Support Prisoners' Struggle Against Torture
May 1, 2013 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
In 2011, prisoners in the Special Housing Units (SHUs) of the California prisons went on a hunger strike demanding an end to the torturous conditions. (See "12,000 Prisoners Resume Hunger Strike in California".) They have announced plans to initiate another hunger strike on July 8, 2013, if their demands for change are not met, and they have called on prisoners across the country to join them. During the negotiations that ended the hunger strike in 2011, California officials had agreed to make steps toward meeting the prisoners' demands for an end to inhumane conditions and practices. But the prisoners say that the state has failed to meet any of their core demands. (See their statement "Peaceful Protest To Resume July 8, 2013, If Demands Are Not Met" at prisons.org/documents/PB-Reps-letter-to-Brown-and-Beard.pdf.)
Last year, prisoners at California's Pelican Bay SHU also put out an inspiring call for unity (see "Agreement to End Hostilities" below) between people of different races and nationalities inside and outside the prisons. The statement, which was sent to prison advocacy organizations, is posted at the Prison Hunger Strike Solidarity website (prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com), and we are reproducing it here for our readers.
These prisoners have taken a courageous and inspiring stand, and it's on all people of conscience to stand with the prisoners in their just struggle to win their demands. We need to start NOW to spread the word on the planned hunger strike and the statement of unity, gather statements of support, and take other political action to build support.
Keep up with the latest developments in this struggle at revcom.us and in the pages of Revolution.
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