Black Panther, Michael Zinzun, Remembered
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$2 A B C F U P D A T E Q UA R T E R L Y P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E A B C F Fall 2006 "Any movement that does not support their political internees is a sham movement." - O. Lutalo Issue #45 Black Panther, Michael Zinzun, Remembered Also in this Update: Campaign for the Virgin Island 5 • Sinn Fein Snitch Found Dead • Update on Cuban 5 • Rod Coronado Arrest • Update on McGowen Case • Josh Wolf Jailed Again • Statement by Seth Hayes on Parole Denial • Peltier's Statement on Ireland Hunger Strike, 81 • Omaha 2 Update • “You Call this Democracy” by Ojore Lutalo • Personal Appeal by Jaan Laaman • Former Irish POW Arrested in So Cal • And Much More In the 80s,however, the ABC began to gain W H AT IS THE ANARCHIST BLACK CROSS FEDERAT I O N ? popularity again in the US and Europe. For years, the A B C ’s name was kept alive by a The Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) began provide support to those who were suff e r i n g number of completely autonomous groups shortly after the 1905 Russian Revolution. It because of their political beliefs. scattered throughout the globe and support- formed after breaking from the Political Red In 1919, the org a n i z a t i o n ’s name changed ing a wide variety of prison issues. Cross, due to the group’s refusal to support to the Anarchist Black Cross to avoid confu- In May of 1995, a small group of A B C Anarchist and Social Revolutionary Political sion with the International Red Cross. collectives merged into a federation whose Prisoners. The new group, naming itself the Through the 1920s and until 1958, the org a n- aim was to focus on the overall support and Anarchist Red Cross (ARC), began to pro- ization worked under various other names defense of Political Prisoners and Prisoners vide aid to those Political Prisoners who were but provided the same level of support as the of Wa r. refused support by the PRC. other groups working as Anarchist Black Various groups have since merged in In the early decades, the organization had Cross. numerous networks throughout the globe chapters throughout Europe and North After 1936, the ABC expanded its aid to working on various prison issues. T h e America. These chapters worked together to places such as Greece, Italy and Spain. Anarchist Black Cross Federation (ABCF) provide assistance to prisoners only in In 1958, the organization collapsed but has continued its mission to focus on the aid Russia. Soon other groups, such as the r e e m e rged in 1967 in London, England. and support of Political Prisoners. We take Latvian Anarchist Red Cross, emerged to Once again ABC chapters spread throughout the position that PP/POW’s demand our top provide aid in other Eastern European coun- the globe providing support for imprisoned p r i o r i t y. We strive to continue with the same tries. Armed with the ideas of mutual aid a n d comrades. Sadly, by the end of the 1970s dedication and solidarity to our fallen com- s o l i d a r i t y, these groups worked tirelessly to only a handful of ABC chapters still existed. rades as those before us have shown. Introduction: The ABCF is: “Crucially important to maintaining the anarchist integrity of this org a n i z a t i o n PRISONER’S COMMITTEE is the fact that Branch Groups and Support Groups are freely autonomous to OJORE LUTALO BILL DUNNE take on whatever initiatives they can to further the Unity of Purpose of the #59860 / Box 861 10916-086 A B C F. So long as these initiatives do not contradict any preexisting agree- Trenton, NJ 08625 Box 019001 Atwater, CA 95301 ments (Tactical Unity) that have been made by the A B C F, it is not necessary SEKOU KAMBUI 113058 / BOX 56 HANIF BEY for all groups to approve of and/or agree with programs, projects or work of SCC (B1-21) 295933 / Box 759 other ABCF collectives.” [from the ABCF Constitution and Structure] ELMORE, AL 36025 Big Stone Gap, VA 24219 JAAN LAAMAN The following definitions are used to describe the below terms whenever W41514 / Box 100 they appear in the ABCF Update or any other ABCF literature. South Walpole, MA 02071 P o l i t i c a l P r i s o n e r ( P P ) : A person incarcerated for actions carried out in ABCF GROUPS support of legitimate struggles for self determination or for opposing the NJ ABC PHILLY ABC illegal policies of the government and/or its political subdivisions. [Special PO Box 8532 P.O Box 42129 International Tribunal on the Violation of Human Rights of PP/POW's in Paterson, NJ 07508 Philadelphia, PA 19101 U.S. Prisons and Jails, Dec. ’90] JAX ABC PO Box 350392 WINNIPEG ABC P r i s o n e r o f Wa r ( P O W ) : Those combatants struggling against colonial and Jacksonville, FL 3D-91 Albert St. 32235-0392 alien domination and racist regimes captured as prisoners are to be accorded Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 1G5, Canada the status of prisoner of war and their treatment should be in accordance with MONTREAL ABC the provisions of the Geneva Conventions Relative to the Treatment of P.O.B 42053 SUCC LA ABC Jeanne Mance Prisoners of War of 12 August, 1949 (General Assembly resolution 3103) PO BOX 11223 Montreal QC Whittier, CA 90603 H2W 2T3 Canada Petition for Sekou Kambui New Afrikan political prisoner Sekou Kambui had a parole hearing scheduled for this past June. The hearing date has passed, but the hearing still has not taken place. Sekou and his supporters believe that it will be held in December. We are asking supporters to sign the web petition that can be found at the address below. Thank you for your continued s u p p o r t . Write to Sekou: Sekou Kambui (William Tu r k ) # 113058 Box 56, SCC (B1-21) Elmore, A L 3 6 0 2 5 - 0 0 5 6 w w w. p e t i t i o n o n l i n e . c o m / s e k o u / p e t i t i o n . h t m l www.abcf.net 1 ISSUE #45 Fall 2006 5/26/06, and said that he is not in the hole pectedly taken from USP A t w a t e r. He has NEWS FROM THE FRONT but rather his unit is on lockdown due to an been sent to USP Big Sandy in Kentucky. incident in the mess hall. We are sking for people to send him a letter Harold Thompson Attacked During the Lockdown, Bashir’s cell was and let him know that he is in our thoughts. Anarchist prisoner Harold T h o m p s o n ransacked by prison authorities, who later has been attacked by a gang of white fas- claimed that "he had contraband books in Bill Dunne #10916-086 cists. He was placed in the hole and was his cell." All the books that Bashir had P.O. Box 2068 transferred. He faces permanent disability received had been sent through the prison Inez, KY 4 1 2 2 due to 5 months of denied medical trea- and had been approved. m e n t . Also due to the lockdown, Bashir is in a Camacho Negron is Free He is looking to file a lawsuit but needs cell that has a lot of traffic in front of it, On September 2, 2006 A n t o n i o to replace his law books and other things he which makes it difficult for him to get any Camacho Negron was released from lost during the attack and transfer. rest. Philadelphia FDC. He immediately con- To contact Harold, write to him at: There is also a serious concern about tacted ProLibertad with the good news. B a s h i r ’s health. Because of a heart condi- According to Antonio, the government says H a rold H. T h o m p s o n tion there is a concern that the noise and he no longer “owes” them any time. # 9 3 9 9 2 lack of sleep may cause needless stress. Antonio Camacho Negron was arrested P.O. Box 11 5 0 Also, the food provided him usually con- earlier this year for violation of his parole. Henning, Tennessee sists of a bagged lunch, which will be espe- He was confined in “the hole” for the 3 8 0 4 1 - 11 5 0 cially hard on Bashir due to his diabetes. entirety of his imprisonment. His family has asked that people call or Since his original release, Negron has Jalil Denied Parole write to the Warden at Great Meadow - refused to recognize the authority of the US On August 1, 2006, Jalil Muntaqim was 518-639-5516 (Comstock) - asking him to government over Puerto Rico and its peo- denied parole for the third time since his better Bashir’s living conditions as well as ple. Because of this refusal, the government imprisonment. The parole board enforced his food and medical care: has continued to pressure and harass P a t a k i ’s unwritten policy to deny parole to Camacho Negron.