thousands of Maoist guerrillas, armed ing." The official did not say what kind of Nepalese border-a move aimed at had, up to then, not been used by India to with some of the new sophisticated wea­ equipment it would provide to Nepal. But detaining "suspected Maoists." India has describe Maoists in Nepal. Many saw this pons from India that have been captured in it is widely known that the Royal also been cracking down on Nepalese as a sign that India was laying the basis for battle. Nepalese Army wants more and better Maoists living in India-in the West getting more directly involved in attacking The CPN (Maoist) has always warned weapons to fight the Maoists. A junior for­ Bengal area the gqvernment has carried the People's War. of the danger of Indian intervention, and eign minister from Nepal told the press out raids and arrested a number of Then in November, Deuba 's govern­ Deuba 's trip to New Delhi-the first by a that Nepal faced a shortage of"means and Nepalese Maoist leaders. ment declared a state of emergency and Nepali premier in nearly two years-is resources" in battling the guerrillas and A particularly sinister aspect of the new officially put the " terrorist" label on the indicative of how much the reactionary needed international support. cooperation between Nepal and India is leadership of the Peopl~ ' s War, the Nepalese government relies on India, eco- India and Nepal also agreed that each the accusation by India that Nepal is har­ boring members of Pakistan's Inter­ Services Intelligence-who are known to have close ties with the Taliban forces in Afghanistan. There have also been com­ pletely fabricated tales spun out in the media about the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) getting arms from the ISi. Such lies could be used to lay the basis for new pretexts to attack the Peo&le's War. ***** India has a long history of dominating Nepal, both economically and politically. The ruling classes in Nepal have long been subservient to India. And there is widespread resentment among the masses of people in Nepal over Indian domina­ tion. This makes Deuba 's request for arms from India a risky move. As the Maoists in Nepal have pointed out, many of the new and sophisticated arms India sends to the Royal Nepalese Army will end up in the hands of Maoist guerrillas. And increasing intervention by the Indian government could become very unpopular in Nepal, resulting in even more trouble for the gov­ Maoist ernment and an alignment of forces even guerrillas in more favorable to the People's War. •L._ _...... ,._,.~ll..:...~!:!s_~~:.:.z:~o:::::-..:.::~".:...i...~_::.._~-;;,,,2;:..:_...:....:::..:...____1 Nepal, 1999 The []anger of India's POTIJ

On March 26, the Indian parliament death. dence, and many are fearful this will lead passed a controversial new "anti-terrorism India is following the example of the to even more "torture confessions." POTO law"-the Prevention of Terrorism Ordi­ United States. Using the so-called "war on also gives the police more room to cover nance. POTO sets strict new rules for terrorism," it is instituting heavy repres­ up human rights abuses with a clause that arrest, interrogation and investigation: sive measures that can be used against gives impunity to security forces that can • It allows suspects to be held for 30 anyone the government doesn't like­ prove they acted in "good faith" while days without appearing before a court. including genuine revolutionary groups. handling a case. • It allows police to detain suspects for POTO specifically targets two revolu­ POTO sets forth a broad definition of questioning for 90. days without charges tionary Maoist groups that are waging "te('Torism" that- includes acts of violence and an additional 90 days with approval armed struggle-the Maoist Communist or disruption of essential services carried from a special court. Centre and the Communist Party of India out with "intent to threaten the unity and • It allows anyone suspected of giving (ML) People's War-outlawing them alto­ integrity of India or to strike terror in any money, shelter, transportation or other gether. And as POTO was being p?ssed part of the people"-a vague and loose support to "terrorists" to be tried on ter­ into law, Indian officials were declaring definition that gives the government wide rorism charges. People who unknowingly renewed support for the reactionary powers to target and persecute anyone rent a room or car to a terrorist or engage Nepalese government's fight against the they want. in a financial transaction with them can be popular Maoist insurgency that's been Ravi Nair, director of the South Asia arrested on terrorism charges, detained for going on since 1996. Human Rights Documentation Center in up to six months without trial and have Elements of POTO had already been in New Delhi, said, "Because it lets you lock their home or business seized. force under a presidential decree back in up a person and throw the key away, the • It denies access to witnesses for cross­ December, but the ordinance was sched­ police [are] going to abuse the new law. were detained. TADA allowed for deten­ People don't want this bill because of their tion for long periods without charge or examination. uled to lapse in April if not passed into trial and individuals were detained pend­ • lt gives the police broad powers to law. earlier experience with the anti-terrorism ing trial for years at a time without the intercept telephone and internet communi­ From the beginning, human rights law and its abuse. They don't want a cations and use them as evidence in court. groups opposed POTO, pointing out that police state." hope of bail. In 1995, following a sustained cam­ •It gives the government freedom to its extreme measures give the government For many years, lndia used TADA (the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities [Pre­ paign by human rights organizations, the clamp down on the funding of any group freedom to violate all kinds of constitu­ vention] Act, 1987) to detain those it sus­ Indian parliament was forced to not re­ suspected of being "terrOiist." tional and human rights. Critics of POTO pected of carrying out "anti-national" authorize TADA. • It puts the burden of proof on the say that in the few months POTO has been activities. In areas of armed conn1ct such Now POTO basically reinstates a mod­ accused with no mandatory right to com­ in effect, it has already been ruthlessly as Jam.mu and Kashmir, Punjab and the i ficd version of \he notorious TADA­ pensation for those detained and later used to intimidate Muslims in India and intensify repression in the disputed Northeast, security forces were given which facilitated tens of thousands of found not guilty. · increased powers under other "special leg­ arrests, detentions, and acts of torture in • It makes it a crime to not provide Himalayan region of Kashmir. islation" and TADA was used to detain violation of international law, and was authorities with "information relating to Indian law had prohibited confessions people throughout India. lmplement~tion used to crack down on political oppo­ any terrorist activity." . unless they were made voluntarily in court. POTO now changes Indian law to of this act led to widespread human rights nents, social activists, and human rights • It provides punishments ~ang1~g from violations, and many innocent people defenders. a minimum of five years m pnson to admit confessions made to police as evi- April 7, 2002-Revolutionary Worker-Page 5

Uniting With All Who Can Be United, in the U.S. and Throughout the World by Bob Avakian for example, where it has been raised: country like the U.S., the requirements of Programme, and it will be important to "How can we really carry out our two upholding and applying proletarian inter­ continually go back to that and reground 9011 Os orientation when we see that in this nationalism and acting in accordance with people in that, especially the advanced "Uniting With All Who Can Be United, in situation so many people are waving flags the interests of the '90 percent' of the revolutionary-minded people at every the U.S. and Throughout the World" an is or supporting the government?" Or the world's people can, in a number of cir­ point, in order to be able to most effec­ excerpt from a tape-recorded talk by Bob question is directly raised: "Does this cumstances, bring the class-conscious tively struggle to bring into being a more Avakian, the Chairman of the RCP,USA, in show that our two 9011 Os orientation is not proletariat into conflict with the more nar­ favorable alignment, through the course of the allermath of September 11 and in the correct, or at least that we' re not going to row interests of segments of society, par­ the whole process preceding a revolution­ context of the war launched by the U.S. be able to carry it out?" Well, it's good ticularly the more privileged strata. ary situation as well as at the point w)lere government, focused initially against these questions are being raised, but it's " In orde,r to correctly handle these con­ that situation does emerge. Afghanistan. important to emphasize that, if you go tradictions-and the often acute 'tensions' And, on the level of building the RW 1143 featured major excerpts of this back and read how this is characterized in involved- the proletarian vanguard must broader movement of resistance, this also talk in the special magazine section­ the Draft Programme, it never presents at all times keep uppermost the fundamen­ applies: at any given point, the alignment '7he New Situation and the Great this-and it would be wrong to present it tal interests of the proletariat and masses may be such that far fewer than 90 percent Challenges." The magazine is available -as if this is a straight-line, linear process of people worldwide and at the same time of the people are standing with-or have a online at rwor.org and at Revolution Books and at every point you' re going to have 90 persevere, from a strategic standpoint, in stance of " friendly neutrality" toward­ stores and outlets. percent of the people with you or that 90 its work to win over the broadest number that movement, and it will be crucial to percent can be very easily mobilized from all strata among the people." continue building that movement in a way In the battle against the heightening around your banner. On the contrary, it is In fact, to build the most powerful that "stick[s] to basic principle and still repression and in the overall struggle recognized, and emphasized, that this is an movement of opposition, and to link this build[s] the broadest united front, keeping against the imperialist juggernaut, both acutely contradictory process because, with and make it serve strategic revolu­ in the forefront what it will take to actu­ the importance and the acute contradic­ considering things just within the U.S. tionary objectives, it is crucial to grasp ally stop the w~ole juggernaut of war and toriness within our "two 9011 Os" orienta­ itself, there are ways in which many peo­ firmly that at any given time the alignment repression vs. getting caught up in sectar­ tion stand out very sharply. As put forth in ple, significant forces in society, are spon­ may be vastly different than 90 percent of ian or even simply more narrow and lim­ our Party's Draft Programme, the "two taneously and in the short run pulled in the the people on our side. This applies on ited interests." (frcim an internal party 901 IOs " refers to the strategic orientation wrong direction; and, as pointed out in the various levels. In terms of our fundamen­ document) of seeking "to win over the '90 percent,' Draft Programme, there is the very acute tal program of proletarian revolution, it is • Once again, this involves taking up the whose fundamental interests ultimately lie contradiction between maintaining a clearly not going to be the case that 90 big challenge of changing the whole polit­ with the proletarian revolution, against the bedrock position and activity based on percent of the people (or anything close fo ical terms and the political terrain, realign­ '10 percent'- the ruling class and its die­ proletarian internationalism and still seek­ that) will be in agreement with this, or ing things in society as a whole, achieving hard supporters-within the U.S. while ing to unite the broadest number possible even have a stance of friendly neutrality a repolarization that is more favorable for doing this in unity with the '90 percent' and strategically maintaining an orienta­ toward it, before a revolutionary situation the movement of resistance, and doing internationally, the great majority of the tion of uniting with the 90 percent in the emerges. Even at "crunch time"-even this in a way that is consistent with and people of the world who suffer exploita­ U.S. itself. So what these events are bring­ when the objective basis and the need is contributes to realizing the fundamental tion and oppression under the domination ing out is precisely the profound correct­ acutely posed for the masses to rise up and revolutionary interests of the masses of of imperialism and its allies and puppets." ness and farsightedness of what's said in make revolution-it is unlikely to be the people, not just in the U.S. but worldwide. To win people to apply this orientation, the Draft Programme about the two case that 90 percent will be with this right Here, once more, is the crucial point con­ and maintain it through all the twists and 901 I Os. To quote the Draft Programme from the start-even then many middle cerning the need to correctly handle the turns, will of course be a struggle - and again: forces will have to be won to the revolu­ often very acute-and right now very this will be true. not only in the broader "It must be recognized that there are tionary camp through the course of actu­ acute-contradiction between maintain­ movement but within the ranks of our significant contradictions involved in ally carrying out the revolutionary seizure ing proletarian internationalism, and at the Party as well. I have seen some reports these 'two 90/JOs'--contradictions which of power. This is something that is spoken same time uniting all who. can be united concerning discussions within the Party, at times can become quite acute. In a to and emphasized in our Party's Draft within the U.S. itself. Page 6-Revolutionary W:>rker-April 7, 2002

A. hazmat team inspecting a letter suspected of containing anthrax bacteria, Trenton, New Jersey, October 2001 . Barbara Hatclz Rose11berg is a widely recog11ized expert 011 a11tlzrax a11d biological warfare. Size is maki11g some sllocki11g charges agai11st tlze U.S. govemme11t, its military am/ its FBI i11vestigators. Dr. Rosenberg i11sists that tile a11tllrax attacks of last fall were clearly do11e by someo11e worki11g witlli11 tile U.S. govemme11t biowarfare projects. Site says the FBI quite likely k11ows wlzo mailed the a11tltrax letters a11d asks wlty lite govemme11t is afraid to arrest the suspects they ltave ide11tified. Site suggests tltat lite govemme11t is ltoldi11g back because the true story belli11d these a11tltrax letters could tlte11 become p11blic-damagi11g powerful forces witlti11 tlte govemme11t and tile military. Tlte evidence from lite anthrax attacks of last fall leads to tlte doorsteps of U.S. military laboratories and the CIA. And tile FBI appears to be waist deep in a cover-up. On September 18, a few days after the "Ifyou 'want to see the i,tiersection of World Trade Center attacks, someone two talents-the microbiologic ability to started mailing letters containing anthrax obtain and safely grow lots of anthrax, spores. The spores can infect people with and the industrial capacity to turn it into a deadly disease. . dry powder-then that would suggest to Ultimately, four anthrax letters were me that the person did indeed have some recovered. Two had been sent to the experience with the biological warfare Senate offices of leading Democratic sen- program. " ators, Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy. USAMRllD, 1977-1990 Two had been sent to media offices in Salon, February 8, 2002 New York- the Post newspaper and Tom "From the moment one saw that ii was Brokaw at NBC News. highly concentrated Ames strain anthrai, The letters did not kill their intended the first lead candidate should have been targets, but the anthrax material was so a U.S. laboratory with a military sophisticated that the spores passed contract. " through the envelopes and infected people Jonathan A. King, all along their path-including secretaries professor of microbiology, MIT and postal workers. Five people are Salon, February 8, 2002 known to have died from inhaling spores Dr. Rosenberg is a molecular biologist from these letters, and 13 others were and research professor of environmental infected but survived. Authorities believe science at the State University of New a fifth letter killed a photo editor in York. For more than a decade she has been Florida, but the letter was never found. involved in the Federation of American President Bush quickly suggested on Scientists' (FAS) Chemical and Biological TV that the Islamist al-Qaida organization Weapons Program, where she now serves might be behind the anthrax attack. The as director. Wall Street Journal wrote (Oct .18): "By On December JO, Rosenberg's FAS far the likeliest supplier is Saddam working group released "A Compilation Hussein." Everyone remembers how these of Evidence and Comments on the Source anthrax attacks were used to fan support of the Mailed Anthrax." In this report, for the U.S. war against Afghanistan and Rosenberg documents that all the features Iraq. And this has continued: As recently of the anthrax used. in the attacks point to as March 23 the New York Times ran a U.S. military stockpiles. front-page story blaring, "U.S. Says it First, the anthrax used was the Ames Found Qaeda Lab Being Built to Produce strain (named after the U.S. government Anthrax." Such reports have repeatedly Jabs in Ames, Iowa). This Ames strain is proven to be false-no evidence has ever the form of antfirax central to the U.S. connected these attacks to foreign forces. government biological warfare develop­ Evidence gathered by Dr. Barbara ment-going as far back as the 1960s. Hatch Rosenberg and her colleagues Second, for anthrax to be a weapon, it reveals that the anthrax used in these has to be prepared into a dust so fine tliat attacks came from U.S. military stockpiles it floats in the air and is inhaled. This -and U.S. officials must have known requires complicated processes that sepa­ this, almost from the beginning. rate the spores and prevent "clumping" from moisture or static electricity. All of EVIDENCE FROM THE this has to be done under elaborate labora­ tory conditions so the technicians them­ ANTHRAX LETIERS selves don 't die from the spores. "The weaponized anthrax is made by a All the techniques used to develop the highly secret process belonging to the anthrax letter material point to U.S. gov­ United States, and the material seems to ernment Jabs: The sample was extremely fit that recipe. Their best lead at present concentrated (one trillion spores per gram) is the contractor that worked/or the and highly pure in ways "characteristic of CIA." material made by the U.S. process." Professor Barbara Hatch Rosenberg, Four different labs reportedly docu- reported by the BBC, December 19, 2001 . - Continued on page 12 Anthrax spores. April 7, 2002-Revolutionary V\brker-Page 7 • • pr1 ctions for um1a u~ ama

International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal has called for four days of action April 4-8 to protest the unjust impris­ onment of revolutionary political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. . La:>t December in federal district court in Philadelphia, for the first time m 20 years a court admitted there was something wrong in the trial that has kept Mumia on death row for two decades after he was framed for the murder of Philadelphia cop Daniel Faulkner. Judge Yohn ruled that the sentencing hearing- which sentenced Mumia to death-was in violation of the law. But in a deeply unjust decision, Judge Yohn upheld Mumia's murder conviction and refused to consider new evidence in Mumia's case. The fact that Yohn upheld the conviction is an outrage. Yohn turned down 20 claims in Mumia's petition for habeas corpus which argue clearly and in detail that Mumia was wrongly convicted. These claims include many instances of misconduct by the trial judge and the prose­ cution: suppression of evidence, coercion of witnesses, police perjury, forcing o totally ineffective court-appointed lawyer on Mumia, and the refusal of Mumia's right to defend himself or to have assistance from legal counsel of his choice. Yohn also turned down Mumia's claim that the judge and prosecutor engaged in racist jury selection - although he left open the possibility on this one point for later appeal (see RW # 1133 for more infonnation). Yohn's court was also Mumia's last chance to introduce new evi­ dence. Yet Yohn refused to hear new evidence or allow oral argu­ ments-despite the emergence of affidavits by Mumia and his brother describing the events the night Philly cop Daniel Faulkner was killed; an affidavit by Arnold Beverly, who has stated he was the one who killed Faulkner; and an affidavit by a Philadelphia court employee who overheard the judge in Mumia's original trial, Judge Sabo, say in a con­ versation " I' m going to help 'em fry the n*gger." (A lower court judge also refused to hear the new evidence and Judge Yohn declared he did not want lower courts to hold hearings on it.) · Since Yohn 's ruling, more evidence surfaced that proves Mumia was unjustly framed. In a sworn affidavit Yvette Williams declared that Cynthia White told her that police forced her to lie and identify Mum ia as the shooter. Williams was in prison with White after the shooting. White was the key eyewitness in Mumia's trial and the only w itness who testified she saw Mumia shoot Faulkner. Jn Yohn 's December ruling, the prosecution was given 180 days to schedule a new sentencing hearing. If they do not, Mumia's sentence will automatically be changed to life in prison without parole. This would be a totally unjust outcome- one that threatens to completely close the prison door on Mumia. The prosecution remains intent on murdering Mumia and has appealed Yohn's ruling on the death sentence to the Circuit Court. lf they win, the death sentence would be restored-and the Pennsylvania governor could immediately announce an execution date. Mumia's attorneys have appealed Yohn's decision upholding the murder convic­ tion to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. And they have filed court papers requesting hearings be held on the new evidence. ***** Mum ia Abu-Jamal was framed because he is a revolutionary who has always spoken out on behalf of the oppressed. From death row, he has continued to do so for the past 20 years, exposing the crimes of this sys­ tem and shining a light on the lives of the oppressed. In the past few months his weekly columns have included exposing and denouncing the U.S. "war on terrorism" as a war of aggression. Mumia's case is even more important in today's political climate where the government is try­ ing to criminalize dissent. The more closely people look at Mumia's case the more it becomes clear that the system has carried out a profound injustice. The possibil­ ity that the death sentence on Mumia might be restored or that he may be locked up for life poses great dangers - especially given the current climate of repression and intimidation in th is country. This situation -~ makes it all the more important for people to fight through to build the kind of broad, diverse and determined movement that can win complete iQ, rj justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal. - ci rj No New Death Sentence! Overturn the Conviction! Free Mumia 0 Abu-Jamal! ~ Q,

Some of the events the RW has learned about include: April 7, Philadelphia: 6:00-8:00 p.m.-Resist This! Speaki ng Tour-Clark April 4- International Honk for Mumia Day Kissinger and youth from Refuse & Resist! are featured speakers as R&R! launches a nationwide campus speaking tour to expose the police state atmos­ In Philadelphia: 11 :00 a.m.-ln commemoration of the assassination of Dr. phere in post-9/11 America, encourage resistance to the unending, unjust war, Martin Luther King, Jr., Educators for Mumia Abu-Jamal will hold a press con­ help build support for those under attack, and discuss the need-more than ference featuring Philadelphia area scholars at 1199C Union Hall, 13th & ever-to free Mumia. Robins Books, 108 S. 13th Street. For more information Juniper Streets. conlact Philadelphia Refuse & Resist!, 215-552-8548. 3:00 p.m.-Demonstration at the corner of Broad and Spring Garden. April 8, Philadelphia: 9:00 a.m.-Pack the courtroom at the hearing for the April 5-lnternational Day of Action for Mumia people arrested after being attacked by police at a December 8th protest mark­ In Philadelphia there will be a night of poetry with artists from the Blackout ing the 20th year of Mumia's unjust imprisonment. Criminal Justice Center, 13th Poetry Collective. Time aQd place to be announced. & Filbert. 12:30 p.m.-Rally in support of those arrested on December 8th at the north­ April 6, Philadelphia- "Let The Evidence Be Heard! The Truth Must Be Told!" west corner of City Hall across from the Criminal Justice Center. 11 :00 a.m.-Rally at State Office Building, Broad & Spring Garden Streets 11:15 a.m.-March through North Philly to Mumia's high school For more information on these and other activities contact international 12:00-6:00 p.m.-Teach-in at Benjamin Franklin High School, Broad & Green Concerned Friends & Family of Mumia Abu-Jamal, [email protected], 215- Streets. The first half of the teach-in will focus on Mumia's legal situation and 476-8812, www.mumia.org action proposals. The second half will address the context of the fight to free Mumia: war, repression, reparations and other death penalty cases. $10 dona­ tion requested (no one will be turned away). Page 8-Revolutionary 'Mlrker-April 7, 2002

There are many prisoners and political ·"homeboyism" culture (a product of capi­ munism. It's 1 capitalism that's making prisoners that need to get their hands on talist/imperialist colonization of the bar­ their lives so hard, they're breaking their the Draft Programme of the Revolutionary rios as it is) to a revolutionary internation­ backs on jobs that have no meaning. Communist Party. The brothers and alist! One, I'm open for any critique or They're being open-minded and maybe sisters behind bars must be a part of this dialogue on the related or otherwise. So when I educate myself more ·about com­ discussion and debate. To do this, we ask don't hesitate to get at me or encourage rn unism I'll be able to educate them. all people who see the need to spread the others to. If I can spread communism by word of vision of a revolutionary program, to I'm enclosing here a copy of a drawing mouth, I will. I will do anything that I can contribute to the Pr1soners Revolutionary I did in 1999 called, "The essence of cap­ to help the struggle. T really want to make Literature Fund (PRLF). PRLF is also . italism." this world a better place for our women looking for volunteers to help get the RW l'Jl be packing in about 13 months, after and children. into prisoners' hands. having been down 10 years! And I'm try­ You can reach PRLF at: 773-227-4066. ing to make some contacts and build some "Putting a Puzzle Together" Send contributions to: PRLF, Merchandise meaningful relationships so that I can The weekly issues of the Revolutionary Mart, PO Box 3486, Chicago IL 60654 begin organizing, agitating and educating Worker and the Draft Programme have The following excerpts are from letters as soon as I touch down .... Let me tell been received and itis my duty to criticize prisoners wrote to the Prisoners you, I've been digging into Marxist­ what needs to be criticized. It's like Revolutionary Literature Fund after Len inist-Maoist thecry and scientific putting a puzzle together-you have to receiving the new Draft Programme of the socialism in general since almost day one find out what pieces fit and what pieces · RCP,USA. in prison. I dug into the SWP Trokskyist don't. line, the Mexican cultural nationalist line First of all with this so-called " War on A Thirst for Knowledge (I speak the Mexican language, Spanish Terrorism" nobody has seen to take it into recently obtained the Draft and of course English), the New Afrikan consideration as to whether or not bin Programme of the Revolutionary revolutionary nationalist line, and a host Laden was behind the plane crashes. First Communist Party, USA. I was in awe. I of others and believe only the RIM and of all, there has been no evidence that he have had a lot of ideas about a world that RCP is capable of being the revolutionary actually was behind it. Secondly it is ·hard is VERY similar to what is projected in vanguard of the proletariat in specific and to believe that a handfltl of people would the ideals of the RCP. I must admit that I a new revolutionary socialist/communist hi-jack an airplane w ith box cutters. All of do not have much knowledge on Marxist­ hegemony in general, within this country. us have seen a situation where somebody Leninist-Maoist parties and/or organiza­ I am confident that given the opportunity, has done something and then made it look tions. I do want to learn! I am writing in I could contribute significantly to the like somebody e lse did it and this might hopes that you could give me any litera­ RCP. very well be the case. The question is why ture, sources of literature. I thirst for Yeah, comrades, that's a big door I'm would the U.S. government plot and carry knowledge. Unfortunately there is not any kicking open and I hope that you may be out such a thing and part of the answer to useful information where I am at-in able to respond to this in fu ll. In closing, I that question is wl)y wouldn't they-with prison. I would like to be put on a mailing extend my deepest regards and concrete the capitalist system and their conspiracies list. Please! Thank you for putting your sol idarity to all! - to bri ng about a New World Order, a Draft Programme into print, it helped me One World Government with some of realize that I am not the only person w ith A New Light their most ruthless killers in office such as a need to rebel against capitalist oppres­ My name is :X:XX and I would like to President George Bush who murdered sion. r now have hopes of proper guid­ thank you and the RCP for opening up my over 34 people as the governor of Texas; ance. Thank you. eyes to the world. such as Director of Homeland Security I've been reading the weekly newsletter - Tom Ridge who bombed the MOVE orga­ Transformation and the Draft Programme and seeing the nization and tried to have Mumia Abu­ Salutations comrades! I received your world in a new light. I never used to notice Jamal executed while he was governor of missive only recently due to an ongoing how censored the American newspapers Pennsylvania; such as Mayor Rudolph struggle between us and the Gestapo were until I read the Revolutionary Giuliani who has been behind the murder working in the mailroom here. To make a Worker. I li ke how they don't hold their and police bruta lity in New York? long story short, since your message was tongues and how they're not afraid to As to criticizing your Draft sent under separate cover, it arrived.with a speak their minds. Plus the Draft is li ke Programme, I haven't read all of it yet. compailera of mine and they considered it ten times better than the [U.S.] Page 11 .states, "The proletarians are trapped in a vicious circle-they have to "3rd party mail." I filed an appeal in haste Constitution. It makes me want the Draft work in order to live." Well, that's the and here I am months later with your mis­ to be read worldwide. Wouldn't that make whole catch to it; they don't have to do sive at my side. Thanx! the world a better place? . nothing; they have been fooled into think­ I want to acknowledge having long I don't know what I can do to help make ing that they have to work tQ live and since received our copy of the New Draft a difference, but if you think of anything, when they work, they still don't live Programme and the continued subscrip­ just let me know. My family comes to see because most of the time somebody else tion to the RW. We have composed a me once a month and I'm trying to open (the ruling class) receives the profit study-struggle group here and have incor­ their eyes. Some of them think that com­ behind whaf they work for and to those porated the Draft in our curriculum. I look munism is just a dream, but the others are that do receive some, it is designed to have forward to sharing with you, and all, some really listening to me. I don't try to beat it taken right back from them. We live in a of our "notes" on the related ... I have no them over the head w ith communism. I just tell them what has capitalism done for system of trickery. It's like, Okay, I got organizational affiliation. Quite simply, what you want·and to get 1t you gotta do you? And the answer is always, nothing. I I' m a communist who has been captive whatever it is I want you to do. An exam­ just try to let them know that they would­ since I was 15 (I'm 24 now) and who has ple is what goes on back here in prison. n't have to struggle this hard under corn- endeavored to transfonn m ys~ lf from the When it's time for an officer back here to gas someone or restrain them by use of force you can see the look in their face show ing that they really don't want to do it and many will admit that they don't want to do ' it and that they know it's wrong, but they say that they need the job, the money to survive so they end up becoming bribed. But when you are deal­ ing with a briber you have to make sacri­ fices and it must be understood that usu­ ally what you are bribed for ain't usually worth it. The rullng class never allows you to make it to the top with them. Their intention is to use you and get rid of you, to bring you in and kick you out. As to a ll of your emphasis on Marxism­ Leninism-Maoism. Well, if Mao lived in a desert and you lived in a jungle and you are trying to grow a garden, there is noth­ ing you can learn from Mao to help you grow one because someone from the desert knows nothing about growing a "The essence of capitalism" garden. This is why Sun Tzu said in the April 7, 2002-Revolutionary V\brker-Page 9 - ·r • · · · .. ·:1~

Art of War that circumstances never repeat past these walls of prison inertia created This phrase has the sound of forced indoc­ themselves exactly and so the rules of by the prison administration, the commu­ trination. It gives the sense of, "We will strategy can never be set out in such detail nists in every prison must quickly seek out not pennit this so do what you're told or that every situation is catered for in other class-conscious communists and else." There is no inducement in such a advance. So it is not necessary to specifi­ start holding study groups under the guise phrase and -one phrase can stick in a per­ cally apply the rules of Marx, Lenin and of religion or whatever means of meetings son's memory and color his judgment far Maoism ... are ava ilable. The Draft Progamme will into the future. 1 hope I have said enough to keep us work but we communists must be willing To rehabilitate prisoners you wi ll need going in the same direction, if not you to exhaust the study of the Programme much more than socialist revolution. Once have to further show me where you are and put its policy into practice. Because the common enemy is gone where do you going and how you are getting there so the Draft Programme will work. It is channel all the hatred? that 1 may learn the same. based on Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. I will continue these thoughts in the Keep the papers coming and hopefully near future. However my time this we can get together more often and in "What do you think?" evening is limited so I must cut this letter more ways. short. I will be certain to share more of my I like to thank you for your letter dated and our study group's thoughts with you "The DP will work" the 31st day of January 2002. Thank the soon. United in the struggle for freedom. sponsor for my sub, it will help me keep I hope my letter has found you in good up with the struggle. l believe the RCP health mentally and physically. I am Draft Programme needs to give the youth always glad to sit down and write you a of the world more rights to control their letter. I am glad because it is really diffi­ own life - e.g. jobs, educationf body, rela­ cult to find a party that boldly voices its tionships and marriage. That is what is opinion as the Revolutionary Worker does. wrong with the world governments ki lling All the other socialist-communist parries the young people. They can't get a job, read more like the bourgeoisie than the marriage, sex, etc. The world treats them right wing media. Sometimes I wonder are as property of the parents and/of govern­ they refonnist-liberals. ment. What do you think? The Draft Programme is really revolu­ tionary as I have said before. The only Thoughts on Rehabilitation thing that is wrong with the Draft is that it Greetings to all my brothers and sisters is printed on bio-degradable paper. united in the struggle for revolution and The Drufi reads on page 37, "A truly ultimately freedom. I am reach ing out to revolutionary party is the deadly enemy of you from the belly of the beast - the ulti­ the bourgeoisie." All those other so-called mate incarnation of political and social communist newspapers sugar-coat the oppression. Not to mention the emotional, story about how this imperialist society is physical, and mental oppression and abuse destroying people's lives around the inflicted upon prisoners literally 24 hours globe. They act as if they are afraid to a day. speak out against imperialism. But the On pages 69-70 in the Draft Revolutionary Worker and the Party pulls Programme, there is an appendix with the no punches. title, "Prisons and Prisoners." This has I was reading also at the end of page 39. caused our "study group" (which must be "To win victory, the Party must be made kept underground due to prison rules) to up of those who embody the best qualities have many interesting and thoughtful of the proletariat and are prepared for debates. I am of the view that no crime is great sacrifice, jail, even execution at the nonviolent. Allow me to explain. Non­ hands of the ruthless enemy." These are violent crime would mean that no one has true words to the last letter. I look at peo­ been hurt by the crime. If you take a man's ple in prison and many of them realize that money in a nonviolent way such as a con­ some of us must die in order to free our­ fidence game or credit card scam or just selves from the clutches of our oppressors. steal his wallet, do you deprive him of the But everyone is waiting for someone else money needed to support his fami ly or to die. Everyone cries loudly for unity and himself? Does this not cause pain? the Dreft Programme clearly states, "But Although possibly not physical pain, it without the initiative and independent role can cause emotional pain. It can cause of the class-conscious proletariat, the hardship to a family even if only for a unity that is built with other class forces week or two. A nonviolent crime has will not be as broad or as powerful as it caused pain. can be. The proletariat, through its van­ Let us look at nonviolent drug offend­ guard party, must strive to lead the united ers. Drugs are a poison and the harm they front." (page 57). . cause not only to the user but also anyone Prisoners have many issues in the who comes in contact with the user can be California Prison System. But they spend very violent. Speaking from experience most of their time fighting with each other the things I have done to get the money to on racial issues like who will have what buy drugs have caused untold pain and side of the yard. Or who owes who for "a­ suffering to not only my fami ly but to you-know-what-debt." And when the many innocent people who did not even races do unify, the unification is for a know me. superficial issue like we need candy bars Drug dealers perpetuate violence and in the canteen, or we should fight to get pain and misery. Certainly I don't know a can goods in a package. That is why The man's hustle but I call it the way I see it. Communist Manifesto says: The commu­ Dealers know what their clientele do to nists are distinguished from the other get the money to supply their habits. They working class parties by this only: In the know what harm the drugs they sell cause national struggles of the proletarians of to society. So to consider their crimes non­ different countries, they point out and violent to my way of thinking is ludicrous. bring to the front the common interests of I understand the underlying principles the entire proletariat, independently of all behind dealing drugs and I know the dif­ nationality; 2: In the various stages of ferent reasons why a perso ri uses drugs. development which the struggle of the However I don 't feel that merely giving working class against the bourgeoisie has the "lower rung" criminal type of individ­ to pass through, they always and every­ ual the revoluti:>nary outlook is going to where represent the interests of the move­ solve substance abuse and all it entails. On ments as a whole. page 69 on the "Lumpen proletariat" the The Manifesto goes on to read, "The DP states, "But winning them to the rl!vo­ communists, therefore, are on the one lutionary cause will be possible only by hand, practically, the most advanced and exercising an absolutely firm hand and resolute section of the working class par­ sharply struggling to instill in them the ties of every country." In orqer to break revolutionary outlook of the proletariat." Page 10-Revolutionary V\brker-April 7, 2002 Outrage .at Hunters Point "They keep telling everyone to look out pleading for the police to put the guns for this gang and that gang but the most down as well. Jerome, who didn't get an dangerous gang is the San Francisco answer or a.n explanation, asked again. Police Department. That~· the biggest "Suddenly, one of the officers shouted gang and its legal for them to do out, 'Take him down.' I saw with my own whatever they want to do to us. And eyes eight white officers come over and we 're not just about to sit back and slam Jerome's body to the ground. One of accept it and say thats OK." them had come up behind him and pushed Susan McAllister, mother of 13-year-old his head. He went down head first, with Alema, who was abused by SF police his feet flying in the air. I heard the knock San Francisco ." It's the evening of when his head arid jaw hit the concrete. Monday, January 21, 2002-Martin "For at least five minotes, ane officer Luther King holiday. Four children, aged pinned Jerome down with his knee 12 to 14, are sitting in a car in front of between Jerome's ja~ and neck, grinding their home on Kirkwood Street in the Bay the boy's face into the pavement. View-Hunters Point neighborhood listen­ "Janell's stepfather, Kevin Hall, told the ing to the radio. Their parents had let them police that Jerome was just a kid and they stay up late because it was a holiday. had no tight do him the way they did, So Bay View-Hunters Point is one of the another force of police rushed Kevin with­ largest African-American communities in out saying anything. The police beat him San Francisco (see sidebar). Kirkwood is while forcing him into the police car. a quiet street, where children play during "Jerome was lying on the ground in a tile day. It is a close-knit neighborhood pool of blood. His eyes looked glassy, and where the adults all watch out for the kids. it didn't look like he was breathing. As I Across the street is the Boys and Girl's stared at him, his eyes did not blink one = Club, one of the few recreational centers time. I thought Jerome was dead." for youth in this Black community. The police later justified this whole Tenisha Bishop is driving home from attack by saying that they were responding her work with her 6-year-old son in the to a tip that two African-American men car. As Tenisha parks her car in front of had been spotted taking guns out of a red her apartment she sees the police surround car. The four kids were in a banged-up red the car where the children are listening to Escort. · Jerome Brown's father described his son's injuries at a meeting of the Police Commission: "My son was hospitalized that night. No treatment was given him after he was knocked down and his head slammed into the concrete. I witnessed a puddle of my son's blood on Kirkwood Road where this happened. I was appalled. When J saw my son [in the hospital] he could not even recognize me.. .. Three of his teet~ were shoved up into his gums. He had a hole in his jaw. He had to have surgery that night and stitches to close up the wounds. He had a concussion. He didn't know what his name was. He didn 't even know he was in the hospital." Tenisha described, to the Bay View, the next outrage: "Then I asked why were there so many police out here for these lit­ tle kids. [The police officer] replied, "As long as you people are here, we will act like this." I asked, "What the hell did you just say?" J said, "Are we monkeys, bab!;)ons, or niggas today?" Inell , Sue, and Leonard said, "What do you mean, 'you people'? I then snapped a picture of him with a stupid racist smirk on his face. I said to him, 'How dare you say that - especially on Martin Luther King Jr. 's birthday holiday.' "Brian's cuffs were so tight he was screaming to the officers to loosen them. So one officer pulled him to his feet by his cuffs and slammed him back down on the ground. Tyrell, Alema, and Janell were upset at what they had just seen the police do to Brian. They were saying they hated the police. I also heard the kids say that all they had been doing was sitting in the car In a front-page article in the African­ listening to music, so· what was all of this American newspaper San Francisco Bay for? View Tenisha Bishop described what hap­ "As I was crossing the street, Sue and pened next: Inell were asking the police if they could "I began to step out of my car, the cross the street and be with their kids. The police had guns drawn and were on the police told them that if they crossed the loudspeaker. I screamed at the police and street they would get shot. . told them they were making a mistake "The police searched th e girls, rubbing because those were kids. He ignored me. I them on the breast, hip, buttock, and started screaming towards my· building, between the thighs. Imagine seeing these saying somebody go and get Janell's helpless, violated, innocent beautiful mother because the police are about to black babies. Alema, who just made 14 shoot her." the following Frid~, is the curvier of the When Janell's mother came out, her two. The officers •!ifted up her sweater daughter, who is only 12, was out of the because it was tied around her waist and car on her knees with her hands on her rubbed and fondled instead of searching. head. Then her friend, Alema Hoskins, 13, The whole while Alema was being was ordered to do the same. searched, her mother was screaming " I wanted to grab my son and dart across the street saying, 'That's not right. across the street, but I was afraid I would Y'all can't search my baby like that. Call get shot or beat up by the police." Tenisha for a female officer. She is just a baby,' as wrote. "This scene was familiar to me; she broke down in tears." f've seen it done before. Susan McAllister, Alema's mother, "Police cars, a police van and police described the police sexually abusing her officers in army fatigues came onto the daughter. "One of the officers tool< the scene. Standing where I was, I saw police palm of his hand and went across my running with guns drawn on the fence daughter's breast. I started screaming that between Milton Meyer Gym and the they needed to get a female police officer Hunters Point Boys and Girls Club." out here. The police officer continued to "Jerome Brown, 14, was in th~ gather­ feel down my daughter. He went up ing crowd. He was telling the police to between her legs to her crotch and lifted take the guns off his ' Ii ' 1 cousin.' Parents, her sweater and felt on her behind with the neighbors, passersby and other kids were palm of his hand. I broke down in tears April 7, 2002-Revotutionary Worker-Page 11 PROfEC/ N~

SF Police Commission, February 27, 2002. because of the pain and humiliation my daughter was going through." Community Outrage The Bay View newspaper has played an important role in exposing this attack. And there is a lot of outrage in the com­ munity both about this incident and about the police brutality and harassment that is a part of daily life for the people, espe­ cially the youth. "The community is very, very angry," Susan McAllister told the RW. "And it's not just this case. It's other cases too, and how easily it gets swept under the rug, locked in the closet and that's it, you don 't hear any more about it. Well, they're going to continue to hear about this. And I'm going to be in their face until they do something about it. We're taking our com­ munity back. If you're going to treat us like this we want you out. We can handle our situations ourselves." The police have promised an investiga­ tion but they have refused community Inell Manuel points to pictures of the demands that the cops involved in the · police abusing her daughter, incident be taken off active duty. Instead, during the protest at the the cops have just been transferred to do San Francisco Police Commission, their dirty deeds in another part of San February 27, 2002. Francisco. RW/OR pholo "You should not allow these police offi­ climbed up the cop chain of command fired more than 20 bullets into Idriss, who back there," a Black youth told the com­ cers to go into any other community to do while the Mark Garcia case has been was unanned. mission. "You all got to stop coming into these things to other children," an older swept under the rug. · An older Black woman who has lived in our communities and harassing us, beating woman fro m the community told the On February 27, some 80 people con­ Hunters Point since 1943 also got up to us up and killing us like we ain't gonna do Police Comm ission. fronted the San Francisco Police speak: "Don't say to me there's two sides nothing about it. That's fucked up. You In a further outrage, the police have Commission to protest the police attack in to every coin. Not this one. All those chi l­ motherfuckers better put them mother­ assigned Commander Greg Suhr to deal Hunters Point. The incident has brought dren had never been in any trouble and the fuckers on trial and put them mother­ with the community about the incident. together older residents and youth, com­ only thing the parents asked is why are fuckers in jail or something ... and another Suhr was the officer in charge six years munity activists, and long-time home­ you doing this. Now I'm the mother of six. thing, you talk about it's a couple of bad ago ~h en a group of cops beat and pep­ owners who are determined that this I'm the grandmother of 21, great-grand­ apples in the police force. No, it's the per-sprayed Mark Garcia, placed him po1ice brutarity must be stopped. mother of 40. If it was me that night I whole system. It's the way that you're faced down on hot concrete with thei r At the police commission, Mesha would have been shot. No ifs, ands, or trained, the way that you hand le your­ boot on his back. Though the police vio­ Monge-Irizarry described how the police buts about it. Because it was unacceptable selves out there on the streets. You aren't lated many of their own policies and pro­ killed her son, 23-year-old Bay View resi­ and it still is." there to 'protect and serve' us. You all cedures causing Mark's death, no cop has dent Idriss Stelley, ou~side the Sony "This whole situation is fucked up. This really is there to do what you all are doing. received more than a token slap on the Metreon Theatre in downtown San takes me back to when I W1!S beat up by You all are going to stop this shit or we're wrist in that incident. And Suhr has Francisco on June 13, 2001. The police the police and there wasn't no camera going to make you stop it." A Short History of Hunters Point Before World War 2, San Francisco was southwest comer of San Francisco with The shipyard was closed in 1974, leav­ in the Bay View-Hunters Point neighbor­ a segregated city with a Black population beautiful views overlooking the San ing behind a legacy of unemployment and hood of San Francisco. of only 5,000. "Whites only" real estate Francisco Bay. toxic and radioactive waste. Last August, Black people are being driven out of practices kept Black people out of almost There is a long history of police brutal­ a fire burned for weeks at a toxic waste San Francisco at an incredible rate by high all housing and a whites-only job market ity and resistance in Bay View-Hunters dump at the Hunters Point Naval Ship­ rents, lack ofjob s, racism and police bru­ kept Black people out of ruost jobs. Point. One police officer is quoted in a yard, spewing green and orange-yellow tality. The number of · people in San In the 1940s, thousands of African­ book on the history of San Francisco on smoke. The Navy did not alert people in Francisco who list their race as African­ Americans migrated to Hunters Point his technique of dealing with African­ the community to the danger, saying that American fell from 79,039 in 1990, to from Texas, Louisiana and other Southern American youth in the early 1960s: "Get there was nothing dangerous even though 60,515 last year-a decline of25%. states to work in the ·shipyards building back upon the hill where you belong, a local TV station reported that one car­ "I live where you can hear the games the battleships for the U.S. Navy in WW2. n*gger. If I see your black ass down here cinogen was 17 times the safe level. The from the new Giants' ballpark and every­ The shipyard workers initially lived in again, I'll shoot it offl" On September 27, area has some of the highest cancer and thing and- you can see the lights, " a barracks in Hunters Point. 1966, a rebel lion lasting several days asthma rates on the planet, according to Hunters Point resident told the New York Many Black people settled in the Hunt­ broke out in Hunters Point after a white the San Francisco Bay View newspaper. Times. "And it's just a beautiful view. lfit ers Point neighborhood near the shipyards. police officer shot and killed a 16-year-old The highest incidence of breast cancer for wasn't fo r the toxic waste, they would The neighborhood lies on a hill in the Black youtt1. women under the age of 40 in the U.S. is have taken this hill a long time ago."

•" Page 12- Revolutionary Worker- April 7, 2002

=

Continued from page 6 mented that the anthrax · letter samples were "unmilled anthrax spores." Most governments use mill ing techniques to weaponize the spores. The U. S. does not. The U.S. military uses a special combi­ nation of chemicals for its weaponization. And when the letter anthrax samples were analyzed using an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope. traces of several chemicals have been fo und. The anthrax in the "Senate sample'' used a silica additive - the kind used in U.S. military projects. The person (or team) who created the anthrax letters also needed an annual anti­ anthrax booster shot, which is only avail­ able for people with government connec­ tions. In short, the anthrax attacks almost cer­ tainly come from U.S. military or CIA labs. It could not have been done by ama­ teurs or by fo reign governm ents. Scientists and FBI investigators knew this He said: "We don't know, as I say in the Less than a week later, the CIA admit­ in Britain (March 14) raised the possibility very quickly after the October attacks. For statement, at the moment, in a way that we ted pub licly that they have their own that a :covert CIA operation was involved example, it is known that Iraq 's military could make public, where the anthrax secret program·to make anthrax weapons. - but no si mi lar reports have appeared in research uses bentonite, not silica, as an attacks came from. " The meaningfu l The CIA claims thei r bioweapons don't the U. S. media. additive, but this did not prevent the gov­ words in Bolton's statement are "in a way use the Ames strain, and that all their Even people who are exposing the FB I ernment from continuing to blame Iraq. that we could make public." weapons stocks are accounted for. cover-ups and mi litary invo lvement speak Because the anthrax comes fro m a Rosenberg writes: "At first, U.S. offi­ These shocking public announcements as if th is must have been some lone indi­ known strain of anthrax - it is possible to cials provided miscellaneous bits of infor­ are the first admission by any government vidual taking advantage of "lax securi ty" determine with great precision which lab­ mation, some conflicting; then denied in 30 years that they still have germ without the knowledge of his military and oratory the Jetter attacks came from. The some of the earlier information, then weapons material. CIA superiors. Ames strain has "substrains" that develop clamm ed up. They now have a great deal A fro nt-page Washing(on Post report However there is no reason to assume over time during research, and only a of information that has not been made (Dec. 16) said: "The FBI's investigati on this "lone individual" theory is true. small number of labs are capable of public .... The Secretary of Health and into the anthrax attacks is incr~as i n g l y The targets of the anthrax letters were weaponizati on. Human Services said in October that some fo cusing on whether U.S. government leading liberals and representatives of the The Rosenberg report writes, "Contrary of the relevant information is classified, bioweapons research programs, including media-both deeply hated by reactionary to early sp(lculation, there are no more and some is restricted by the FBI." one conducted by the CIA, may have been forces. The mi litary is riddled with than about 20 laboratories known to have The U.S. has talked for years about the source of deadly anthrax powder sent rightw ing groups who might want to trig­ obtained the Ames strain from Fort "Sadaam Hussein killing his own people." through the mail, accord ing to sources ger a war cli mate and intensified domestic Detrick. ... Of these, probably only about Now it turns out that U.S. biological· with knowledge of the probe. The results crackdown. The Cl.A:, which admits to fou r in the U.S. might possibly have the "weapons of mass destruction" were of the genetic tests strength en that possi­ having weapons anthrax, is well known to capability for weaponizing anthrax. These somehow turned against th e people within bility. The FB I is focusing on a contractor conduct covert operations to influence· include both U.S. military laboratories and its own borders-including an attempt to th at worked with the CIA, one source policy and public opi nion. gover.nment contractors." assassinate leading Democratic politi­ said." There has been a mass ive investigation Rosenberg clearly believes that the FB I cians. The arrest and 'public trial of biowarfare into these anthrax attacks- involv ing over knows who sent the anthrax letters - or, If this was widely understood, it would weapons operatives could bring much 5,000 FBI interviews over six months. at the very least, has a very small num ber have a profound im pact- weaken ing ihe more damaging information into the light The U.S. government has mailed letter$ to of suspects. Only about 50 people had the credibility of the government and the mil­ of day. 40,000 scientists asking fo r information know-how to do th is. Rosenberg says that, itary at exactly the time when the govern­ Rosenberg told the Trenton Times that and offering a $2.5 mill ion reward. They based on discuss ion with people in the ment wants support for its war moves and this is why the FB I has decli ned to arrest have gathered anthrax samples from labo­ government. she believes that the FBI had domestic security. the person responsible fo r maili ng the let­ ratories across the U.S. And after six a prime suspect in mind since October. In addition, whoever put the anthrax in ters: "We know that the FBI is looking at months of th is, there Is a clampdown on Despite this, no one has been arrested in the mail might have information on the this person, and it's likely that he partici­ the evidence. this case. And the public has been deli ber­ U. S. government's secret anthrax program pated in the past in secret activities that Courageous people, like Barbara Hatch ately kept in the dark about the most basic - and these details could trigger a huge the government wou ld not like to see dis­ Rosenberg, have fough t to get some basic facts. The next question is "Why?" international scandal. closed .. . I know that there are insiders, facts into the public view- but these facts For 30 years, the U.S. governmen t has working for the governmen t, who know have always appeared surrounded by the HIDING bragged that it "unilaterally" stopped U.S. this person and who are worried that it stone-wall denials and disin formation of U.S. GOVERNMENT CRIMES biological weapons developm ent in 1969. could happen that some kind of quiet deal government agencies. The U.S. signed the Biological Weapons is made that he just disappears from The evidence shows that the U.S. gov­ "Does he {lhe mailer} know something Conventi on in 1972, renouncing biologi­ view." ernment conducted an anthrax weaponiza­ that he believes to be sufliciiently cal weapons together with 144 other cou n­ t ion program in violation of international damaging to the United States to make, tries. treaty, and that anthrax fro m there was him untouchable by the FBI?" But now, in December, a spokesman for WHO WAS INVOLVED? alm ost certainly used in these attempts to Dr. Barbara Hatch Rosenberg, the Army labs at Utah's Dugway Proving HOW HIGH DOES IT GO? assassinate prom inent liberal Democrats. Federation ofAmerican Scientists Ground had to announce that all their Now the question becomes what else In November at the Review Conference stocks of weaponized anthrax are "well It is remarkable how strictly the discus­ arc the government agents hiding? Who of the Biological Weapons Convention, protected" and entirely accounted fo r. sions of the anthrax attacks avoid any exactl y was involved in the anthrax John Bolton, Under Secretary of State for (Dugway is where 6,000 sheep died in mention of domestic groups, political attacks? What were thei r motives? And Arms Control and International Security, 1968 after a nerve gas experiment got out forces and . intelligence networks who how high up in the military establ ishment was asked about the anthrax letter attacks. of control.) could have been involved . The BBC news and CIA did this operati on go? April 7, 2002-Revolulionary IM>rker-Page 13 The Story

of .. ·. .,. UzmaNahted

~y Debbie Lang

Uzma Naheed speaking at a press conference in Union Square, N,ew York City, January 19, 2002.

Hundreds of thousands of immigrants and her fa mily - and the en.d of a journey from the Middle East and South Asia live that had seemed to have so much promise in the New York City area. And if you are for them. Anser Mehmood came to the Arab, Muslim or South Asian, you have U.S. from Pakistan in 1989 seeking a bet­ definitely been on edge since September ter li fe. He got a job as a truck driver and 11. Hundreds of people have been the couple bought a house in Bayonne, rounded up here by the authorities. Some New Jersey. They had four children: have just "disappeared." Others were Umair, 14; Unzair, 13; Harris, 11 ; and taken away after federal agents raided Hassan, 15 months. Prot~st at the Passaic County Jail in Paterson, New Jersey, where hundreds of immigrants are their homes or workplaces. Racial profil­ Anser was the fam ily's only source of detained, January 19, 2002. ing has created a hate-filled atmosphere. income. After he was arrested, Uzma People have been attacked, beaten and in could not make ends meet. As her money and legs chained. lt was very shocking. I bors after they watched the rest of their some cases even killed by racists. Many ran out, she sold the fa mily's possessions didn't expect to see him like this. He can't fami ly dragged away in chains. are afraid to leave their homes. one by one- the bed, tables, even the move his hands. He can ' t touch me. I can't And as I was writing about Uzma and When I first heard about Uzma Naheed refrigerator-so she and her four children touch him. It was terrible .... He was cry­ her family, I learned that on March 11 a l was intrigued. She is a 39-year-old could survive. She told a reporter: "I have ing. I was crying. He's telling me leave the Pakistani man named Raja Aftab Iqbal Pakistani woman with fo ur children. Her no job here. I have four children to sup­ country. Leave the house as it is. Take the was jumped by at least six cops . .Th ey husband, Anser Mehmood, was detained port. Nobody's helping me. Everything's children and go. But how can I leave him called him "Taliban" and beat him over by the authorities on October 3. Despite gone wrong." here? Who will look out for him?" and over-including after he was hand­ the fact that her own visa had expired and For two weeks after Anser was arrested, cuffed. The cops are from the 70th she faced deportation, Uzma Naheed Uzma didn't even know where he was. An "Correct Procedures" Precinct in Brooklyn-the same precinct spoke out publicly at protests against these attorney she hired finally found him. The ABC News asked prison officials why where police used a toilet plunger to unjust detentions and appealed for the authorities would not tell Uzma why her it took so long for them to allow Uzma sodomize Abner Louima. Recently, sev­ release of her husband. She and her I I - husband was being held and would not Naheed to see her husband. A prison eral of these cops had their convictions year-old son Harris spoke at the February allow her to sec him. For over two months spokesperson cold-heartedly refused to thrown out by a federal court. 20 National Day of Solidarity with Arab, she was only able to speak to him by discuss "specific cases" and blamed fam­ Over 1,200 people have been rounded Muslim and South Asian Immigrants. phone a few times. Uzma described how ily members of detainees for not following up, arrested, detained indefinitely without Uzma seem~d nervous and simply Anser was treated after his arrest: " In the the "correct procedures." Like so much being charged with any crime, beaten and thanked people for coming out. Harris told beginning, they were treating them very that comes out of the mouth of the author­ abused, denied the right to practice their us: "I don' t know why they're doing this. badly. They were kicking them and my ities on all levels of government these religion and access to lawyers or contact What they're doing is wrong." Uzma and husband told me he was bleeding all over. day!i, this is nothing but doublespeak. with family members .. Their attorneys her family have found themselves caught And why? He did not do any crime." Even the Pakistani consulate has been have been ordered not to speak publicly in the crosshairs of the U.S. imperialists' Uzma still has no idea what happened to unable to get information about Anser. about the cases, court records have been bloody plans to impose a new world order her brother. Foreign diplomats have repeatedly com­ sealed and hearings held in secret. Almost on people across the planet. Anser has been held on a visa violation. plained to the U.S. government that they all of those arrested are Arab, Muslim and Like many immifirants, the couple's visas are unable to get information about why South Asian men. The largest percentage Uzma's Story expired and for whatever reason they their citizens are being held or even their are from Pakistan, followed by Egypt, Uzma Naheed's story shines a light on didn't renew them, something that's not· citizens' names. Human rights organiza­ Turkey, Yemen, India and other countries the ugly reality of life in the U.S. for the uncommon. Before September 11 immi­ tions h~ve repeatedly been denied access in the Middle East and South Asia. And thousands of Arab, Muslim and South grants whose visas had expired were not to the detainees. And officials at the for every one, there is a trail of tears and Asian families who have been ripped apart automatically arrested and deported. Now Metropolitan Detention Center in tom-up li ves leading to people like Uzma. since September 11. George Bush hypo­ it is one of the excuses the government Brooklyn denied a request by ABC News What does this say about the nature of critically claims the system's "war on ter­ uses to detain people indefinitely without to interview Anser Mehmood. the U.S. crusade in the so called "war on terrorism" where such injustices are per­ rorism" is being waged to defend "free­ charges. Anser Mehmood is one of over 1,200 petrated in the name of "freedom"? dom"-while U.S. government agencies Week after week Uzma went to the Arab, Muslim and South Asian men who On February 20, Uzma Naheed coura­ round people up based solely on their Metropolitan Detention Center in Brook­ have been rounded up and detained by the geously stepped into the light to join with nationality or religion and detain them for lyn where Anser has been held in maxi­ U.S. government. Some have been others to demand a stop to these roundups. months without charging them with any mum security. She brought a letter he had deported. Others have been released. Now, the people will have to carry on this crime. written her and their marriage license to Close to 500 remain in prison. A small fight for Uzma and so many others. On October 3, Uzma Naheed was prove who she was and asked to see her number have been charged with minor Uzma was ultimately forced to make a awakened by FBI and INS agents who husband. The response? "First they were crimes. Others are held on immigration terrible choice by the rulers of this system, were searching her bedroom. Uzma and saying he's not here. Then they were say­ violations. Only one of the 1,200 arrested On February 27, she and her children went her husband Anser were questioned for ing I had to come one hour earlier. Then has been charged in connection with the they said 1 was not on the visitor's list. events of September 11 . back to Pakistan. Her children have grown five hours. Three days before, the authori­ up in the U.S. and have been ripped away ties had arrested her brother. Now they Finally I went early and 1 just sat there. I And the arrests have not stopped. On said 1 was not leaving until I get to meet February 27, 20 FBI agents busted into the from everything they've known. Uzma had come for her. Why? They said her has been forced to leave her husband my husband." home of a Syrian family in Bay Ridge, address was on her brother ~s immigration behind, not knowing if she will ever see papers but he didn't live there. Worried Uzma described her emotions when she Brooklyn. They arrested Reem Khalil, a finally was able to see Anser after nine 23-year-old biochemistry major at City him again, and has gone back to a country about their young child Hassan, Anser told where the future is very uncertain. Anser them to take him instead of Uzma. weeks: "After so long I managed to see College of New York, her parents and him, thank god. But it was so terrible to three siblings. Two younger children who continues to be held in maximum security, That was the beginning of what has not charged with any crime. become an unending nightmare for Uzma see him through the bars with his hands were born in the U.S. were left with ne\gh- Page 14-Revolutionary W>rker-April 7, 200;

• ~a. ~ ~

Los Angeles, March 30-2,000 people march against the Israeli occupation of Palestine. s----·~

actions. But the truth is that Israel had a hand in the growth of Hamas in the 1980s, when the Zionists wanted to counter the secular leadership of the Palestinian resis­ Palestine tance. Israel was following in the foot­ Continued from page 3 steps of the U.S., which during the same period built up Islamic fundamentalist of working out an Jsraeli-Palestinian forces in Afghanistan and elsewhere in agreement. opposition to national liberation movt'>­ The juxtaposition of Powell 's words ments and against Soviet imperialist and the images coming out of Ramallah rivals. was al most surreal. What twist of logic is Now Israel and its U.S. backers are involved in Powell's insisting that Arafat moving against these same fundamentalist must "do more"' while the U.S. supports forces. They demand that Arafat use his Israel's moves to seriously weaken, if not PA police to shut down these forces. And shatter, the Palestinian Authority? But when Arafat is unable to do so, Israel uses what Powell said also reveals some reali­ this as another excuse to strike out ties about the siruation in Palestine and the viciously against the Palestinian people. "...... role and maneuvers of the U.S. imperial­ Israel especially points to suic ide Cairo, March 30-Egyptian lawyers bum a U.S. flag in protest of the Israeli invasion of Ramallah. ists. Powell's defense of Israeli actions as an "understandable"' response to Palestinian "terrorism" is typical of how U.S. offi. cials-and the U.S. mainstream media­ treat the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The U.S. may at times criticize Israel for ''overreacting" or shed crocodile tears about Palestinian civilians " caught in the crossfire." But the U.S. almost always describes Israeli actions as justified "retal­ iation" for Palestinian actions. A chart that recently appeared in the Chicago Trib11ne tracked the Palestinian and Israeli casualties in the current con­ flict. The chart begins w ith the intifada (Palestinian uprising) in September 2000, as if all the blood that has been spilled since then can be traced back-and blamed-on the Palestinian side. Again, this is typical of how the U.S. government and media discuss the events in Palestine. But in reality, the Palestinian protests that began in September 2000 were in response to a move by Ariel Sharon, who employed his highly honed skill at reac;. tionary provocation by visiting Haram al­ Sharif, a religious site in central Jerusalem that is of major importance in Islam. At the time, he was not a government offi· cial-he would become premier several Palestinian families months later. But he was accompanied by stopped at an a huge security escort of a thousand Israeli Israeli military checkpoint outside soldiers and police. Sharon made a delib­ Ramallah, March erate, calculated move that was certain to 28. touch off widespread outrage among the masses of Palestinian people-who were bombings as acts that justify labeling the flow of suicide bombers? But what about sible agreement will douse the fire of already deeply angry at the continued Palestinian resistance as "terrorism" that the deadly flow ofjet fighters, helicopters, Palestin ian resistance as well as anti-U.S. oppression and poverty they suffered as needs to be crushed. And the U.S. accuses and billions of dollars in m ilitary aid from sentiments that could threaten pro-U.S. the U.S.-backed "peace process" dragged Arafat of "not doing enough" to stop such the U.S., without which Israel would not regimes in the region. But the events in on. And when the Palestinian people did bombings. But why is it that hundreds of be able to maintain their brutal occupation Ramallah have made the nature of this rise up in righteous resistance, the Israeli Palestinian youth are willing to give up of Palestine fo r a day? It is this unjust "peace process"-and Arafat's assigned military used this as justification to gun their lives in such actions? The British occupation that is the real fuel for the fury role in it- very clear: he wi ll either accept down people and put the West Bank and paper Guardian quoted an al-Aksa Martyr among the youth of Palestine. the terms of the United States or be Gaza under lockdown. The political fa ll­ Brigades leader who said that 20.0 young •••• crushed . out in Israel from these developments women in Bethlehem alone have joined The Bush administration has recently brought Sharon to power. units of fe male suicide bombers. These Echoing the "war on terrorism" talk of started talking about a "vision" of a This pattern of Israeli provocation and youths have heard their parents and grand­ the U.S. imperialists, Sharon declared that Palestinian state at some point. And they brutality has been repeated many tim es parents talk about how the Zionists vio­ Israel's new military offensive is aimed at signaled interest in the Saudi " land-for­ since September 2000. The Israeli govern­ lently dispossessed them of their land and destroying "structures of terror" in peace" proposal- in particular the part ment has an open policy of assassinating forced them to become refugees. They Palestine. Powell basically endorsed this about fo rmal Arab recognition of Israel. leaders of Palestinian organizations, and have seen the occupying troops gun dow n justification; the New York Tim es noted But the U.S. officials are not talking about the Israeli military has "eliminated" a rock-throwing kids, te.ar down people's that with his statement on Israel's move on a genuinely independent state that is free number of Palestinian officials- somt'>­ hom es, uproot precious fruit orchards, and Ramallah, "Powell made clear that com­ from imperialist and Zionist domination. times gunning them down on city streets carry out countless other crimes. The real­ bating terrorism remains th e centerpiece What they envision- at most-is a mini­ and killing bystanders in the process. ities of life under occupation have kindled of the Bush administration foreign pol­ state in the shadows of the Zionist state, at Sharon and other Israeli officials know in these youth a desperate determination icy." the mercy of outside forces economically full well that such killings prgvoke retalia­ to fight against the occupiers. The Islamic Given this basic U.S. support for the and militarily. tory actions. But their hypocritical and fundamentalist groups and secul ar militias Israeli actions, why did Powell say that In short, the U.S. "vision" is of an entire cold-blooded method is clear: when such associated with national bourgeois forces Arafat still plays a "central" role in the people locked into a giant ghetto (or sev­ retaliations do come, the Israeli officials have their own political agendas in orga­ "political process" in Palestin e? eral ghettos) in parts of the West Bank and act "shocked" and then oi:der their military nizing suicide squads. But in the absence The U.S. imperialists are making a cold Gaza, who wi ll not present a threat to U.S. to carry out more deadly as1;aults on of an actual revolutionary strategy fo r tak­ calculation that their interests are best interests in the region. Clearly, th is served by working out some kind of a Palestinians. ing on and defeating the occupiers, many "vision" has absolutely nothing to do with "peace settlement" between Israel and the The Zionist rulers and their U.S. back­ youth have taken up this way of hitting justice and liberation for the oppressed Palestinian national bourgeoisie-or at ers often point to the reactionary nature of back against the enemy. Palestinian people. least dangling the possibility of such a set­ Islamic fundamentalist groups like Hamas The Zionists and their U.S. backers ask, as another justification for Israeli military Why doesn't Arafat do more to stop this tlement. They hope that th e idea of a pos- April 7, 2002-Revolutionary W>rker-Page 15 Protesting INS at

..,

"iAqui estamos! iNo nos vamos!" "They say 'Go away.' We say 'No way!• " Hundreds of voices echoed along the side­ walks of LAX, L.A. International Airport, in a loud, spirited protest of a recent series of raids by the TNS (La Migra). U.S. airports are one of the centerpieces of the "homeland security" program of the U.S. government In California, they are patrolled by National Guard troops as well as large numbers of airport and local police. As you drive into LAX, huge elec­ tric signs flash the warning "Unoccupied vehicles will be towed." It's the gateway into an atmosphere of "assume the position," where IDs are checked multiple times and passengers as young as three years old are singled out for body searches. The least incident can provoke a "security sweep" where thou­ sands of passengers and employees are herded outside for hours at a time. lmmigrants who work at the airport are routinely harassed. The L.A. head of the SEfU, the union that represents janitors and others, said that 80 or 90 airport em­ ployees have had their security badges arbitrarily taken away. Then on Monday, March 18, agents of La Migra targeted Tenninal I, used by Southwest Airlines, stopping Latino-look­ ing people and asking them for immigra­ tion documents. TV news broadcasts showed desperate immigrants dodging through the heavy traffic circling through LAX, trying to avoid capture and deporta­ tion. Immigrants who were heading to work in Washington, DC, Phoenix or San Francisco were arrested and deported. This was the first INS raid at the airport in several years. "I was enraged," said a woman from the nearly a thousand of them locked away in of the Salvadoran-American National of the week, the fNS said they were end­ United Farmworkers at the Thursday, prison, their identity unknown and no Network said the raids gave credibility to ing the raids, but arrogantly added that March 28 protest. "Nobody should be per­ charges for almost six months. Now they the idea that "this society is turning into a they might resume them at any moment. secuted as if they' re chasing animals. are coming for the Latinos." zona militarizada, a militarized zone," Over 180 people were deported in the What the INS did was terrorize anybody For over an hour, protesters marched where people who look Latino or Arab are LAX raids. This is a great injustice. It who's an immigrant in this country, and I through the airport and circled in front of the targets. means incredible hardship for those who was furious about it." Terminal I. There was a huge Mexican The fNS held a press conference to try must again cross the border to work and Over 500 people gathered for a march flag, a group of Korean drummers, jani­ to defend their actions. They said it had survive, and hardship and privation for the and press conference. A bus from the tors in their famous red T-shirts, pictures nothing to do with the events of many who depend on wages that immi­ SETU opened its doors and dozens from of Em iliano Zapata, a special banner from September 11 , 200 I. They said that they grant workers send back home. Eighteen Justice for Janitors came out, many of the jomaleros (day laborers). didn't pick people out because of their of those arrested were chi ldren, and it's them veterans of the 2000 janitors' strike. The protest was widely covered in the race, but because they " looked like" unknown whether they were separated There were students, garmellt workers, mainstream media. It was the lead story on undocumented workers. But a reporter from their parents. ministers and other religious activists. the Korean-language news and was cov­ from the Los Angeles daily La Opinion Raids like this are also staged to intimi­ Signs in English, Spanish and Korean ered by college radio stations, Pacifica went to the airport and watched as fNS date and isolate all immigrants, to force denounced the raids. A spc:cjal guest at the and the IMC. agents singled out only Latinos-espe­ them into the shadows. But once again, press conference was a representative of A spectrum of mainstream Latino orga­ cially Latinos who weren't wearing a suit the system found out that oppression the Muslim Public Affairs Council. nizations denounced the raids from the and a tie. breeds resistance. And their zona milita­ James Lafferty of the National Lawyers beginning. The president of the Mexican­ As news spread on Spanish-language rizada can be turned into a zone of protest Guild talked about the stakes for the peo­ American Legal Defense and Education radio and TV stations, many immigrants and resistance. ple: "First they came for Muslims, first Fund (MALDEF) called the racial profil­ avoided LAX, even if they had to lose they came for the Arabs, and there are still ing "intolerable." The executive director money on their plane tickets. By the end