Struggle Magazine Collated

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www.4strugglemag.org

4strugglemagP.O. Box 97048

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4strugglem

Issue

Political Prisoner Updates ! Letters! Revie

Political Analysis ! Prison Resistance ! Global SFeature Article: Bill Dunne on Nationalism and Planeta

from the hearts and minds of north american political pri


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Welcome to 4strugglemagYou have just come to a dynamic and unique publication,where Truth (real and raw) speaks to power. This magazinefocuses the insights and experiences of U.S. political pris-oners on major issues of the day. While a lot of the writingis by political prisoners, other activists, allies, revolution-aries and insightful outside voices are included. We pub-lish 3 issues a year and all back issues remain posted on thewebsite (4strugglemag.org).

4strugglemag is an independent non-sectarian revolution-ary voice. We are unapologetically anti-imperialist and

solidly in support of progressive national liberation, espe-cially the struggles of New African/Black, Mexicano/Chi-cano, Puerto Rican and Nativ e American Nations presentlycontrolled by U.S. imperialism. Reecting the work andprinciples of political prisoners held by the United States,4strugglemag advocates for justice, equality, freedom, so-cialism, protection of our Earth, human rights and peace.

www.4strugglemag.org is primarily an e-magazine, buthard copies are available (see sidebar for subscription de-tails). We encourage readers to respond, critique and carryon discussions in the magazine. We value and encouragefeedback and discussion. The address of each politicalprisoner is posted with his/her article so peop le can direct-ly communicate with them (few political prisoners haveaccess to the internet).

We like dialogue, but we are not going to print racist orpro-imperialist messages, so you government agents andklansmen dont bother wasting your time.

Each issue of 4strugglemag focuses on at least 3 main top-ics. Additional poems, graphics, essays, announcementsand more are included. Unsolicited writings and graphicsare accepted and welcomed. We wont guarantee printing,but wed like to see your work. This and other correspon-dence should be sent via regular mail to the following ad-dress (remember it costs 75 cents to send a letter to Canadafrom the U.S.).

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or via email to:[email protected] Laaman, editor

anti-imperialist political prisoner

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4strugglemag

Review: COINTELPRO 101BY JARED BALLReprinted from www.BlackAgendaReport.com

The U.S. governments COINTELPRO assault on Blackand radical political activists wasnt just a sixties episode:it was part of the continuity of oppression stretching fromthe European invasion of the Americas and the slave tradeto this very day. American regimes are prepared t o deployCOINTELPRO-like repression whenever popular move-ments threaten the established order. Assassination, im-prisonment, surveillance and encouraged internal strife

[are] employed to forcibly dissolve these movements.

It is an introduction to the often omitted history of theFBIs illegal wars of terror waged against t he full spectrumof radical Left movements in this country.

COINTELPRO 101, the latest lm release from The Free-dom Archives, is nothing like the all-too-common soft,liberal documentary which tells of worse and distant hor-rors so as to lessen the pain or awareness of those still oc-curring. It is not a lm that imposes a happy ending bysuggesting that its subject is somehow past. It is a lm thatmakes plain the fact that all of your problems of today,from war, to incarceration, to banking crises, joblessnessand environmental catastrophe, still exist because move-ments to do away with them suffered and continue to sufferthe greatest levels of repression from the most powerfulstate apparatus in world history. And worse still, as BlackPanther Party veteran Kathleen Cleaver states unequivo-cally, unlike the ofcial Counter Intelligence Program ofprevious decades, todays version is perfectly legal.

COINTELPRO 101 is just that. It is an introduction to theoften omitted history of the FBIs illegal wars of terrorwaged against the full spectrum of radical Left movementsin this country. The Counter Intelligence Program whichemerged in the post-WWII era of international strugglesfor human rights and national liberation simply focusedinternally to the United States all that had been carried outagainst populations abroad. It turned so-called U.S. citi-zens in the 20th century into insurgent rebels to be dealtwith as any foreign army or movement.

Assassination, imprisonment, surveillance and encouragedinternal strife were employed to forcibly dissolve thesemovements. But, as this lm so skillfully demonstrates,this all was merely an extension of a continuing state proj-ect of enslavement, genocide, theft of land, culture and hu-manity that pre-dates even the ofcial declaration of U.S.

nationhood.The lms brilliance is not simply its nicely-styled aesthet-ic elements. They are there of course. Strong interviews,rarely seen clips, high quality audio and video production

across the board with equally strong narration from Liz De-rias. But it is the lms ability to force new confrontationwith the political reality of today, as much as with the past,that truly demonstrates its value. The simple point made byGeronimo Pratt is also its strongest; that COINTELPROmade ofcial the illegality of politics, the criminalizationof positions represented by its targets. COINTELPROwas the political and legal descendant of its ancestors,slavery and genocide, and is now itself an ancestor to thestill-implemented policies of, for instance, the Patriot Act.This central theme of the lm is its most important becauseit forces us to put in context the current and horric state ofpeace, freedom and labor movements.

It turned so-called U.S. citizens in the 20th century intoinsurgent rebels to be dealt with as any foreign army ormovement.

As CONTELPRO 101 makes vividly clear, the Blackmisleadership class described so often in the pagesof Black Agenda Report is the result of having rst de-stroyed the rightfully ascending Black leadership class ofthat time. This lm helps re-establish lost cognition im-posed by popular anti-histories which allow for so manyto falsely assume that Obama is a natural progression fromCivil Rights and Black Power movements. The lm insertsstolen pages of history that result in an assumption thatNative America went willingly to the reservations and thenhappily stayed there having never having attempted move-ments to protect whatever remaining autonomy they mighthave had.

No one who sees this lm can return to conventional and

now popularly re-emerging arguments over immigration orhuman illegality. In fact, COINTELPRO 101 goes fur-ther than most histories of this phenomenon in remindingus of the threats posed by the Puerto Rican and Chicanoindependence movements. One can only imagine with akind of hope what these discussions would sound like werethey to take place in this lms context of state repressionand specically the killing of Chicano movement activistslike Ricardo Falcon. Indeed, would these arguments evenexist without rst the assault on these movements and theirrepresentatives?

CONTELPRO 101 is the latest in an increasingly long lineof collected, preserved and produced media from The Free-dom Archives which seeks to appropriately tell the storiesof diverse but unied efforts toward liberation. It power-fully summarizes the continued need of those in power tosuppress and, in their own words, neutralize movementsand individuals so that more acceptable replacements canbe developed and promoted. For if, as the lm asserts,

the continued imprisonment of people like American In-dian Movement activist Leonard Peltier is a symbol to,through discouragement, protect the state from furthersimilar activity, then what do popular, sanctioned, electedleaders of today represent?

Table of

Cover: Portrai

GLOBAL STRUGGLE

2 Tunisia Rocked, Egypt RolledBy Jaan Laaman

3 Tunisia: Multitude in RevoltBy David Cunningham

4 Egypt Frees Political PrisonersFrom Al Jazeera

5 Israels War on ChildrenBy Jonathan Cook

7 Let Anti-Nuclear and Human Rights

Campaigner Vanunu Go FreeBy Steven Katsineris

NORTH AMERICA& UPDATES

8 Ocar Lopez Rivera Den

9 Bradley Manning and JBy Jaan Laaman

10 Brown Riders Liberati

12 Important Anti-War NeBy Jaan Laaman

13 Call to Action

14 SubpoenasBy Lynne Stewart

15 Anti-war Leader SlamMovementBy Jess Sundin

17 Message from Leonard

17 Demand Leonard Peltithe Mayo Clinic!

18 The Trial of Land Defe

20 J18 Update: Roger Cle6 Months, 15 Days in P

21 Out of JailBy Alex Hundert

22 Byron Sonne: Behind B

23 Former Anarchist POWsuit for unlawful Amtr

24 Georgia Prisoners StruBy Jaan Laaman

25 Still No News of 37 MStrikersBy Eugene Thomas

26 A Welcome Prison VicBy Dennis OHearn

28 The Scott Sisters DebJim CrowBy James Ridgeway

ANALYSIS & REVIEWS

29 Jericho Amnesty Movement to Free AllPolitical Prisoners and Prisoners of War

30 On Political Prisoner Release StrategyBy Maliki Shakur Latine

31 Understanding the Role of PrisonerIntellectualsBy Dennis S. Boatright

33 Gang ValidationBy Steve Champion

35New Afrikan Prisoners Domestic Crisis In-tervention InitiativeBy Kijana Tashiri Askari

37 Nationalism and Planetary RevolutionBy Bill Dunne

40 To the Afrikan Intercommunalist Youth ...Statement from the Central Committee ofthe Black Riders Liberation Party

POETRY & PROSE

12 We All We Got...By Shaunterias Transou

16 True LiesBy Thomas Bennett

32 Where We Are GoingBy Marilyn Buck

34 i cried RECIPROCITYBy Akili Castlin


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Issue 18 IntroductionHey, fellow activists, Freedom ghters, friends,readers. Welcome to issue 18 (early Spring 2011) of4strugglemag. We remain a major voice of politicalprisoners in the U.S.

March 8 is International Womens Day and 4smstands in strong support of women and their strug-gles for justice, equality and a revolutionary future.We are proud to have Lynne Stewart on our cover,

as an excellent example of a sister in the struggle.Lynne, 70 years old, a grandmother, a lawyer, a po-litical prisoner, is a lifelong activist and ghter forjustice, freedom, human rights and a new revolution-ary future. Check out her article and the update onher situation.

We begin with a section on global struggle, with ar-ticles on Tunisia, Egypt, Bradley ManningJulianAssange and WikiLeaks and more. In that sectioncheck out the article on the founding of the BrownRiders Liberation Party.

Our next section is on struggle in the U.S., withnews and updates on many issues. We begin thiswith information on important bi-coastal anti-war

rallies in Aprileveryone needs to check this out.We also have information from and on long heldNative political prisoner Leonard Peltier. Then wehave information on the Georgia state prisonersstrike, the biggest prisoners strike in U.S. history,and many other issues.

The section on analysis and reviews includes an in-teresting interview with the rapper Testament. Wealso have information from and on the Jericho po-litical prisoners movement. Bill Dunne has a ma-jor essay that continues 4sm ongoing discussion onnationalist and internationalist strategies for revo-lutionary struggle. People will want to check outJared Balls review of the lm, Cointelpro 101.

We are always interested in your thoughts and feed-back, so take part in ongoing discussions and/orsend us information or analysis on revolutionaryquestions and struggles. Everyone who can, should

try to take part in the East and West coast April 9thanti-war rallies.

Well see you in issue 19, out in July, with a sectionon Black August (readers are welcomed and encour-aged to send us some BA thoughts, your plans foractivities, poems, etc.). Well also have news on the2011 Running Down the Walls, which more prison-ers and folks outside should think about joining thisyear (RDTW is usually held in Aug. or Sept.). I wantto leave all of you with the Revolutionary Spirit of

the Freedom Struggle rolling out of Tunisia, Egyptand on.

Jaan Laaman, editor#10372-016USP TucsonP.O. Box 24550Tucson, AZUSA 85734

a comrade of mine as we were putting up ant i-G20 posters.They threw us in jail for almost 24 hours and charged uswith 7 counts of mischief each, one for every poster theyclaim to have documented us putting up. We were releasedwith conditions of obeying the laws of Canada. Whenquestioned by the media, the chief of police said they hadreacted so strongly because they wanted us to be out onbail conditions during the G20 itself. They already had meon a list that they were going to arrest so it was a wayfor them to pre-emptively add another charge (breach ofbail), and a way for them to try to deny me bail and keepme in jail once they arrested me the next time. On Sundaymorning during the G20 I was swarmed by the hold-upsquad who had staked out my car all night and waited forme in several unmarked vehicles. They jumped out in fulltactical gear pointing automatic weapons at me. I was thencharged with indictable conspiracy, indictable counseling,and masked with intent. Illogik was also violently arrestedthat morning at a different location. The warrants for ourarrests used our stage names, and pictures from our mys-pace page. We were released 3 days later on life-alteringbail conditions that barred us from associating with eachother, making music with each other, or having any com-munication at all. Luckily our charges were just stayed dueto lack of evidence, and after 5 months of being unableto work on our music we are back together working onour debut album, doing tours, speaking out, and playingbenet shows.

Youve been playing gigs and speaking in support ofG20 defendants. What do you want people to knowabout them?

I cant even count how many benet shows Ive done forG20 defendants. While me and Illogik had non-associa-tion conditions I went and did a solo tour across the entirecountry entitled the Rap For Freedom tour. The tour wasboth to raise funds for legal defense as well as raise moreawareness about what went down during the G20 in thestreets of Toronto, and the ongoing criminalization andtargeting of our community. Dozens of people that I amtight friends with were thrown in jail during the G20. I amfriends with everybody facing the most serious charges ofconspiracy and those who are facing high-prole mischiefcharges. Many of these people I consider family. The G20defendants are some of the most beautiful people Ive evermet. They make this world a better place every day in thework they do as organizers, and they are a beacon of hopein what often feels like a hopeless ugly world. They con-tinue to be an inspiration and blessing in my life.

Whats next for Test their Logik?

Test Their Logik is once again conspiring for a betterworld and counseling people through music. We are tak-ing things to the next level now, and getting really seriousabout our art now that we know how seriously our enemiestake it. We are in the studio a lot and are planning on drop-

ping our rst professionally malbum in mid march. We are asite testtheirlogik.com and arecross-Canada tour from mialso anxious to connect withso we are actively looking foprofessional gigs and dealingissues. We are also looking tists who share our politics as an anarchist hip-hop collectivtive in order to help liberateindustry that has kidnapped prisoner, and its time for a jail

What message would you lik

First off, I want to send lovreading this in a cage. My hehave been captured by the stfuels the rage within those of to secure your freedom and abwant to support those of you ing against prison. I know it cato do in a sea of reformers andcages because of their inabilitprison. But we must envisionwork for that to be a reality noexpands its capacity to incarceus. Keep the struggle alive un

Testament, Kiss Me Thru Th

I wanna see you, but all I can to your voice on this phone w

through telephone wires til thethere aint no love here its hatmy lover and community and outside of these walls and thisits a slave industry so ght foI wanna kiss you for real but u

They tappin this call and its security culture dont let themloose lips sink ships so stop snstop braggin and stop gossipicuz you dont know whos wothey want us all in jail or deadtheir prison industry is so widits got millions of us kissing tof our heads

I hate phones but Ill take whaThey got me locked up cuz theto the system on which all the

liberate the earth greens the negotta liberate myself now Imto the day when Ill be free annd peace.. and fall asleep in wake up and kiss without a ph


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4strugglemag

Interview with Revolution-ary Rapper TestamentBY SARA FALCONER

Tell us a bit about yourself and about Test their Logik.

Ive been rapping under the name Testament for a whilenow and I am a revolutionary hip-hop artist based in south-ern Ontario. I am also a community organizer, cuz likeDead Prez says, Its bigger than hip-hop. Many peopleare now familiar with my work in the hip-hop duo, Test

Their Logik.Test Their Logik is made up of myself (Testament), and Il-logik, a Toronto-based revolutionary MC and producer. Wemet a few years ago through mutual friends in Guelphsanarchist community who brought us there to do a showtogether. It was so refreshing to see our politics mirrored ineach others ows and I knew it was the start of somethingwith real potential. We gradually started doing other showstogether until our rst tour where we started writing songscollaboratively as a group two years ago.

What inspired your Kiss Me Thru The Phone re-mix?

The remix I released of Kiss Me Thru The Phone was in-spired by my own daily life of having prison hanging overmy head as a constant threat, a coh ersive force, and violentdaily reality. Prison is a very real possibility in my future,and writing this song was a way for me to mentally take

myself there and prepare psychologically for that eventu-ality. It was me putting myself in the shoes of our captivecomrades in order to strengthen my resolve against prisonand the world that needs them.

People I love sitting in prison lls me with pain and rage.Just the idea of prison itself is revoltingenough to inspire this song. That said thissong was particularily inspired by thegreen scare and earth liberation prison-ers serving crazy time like Marie Mason,Eric McDavid, Daniel McGowan and oth-ers who never hurt a living being, and arein there purely because of political repres-sion and targetting. They put everythingon the line for the health of this planet andfor a world free of torture and dominationand have paid the ultimate price.

When the original version of this song

came onto the radio I knew I had to remixit. The painful hook about kissing lovedones through phones immediately broughtvivid thoughts of political prisoners andcalls from prison. I began re-writting the

song immediately knowing I had to steal the soul of thispop song and make it about something real.

Youve used this song and others to reappropriate popculture songs for revolutionary purposes. How doesthis work?

I have denitely reappropriated other pop culture songsfor revolutionary purposes because I hate hearing amazingbeats and hooks getting constantly spoiled by mindless,selsh, egotistical, and oppressive lyrics. Reappropriatingpopular music is a way of salvaging the hard work andtalent of the producers and give their songs meaning andpower. Doing this is also very effective in spreading radical

politics because folks are already familiar with the originalversions and have a reference for the remixes to compareand contrast to. The practice of taking ot her songs and ip-ping them up, remixing them, and making new versions isa long-time tradition in hip-hop. So the only thing differ-ent Im doing is making them about revolutionary politics.And even other artists like Dead Prez have been doing thatfor years as well.

One of the earliest tracks I did that folks got into was a re-mix of This is why Im hot w hich I ipped up to This iswhy Im not and critiqued the materialist culture we livein and the state of hip-hop. Recently, I also remixed Jay-Zand Kanyes Run This Town to challenge their attempt touse revolutionary black bloc imagery in their music videofor a song that was classist, materialistic, sexist, homopho-bic and all about their lust for power. I ipped it up to callthem out as well as to make the case for us runing our owntowns, communities, and neighbourhoods collectively andcreating conict with forces of social control and domi-nation such as multi-millionaires, cops, corporations, andpop icons.

What repression did you face in the lead-up to the G8/G20 summit in Toronto this past June?

For over a year leading up to the G20 Iwas under heavy surveillance. For overa year leading up to the G20 there wereseveral undercover operatives pretendingto be my friends. They inltrated our net-works and rooted themselves in our com-munities in order to entrap us, destroy ourmovements and throw us in jail. In May Iwas visited by CSIS agents at the airportwho harrassed me, my partner, and mymom. Since they were gathering intel onme, they obviously knew I wouldnt talkto them, so their reason for being therewas purely intimidation. They followedus aggressively, making accusations andinsinuations about my criminal behaviour.Then about two weeks before the G20 un-dercover cops in London swarmed me and

LettersDear Editor and Staff,

I have never seen or read such a unique, dynamic, power-ful magazine for activists as your incredibly well-written,beautiful challenge for revolutionary thought. I will Xeroxthe opening page and send to fellow activists wherever Ican reach them that they become aware of this great gift tothe movement. What an amazing crew of writers you musthave! 4strugglemag is almost too good to be true

The poem, The Warrior, is magnicent. Is the author,

Landi Benitez, a man or a woman? Such skill, in express-ing the warrior in such an awesome way The poem endswith strength, humility, sacrice, and love.

I am so fortunate to have been sent 4strugglemag bywhom I do not know. I hope you have 10s of thousandsof subscribers and from around the world. I am a veryelderly Asian American woman, 89 years old, who livedsome 40 years in Harlem. I met Malcolm X by sheer luckat a Brooklyn courtroom years ago, and joined his group,OAU [Organization of African Unity]. Without the Blackstruggle in America, would there ever be a hope for a revo-lution in America?

Gratefully for 4strugglemag. Thank you for inspiring us.

Always, Yuri Kochiyama_____________________________

4strugglemag,

I am deeply blown away by the knowledge that the 4strug-glemag produces to all revolutionaries, political prisoners,as well as brothas and sistas who are searching for the truth.Revolution is a process. We must offer the people waysto override oppression and give them knowledge to makethem more conscious that they (we) are the oppressed!Ninety percent of this worlds population is of color (Arab,African, Mexican, Latin, etc) the other 10 percent is whatwe call the white race (Europeans). But yet the 10 per-cent (white race) controls the 90 percent (color race) andhas been for the last 500 years!

We need to learn to control our own existence and stopallowing ourselves to be oppressed. There is no unityamongst the 90 percent (color race). We need to learn tounite as a whole and take back control over our destiny. Weneed to teach young brothas and sistas at an early age whatrevolution is and set examples of how we as revolutionar-

ies react to the oppression that we face daily.I am a PIRU (Powerful Intelligent Radikal Unied Soldier)who is trying to help rebuild and re-organize the UnitedBlood Nation and Damu nation to its original form. We are

not a gang! We are a movemriors who are for the struggle and with the people (revolutioto help ght off the oppressioenemy! Bloods and Crips needand rebuild our sets and organlutionaries and not gang bangland that is controlled and ow

I am currently on death row in er who is in the midst of unitingent revolutionary unit so we athe United Blood Nation to iyoung hood who helped destroguidance or knowledge of whwas. But now as a New Afriksweat and tears for the UBN,and all Black revolutionaries the cause and are dedicated torebuilding this nation as a who

Control over the circumstantence is of the rst importanceor with control in someone elscure, subject at times to the win control. George L. Jacks

Dedicated to the United Blooprisoners of the world. Stay struggles.

Eddie Tek Lang #532018Ohio State Penitentiary

________________________In the name of Allah, Most Gr

Brotha Jaan:

Revolutionary Salute! By wabeen blessed with the opportuyour publication, 4strugglemaerary and political work you athe good work and continue topower. Dennis Boatwright is aof mine, and since I have recenity of editing his provocativetake the liberty of introducinspectives to a broader audiencthe most prolic prisoner wriand I do not say this ctitiousof our writings, do advise anDennis article Understandin

lectuals in this issue.] Do adlist. We thank you in anticipat

In solidarity & in struggle,Siddique Abdullah Hasan


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4strugglemag

Tunisia Rocked, EgyptRolledBY JAAN LAAMAN

Revolution. Scenes of untold thousands in the streets, dayafter day. Protesters resisting cops and government goons.Larger marches and bigger rallies, these are all scenes theworld has just observed from Tunis, Cairo, Alexandria.

Then the fall of one strong man ruler, Zine el-Abidine BenAli in Tunisia.

The following month, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt is gone,and the beat of struggle and revolution goes on.

The media has been full of information and images of thepopular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. The governmentleaders in the U.S. and Europe have been trying to put theirbest face forward, their best spin, on the loss of two of th eir,shall we say, loyal client regimes, or puppet governments,or long and strongly backed dictators. French colonialism-imperialism was more directly backing Ben Ali in Tunisia,while U.S. imperialism was the big backer and military aidprovider for Mubarak in Egypt.

U.S. imperialism has a sordid decades upon decades longrecord of backing dictatorial and even fascist regimes withmoney, arms and political support. From the Duvaliers inHaiti, Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan, Diem in South Vietnam,Somoza in Nicaragua, Suharto in Indonesia, Pinochet inChile, the Shah in Iran, Mobutu in Zaire, etc. (if readersarent too familiar with some of these U.S. backed dicta-tors, doing a little study on them is worth your time; Peo-ples History of the United States, by Howard Zinn, is oneeasily available book that has information on a lot of this).

No one really knows what is to come in Egypt or Tunisia.Neither country had a major single revolutionary force andleadership that can now begin building a new revolution-ary future and state. Certainly revolutionaries and activistsaround the world hope the people and progressive forcesin Egypt and Tunisia can put together and maintain a trulyrevolutionary democratic system that benets their work-ers, farmers, youth and nation.

In Egypt, just days after Mubarak was forced out (thesewords are being written in mid-February), the militarycommittee that took over suspended the Constitution andParliament and promised referendums and elections in 6months if possible. It is being reported that the main forces

and voices that brought this popular uprising together, aresomewhat satised with this plan and time schedule.

Now it is essential that popular and revolutionary forces inEgypt get to work organizing their people and constructing

the plans and structures for a new government and sys-tem.

The April 6th Youth Movement and four other youthgroups were the initial and main voices/forces that orga-nized the rst protests in Tahrir square. These youth voicesand groups continue to be the force around which this up-rising has coalesced. Mohamed ElBaradei, the 2005 NobelPeace Prize winner, is a main voice in the National As-sociation for Change.

This broad front also has leaders of the Muslim Brother-hood in it. The Muslim Brotherhood itself, is a large forcethroughout Egypt. There is also a liberal protest group,Enough: The Egyptian Movement for Change, that is ac-tive. There are many other groups and movements, includ-ing socialist and revolutionary formations, but the Egyp-tian uprising that forces out Mubarak and his government,was not led by any one group, other than youth and youthgroups in general.

Each nation, with its own history and culture is unique.Every revolution is likewise unique, dependent on condi-tions, time and place. What is common and in fact oftenoccurring, is the reality of popular uprising and revolution.It is not just something that happens in Egypt or Tunisia orSouth Africa or Nicaragua or Vietnam or Cuba. Its not justsomething that happened in the past.

Revolution, popular rising of a people who have said:We are tired, thats enoughId rather ght on my feetthan live on my knees. This is true change, fundamentalchange that removes the small power elite, the ruling class

from power, and turns that power over to the majority, theworking class, the farmers, the common people.

This kind of revolutionary change is possible and oftennecessary. It is not just something that happens somewhereelse. It can happen anywhereit can happen here in theheart of the empire, of U.S. imperialismof the racist,classist, war mongering, war proteering, Earth polluting,prison packing United States of America.

Youth of America, working people of America, people ofconscience, do not be afraid, cynical or distracted. Tahrirsquare is waiting to happen in Times Square, The Loopin Chicago or South Central in LA and everywhere in be-tween. A very popular song being heard all over Tahrirsquare and Cairo right now, goes like this:

First they ignore youThen they laugh at youThen they ght you

Then you winLike a lot of people used to say here in the U.S., All Powerto the People.

33) No comrade can join any other group outside of thenew Black Liberation Army.

34) Always remember that bulletproof Black on Blacklove and unity is our number one goal to c reate revolu-tion in fascist AmeriKKKa!

Settle your quarrels, come together, understand thereality of our situation, understand that fascism is al-ready here, that people are already dying who couldbe saved, that generations more will die or live poorbutchered half-lives if you fail to act. Do what must bedone, discover your humanity and your love in revo-

lution. Pass on the torch. Join us, give up your life forthe people. The Great General George Jackson

BLACK RIDE OR DIE!BLACK POWER TO BLACK PEOPLE!ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!JOIN NOW!FREE THE LA 2!

Black Riders Liberation PartyPO Box 8297Los Angeles, CAUSA 90008

[email protected]

Defying the Tomb: Bbrings prison writing

BY KAREN EMILYbasicsnews.ca

On January 27, Torontonians gathof revolutionary prisoner Kevinbook. Defying the Tomb includes as the correspondence between himrevolutionary prisoner. Rashid diBlack entertainment media, the cuchallenges of organizing within pr

learned from past struggles, incluBlack Panther Party.

Rashid has been held captive in Vmore than 20 years, 18 of which nement. He rst became exposedmeeting Hanif Shabazz-Bey, a loSince then, Rashid has become a jaary artist, theorist and leader in theParty - Prison Chapter (NABPP-PCganize the Black proletarian masseother oppressed nationalities and cserves as the nucleus of the Unitedguiding mission is to turn U.S. cointo schools of liberation.

Rashid has faced violent repressioresult of his effective prison orgaagainst the prison regime and the to the prison industrial complex.

The Toronto book launch was joiCommunity News Service and Tor(ABC). The evening kicked off Chris Harris (a.k.a. Wasun), Sara FThe panel discussed the history Panther Party and other Black revorepression faced by Rashid and thimprisoned revolutionaries; and thNABPP-PC and its application toA lively discussion followed, witdeeper into the lessons learned frextent to which those struggles cantoday.

Afterward, people mingled and conWasun dropped tracks from his newand Revolutionary Love spun revthe night.

rashidmod.com

Inside Out: Artwork from

Within U.S. Prison WallsBeginning on May 6, 2011, Vermont Action forPolitical Prisoners will be hosting an art exhibit atThrough the Music (2 Elliot Street) in downtownBrattleboro, Vermont.

The exhibit will display art by individuals held incaptivity in prisons throughout the United States.

All of the pieces on display will be for sale. Theevent itself will be free and open to the public.

For more information, check out

throughthemusic.com

www.vermontactionforpoliticalprisoners.blogspot.com

or you can email VAPP at

[email protected]


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attain the goals, objectives, and general policies to their full-est capacities. They will always be mindful of the quality andquantity of their service, dedication and determination, and toalways be willing to do what is required to bring an end to in-

justice, racism, police terrorism, Black on Black violent crimeand global oppression.

9) Any comrade in violation of the rules must be disciplinedaccording to the violation, and no punishment is to exceedthe offense.

10) Each comrade must make an effort to teach non-membersof the party suffering from lack of condence and/or fear ofthe capitalist oppressor to over-come these obstacles. Edu-

cate to liberate is the motto for this purpose. To lead throughthe success of ones practice, leadership must be decisive;without sacrice or participation in revolutionary activity,there is no leadership.

11) Every comrade with former hood or tribal connec-tions should work day and night to be a positive revolutionaryexample to his or her homies. A comrade with street organi-zational ties should strive to educate their homies to the truththat it is real respect to be gained by riding on the real racistenemy instead ofghting other Black people. If possible, thiscomrade should work on creating a cease re between war-ring street formations involved in Black on Black violence.This comrade must be extremely politically educated andmilitant in order to facilitate improvised ways to accomplishthis important job without backsliding into Black on Blackviolent crime and reactionary suicide.

12) Each cadre leader may establish additional rules in their

environment to enhance the harmony in their area, keepingin mind the nature of human behavior, such as maintainingrespect of female comrades, and the personal relationship be-tween comrades. All additional rules must be reported andapproved by the Central Committee of the Black Riders Lib-eration Party.

13) All information is disseminated on a need to know basis.

14) Under no condition will there be any ghting betweencomrades.

15) All comrades will show respect to all Black people inword and actions.

16) All comrades should attempt to be polite and courteous toall people, regardless of race, creed, color or sexual orienta-tion.

17) No comrade will place any material commodity above or

before the Black Riders Liberation Party, the people, or thenew Black liberation movement.

18) No comrade will display or have an arrogant, disdainful,belittling or chauvinistic attitude.

19) No comrade is permitted to use, produce, distribute, pro-cess, fund, or take part in the sale of heroin, cocaine (in anyform), LSD, or PCP. Nor will they take any type of pill for thepurpose of getting high (uppers or downers) and no comradewill distribute such pills or take part in the sale of such pillsor other illegal drugs.

20) No comrade will ever appear in public intoxicated or un-der the inuence of alcohol, or any other illegal drug.

21) No comrade shall lie about his/her position/rank to thepeople or another comrade.

22) No comrade will reveal Black Rider secrets to anyone.

23) No comrade will use the inuence or reputation of BlackRiders for his/her personal interest.

24) All cadre leaders are to set up decolonization programs/or classes in political and physical education, rst aid, karate(empty hand martial arts) weaponry, and other topics such asnutrition and horticulture, which will enable Black people tobetter survive, and to be able to contribute to the survival ofthe party.

25) All comrades are expected to take part in the establisheddecolonization programs and classes.

26) All comrades will carry out orders given to them by theircadre leader or staff member .

27) All comrades are potential leaders and are expected totake the initiative and develop themselves to the utmost, so as

to be capable of taking the initiative and providing leadershipwhenever it is needed.

28) All comrades will read the Black Riders Liberation Par-tys manual, and put to memory the rules of discipline, codeof conduct, ways to combat liberalism, and points of attentionas part of their everyday lives.

29) When a cadre leader is not available, comrades will voteand appoint one, on the merit of knowledge, experience, ded-ication, and courage. All newly elected cadre leaders must re-port and be approved by the Central Committee of the BlackRiders Liberation Party.

30) All cadre leaders are to make available an avenue throughwhich members can air grievances. There must exist a con-scientious effort on the part of the cadre leader to resolvethese grievances in a humane, patient, and sensitive manner.

31) Cadre leaders are to send dispositions of all grievances to

the Central Committee for review.

32) All comrades who are imprisoned will report immedi-ately upon release to a designated cadre leader or other in-structed location.

Tunisia: Multitude in RevoltBY DAVID CUNNINGHAM

Reprinted from momentonsurrection.wordpress.com

Revolt of the multitude

The situation in Tunisia is a rupture brought into being bythe militancy of the multitude. There is no party or leader-ship, no unions or even a class that has forced this situation rather, it is a multitude. The multitude dened not as thepeople, not a mass, not as a set of individuals. It is dened

as a network of singularities, where these singularities inorder not to become reduced to chaos recognize them-selves in a common that extends beyond them.

The intensity with which power is being swarmed by themultitude clearly articulates the militant position. The factthat the hole blown wide open has not been lled by oppo-sitional political stand-ins, or suppressed by military mightshows the potential ight this situation is in the process ofbecoming the reproduction of the insurrectionary situa-tion that brings into being a maximally revolutionary eventthat until such rupture did not exist, and in fact seemedimpossible just prior (it could never happen in Tunisia).

It was not a chance taken within a revolutionary situation,but rather a militant movement imposed upon a reality thatbelieved itself to be impenetrable (Tunisia over the lastcouple days has been described by media as having beenboth the most modern African state and consequently, atotalitarian police state). This moment of insurrection isnot static and can swing in any direction or reaction; thenation-state of Tunisia and the histories of those breakingfree from it, outline such potentialities.

Carthage is burning!

The product of an ancient lineage of foreign occupation,Tunisia was rst colonizedby the Roman Empire in 146BC. The Arab invasion in the7th Century lasted until 1882when the Europeans fought itout amongst themselves forcontrol. This concluded inFrench domination until 1942when the Nazis took overwho were nally ousted bya popular nationalist move-ment that was subsequently

able to kick out the French ina campaign of armed strugglebetween the years of 1952-55.This ushered in the on-goingreign of neo-colonialism. The

party that controlled Tunisianindigenous populations withinnumber of name changes and deviations including mass coltionalization of industry, as wresistance.

The socialist facade dissolvederalism in the 70s which in turevolt that left dozens dead iimages being transmitted from

In reaction to the popular unreimposed in 1980 and implemetic control that is now being toexchange of blows between ththe state resorted to the mass Ben Ali (last seen running forthe latest party handle: the DeHe went on to solidify his posifought rights and banning mothis process that returns the ruSocial war against empire

The multitude that now holdsunfamiliar with the reoccurrevarious guises of counter-revovolt thus far has been its assemwhich deterritorialze the urbanin turn ensures the movementlocity in concentration of powunity of mass and transmogri

dually with the mobilizationsthe rearguard battles fought oricades and armed struggle. Wrization of the social unrest, thforces would have succeeded ias they had before on severalnow the major theatre of operducted within the state of em


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nization of the multitude, who behind their barricades aredefending their territory from the forces of command thepolice, army, politicians and death squads who are at thebehest of empire, in the dire attempt t o regain order.

Further underlining the mode of the multitude is the real-ity of the total social upheaval. That society has been sub-sumed by capital throughout empire is met in consequenceby the congurations of the multitudes revolt. A social warnot isolated to any one contradiction; where all antago-nisms are played out over the entire social terrain not con-ned to the workplace or parliaments, and thereby unableto be institutionally mediated in isolation. The social warthat is revolutionizing society in Tunisia has its equal force

throughout the planetary upheavals now rupturing empirein a global civil war. In the bordering nation-state of Al-geria, the rocks are hurled and barricades built with themight and subjectivity of the same multitude, which dis-perse along the similar lines ofight that are transversedthrough that region by the millions of nomadic people whohave for millennia been at war.

Nomad War Machine

Within the fortress state of Tunisia, convoys of Imazighen(free people) make their way through the southern lands.The Bedouin and Berbers are nomadic and have violentlyfought off state appropriation. The war machine is thatnomadic invention that in fact has war not as its primaryobject but as its second-order, supplementary or syntheticobjective, in the sense that it is determined in such a wayas to destroy the State-form and city-form with which itcollides. As many nomads have been economically forcedto migrate to the cities as wage-slaves, we can assume thatthe tendencies of the nomadic war machine have been re-communized there the necessity to ee from the state, butwhile doing so, grabbing a weapon.

Exodus

It is in this exodus from the state apparatus that the Tunisianmultitude-in-motion must continue. The popular power inthe streets has left power in the gutter, can it be gatheredand used to smash the state, or will it be re-conquered byempire now circling overhead? At the height of unrest theprisoners in many prisons across Tunisia knew how it mustbe done, they did not wait for the political outcome, butforced their way through the concrete walls of reality.

In one case a re set during the prison revolt led to themournful killing of many insurgents shot whilst eeing theames; in other prisons they escaped by forcefully takingcontrol. Without being able to rely upon the forces of com-

mand, now bunked down in the street ghting the prisonguards were in no position to defend the institution andthe prisoners walked out. It is our hope that they are ableto return to destroy the prisons once and for all. It is ourdesire to do the same here.

Egypt Frees Political PrisonersReprinted from english.aljazeera.netFebruary 8, 2011

Thirty-four prisoners reportedly freed in move seen as partof reforms pledged by embattled government. Mubarak of-fered political reforms in a bid to end the protests aroundthe country

The Egyptian government is reported to have freed 34 po-litical prisoners, including some members of the MuslimBrotherhood, in a move seen to be part of promised re-

forms aimed at ending anti-government protests.According to Al Jazeera sources, more than a thousandother prisoners were released on Wednesday after complet-ing at least three-quarters of their sentences. And another840 prisoners were released from the Sinai province.

Interior Minister Mahmoud Wagdy issued an order todayreleasing 34 political detainees considered to be among theextremist elements, after evaluating their positions, thestate-owned Middle East News Agency (MENA) said onTuesday.

They showed good intentions and expressed their desireto live peaceably with society.

The report added they had handed themselves over to theauthorities after escaping from prison during several daysof disorder last month. Security forces were withdrawnfrom the streets after failing to crush millions of protesterson January 28. Security then broke down at many prisonsaround the country.

During the 1990s, Egypt battled Islamist ghters whowanted to replace the government of Hosni Mubarak, thepresident, with an Islamic state.

Political detainees

Many ghters remain in jail from the time of Mubarakspredecessor Anwar Sadat, who was assassinated by sol-diers linked to an Islamist group in 1981.

According to human rights groups, it is not clear how manypeople are detained in Egypt for political activit ies, such asjoining banned groups or planning or carrying out acts ofviolence, but they estimate them to be in thousands.

Mubarak has offered other concessions in an attempt to

end ongoing protests around the country, which includedthe appointment of a vice-president and a new cabinet.Political reforms have also been pledged and the govern-ment said this would include freeing detainees and liftingemergency laws.

To the Afrikan Intercommu-nalist YouthTo Their Fa-thersWe Will Now Criticizethe Unjust with the Weapon!STATEMENT FROM THE CENTRAL COMMITTEEOF THE BLACK RIDERS LIBERATION PARTY

All Power to the People!

Revolutionary Greetings! Due to the Black revolutionaryconsciousness that is surging around the country, the BlackRiders Liberation Party has organized a powerful nation-wide prison chapter. New recruits from all over the countryare setting up branches for the prison chapter in the spiritof George Jackson and his brother/alter-ego Jonathan Jack-son.

Each branch is organized by state. We have received nu-merous requests from people on the streets around thecountry to set up chapters, especially on the East Coast.Also, the Northern California chapter of the Black Riderswas ofcially opened during the struggle to seek justice forOscar Grant with a Feed the People program amongst therebellious masses in Oakland. We openly admit that the re-quirements to be a member of Black Riders requires strictdiscipline but we encourage others to take up the bannerof freedom and bang on the system with a strong, struc-tured revolutionary organiza-tion. There must be no other

course but to

ght it out. Ev-ery political and military po-sition must be held to the lastBlack man and Black wom-an. There must be no retreatand no surrender. With ourbacks to the wall and believ-ing in the justice of our causeeach one of us must ght onto the end.

We call on all Black peoplewho still believe in freedomto join us or support us withtheir minds, bodies, andsouls. There is a great warto be won and we will win ittogether. The Black man andBlack woman, once properlypolitically educated, cultur-

ally inspired, and physicallytrained is the greatest humanghting machine the worldhas ever known!

Rules of DisciplineDiscipline for Evethe Black Riders L

Discipline is very necessaryachieved. If revolutionary Afrlowed and adhered to strict sebe necessary. So to safeguardAfrikan Intercommunalism, eto him/her self and the global ing and following the rules of

1) Each comrade is a potentialwork toward obtaining those quthe best and most efcient leadhow to take the initiative.

2) Each comrade must develophabits of the local/global politironment (any and all publicatiopers, and magazines that will hness), and all materials dealingand the enemy.

3) Each comrade must be selesistance to comrades with basitacts if at all possible. Commengiven for seless acts. Taking uor Black people must be discip

4) Physical tmust maintai

practice is debe systematicfect.

5) Each comrlogically abusuch as unnecand etc.

6) No comradcism. Constrview or remknowledge, concern.

7) Among coism, vanity, We understadifferent reliwho practicewill always scorrectness oParty.8) Each comr


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About Bill DunneBill Dunne is an anti-authoritarian political prisoner im-prisoned for an attempted 1979 prison break from the KingCounty Jail in Seattle, Washington. Dunne and his formercodefendant, Larry Giddings, were accused by police ofbeing members of a small, heavily armed group of revolu-tionaries, associated with the Wellspring Communion.

Based primarily in San Francisco, the Wellspring Commu-nion, engaged in radical Leftist political outreach, mergingthe ideas of communism and anarchism into a single prax-is. Though active mainly in the Bay area, the organization

was said to have practice guerrilla training on a property inHumboldt County. According to media reports, the group once known as the Tribal Thumb- was an offshoot of theSymbionese Liberation Army and with membership hav-ing backgrounds in the Students for a Democratic Soci-ety, Weatherman, Black Panthers, Black Liberation Armyand other guerrilla families. Despite these accusations,none of this has ever been conrmed.

Prior to Dunnes arrest, another accused member of theWellspring Communion, Artie Ray Dufur (also known asArtie Ray Baker), was arrested for the murder of a bor-der inspector that took place during a scufe. Baker wasscheduled to have his sentence hearing at the King CountyCourthouse on October 19, 1979. Dunne and Giddings,along with unknown individuals from a San Francisco An-archist collective, organized a no-holds-barred attempt tofree Baker.

On Sunday evening, October 14, 1979, seven inmates, in-

cluding Baker, escaped from the high security jail on the10th oor of the King County Courthouse. Using a gunsmuggled into the jail, the inmates capture the guards,locked them in a holding tank and took over the jails cen-tral control room. Within 20 minutes, the escapees were onthe street, heading for their getaway cars.

Waiting for the escapees in two separate cars were BillDunne and Larry Giddings. As escaped prisoners climbedinto the red mustang driven by Bill Dunne, an ofcer spot-ted the men. While in pursuit, the ofcer opened re, injur-ing Dunne in his left shoulder and killing one of the escap-ees. Dunne lost control of his car, crashed the car into acement retaining wall and was arrested by t he police.

While the police were detaining two escapees who haded after the crash, the second get away car, driven byLarry Giddings, approached the scene. A brief gun battleensued, leaving Larry Giddings and one ofcer wounded.

As Giddings attempted to

ee from the scene, his car losttraction on the wet road, colliding with two patrol cars.After regaining control of the car, Giddings drove down astreet but was captured when his car was run off the roadby police.

Within 45 minutes, all of escapees had been recaptured ex-cept one man, who was apprehended two days later. Dunnewas charged with possession of an automatic weapon, theM-2 carbine. Giddings was charged with the attemptedmurder of a police ofcer. Both men were charged withauto theft and with aiding and abetting the escape. Chargesfurther alleged the operation was nanced by bank expro-priations and facilitated by illegal acquisition of weapons,explosives, and other equipment.

Larry Giddings was sentenced to two life sentences, plusan additional 80 years- all to run consecutively. Bill Dunnewas sentenced to 80 years in federal prison, in addition to5 to 15 years for state charges. Dunne received an addi-

tional 15 years and seven-and-a-half years of lockdown inMarion Federal Prison for his attempted self-emancipationfrom Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in 1983.

In January of 1993 Larry Giddings was paroled from thesentences given to him by the State of Washington, whichlanded him in federal custody to serve what amounted toa 75-year term. In March of 1993 he received a SentenceComputation Summary stating that he would becomeeligible for parole in another ten years, in 2003. In August2004, he was nally released.

Bill Dunne spent over a decade in the notorious Marionprison before transferring to USP Leavenworth. There heassisted social prisoners in both political and scholasticeducation.

One prisoner, Ernesto Santiago received his GED (Gen-eral Education Diploma) with the help of Dunne and fel-low Political Prisoner Jaan Laaman. In the summer of2002, Dunne was then transferred to the new USP Atwaterin California and was moved again to USP Big Sandy in2006. Bill has continued to maintain his political activityorganizing solidarity runs in conjunction with the ABCFsRunning Down the Walls 5K Run for Political Prisoners.He is also works on the Prisoner Committee of the Anar-chist Black Cross Federation.

Bill Dunne#10916-086USP PollockP.O. Box 2099POLLOCK, LAUSA 71467

Israels War on Children:1,500 Arrested in a YearBY JONATHAN COOK

Reprinted from www.counterpunch.org

Israeli police have been criticised over their treatment ofhundreds of Palestinian children, some as young as seven,arrested and interrogated on suspicion of stone-throwingin East Jerusalem.

In the past year, criminal investigations have been openedagainst more than 1,200 Palestinian minors in Jerusalemon stone-throwing charges, according to police statis-tics gathered by the Association of Civil Rights in Israel(ACRI). That was nearly twice the number of children ar-rested last year in the much larger Palestinian territory ofthe West Bank.

Most of the arrests have occurred in the Silwan district,close to Jerusalems Old City, where 350 extremist Jew-ish settlers have set up several heavily guarded illegal en-claves among 50,000 Palestinian residents.

Late last month, in a sign of growing anger at the arrests,a large crowd in Silwan was reported to have preventedpolice from arresting Adam Rishek, a seven-year-old ac-cused of stone-throwing. His parents later led a complaintclaiming he had been beaten by the ofcers.

Tensions between residents and settlers havebeen rising steadily since the Jerusalem mu-nicipality unveiled a plan in February to de-molish dozens of Palestinian homes in theBustan neighbourhood to expand a Biblical-ly-themed archeological park run by Elad, asettler organisation.

The plan is currently on hold following U.S.pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeliprime minister.

Fakhri Abu Diab, a local community leader,warned that the regular clashes betweenSilwans youths and the settlers, termed astone intifada by some, could trigger afull-blown Palestinian uprising.

Our children are being sacriced for thesake of the settlers goal to take over our

community, he said.In a recent report, entitled Unsafe Space,ACRI concluded that, in the purge on stone-

throwing, the police were ridinlegal rights and leaving manytional traumas.

Testimonies collected by the rof children being arrested in and interrogated for hours withbeing present. In many casesphysical violence or threats.

Last month 60 Israeli childcaing Yehudit Karp, a former deto Mr Netanyahu condemning

Particularly troubling, theychildren under the age of 12,law for criminal liability, whoing, and who were not spared tion.

Unlike in the West Bank, whlaw, children in East Jerusaleing are supposed to be dealt wnal law.

Israel annexed East Jerusalemof 1967, in violation of internPalestinian inhabitants are trresidents.

Minors, dened as anyone unby specially trained ofcershours. The children must be a

East Jerusalem: Palestinian youths throw stoforces for third day in September 2010. 18 sfor commiting acts of violence.


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and a parent should be present.

Ronit Sela, a spokeswoman for the Association of CivilRights in Israel (ACRI), said her organisation had beenshocked at the large number of children arrested in EastJerusalem in recent months, often by units of undercoverpolicemen.

We have heard many testimonies from children who de-scribe terrifying experiences of violence during both theirarrest and their later interrogation.

Muslim, 10, lives in the Bustan neighbourhood and in ahouse that Israeli authorities have ordered demolished.

His case was included in the ACRI report, and in an in-terview he said he had been arrested four times this year,even though he was under the age of criminal responsibil-ity. On the last occasion, in October, he was grabbed fromthe street by three plain-clothes policemen who jumped outa van.

One of the men grabbed me from behind and startedchoking me. The second grabbed my shirt and tore it fromthe back, and the third twisted my hands behind my backand tied them with plastic cords. Who threw stones? oneof them asked me. I dont know, I said. He started hittingme on the head and I shouted in pain.

Muslim was taken into custody and released six hours later.A local doctor reported that the boy had bleeding woundsto his knees and swelling on several parts of his body.

Muslims father, who has two sons in prison, said the boywas waking with nightmares and could no longer concen-trate on his school studies. He has been devastated bythis.

Ms Sela said arrests had risen sharply in Silwan sinceSeptember, when a private security guard at a settler com-pound shot dead a Palestinian man, Samer Sirhan, and in-jured two others.

Clashes between the settlers and Silwan youths came toprominence in October when David Beeri, director of set-tler organisation Elad, was shown on camera driving intotwo boys as they threw stones at his car.

One, Amran Mansour, 12, who was thrown over the bonnetof Mr Beeris car, was arrested shortly afterwards in a late-night raid on his familys home.

Also in October, nine rightwing Israeli MPs complainedafter stones were thrown at their minibus as they paid a

solidarity visit to Beit Yonatan, a large settler-controlledhouse in Silwan. Israels courts have ordered that the housebe demolished, but Jerusalems mayor, Nir Barkat, has re-fused to enforce the order.

In the wake of the attack, Yitzhak Aharonovitch, the publicsecurity minister, warned: We will stop the stone-throw-ing through the use of covert and overt force, and bringback quiet.

Last month police announced that house arrests would beused against children more regularly and nancial penal-ties of up to $1,400 would be imposed on parents.

BTselem, an Israeli human rights group, reported the caseof A.S., a 12-year-old taken for interrogation followingan arrest at 3am.

I sat on my knees facing the wall. Every time I moved, a

man in civilian clothes hit me with his hand on my neck The man asked me to prostrate myself on the oor andask his forgiveness, but I refused and told him that I donot bow to anyone but Allah. All the while, I felt intensepain in my feet and legs. I felt intense fear and I startedshaking.

In a statement BTselem said: It is hard to believe that thesecurity forces would have acted similarly against Jewishminors.

Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokesman, denied that the po-lice had violated the childrens rights. He added: It is theresponsibility of parents to stop this criminal behavior bytheir children.

Jawad Siyam, a local community activist in Silwan, saidthe goal of the arrests and the increased settler activity wasto make life unbearable and push us out of the area.

The 60 experts who wrote to Mr Netanyahu warned thatthe childrens abuse led to post-traumatic stress disorders,such as nightmares, insomnia, bed-wetting, and constantfear of policemen and soldiers. They also noted that chil-dren under extended house arrest were being denied theright to schooling.

Last year the United Nations Committee Against Tortureexpressed deep concern at Israels treatment of Palestin-ian minors, saying Israel was breaking the UN Conventionon the Rights of Children, which it has signed.

Over the past 12 months, Defence for Children Interna-tional has provided the UN with details of more than 100children who claim they were physically or psychologi-cally abused while in military custody.

Jonathan Cook is a writer and journalist based in Naza-reth, Israel. His latest books are Israel and the Clash of

Civilisations: Iraq, Iran and the Plan to Remake the MiddleEast (Pluto Press) andDisappearing Palestine: Israels Ex-periments in Human Despair (Zed Books). His website isjkcook.net.

capitalism. Most liberated nations are strong-man or oth-erwise autocratic regimes, and some have even backslidinto hereditary dictatorships. Some look more fascistic thanprogressive communist/socialist. Moreover, capitalismhas learned how to penetrate independent nations with aneoimperialism that uses local elites instead of garrisons toadminister colonial economies in its image and likeness which is all the imperial capitalists really care about. Thoselocal elites have an incentive to magnify and aggravate na-tional consciousness because that makes them valuable tothe neoimperialists who hold the purse strings.

Encouraging people to view their identity as somethingnarrow and exclusive (national) rst and foremost, and

revolutionary only second, sets up the conditions in whichwe can be picked off one by one. All the nations prioritizingtheir own national liberation will not chisel away at impe-rial capitals hegemony; the global ruling class will just sitback and wait to coopt the new bosses or isolate theminto ineffectiveness if they are sufciently tractable oneat a time. Only occasionally will they have to send the gun-boats and they can usually do that longer and better thanisolated national liberation struggles can resist. More nec-essary as a revolutionary strategy is a political praxis thatintegrates rather than segregates.

We, the people, working on proletarian revolution wher-ever we can most effectively do so across the globe, thesame struggle in many places, is what will do the deed.Nationalism and national liberation will still have theiruses. That is why I described them as obsolescent on theirway to becoming obsolete. In trying to build revolution-ary consciousness, we have to start where the people are.And sometimes given conditions, time, and place will makea national liberation struggle a good tactic (as opposed tostrategy). While they thus might have an occasional role, itwould only incidentally be with the end of a countrys liber-ation and sovereignty. It will be more as part of a process inwhich a planetary revolutionary movement protests a G20summit here, creates increasingly free zones of collectiveliving and working endeavors that replace bourgeois eco-nomic relations with popular institutions there, publishes anewspaper or broadcasts elsewhere, supports militant laborstruggles in another place, and, yes, liberates the territory ofa nation (and maybe several) where that is the most effec-tive and possible action for those conditions, and that time,and that place. All the elements of this movement will bethere for all the others; they will not merely be a conglom-erate of fellow travelers or only allies or less. But as a mainthrust or strategy, nationalisms time is done. Its time for aplanetary, socialist, democratic, popular revolution.

I heartily agree with Jaan that [t]he struggle for the future

is certainly a struggle for the working class of all nationsto get rid of their own capitalist misleaders rulers, and toestablish the democratic rule of the working class and ma-jority of people for their own common interests, in line withthe similar majority common interests of people in other

countries. In order for the worhas to be our future. I do not culture of struggle where all tselves as class sistren and brethe basis of socialist, democrto locked in cutthroat competiwhich the national elites beare mere administrative proviner in a planetary human nationfocused, separatist national strconclusion: nowhere have libmerged into an enduring prolefending itself and supporting c

Yes, people and nations musthey rst must separate and nominally equal entities is moing together. If people cant cowhy would they as different ning there are intrinsic differennot be bridged and there cant a class. I reject that notion. Weorganizations, and groups wino individual or identiable grnormal ebb and ow of our demonstrates inherent separatoppressive behavior is to dention.

Yes, nationalism could be a lois it tends to be an impedimenneed. Many wars that are not fnation have been fought in thnowadays, the global ruling clple corralled, to better exploitthe prisoners of other nationfrom the working class laboring class is free to move aroupeded, but labor our class hemmed in by borders. Jaan ispeople still identify with theseand that the world is still chadoesnt make them worthy of ism and fascism are not. Revooppressive relations, not seeki

The dichotomy is thus: Is a rerevolutionary strategy divinmenting and intensifying anassume national identity as tresulting many nations can thism and then, perhaps, capitaliunite all the victims of imperi

ternationalist, proletarian, revoand will abolish imperial capin favor of a new planetary pis apparent.


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sis of that commonality to overthrow the dictatorship of thebourgeoisie that aficts us. That dictatorship already recog-nizes no national boundaries for its interests and uses themas instruments of divide and rule and to keep us penned inand pitted against each other. Attempts to organize on thebasis of ethnic, racial, geographic, economic, whatever dif-ferences play into those uses whereas organizing for and onthe basis of common vision thwarts them.

Jaan takes a moment to talk about the history and originof nation states and how they grew in the last few hundredyears out of feudalism, which, in turn, grew out of tribalrelationships. People came to see themselves as membersof these nation states much as they had previously seen

themselves as belonging to various tribes and kingdomsand even empires. This was social evolution. Where tribalrelations could no longer manage the relations of larger andmore complex society, feudal relations emerged to supplantthem. Testament to feudalisms efcacy at doing so in feu-dalisms conditions, time and place is the extent to whichfeudalism replaced tribalism. Many tribal people foughtcourageously to preserve the way of life to which they werecommitted and felt they could not be whole without, buttribalism did not give them the tools to win. Society con-tinued to expand and develop and become more sophisti-cated under feudalism in ways to which feudalism couldnot adapt. Hence, bourgois nation states based on industryand money that would manage the development pushedfeudalism aside. Many knights in shining armor and loyalsubjects of the realm leapt valiantly into the breach for kindand country and a way of life they thought preserved theworld from darkness and chaos. But feudalism could notcompete against the legions of proletarian conscripts armedwith mass-produced ries by bourgeois fat-cats with notitles or nobility but plenty of money and factories.

The fat-cats took over the nation states and manipulatedtheir political, social, and physical boundaries through poli-tics, economics, war, and imperialism in their own interests not the interests of the subjects, now citizens of the na-tions. The fat-cats sold the people that within those bound-aries of the nation they were somehow inherently different,better, and in competition with the people without the bor-ders. Through nation-building and maintenance, elites gotpeople to identify with the elites and their denition of anations culture rather than their class sistren and brethrenand their own material interests. As Jaan notes, the level ofexploitation and oppression inicted by the generally smallelites that controlled and control virtually all of thesenations varied and varies greatly. The ruling class insome of these nations used the identication it built with it-self and the nation not only to suppress class consciousnessat home, but to wage wars of aggression abroad and make

themselves empires.

Colonial subjects naturally and rightly rebelled againstimperial masters, especially when they were exploited andoppressed and relegated to permanent second class status.

Colonial masters had to maintain the mythology of impe-rial country superiority to get their own proletarian com-mon fodder to do the exploiting and oppressing. But whatmodel did the victims of colonialism have around which toorganize their resistance? Nationalism! To some extent thechoice was imposed on them: the conditions for anti-colo-nial revolution did not emerge at the same time in all colo-nies. So national liberation was built as the primary path to arevolutionary social change; it was more or less progressiveto the extent that most of the struggles included class andsocialist consciousness, and it did change the societies theimperialists had presided over in fundamental ways. Untoldnumbers of committed people fought and died heroically innational liberation struggles to bring self-determination and

the attendant freedom to the people of the nation. Indeed,we look to many of those heroes and heroines as examplesof dedication and committed praxis as we strive to put inour own work toward a revolutionary vision.

But nationalism has brought the benets of revolutionarystruggle to precious few and has not ushered in an age ofproletarian solidarity. Verily, the last 65 years of nationalliberation have shown that nationalism is now at the spotfeudalism was at the advent of the modern nation state: in-capable of changing fast enough to keep up with the devel-opment of human society, and ready to give way to the nextbig thing. Nor does that apply only to nations that emergedthrough anti-colonial national struggles in recent times.Financial, industrial, and energy instability and upheavalshows social development is outstripping the system of na-tion states ability to manage.

So, yes, nations have characterized the last few hundredyears of human history. And, yes, the world is currentlycharacterized by nation states. Finally, yes, people havebeen taught to identify with these nations as if they did notbelong to the same species or class (in the political, not tax-onomic, sense), as if we, the people, were not all humans,as if the real contradictions were not between two classesto each of which belong members of every nationality, asif the vision of a revolutionary, socialist, planetary, humannation were not possible.

But so what? All that does not mean we are stuck withnations and nationalism any more than the tribalists werestuck with tribalism or feudal subjects with feudalism. Andjust like the tribalists and feudalists lost through reliance onstrategies whose time was past, if the revolutionary move-ment sticks to national liberation as its primary strategy, itis likely to lose, too.

That nationalism is obsolescent as a revolutionary strat-egy is thus manifest. Where has it resulted in revolution-

ary socialist government with the exception of Cuba and,possibly, Vietnam? Those two are beleaguered by capital-ism and have not been able to advance the struggle. Somecountries may call themselves communist or socialist, buttheir economies are unduly inuenced or characterized by

Let Anti-Nuclear and Hu-man Rights CampaignerVanunu Go FreeBY STEVEN KATSINERISVictoria, Australia

Mordechai Vanunu is a prisoner of con science,said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International.

The only way to peace is peace; the only way is non-vi-

olence. The only answer to Israeli nuclear weapons, theiraggression, occupation and oppression and the wall andthe refugee camps is to answer truth and a peaceful voice.When I became a spy for the world, I did it all for the peo-ple of the world. If governments do not report the truth andif the media does not report the truth, then all we can do isfollow our consciences. Daniel Ellsberg did, the woman atEnron did and I did.

Vanunu, interview with Eileen Fleming

In 1986, Mordechai Vanunu took a courageous moral standagainst nuclear weapons. Vanunu exposed Israels secretnuclear weapons arsenal to the world after becoming disil-lusioned with his work as a technician at Dimona NuclearResearch Centre in Israel. The information revealed Israelhad hundreds of advanced nuclear warheads (the sixthlargest stockpile in the world). Under a policy of nuclearambiguity, Israel still denies it has nuclear weapons.

His brave actions led to him being kidnapped by IsraeliMossad agents in Italy and transported back to Israel wherehe was charged with espionage and treason and convictedin a secret trial. Vanunus abduction was a violation of Ital-ian and International Law.

For this crime he spent 18 years in jail, with over 11years of it in solitary connement in a six-metre squarecell under constant camera observation, conditions thatAmnesty International described as, cruel, inhuman anddegrading.

Vanunu was released from prison in 2004, but Israeli au-thorities imposed a strict military supervision order onhim, which is renewed every six months. Under this orderVanunu is banned from meeting journalists, supporters andforeigners, cant use phones or the Internet, go near for-eign embassies, ports or airports or move address withoutinforming the police. Vanunu is also subject to continuouspolice surveillance, his internal movements are conned toJerusalem and he is forbidden to leave Israel.

These Israeli restrictions deny Vanunus rights to freedomof expression, movement and association. Amnesty Inter-

national said that as Vanunu these limitations are a breachbeen rearrested and jailed sebreaching these regulations.

In early August, Vanunu was ring held in solitary connemein central Israel. He has been in prison for unauthorised meincluding his Norwegian girlftravelling from Jerusalem to mas Eve mass. He was heldconditions, in the worst sectiowas only allowed out for one

prison courtyard.While he was in prison, Apaigned for Vanunus uncoSmart, AI Middle East directoshould not be in prison, let anement to return him to and unjustied.

Scientists say that Israeli claimcret details to reveal are ridicmerely a pretext for continuinber 2009, Uzi Eilam, the formEnergy Commission told PREbe let go. I dont think he has veal (about Dimona) now. Wformation to reveal about secrtor, he remains committed to dcampaigns.

The Israelis have 200 atomthe Palestinians and Muslimshas never been inspected andNuclear Proliferation Treaty, The world needs to wake up the occupation and the Palestterror regime for 40 years, V

Vanunu followed his conscieprisoned and persecuted by from prison, his civil, politicagrossly abused. He has serveinternational law he is entitled

Many respected people, inclulinguist and writer Noam ChoMaguire, Yoko Ono and the lhave supported his just strugg

Just like Nelson Mandela andis a political prisoner living inrisk of further detention in prfree of Israels repressive rule


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I urge everyone reading this and concerned about Vanunusplight to do whatever you can do to support Vanunu. Pro-test by calling for the Israeli authorities to treat him hu-manely and lift the unjust regulations imposed on him.

Please write letters to the newspapers to publicise his case,pass motions at union, church, student and other organi-sations meetings, sign petitions and raise the issue of hiscase at public forums. Demand that Israel respect his basichuman rights and give Vanunu genuine freedom, includingthe freedom to travel and to leave Israel.

Israel is not a democracy unless you are a Jew. The ad-ministration tells me I am not allowed to speak to foreign-

ers, the media and the world. But I do because that is how Iprove my true humanity to t he world, Mordechai Vanunusaid.

Oscar Lopez RiveraDenied ParoleBY BEN FOX, AP

The U.S. Parole Commission said Friday it has denied arequest for the early release of a Puerto Rican nationalistwho was once offered clemency by President Bill Clinton.

Oscar Lopez Riveras rst bid for parole after servingnearly half of a 70-year sentence for seditious conspiracy,robbery and other charges was denied, the chairman of thecommission, Isaac Fulwood, Jr., said in a statement.

The breakdown of the vote and specic reasons for denialwere not released.

We have to look at whetherrelease would depreciate theseriousness of the offences ofpromote disrespect of the law,whether release would jeop-ardize public safety, and thespecic characteristics of theoffender, Fulwood said.

Lopez, 68, can appeal but fornow he must serve until atleast 2021 under federal sen-tencing rules, said JohannaMarkind, an assistant generalcounsel for the commission.

His lawyer, Jan Susler, calledthe ruling an irrational deci-sion that ignores their ownstandards for release. Butshe had not yet discussed with

her client and wasnt even sure if he had been informedof the decision and did yet not know if he would appeal.

I am outraged, Sulser said from Chicaco. I am rally up-set that an agency that is part of the Department of Justiceof the United States could be so unjust.

In January, a hearing examiner recommended against re-leasing Lopez on parole following a closed hearing at thefederal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he is held.Still, several members of Congress of Puerto Rican de-scent and many ofcials on the island supported his re-lease. Puerto Rican human rights groups and others willcontinue a campaign seeking public support for his parole,

Susler said.Lopez was sentenced to 55 years after his conviction in1981 on charges that included seditious conspiracy, use offorce to commit robbery and interstate transportation ofrearms as a member of the ultranationalist Armed Forcesof National Liberation in a struggle for independence fromthe U.S. for the Caribbean island. He received an addition-al 15 years in 1988 after he was convicted of conspiring toescape from prison in Leavenworth, Kansas.

The Armed Forces of National Liberation claimed respon-sibility for more than 100 bombings at public and commer-cial buildings during the 1970s and 80s in such U.S. citiesas New York, Chicago and Washington, as well as PuertoRico. The most notorious was a bombing at New Yorkslandmark Fraunces Tavern in 1975 that killed four peopleand injured more than 60 in a lunchtime crowd. Lopez wasnot convicted of any role in that attack.

Clinton offered in 1999 to release Lopez and 13 otherPuerto Rican nationalists as part of what was at the time a

politically sensitive clemencydeal. Under the deal, Lopezwould have had to serve 10more years in prison. He re-jected the offer because it didnot include two comrades whohave since been released.

Upon his release, Lopez hadintended to settle in his home-town of San Sebastian, in thenorthwest of the U.S. islandterritory.

Oscar Lopez Rivera#87651-024P.O. Box 33

Terre Haute, INUSA 47808U.S.P. Terre Haute

Nationalism and PlanetaryRevolutionBY BILL DUNNE

I appreciate 4strugglemag editor Jaan Laamans willing-ness to print my article, Sri Lanka: The Lessons of Oth-ers, which included some controversial conclusions aboutnationalism and nationalist struggle. I also appreciate hiswillingness to begin some debate on certain practical andtheoretical points I raised and argued. Our side of the bar-ricade needs this discussion as living standards fall and dis-

content and consciousness rise, driven by the ruling classrapacity in plundering the economy into deep recession.Rising discontent and consciousness is a recipe for a resur-gent revolutionary movement and action. As we acceleratedown the road to revolution, however, we must be sure wehave chosen the correct road and the action we lay downis the most effective possible. The ruling class has learnedfrom the last three score and ten years of struggle againstit and developed new strategies of exploitation and oppres-sion to maintain its hegemony. We, the people, must alsoadopt new strategies of struggle or our new wave of resis-tance will merely break on a rocky shore and recede.

In Sri Lanka: The Lessons of Others, I asked the rhe-torical question, What are revolutionaries talking aboutwhen they talk about nations? Jaan responded that therevolutionary as well as the modern scientic denition is apeople with: 1) common history/language/culture; 2) com-mon economic relationships; 3) a common or shared landmass. Such a succinct and objective denition leaves a lot

of room for interpretation and question.

How common a history is necessary for, or demands, na-tionhood? All humanity as well as various subdivisionsthereof share a history. Italians, for example, share a his-tory, but Italy was preceded by independent nation stateswhose citizens considered themselves Genoans, Venetians,etc. A generation from now, Italians may consider them-selves Europeans if and as a European Union identicationsupplants an Italian identity, much as the Italian one sup-planted the Genoan, etc. Indians are already farther downthat road, having integrated many languages, cultures, andhistories into one nation. Indeed, all humanity shares acommon history, culture (all except a few fringers listento music, love their children, enjoy the company of oth-ers, and grow and cook food, etc), and language (virtuallyall humans converse and do it in similar ways subject,verb, object, etc). So which aspects of history/culture/lan-guage are more important, more likely to result in the anti-imperial capital revolution we all need, the smaller, moreexclusive interpretations that divide us, or the larger, moreinclusive interpretations that unite us?

Regarding the second part of the nation denition, common

economic relationship, again, constitute or demand a nation?on Wall Street can crash natioside of the world, or food on mtucky comes from India, thererelationships common to virtthe most robust economies grthan the percentage of their doexports, the common relationsAnd when quality of life in son materials or products that crelationship is at least importmaking that quality what it is.lations exist between nations t

in ways that do not occur withiallow nationals of one nation and oppression of class brethreboundaries. So what about ecmines where and how nationathat they should be drawn?

With respect to common landcommon is necessary for, or da minority of different languagsharing the same area, do its mOr is the common nation diffpeople who cohabit it? How ismined, given human mobility?back to the Rift Valley in Afrisay about who is entitled to How long must people be into vest? If members of a natiplaces occupied by or claimethey still the same nation orreceiving nation(s)? Does naborn elsewhere cannot becom(and/or culture, economy, whhe be banished for not having his or her children or their chianswers to these questions reborders for people.

These and other questions playing out in the here and nwhat revolutionaries are talkinnations is not as easy as mereltion. They also illustrate that whuman nation and a broad mcan, say, a Chadian, Chineseing that would not require annational identity, just assumas say, a German identity doesor North-Rhine-Westphalian

assuming a European identity Union. What dening a humaoverwhelming commonality aferences circumstances have eIn turn, that allows us to unify


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Initiative, the following classes/groups will be created:

1. A community-based support group for those vic-tims of former/current domestic abuse relationships,so that the success stories of former victims can beused as model examples for those current victims ofdomestic abuse, as I rmly believe that the rst steptowards solving this issue would be a willingness totalk about this issue;

2. We will have classes on how to develop proper socialcommunication skills. The signicance of good com-munication between domestic partners is critical, inparticular when trying to address concerns with one

another, as poor communication between people canbe a trigger in initiating domestic abuse (e.g. verbalabuse). Good communication skills enable peopleto better understand one another, thus fertilizing theseeds of harmony and happiness in a domestic rela-tionship where people properly communicate theirproblems respectfully;

3. Classes on self-empowerment, as it is important toknow who you are as a person, historically, politi-cally, socially, culturally, etc. People often engagein domestic abuse or nd themselves in abusive re-lationships because they lack a true sense of self-identity as to who they are as a person. The dynamicsof physical and verbal abuse are symptomatic of thistruth. However, with self-empowerment, it gives youcontrol over yourself, thus enabling one to not have toverbally/physically abuse their domestic p

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