A MOVEMENT WHICH DOESN'T SUPPORT ITS FALLEN COMRADES IS DOOMED TO FAILURE 
Anarchist Black Cross - Dijon
E  N  G  L  I  S  H    E  D  I  T I  O  N
C/o Maloka, B.P. 536, 21 014 Dijon Cedex, France. Email : maloka@chez.com
LET'S  SUPPORT  THOSE  WHO'VE  BECOME  HOSTAGES  IN  THE  COURSE  OF  CLASS WAR !!!

NEWSBULLETIN #5 - June / July 2001
Hello, we publish again as much information as possible in this issue. The struggle of revolutionary prisoners in Turkey is still going on and seems to have gathered a number of prisoner movements on a common ground : resisting the annihilation of political prisoners, resisting the annihilation of dissidence. Numerous inmates detained in segregation across the world have started hunger strikes which, like in Texas, have turned into a death fast as well. The increasing oppression and harassment of those who've decided not to bend their knees to the new world order have led them to put their own life at stake. But the silence over their various and courageous initiatives will not be broken down as long as the "movement" outside is not determined to take them out of the walls. The means used by the system to repress rebelliousness are nowadays far more subtle than they could be in the past, but this can most probably be why it has managed to paralyze our revolt for so long and in spite of the unprecedented misery it has caused, both inside and outside prisons. Yet, the question remains : "How far?". Let's take prisoners' resistance as our own!
*  *  *
LAST NEWS ABOUT EDOARDO GARCIA
We've previously talked of the case of Edoardo Garcia Macias, a young anarchist from Madrid victim of a police frame-up in response to his involvement in the solidarity movement with the struggle of the prisoners against the FIES isolation units, for the release of the sick and of those having served 20 years. His pre-trial release depended on the decision of one judge, Palacios, who's the only one not recognizing Edu's innocence. The three other judges dealing with the case have exonerated him for a long time from other charges that are as ridiculous as the parcel bombs for which Edu is currently detained in custody, in an isolation unit of a prison in Madrid. We've recently heard from the ABC-Madrid that Palacios had actually refused to release him until his trial takes place, which may cause Edu to remain in prison for 18 up to 20 additional months in prison. 
It is clear that the police is attempting to make him shoulder the responsibility for actions whose authors it has never been capable to find out. Palacios is only the puppet that is being used to make the whole conspiracy work : everything's ready for a coming show-trial against a dangerous anarchist, the public opinion is already conditioned by a fierce criminalizing media campaign against Edu and the groups in which he was involved, amongst the Anarchist Black Cross and social centers. The only "proof" against Edu is a small bag of powder which cops found during the search at his home. However, Edu and his mother assert that cops themselves have placed it in the house. "Coincidentally", this first class proof doesn't appear on the 2-hour long footage which the police made during the search. Unfortunately for the police, the DNA expertise and the finger prints didn't allow the officer in charge of the investigation to accuse Edu for it.
In addition of the 6 months he's spent in prison, his conditions of detention have deteriorated. The prison authorities have decided to isolate him from his fellow mates. Those taking contact with him may be exposed to further punishment. Edu is also forbidden to participate in the activities/workshops of the prison so as to deprive him of the rare forms of social life left there and to attack him psychologically. All his mail is tactfully read before being delivered to him sometimes weeks after it arrives. Some comrades having managed to visit him declared that he remains strong and glad about the solidarity that is being expressed across the world. In the meantime, Edu is still in prison because of the judge Palacios' decision, which led his spanish fellows to call for a month of coordination and actions from June 16th on. As they stated, "there is no definite way of action. We trust individual or collective initiatives. We will resort to any kind of action, according to what each character considers as efficient, positive or relative to one's capacities. The goal is double : we want the State to have an idea of what will happen if they impose their accusations and sentencing on Edu : over 15 years in prison; and we would like to warn them that the number of sympathizers hasn't decreased but increased". 
The ABC-Madrid is going in various spanish cities in order to make the case known. It appears like Edu's incarceration is a struggle that helps federalizing the iberian libertarians, which is a good thing in itself. However, it appears like this broad support from anarchists results from his obvious innocence and it is clear to us that we can't stick to the idea of putting forward this concept. On the one side, we do not want to categorize prisoners between the innocent and the guilty and think that the anarchist federalizing organizations should not sell their logistic support for proves of innocence, and should cease to define anarchist action according to what journalists can say about it. On the other side, we think the context in which Edu was arrested, i.e. the solidarity outside with the prisoners' collective struggle against the isolation regime, should not disappear within the framework of a campaign focusing exclusively on his innocence. On the international level, some more solidarity actions took place, like in London where about 50 militants participating in a day of solidarity with Mark Barnsley went to the spanish embassy in the afternoon to protest his frame-up.
You can write Edu both in english and in spanish at : Eduardo Garcia Macias, Modulo 4, CP Madrid 5 Soto del Real, 28791 Soto del Real, Madrid, Spanish State.
*  *  *
TURKEY : URGENT APPEAL
To all anti-imperialists, anti-globalizationists, anti-capitalists, anti-fascists and all those who are on the side of labour and freedom, to all Marxist-Leninists and all progressive institutions and people.
THE MASSACRE AND RESISTANCE CONTINUES IN THE PRISONS OF TURKEY. WE URGE YOU TO PUT THE RESISTANCE ON YOUR AGENDA AND TO SUPPORT IT!
Between 1999-2000 the F type prisons were constructed in our country with the approval of America and Europe. The revolutionary prisoners and the forces outside started the death fast after having tried all possible democratic ways to close down the F type prisons. The hunger strike started by the prisoners of the trials of DHKP-C, TKP(ML) and TKIP on 20th October 2000 was turned into a death fast on the 19th of November 2000. 204 death fast fighters were participating in the first two death fast teams, of which 131 belong to the DHKP-C and about 1000 prisoners went on a support hunger strike.
On the 60th day of the death fast, December 19th, the state launched a simultaneous operation in 22 prisons. It massacred 28 prisoners by burning and shooting them. It has injured hundreds of them. It opened the F types. In the middle of the massacre and the torture the prisoners who were transferred to the F types were thrown into the cells. But they couldn't break the resistance. The resistance continued by drawing in a wider section of society. Several political groups who had not participated in the death fast earlier now also joined the death fast. The murderous government, who wasn't able to break the resistance with massacres, torture and isolation cells, tried to break the resistance with forced medical intervention. More than 60 prisoners were left handicapped as a result of this torture. Finally the government released the fighters whom they had left handicapped and who were on the brink of death, in order to break the resistance. The released DHKP-C prisoners have continued their resistance on the outside. Two of them, Gokhan Ococak and Sevgi Erdogan fell martyred. Tens of released death fast fighters are continuing their resistance in the poor Gecekondu shanty town’s in our country.
THIS IS THE RESULT,
To date we have given 60 martyrs, both inside and outside of the prisons and more than 60 of our people remain handicapped, mainly suffering from memory loss, the so-called Wernicke Korsakoff disease. The resistance continues both inside and outside of the prisons. We continue to give martyrs. The numbers and data relating to the balance of our resistance, and the stages through which our resistance has gone through, has now entered into the fourth season.
This in itself is enough to show the dimension of the oppression and the size of the resistance. To all those who are against imperialism, fascism, isolation and torture. The F-type prisons are part of the plan, which is being used by America and Europe to destroy the resistance and the revolutionaries against imperialism in all countries, and to make reality their plan of globalization and the New World Order. Our resistance is against this plan, the IMF, the World Bank and the colonization that is presented under the name of globalization. For this reason this resistance belongs to all of us. For this reason isolation is a matter of concern for the whole world. Therefore we are calling upon you not only to give your support but also to take this resistance as your own.
We are calling the prisoners of different countries in the world, all anti-imperialists and progressive forces, for action. We appeal to you to put on the agenda at Genoa the massacre in the prisons of Turkey and the resistance, which has entered the fourth season. Day by day people are dying inside and outside of the prisons. Capitalism, the IMF and isolation are killing. There's not even a second to loose. Imperialism wants to split, divide and weaken us. We call all people of the world, all progressive forces, anti-fascists and anti-imperialists to unite and to destroy this game, and to support and enlarge together all kinds of resistance against tyranny.
REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLE'S LIBERATION FRONT
Devrimci Halk Kurtuluº Cephesi Press bureau, July 17th, 2001
*
Communique of TAYAD : "52 prisoners have lost their lives, torture and assaults continue"
During the operation which took place in 20 prisons, between the 19th and the 22nd of December 2000, 28 political prisoners were murdered with bullets and by fire. More or less every day new deaths of political prisoners are happening. Despite the massacre, political prisoners have continued their Death Fast resistance until their demands are accepted. On June 20th, 2001, the number of prisoners who have lost their lives has reached 24. This number is growing constantly.
        
1- From the 19th to the 22nd of December until today, all together 52 political prisoners have died. On the 20th of October 2000, 819 political prisoners in 18 prisons started an unlimited hunger strike. In 13 prisons at least 203 political prisoners turned their resistance into a death fast. 50 of the death fasters are women, 153 men. The prisons in which the death fast continues are : Ümraniye, Aydýn, Bursa, Çankýrý, Çanakkale, Bartýn, Gebze, Malatya, Bayrampaþa, Buca, Uþak, Ceyhan, Ulucanlar.
Nowadays the death fast continue in the cells. After the massacre from 19-22nd December, the participation in the death fast has grown up to 500. The number of political prisoners who continued their hunger strike grew to 2000.
2- What do the political prisoners on death fast demand ? :
a) The closure of the F-type cell prisons.
b) The abolition of the anti-terror law n* 3713 with all its results.
c) The Tripartite protocol (by the Ministers of Justice, Internal Affairs and Health which abolishes defense and legitimizes ill-treatment and torture) has to be canceled.
d) The DGM’s (State Security Courts) which are courts from the period of the junta have to be abolished.
e) Those responsible for the deaths and severe injuries of our friends during different attacks in the prisons of Buca, Ümraniye, Diyarbakýr, Ulucanlar and Burdur shall be brought before the court.
f) The release of our ill friends, whose complaints continued after the death fast of 1996, those who were wounded during several attacks and did not receive medical treatment; Judgment of the torturers.
g) Abolition of all anti-democratic laws which are a hindrance before people'’s struggle for democracy, freedom and an end to repression.
3-In the prisons of Turkey torture and the denial of rights have been recent in every period. The number of political prisoners who have lost their lives only in the last five years during massacres in prisons and because of hindering their medical treatment is 500. Besides there are dozens of prisoners who have been severely injured during several operations in different prisons. As a result of the operation in the prison of Burdur on July 5th, 2000, Veli Saçýlýk'’s arm was ripped off by a bulldozer.
4- All of those who have resisted against the cells have been attacked. On the 9th of October 2000, the tent where the hunger strike was taking place in Rotterdam, Holland, and which was set up in support of the death fast and for the closure of isolation cells, was attacked by fascists. During this attack Cafer Dereli lost his life.
5- On the 10th of December, Özkan Tekin, who hung a poster against the F-type prisons in Istanbul was killed in the middle of the streets.
6-With the participation of dozens of organizations, trade unions and human rights organizations, many mass actions were organized to demand the closure of F-type prisons.
But all those who campaigned for the closure of F-type prisons were attacked. Arrests and operations were made and many people were detained. The association of the prisoner's families (TAYAD) and some departments of the Human Rights Association were closed, proceedings were engaged against the Bar Association of Istanbul, the chairman of the trade union Tüm-Yargý Sen was arrested, proceedings were engaged against the former state prosecutor of Bayrampaþa prison, the press was censored, lawyers have been threatened. All democratic sections who are against F-type prisons have been exposed to repression. Furthermore, the state, which did not even succeeded in ending the death fast after the massacre, brought the forcible intervention to the agenda of the parliament by threatening even the doctors, and  started to torture through force-feeding and chaining the prisoners to beds.
7- During the massacre attack in 20 prisons between the 19th and the 22nd of December, 28 political prisoners were massacred. Also two soldiers were shot dead when the military opened fire. But to prevent the truth from coming up, the reports of their autopsy were hidden. 10,000 soldiers and police officers took part in this operation. 20,000 bombs (fire, blast, smoke and gas bombs) were used. They also used liquids, whose character has not been defined yet. Heavy working machines were used. 
In the prison of Bayrampaþa 6 women were burned alive in the women dormitory. There exists witnesses who can testify this massacre. The witnesses are still in the prison of Bakýrköy. The prisoners were held under a hail of bullets. The autopsy report of Alp Ata Akçayöz who was killed by bullets, has not even been given to his father, who is a former state prosecutor. All videos and documents that prove the murder of the prisoners (the whole operation was filmed by the soldiers) have been kept secret.
8- The prisoners who have been injured with bullets or have burns from the operation of 19th-22nd December were not even treated. One of the bullets in the body of Özlem Saral Cibelik, who was wounded in the prison of Çanakkale, has been taken out by her comrades. There are dozens of prisoners severely injured.
9- Gülay Efendioðlu was raped in the prison of Malatya. The male  prisoners, who were transferred to the cells were raped with truncheons.
10- In the prisons of  Turkey the political prisoners continue their hunger strike and they reached the 244th day of the hunger strike*1 to death. There are still families of prisoners (mothers from TAYAD) outside, who continue their death fast. 10 people continue their death fast. Among  them, Gülsüman Dönmez, Canan Kulaksiz, Senay Hanoglu, Erdogan Guler and Ugur Turkmen lost their lives. There are still six relatives of prisoners who have continued their death fast in Istanbul. On the 13th of April they reached the 219th day of their death fast. A new group of TAYAD members that consists of 4 people started a hunger strike to death. Two political prisoners who were released from prison, continue their hunger strike to death outside the prisons with the strikers from TAYAD.  
In Smirna and Instanbul, members of revolutionary organizations started a hunger strike outside the prisons in order to show their support to the political prisoners continuing their hunger strike to death in the prisons. In all F-kind prisons of Turkey, the fifth group of political prisoners started hunger strike to death.
Day by day their condition becomes worse.
11- Meanwhile the deaths are being announced every day and every hour. Our dead comrades have reached the 24 until today*2.
(...)
The number of political prisoners dying grows day by day.
12- The fact that more than 50 political prisoners lost their memory was the result of forcible medical intervention. They can't remember anything, even don't recognize their closest relatives. They will be dependant on others lifelong. 
13- Until now 8 political prisoners burned themselves as protest against torture and forcible intervention.
14- The prisoners who were burned and injured by bullets during the operation between the 19th and the 22nd December, haven't been treated. They were told they would be treated if they stop the death fast...
This policy of slaughter run by the turkish State and its attempts to oppress the most naturally democratic demands through bloodshed was called out to reach the eyes of the whole world and can't be ignored. The democratic demands expressed by the political prisoners must be accepted immediately, isolation and the F-type prison policy have to be abolished. 
15- On April 21st, Kazim Gulbag burned himself in order to show his opposition to the F-kind prisons in Turkey. This action took place in Regensburg, Germany.
It is a need of vital importance that the following demands be accepted :
-We ask to stop the isolation policy of the "white cells" that it is used against the political prisoners.
-We demand the end of the vulgar force-feeding of the political prisoners and of torture.
-We ask the Ministry of Justice of Turkey to send a representative in order to pay attention to the demands of the political prisoners and find a solution to the problems.
This barbaric policy of the Turkish state that is taking place before the eyes of the whole world and the efforts to suppress the democratic demands (by killing people) cannot be overridden. The democratic demands of the political prisoners must be satisfied immediately. The isolation policy and the white cells must be abolished.

We need the help of revolutionary people from all the counties of the world.  
We need our fights against the barbaric state of Turkey to become known.
We are going to win altogether!
We are going to win thanks to the help of international solidarity.
TAYAD (Solidarity Association of Prisoners' Families)
TAYAD : dhkc.bruxelles@chello.be. 
*1 : the first wave of prisoners who are running the death fast have now passed the 280th day.
*2 : the number of prisoners deceased during the death fast on July 14th was 29.
*
The political prisoner collective from Arles prison (France) on strike in solidarity
The political prisoner collective from Arles prison run a turn-to-turn tray-meal strike from May 28th to June 2nd, 2001. This strike followed the collective hunger strike run by a number of subscribers of the June 19th, 1999 that was ending on May 27th. Here is their declaration :
"Since October 20th, 2000, over 1000 turkish and kurdish revolutionary prisoners and 300 members of their families outside have been on hunger strike until death. This movement responds to the introduction of F type prisons. Under cover of modernization and humanization of penitentiary facilities, the turkish regime attempts to introduce segregation as means to destroy revolutionary prisoner collectives and militants themselves through white torture and physical aggressions. This hunger strike is the spearhead of the resistance movement to the murderers' program. 
To this day, over 20 strikers have died, several hundreds are being hospitalized between life and death.
Faced with the silence of collaboration and of the higher interests coming by the integration of Turkey within the NATO's leading device, and within the European Commission of Security and its parallel with the european community, we respond from where we are by solidarity and by the denunciation of the fascist turkish regime self-declared as democratic.    
Numerous social and political prisoners in various prisons of the french State have already launched struggle movements. Today, as political prisoner collective from Arles prison, we undertake a week of struggle until the 2nd of June. 
With F type prisons, the turkish regime aims at destroying solidarity and resistance groups of imprisoned  revolutionaries, as well as the links with guerilla movements outside. For this purpose, it is prepared to commit slaughters like the various military operations have proved it along the past 20 years. The turkish government hits prisoners hard because it knows, like all reactionary regimes, that it wins a fundamental victory in the struggle against the overall of revolutionary movements by crushing down the groups of imprisoned revolutionaries. The 19th, 20th and 21st of December expose in a bloody way this strategy. 28 prisoners were killed during the assault of prisons.
Why such a fierceness to crush down the struggle of revolutionaries in this country?
Because Turkey takes on a considerable geostrategic responsibility in the Caucasus/Middle East region. Among other things, its geographical situation is essential for the creation and the preservation of new routes made for transporting raw materials squeezed out of the ex-USSR republics. 
Moreover, this State is not only a simple aircraft carrier indispensable for the NATO during conflicts in this region, like it was the case in the war against Iraq. It performs an active and direct role in various caucasian conflicts, by shouldering the natural allies of the West, like it does it in the South by signing defense agreements with the settler State of Israel against the palestinian and arab liberation movements. Besides the repression of the PKK that allowed it to intervene against the kurdish People out of its own borders. 
What we need to understand is that any weakening of Turkey is a step forward for all the protest movements going on in this region. Showing solidarity with turkish prisoners means deciphering this stake, it's grasping the centralism of the revolutionary struggle in Turkey for all of us in Europe.
We stand in solidarity with the claims of turkish and kurdish prisoners :
-Suppression of F type prisons
-Abolition of anti-terrorist laws and dissolution of the State Safety Court.
Because those claims refer to our own struggles here in this State against segregation in Isolation Units, against the 14th section of the Paris bench, against special courts of assizes and more globally against the special laws from september 1986.
But solidarity with turkish prisoners on struggle is not only solidarity from revolutionary prisoners to revolutionary prisoners. It is the expression of a conscience that's being built struggle after struggle, step by step, together in a collective struggle, over the borders, over our particular stories. That is the only way that will give us the chance to confront the globalization of multinationals' dictatorship on the ground of revolutionary transformation, of the destruction of imperialism and of the ultimate tracks of colonialism". 
Arles prison, May 28th, 2001
Collective of political prisoners : Antoine Adami, Frederic "Txistor" Aranburu, Max Frerot, 
Gabi Mouesca, Ramuntxo Naveiro, Jean-Marc Rouillan.
*
Greece : Anarchist prisoner Nikos Maziotis on hunger strike
The greek anarchist Nikos Maziotis was on hunger strike in solidarity with the struggle of political prisoners in Turkey against the white-cells from June 9th to 13th, 2001. His letter from prison is the following :
"Despising death, Turkish and Kurdish imprisoned comrades continue their struggle against the new isolation cells. While the capitalist "democracies" of the West, including the greek state which imposes an anti-terrorist law under the pressure of the USA, are all naturally the accomplices in the crimes of the turkish state, at the same time many revolutionary prisoners in Europe, such as from PCE(r) and GRAPO in Spain, from Action Directe in France and from the Combating Communists Cells in Belgium, have expressed their solidarity with the Turkish and Kurdish comrades, by making few-days hunger strikes by turns, starting from April until today.
After the 5-days symbolic hunger strike I made in December 2000, this time I participate from June 9 to 13 in this international movement 
of hunger strikes in solidarity with the Turkish and Kurdish comrades.Because prisons, isolations, tortures, anti-terrorist laws, repression, are implemented by all states and by all governments. Because Revolt against the State, the Capital and the New Order is Just. Because Solidarity is our Weapon."
 June 9th, 2001, Nikos Maziotis, Koridallos Prison, Athens, Greece
*
Declaration of the breton political prisoner Gael Roblin 
The breton political prisoner Gael Roblin made a declaration on the occasion of the international day of the revolutionary prisoner that took place on the 19th of June 2001. Gael Roblin actually run a week of hunger strike in solidarity with revolutionary prisoners in Turkey during that same month.
"For over 200 days, the turkish and kurdish revolutionary prisoners incarcerated in Turkey have started a hunger strike against their transfer into cellular confinement, against solitary confinement and more than 20 died within the framework of this struggle. Here, after the first deaths, media and democrats' interest went on decreasing, over-there, the struggle continues.
Since April 23rd, the PCE(r) and GRAPO prisoner collective detained in the spanish State has started a turn-to-turn hunger strike so as the struggle of the political prisoners in Turkey doesn't drop into oversight, so as to re-assert the reality and the necessity of their internationalist engagement. After those from the GRAPO and PCE(r), 2 communist militants out of Action Directe (Joelle Aubron and Nathalie Menigon) relieved this solidarity action from May 20th to 27th and then Pierre Carette, militant of the Fighting Communist Cells' fighting committee detained in Belgium (for 15 years and a half) held the flag of internationalism from May 28th to June 3rd. Other political prisoners have joined this movement from Arles prison (3 Bask, 1 Corsican and 2 communist militants). As for myself, I will be fasting from June 17th to 24th. This fast comes as well within the scope of full solidarity with the Corsican political prisoners on struggle for their rights within the framework of a turn-to-turn fast movement and tray-meal strikes, which is relieved outside by a turn-to-turn hunger strike started in the beginning of June.
From the 20th to the 27th of December 2000 already, over 40 prisoners had participated in a movement of the same kind upon the call of the Platform of June 19th, 1999. A platform that gathers beyond the prison walls about a hundred of communist, anarchist, separatist, anti-fascist, spanish, french, belgian, bask, greek, turkish, swiss, kurdish, lebanese, russian, irish and italian prisoners and calls for the constitution of a community of resistance. This initiative, like the current turning fast movement, is relayed outside by the organizations constituting the committee for an International Red Help. This kind of struggle can rightly seem derisory from the point of view of the solidarity mobilization which the struggle of revolutionary kurdish and turkish prisoners should arouse. But from where we are, it is the only way we have to express our solidarity with kurdish and turkish comrades, and to craze the iron armour and the indifference that looks to paralyze those who, outside, have only the words "Human Rights", "Democracy" or even "Revolution" in their mouth.
On the 19th of June, the international day of the revolutionary prisoner will be celebrated. This past year has been rich in struggles. In the prison of the french State, in spite of repression and dispersion, the bask, corsican, breton prisoners and those out of Action Directe and of DHKP-C detained here have run numerous movements of protest for the respect of their rights, in solidarity with other comrades and sometimes even with politicized social prisoners. Those movements, thanks to solidarity, have met an echo on the outside and recall the quiet violence of the State against dissidents and against incarcerated workers (social and political). 
The justice of the plural left can inflict 5 years of confinement to a libertarian militant having attacked locals belonging to the National Front, can make the militants out of Action Directe start their fifteenth year of slow death, can keep on extraditing bask prisoners towards their spanish executioners, can maintain a breton separatist militant whose condition is incompatible with detention in prison, can put a separatist guadelupian union representative in prison, at the same time as it continues to prepare the integration of Turkey in the European Union. Like the prisoners from Arles prison said, the kurdish and turkish political prisoners' claims (abolition of F type prisons, dissolution of the turkish State's Safety Court) refer us to our own claims here (abolition of segregation units, dissolution of the 14th anti-terrorist section). That must recall us that this generalization of repression and the criminalization of resistance go far beyond the turkish borders and is extending everywhere in Europe. The hardening of the spanish penal code against bask young rioters that allows up to 17 years of detention for setting fire to urban property, the ban of the youth movement "Haika", the challenging in Ireland of the political prisoner status for irish republicans detained in Ulster 20 years after the death of Bobby Sands, are signs (of this criminalization and repression) amongst others.
Now, the time is for solidarity and resistance. Let's recall that in Istanbul, Paris, Bruxelles or Madrid, capital is hiding behind repression, and that the anti-capitalist struggle is international!
Up the international day of the revolutionary prisoner!
Up the resistance of revolutionaries detained in Turkey!
Gael Roblin, breton political prisoner, La Sante prison, June 11th, 2001
*
Declaration of hunger strike by Georges Ibrahim Abdallah
"Comrades,
In continuity of the solidarity movement with the struggle of revolutionary prisoners in Turkey, I will be on hunger strike from the 9th to the 15th of July. Naturally, this approach comes within the framework of our platform of June 19th, 1999. Since our previous solidarity strike over 6 months ago, the mobilization in France doesn't seem to have made headway; obviously, the situation is not very different in other countries. A great effort is left to make so as to convince and mobilize the lively forces in favour of our comrades. Of course, a number of fellow prisoners have participated in turn-to-turn hunger strikes there and there; In Spain, on the initiative of the PCE(r) and GRAPO comrades, several dozens of prisoners have participated into this movement that continued in France in Lannemezan prison where some bask comrades and a number of antagonistic social inmates took over (the solidarity), as well as in Arles and Bapaume prisons where comrades from Action Directe and bask comrades were taking the movement onward. The same occurred in a few jails in Germany and Greece. Nevertheless, solidarity must grow mainly beyond prisons, in the streets and on the level of left-wing political organizations.
It is precisely on that level that one can see the weakness of the mobilization. Of course, there have been initiatives there and there, some demos and a few sit-in and gatherings in France and certainly elsewhere in Europe. There are a few projections concerning the committee for an International Red Help in particular. Nevertheless, the overall outcome remains lowly (but this is not the matter of this declaration, other comrades will certainly take care for that). I'm just attached to underline that our comrades have always taken on their international responsibilities; they've taken part into every anti-imperialist battles in the Middle East/Mediterranean region. Faced with imperialist forces and with the lebanese lively forces, they've expressed their solidarity; faced with the zionist troops and with the palestinian lively forces, they've expressed their solidarity; faced with the murderers of the NATO and with the iraqi people, they've taken on solidarity. Our comrades have a right to expect solidarity beyond the symbolical act of a prisoner there and there, from the lebanese and palestinian left-wing lively forces in particular. Our comrades have also a right to expect a greater mobilization in Europe and a differently firm and radical solidarity movement.
Our MARTYR-ALIVE comrades continue the resistance with the abnegation that is proper to them. They resist in spite of humanly unbearable sufferings and of priceless loss of lives. To this day, wednesday 4th, July, the bodies of 27 of our comrades are already buried. They join then the 28 others murdered during the 19th to 22nd December dated massacre.  
By relieving comrades who secured the relief of the comrade Pierre Carette from the FIGHTING COMMUNIST CELLS on June 3rd, I come with the ABC-Dijon and the Comite de Lutte contre la Barbarie et l'Arbitraire for this week in their common initiative to make of the 14th July a day of anger and mobilization in favour of the struggle run by our comrades in Turkey. I greet every initiatives of solidarity that take the claims of our ALIVE MARTYRS into the streets and that denounce the vile and objective complicity of european social-democrats; they collaborate without moods with the turkish fascist regime. I'm addressing anti-imperialist comrades in Lebanon in particular to mention that we do not have the right to shut up when our own people are running such a hard struggle. To all democrats, is it necessary to recall that those revolutionary prisoners are and have always been in the forefront of all struggles for democracy in Turkey!!!
The claims of our MARTYR-ALIVE comrades are ours :
-suppression of F type prisons
-abolition of the "anti-terrorist" laws and dissolution of the State Safety Court
-sentencing of those responsible for the massacres into prisons
SOLIDARITY IS A WEAPON, WE SHALL NOT HESITATE TO USE IT!
DOWN WITH THE FASCISM OF THE TURKISH STATE!
UP THE RESISTANCE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY PRISONERS IN TURKEY!
WE WILL DEFEAT!
Georges ABDALLAH, prisoner of the Lebanese Revolutionary Army Fractions
*
UK Prisoners call for Solidarity Action with Turkish Hunger Strikers
Prisoner-activists Mark Barnsley (HMP Wakefield) and John Bowden (HMP Bristol) have issued the following statement :
   
"Solidarity with the Turkish Prisoners"
On 30 June 22 year old Zehra Kulaksic died following 221 days without solid food. She was the fifth person to die on the hunger strike being staged by TAYAD (the Association of Families and Friends of Political Prisoners) in solidarity with Turkish political prisoners.
Her death brings to 53 the total of those who have either died on the death fast or were murdered by the state in its vicious onslaught against protesting prisoners on 19 December 2000. The prisoners are continuing their protest against the regime's attempts to destroy them by confining them to isolation cells in the new F-type prisons.
    
Call for International Solidarity
Many of you will be following the courageous life and death struggle currently taking place in the Turkish prisons. In the FIES units of Spain (equivalent to our CSC units) prisoners have recently launched an initiative in support of the Turkish prison struggle and in support of their own 3 demands. This initiative,which is supported by prisoners in France, Greece and by Bask and Kurdish prisoners, is in the form of a hunger protest on the first Saturday of each month.The three demands of the FIES prisoners are as follows :
1. An end to the FIES units
2. An end to "dispersion", whereby prisoners are moved away from their families
3. The release of all terminally ill prisoners, and those who have spent more than 20 years in prison because of their political beliefs and militant attitude.
In solidarity with our comrades in the Turkish prisons and those fighting for justice throughout the world, we propose the launch of an initiative along the same lines as the Spanish prisoners; a food strike on the first Saturday of every month.
Since the Whitemoor and Parkhurst escapes of 1994 and 1995 there has been a concerted attempt to crush the British prison struggle once and for all; a war of attrition the state has all but won. By making this simple act of solidarity we are taking the first step towards renewing the struggle and asserting our humanity and our defiance.
Like the FIES prisoners, we are proposing three reasonable and achievable demands of our own :
1. A minimum of one hour's daily exercise in the open air. It is appalling that at a time when prisoners are once again being locked two and three to a cell, the statutory allowance of daily exercise has been reduced to only half an hour.
2. The right of all prisoners to wear their own clothes. Twenty years after Bobby Sands and his comrades died on hunger strike, the right of prisoners to wear their own clothes is still not enshrined in the prison rules. Because of this, governors regard the wearing of civilian clothes as a "privilege" which can be withdrawn at any time.This is increasingly happening with prisoners placed on "basic".
3. The abolition of compulsory prison work. We are currently seeing the growing exploitation of prisoners labour by private companies and by the state. If prisoners choose to work in return for remuneration they should have that choice-out compulsory work is nothing less than slavery.
These are the three demands that we propose. We ask that all militant prisoners, all those who have not been crushed by state repression, all those not bought off by the arse-lickers charter of the Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme, all those who have an instinct for solidarity and the courage to stand up against oppression, support this proposal. Our numbers may be few but they have the potential to grow.
Spread the word. Support the protest. The fightback starts here.
Mark Barnsley and John Bowden
*  *  *
BRITTANY : COMMUNIQUE OF THE ANTI-REPRESSIVE COORDINATION
"The custody of the journalist Charlie Grall is an operation of propaganda"
Pointing out the guilty people officially as soon as an investigation starts is a tic which concerns the French right-wing parties as well as the plural left. Mr Michel Poniatowski, French minister for Home Affairs, immediately after Prince de Broglie's assassination, did so. The indemnity paid by France (i.e., at the end, by all the taxpayers!) after a judgment by the European Court of Human Rights is equivalent to 70 years of R.M.I. (Minimal Income for Insertion  -- 2500 French Francs per month) for a single person. 
Mr Jean-Pierre Chevènement*1 proceeded so, first on TF1 (channel 1) on Sunday 21st, November 1999 by publicly appointing a Breton political militant in "custody" as being the head of the Breton Revolutionary Army (A.R.B.). The same one repeated himself in the beginning of May 2000 when trying to attribute the mortal bomb in Quévert to the A.R.B. and to Emgann (movement of the Breton pro-independence left).
This tragic, magic and still very mysterious (see a very interesting counter-enquiry on http://www.chez.com/carb/articles/contre.htm) attack of Quévert continues to justify the serious attacks against the democratic liberties made by the French plural-left government in Brittany. This mortal bombing continues to be used as pitiful means of justification for the methods of the D.N.AT. (political police) and of exceptional justice perfectly represented by the 14th section of the Paris Bench, which is corrupted itself by the extreme-right Trade Association of Magistrates (Association Professionnelle des Magistrats -A.P.M.- has links with the Spanish special services of Felipe Gonzales, supreme head of the G.A.L., published an anti-Jewish article in the bulletin of this association by a high-ranking magistrate, has links with the Pasqua-Mitterrand Jr's arm and gun sale networks in Angola and in South Africa's apartheid regime - the inquiry on this latter affair has just been extremely wisely canceled by the French Cassation Court).
The problem is now: the inquest on the bomb attack in Quévert has continued to be deliberately directed to the only track indicated by the French ruling politicians for more than fourteen months. Does it still have reasonable chances of success?
Last Tuesday 26th, June 2000 the Breton journalist Charlie Grall, chief-redactor of the weekly paper "Breizh-Info" was arrested in Karaez/Carhaix (Penn-ar-Bed/Finistère) by the D.N.A.T., whose members openly admit being part of a political police. In accordance with police source, the pretext given, once more, is the mortal bombing of Quévert. Some media, with the usual servile spirit that characterizes them, had widely given this information. THEY WERE FEWER TO MENTION THE END OF CUSTODY AND EVEN FEWER TO NOTIFY THAT MR CHARLIE GRALL HAD NOT BEEN CHARGED IN THIS AFFAIR. IT IS OBVIOUSLY AN OPERATION OF PROPAGANDA.
Let us point out that Mr Jean-Yves Cozan, Deputy-President of the Regional Council of Brittany, had declared during a debate about "Regionalism and Republic" organized in Rennes by the weekly paper "Marianne" last June 13th, 2001 : " IT IS REALLY A SHAME THAT THERE ARE STILL SEVEN BRETON IN PRISON IN PARIS WHEREAS NOTHING OR SO LITTLE WAS PROVED AGAINST THEM", thus raising the public's applause. After the debate, as he was thanked for this declaration, Jean-Yves Cozan had specified : "IT'S NOTHING AT ALL, THIS STORY IS A SCANDAL". Last April 19th already, when being questioned by a journalist from TV Breizh about the mortal bombing against the McDonald's restaurant in Quévert (Côtes-d'Armor/Aodoù-an-Arvor), Mr Kofi Yamgnane, deputy of Finistère/Penn-ar-Bed and former State secretary, had declared :"One must not kill whatever the cause is, especially the innocent ones like her, and I believe that those who set off this bomb there, I do not know who they are. There are four people in prison, right, but as they did not confess, one doesn't know why they are put in prison and by the way, nothing's clear with that".
Now, Mr Kofi Yamgnane and Jean-Yves Cozan, who clearly disagree about politics, tell loud what many think low.
We require the immediate release of the seven Breton political prisoners detained in "custody", the longest detention time being now nineteen months and half while four other prisoners have been detained for thirteen months and half now. 
Anti-Repressive Coordination of Brittany
Klaod An Duigou, spokesperson
For more infor, go to the CARB's Web Site at : http://www.chez.com/carb
*1 Former Minister of Home Affairs
*  *  *
"PLATFORM OF JUNE 19TH, 1999" 
We publish the platform of June 19th, 1999 with a delay of 2 months. A number of prisoners have become subscribers of the platform since the last publication, among the breton prisoner Gerard Bernard (Emgann), Fernando Da silva (PP member of the GRAPO detained in France) and Nikos Maziotis (greek anarchist PP). 2 prisoners member of the GRAPO have been released as well as Gabriel Mouesca (Bask prisoner member of Iparretarak). One month after becoming a member of this platform, the turkish political prisoner Mahmut Murat Ordekci was killed by special forces during the December 19th, 2000 dated assault. The prisoners interested in this platform must get in touch with : APAPC, BP 6, Saint Gilles 1, 1060 Bruxelles, Belgium.
      
Chapter 1 : Platform of June 19th, 1999.
1. The subscribers of this platform are all revolutionary, communist, anarchist, anti-fascist or anti-imperialist militants imprisoned in the the imperialist bourgeoisie's prisons for their political or politico-military activities. Beyond their political and ideological divergences, they intend to constitute a fighting community inside and against the imperialist prison. They hope this initiative meets an echo in the forces outside prisons. Solidarity is a weapon !
2. The subscribers observe that the reasons which have brought them to fight the imperialist bourgeoisie, their States, their alliances, their national fractions, their compradores, their police forces and their armies, etc, are far from disappearing, are more imperative than ever. Injustice, misery and oppression have never ruled in such a degree as master over humanity. The rules of the market economy of plunge peoples of the world into misery everyday deeper. The negation of many peoples' national rights, racism, sexism and the devastation of the ecosystem take part in this general crushing of humanity on behalf of a handful of rich people. It is always right to revolt !
3. With this platform, the subscribers reaffirm their attachment to people's side and to the struggle against oppression and exploitation. Whether the organization which they belonged to at the time of their arrest still exists or not, they do confirm the legitimacy of their struggle. Beyond all possible divergences of strategy and tactic, beyond all the discussions regarding the opportunity of this or that form of struggle on this or that moment, the subscribers affirm that resorting to violence against exploitation and oppression is legitimate, for the social and for people's liberation, in order to achieve the conquest of a fraternal and fair society. "No justice, no peace !"
4. Consequently, the subscribers refuse and denounce any blackmail like "release for repentance", "release for dissociation", "release for collaboration", etc. The subscribers may have a critical look at their militant experience, but this critical look only concerns and must only serve the social and the people's liberation movement. So they refuse to make of this possible critical look the object of a deal with the bourgeois device, for the reason that it will only use it against the social and the people's liberation movements. Neither repentance nor capitulation!
5. The subscribers have all benefited of outside support, of an active solidarity into their respective countries and sometimes abroad. They call all solidarity forces and all people to take note of the fighting community they constitute, to reflect this fighting community into their own support activity, to develop cooperation and unity between them. Defending one of us means defending all of us ! Attacking one of us means attacking all of us !
         
Chapter 2 : List of the prisoners who signed the platform of June 19th, 1999. Between parenthesis : the original organization, the sentence being served or required against, the place of detention (which obviously may have changed since the edition of this platform). You can contact us to get the address of any of this prisoner if you are willing to get in touch with them.
ABDALLAH Georges Ibrahim (Lebanese Revolutionary Army Fractions, life, Moulin prison - France), ACAR Suleyman (TKEP/L, 12 and a half year, Edirne prison - Turkey), AGRI Dogan (TKEP/L, life, Edirne prison - Turkey), AKYUZ Ahmet (TKEP/L, 12 and a half year, Edirne prison - Turkey), AKYUZ Gokhan (TKEP/L, 12 years and a half, Kandira prison - Turkey), AUBRON Joelle (Action Directe, life with 18 years of "safety", Bapaume prison - France), AYDIN Dogan (DHKC-DHG, Fleuris-Merogis prison - France), AYDIN Remzi (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Hasdal prison - Turkey), BALMON CASTELL Jose (PCE(r), 30 years, Sevilla II prison - Spain), BERNARD Gerard (Emgann*, in custody since October 1999, Fleury-Merogis prison - France), BOZDOGAN Aysun (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Kartal prison - Turkey), BROTONS BENEYTO Francisco (PCE(r) and GRAPO*, 30 years, Sevilla II prison - Spain), CABADAN Serpil (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Kartal prison - Turkey), CABEZA MATO Luis (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Herrera de la Mancha prison - Spain), CALCERRADA FORNIELES Javier (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Ocana I prison - Spain), CALERO ARCONES Joaquin (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Herrera de la Mancha prison - Spain), CAMENISCH Marco (Swiss anarchist militant, 10 years + threatened by extradition to Switzerland, Biella prison - Italy), CARETTE Pierre (Fighting Communist Cells, life, Leuven prison - Belgium), CARMONA TEJEDOR Manuel (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Slamanca prison - Spain), CELA SEOANE Francisco (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Badajoz prison - Spain), CELA SEOANE Jesus (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Badajoz prison - Spain), CICEKLER Ergul (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Umraniye prison - Turkey), CUADRA ETXEANDIA Enrique (PCE(r), and GRAPO, 30 years, Sevilla II prison - Spain), DAGDELEN Onder (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Kandira prison - Turkey), DIEGUEZ SILVEIRA Elvira (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 16 years, Sevilla II prison - Spain), DONOSO PULIDO Jose Juan (GRAPO, 24 years, Herrera de la Mancha prison - Spain), DORIGO Paolo (communist prisoner for the construction of the Communist Fighting Party, 13 years and 6 months, Biella prison - Italy), DURMAZ Huseyin (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Kandira prison - Turkey), ELIPE LOPEZ Jose Luis (PCE(r), Fleury-Merogis prison - France), ERCAN Ayfer (TKEP/L, life, Bakirkoy prison - Turkey), GARCIA RUEDA Ana (GRAPO, 30 years, Avila prison - Spain), GHIRARDI Bruno (COLP*, 23 years, Opera prison - Italy), GHIRINGHELLI Marcello (Red Brigades, life, San Vittore prison - Italy), GOMEZ MENDEZ Victoria (GRAPO, not tried yet, Fresnes prison - France), GONZALEZ CAMBEIRO Alfonso (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Salamanca prison - Spain), GONZALEZ RODRIGUEZ Concepcion (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Soto del real prison - Spain), GONZALEZ RODRIGUEZ Teresa (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Soto Del Real prison - Spain), GUBKIN Igor (MRC* and Communist Labour Party of Russia, in custody since August 3rd, 1997, Lefortovo prison - Russia), GUVENILIR Nuran (TKEP/L, 15 years required, Kartal prison - Turkey), GUVENILIR Resat M. (TKEP/L, life, Kandira prison - Turkey), HAYTA Sedat (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Kandira prison - Turkey), KARATAS Musa (TKEP/L, life, Kandira prison - Turkey), KARTOGLU Serif (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Edirne prison - Turkey), KOYUN Ibrahim (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Edirne prison - Turkey), LEON LARA Encarnacion (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Avila prison - Spain), LLAQUET Isabel (PCE(r), not tried yet, Fleury-Merogis prison - France), LLOBREGAT Maria Rosario (PCE(r), not tried yet, Fleury-Merogis prison - France), MAZIOTIS Nikos (anarchist militant, 15 years reduced to 5 years on appeal, Koridallos prison - Greece)  MENIGON Nathalie (AD, life with 18 years of "safety", Bapaume prison - France), NARVAEZ TERNERO Rosario (GRAPO, 30 years, Avila prison - Spain), OKSUZ Hasan (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Kandira prison - Turkey), OLIVEIRA ALONSO Olga (GRAPO, 30 years, Avila prison), ORTEGA ORTEGA Laureano (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Madrid II Meco prison - Spain), ORTIN MARTINEZ Jose (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Madrid III Valdemoro prison - Spain), OZAT Umit Onursal (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Kandira prison - Turkey), OZTURK Ibrahim (TKEP/L, 12 and a half year, Kandira prison - Turkey), PADROS COROMINAS Mercedes (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Avila prison - Spain), PEIRAT Yves (Francs-Tireurs Partisans, 5 years, Baumettes prison - France), PENA QUESDA Jose Antonio (PCE(r), not tried yet, Fleury-Merogis prison - Turkey), PEREZ MARTINEZ Manuel "Arenas" (PCE(r), not tried yet, Fresnes prison - France), RADCHENKO Vladimir (MRC*, in custody since February 22nd, 1998, Lefortovo prison - Russia), ROBLIN Gael (Emgann*, in custody since May 4th, 2000, Sante prison - France), ROMERO VEGA Maria Jesus (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, Avila prison - Spain), ROS DIAZ Francisco Javier (GRAPO, 30 years, Herrera de la Mancha - Spain), ROUILLAN Jean-Marc (AD, twice sentenced for life with 18 years of "safety", Arles prison - France), SARIKAYA Sefik (DHKPC-DHG*, not tried yet, Villenauxe prison - France), SAT Cem (TKEP/L, 12 and a half year, Malatya prison - Turkey), SAT Cuma (TKEP/L, 12 and a half year, detention place unknown - Turkey), SCHIPTSOVA-ROMANOVA Larisa (Moscow anarchist Club, in custody since February 2nd, 1999, Krasnodar prison - Russia), SCHLEICHER Regis (ex-AD, twice sentenced for life, Moulin-Yzeure prison - France), SERDAR Vefa (TKEP/L, 12 and a half year, detention place unknown - Turkey), SILVA SANDE Fernando (GRAPO and PCE(r), not tried yet, Fleury-Merogis prison - France), SIMON QUINTELA Jaime (GRAPO, 30 years, Puerto de Santa Maria II prison - Spain), SKLYAR (Vakhromeev) Valery (MRC* and Communist Labour Party, in custody since November 13th, 1997, Lefortovo prison - Russia), SONMEZISIK Serhat (TKEP/L, 2 and a half year, Umraniye prison - Turkey), SURUCU Zuhal (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Kartal prison - Turkey), TAYBARAN Kenan (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Gebze prison - Turkey), TEMEL Necdet (TKEP/L, over 25 years required, Edirne prison - Turkey), ULUFER Ersan (TKEP/L, Kandira prison), VAZQUEZ BAUTISTA Guillermo (GRAPO, 30 years, Herrera de la Mancha prison - Spain), VAZQUEZ GOMEZ Roxelio (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 27 years, Madrid III Valdemoro prison - Spain), VURAL Elif (TKEP/L, life, detention place unknown - Turkey), YAS Baki (TKEP/L, life, Edirne prison - Turkey), YERDELEN Erbakan (TKEP/L, 20 years required, Kandira prison - Turkey), YILDIRIM Fatma (TKEP/L, Bakirkoy prison - Turkey YILDIRIM Ismail (TKEP/L, life, detention place unknown - Turkey), YILDIRIM Mutlu (TKEP/L, life, Edirne prison - Turkey), YILMAZ Ali (TKEP/L, 12 and a half year, Edirne prison - Turkey), YILMAZ Muharrem (TKEP/L, 12 and a half year, Edirne prison - Turkey), YUCE Beyhan (TKEP/L, Bakirkoy prison - Turkey YUCEL Songul (TKEP/L, death sentence required, Kartal prison - Turkey).

List of subscribers having signed the Platform and having been released since then : ALEXANDRE Annie (Libertarian Communist Organization, 15 + 6 months, released on December 1999), BLAIR John (irish republican socialist, arrested on May 1993 and released on January 2001), CALCERRADA FORNIELES Leoncio (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, released on March 2001), CAYETANO NAVARRO Carmen (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, released on October 1999), DEMIR Emrah (DHKPC-DHG, arrested in 1997 in Paris and released in May 2000), GARCIA ARAMBURU Josefina (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, released on the end of the year 2000), GARRIDO GONZALEZ Joaquin (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, released on the end of the year 2000), JIMINEZ FERNANDEZ Jose (PCE(r) and GRAPO, 30 years, released on the end of the year 2000), MOUESCA Gabriel (Iparretarrak*, 42 years, released on July 13th, 2001), SASSOYE Bertrand (Fighting Communist Cells, life + 8 months, released in July 2000), VANDEGEERDE Pascale (Fighting Communist Cells, life, released in February 2000).
List of subscribers having deceased in prison : ORDEKCI Mahmut Murat (militant of the Leninist Guerilla Units -military branch of the TKEP/L- deceased during the December 19th, 200 dated assault in turkish prisons), Sibel Sucuru (member of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth's Union. Deceased on April 22nd, 2001 after 124 days of hunger strike. She weighted then 29 kilos) 
       
*GRAPO (The First of October Antifascist Resistance Groups) - COLP (Communist Organization for the Liberation of the Proletariat) - MRC (Military Revolutionary Council), TKP/ML (Labour Communist Party of Turkey (Leninist), Iparretarrak (bask separatist armed organization), Emgann (movement of the breton left separatist), DHKPC-DHG (People's Revolutionary Liberation Front-People's Revolutionary Forces of Turkey).
*  *  *
TEXAS : SEGREGATED PRISONERS START COLLECTIVE HUNGER STRIKE
About 50 segregated prisoners all over Texas have decided to run a collective hunger strike from September 13th, 2001 on. Some of them have already started prior to the given date. The prisoners involved call for sending materials to them, and other prisoners on struggle to get in touch with them. You can contact us to get their addresses and for background information about this hunger strike, or get directly in touch with their coordinators (see below).
       
!. The Alliance of Segregated Texas Prisoners
On September 13th, 2001, along with other prisoners confined in segregation, I will join in a hunger strike to protest our treatment and living conditions.
By my voluntary abstinence from all state issued meals I will show my solidarity in this struggle in the only physical way I am able to do so. My participation in this strike is an independent decision of my own and will end whenever I choose.
The day this strike will begin is also a historical day in the struggle for the rights of prisoners everywhere. It will be the 30th anniversary of the Attica Prison Uprising Sept. 13th, 1971. We honor all those who died that day as well as all who continue the fight for prisoners' rights throughout the world.
The conditions that exist within the Texas High Security and Segregation Units state wide constitute cruel and unusual punishment (per Federal Judge William Wayne Justice, Eastern District of Texas).
Long term isolation in solitary confinement without any human interaction or social activity is counter productive to every aspect of the intended purpose of incarceration (correction and rehabilitation).
Years of continuous segregation where the conditions can be psychologically and physically deteriorating MUST END !
Educational programs should be made available to all prisoners that maintain a positive behavior and exhibit a willingness to better themselves toward their return to society.
Drug treatment, such as AA and NA should be offered to all prisoners who have drug and alcohol related charges, and to all that may request substance abuse help.
Group activities which provide some form of social interaction is a basic human necessity that has been ignored by the prison officials. The benefits of controlled out-of-cell activity versus dungeon-like solitary confinement is an issue that must be addressed. Releasing prisoners back into the community after years of total isolation increases the likelihood of recidivism, rather than rehabilitation.
In-cell television should be provided for the mental activity it can offer to those that are kept in long term segregation, as well as the educational programming that can be afforded by using VCR technology. Not to mention the behavioral incentive it will create by using the TVs as a privilege one must earn by their actions.
Conditions that currently exist in Texas are far below other states. Even federal death row prisoners have more human rights than a property offender does in Texas.
"We are sent to prison as punishment, not for punishment."
The purpose of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is to promote positive change in those that have been committed to its custody. That intention has been abandoned by prison officials concerning the treatment and conditions of those in segregation facilities state wide.
Respectfully Submitted,
       
2. Short summary of the "ATTICA 1971"
September 13th will be the 30th anniversary of the Attica State Prison Riot. Thirty years ago on the D Yard at Attica, forty-two men were shot down by New York State Troopers after Governor Nelson Rockefeller gave them an order to "gun them down all down." State Police stormed the prison shooting even their own prison guards in what became the climax of ongoing negotiations concerning the inhumane treatment of prisoners throughout America.
The deaths of these men made a vivid mark against prison systems everywhere. The shocking facts that began to filter out detailed harsh and cruel conditions that became daily news topics. The stark reality of prison life being exposed to the nation on live TV.
Following the Attica Uprising there began a politically motivated wave of Federal attention in response to the public's outcry. The courts created changed in prison systems in every state in this country. Civil Rights and Treatment of Prisoners became real issues for the first time. The Federal Courts began to hear cases of barbaric conditions in many states. And in some of those states the Fed's seiged control of the prisons because of the flagrant disregard of basic human rights and their obvious cruel and unusual policies, practices and procedures.
The deaths of 42 men on Sept. 13th, 1971 at Attica opened a window through which society could see beyond the Iron Curtain that officials have used to hide their corrupt and illegal actions.
The explosive peak of the Attica takeover and the violent assault by the State of New York created a revolution concerning prison conditions and the Human Rights of those that have been incarcerated by the injustice system.
The men that stood on the D Yard at Attica Sept. 13th, 1971 knew that hope of accomplishment toward their struggle for change was slight. These men still placed themselves in the Bulls Eye of the very officials that they knew were vindictive and corrupt. The men that stood up that day did not say to themselves or to each other, "What good will it do?" They did not fear the reality that their actions might fail, or even that it could end as terribly as it did, with shotguns and machine guns blasting away at everyone. Even the prison guards.
The price is steep. And the victory is often long in coming. Those that were killed died with honor in the eyes of others who continue the struggle. Their willing sacrifice deserves respect and remembrance. They stood proudly, defiantly in the face of their oppressors.
Big Black, a convict on D Yard that day said to his fellow captives and to the world, "Wake up! Wake up! Because the only thing to come to a dreamer is a dream!"
30 years ago America watched as men demanded to be treated like men. America watched over those high walls of the Attica State Prison as these men stood in the line of fire and paid the ultimate price. THEIR LIVES for what they stood for and what they believed in. 1971 was a year of political awareness. Of Human Rights. Of Protest. And of War. Vietnam was at its peak. The youth across America were willing to stand up against the evils of corrupt government. Riot became a tool of action. It was an acceptable method of protest and expression. Revolt also became entertainment to the public and exciting fodder to the media. Kent State May 4th 1970: National guardsmen in Ohio shot down Vietnam War protesters, killing four. And Attica Sept. 13th, 1971 resistance was alive and well -- forty-two were dead.
Attica was ripe for revolt. That revolt shocked the world with not only its lethal outcome but its cause. Prisons in this country had kept the cruel and inhumane facts of life out of the public mind. The violent, brutal and harsh environments behind the razor wire and walls are kept, "out of sight, out of mind."
Prison officials use very effective propaganda campaigns to distance the public. Not only from the shocking existence of the men that they hold at gun point behind bars in this nation, but also from the fact that the prison systems are ineffective in their intended purpose, "CORRECTION". They have become mass human warehouses that the political officials have turned into "Big Business" for the government. Prison systems create huge employment programs that hire thousands of people that are often below the poverty line themselves. The level of qualifications necessary to hold a job of a correctional officer is not even as high as that of most gas station attendants.  The kind of people these systems put in charge of this multibillion dollar business, that they call The Department of Corrections, are usually in dire need of corrections themselves. These so-called "officials" consider their captives nothing more than "JOB SECURITY".
September 13th, will mark 30 years of slow but continuous resistance in the unending struggle to overcome cruel and unusual punishment in America.
New York this year paid 12 million dollars to the prisoners and families of those who were at Attica that day. This settlement was an admission by the state after all this time that they had violated these men's rights and caused the deaths of many that could have been avoided.
It took 30 years to get this victory, yet the struggle goes on still. Other prisons all across this land are in a constant fight to overcome what is now known as the Prison Industrial Complex.
The unconstitutional conditions of prisoners have not changed. They are just as barbaric today as they were 30 years ago. With almost every government system, with time and lack of public attention they will repeat the evils of the past. And they will do so for as long as they can get away with it.
September 13th, the prisoners throughout Texas will begin a fast in honor and remembrance of those who died at Attica. And in solidarity with all who are continuing to struggle for change.
Prisoners all over Texas that are caged like animals in Segregation High Security Units are asking for support in overcoming the cruel and unusual conditions of these solitary confinement cells, which Texas has thrown thousands of men and women into and literally used them to create cost effective incarceration.
They are held in total isolation, in dungeon-like tombs for years and years. To avoid all possible expense, they are also denied corrective and rehabilitative programs. Not even education is given and in many cases some of these men and women cannot read or write. Approximately 75% lack even the benefit of a GED. They are left in isolation without even psychological counseling or compassionate human contact. These conditions create mentally deteriorating circumstances that the prison officials disregard.
The environments are controlled in ways that are intentionally designed to mentally harass and torture. Lights are kept burning 24 hours a day. Officers use degrading tactics to deny even such basic human necessities as a daily shower (which is required by law) They make the prisoner undergo a trip search and open their body cavities for the officers' inspection. All in an effort to make the inmate voluntarily refuse their shower. This is the officers' intended purpose anyway so as to avoid one less prisoner that he must escort to the shower and back. If it were as they say, only "a security concern", they would bring 50 officers to search the whole cell block to ensure that no one had anything to possibly conceal in their body orifices (which, by the way, is rare. And even if someone did do this the use of the degrading visual inspection of ones' anus would still not reveal something secreted within their body.)
These conditions are known. They are currently deemed unconstitutional by the Federal Court. Judge William Wayne Justice has held that the use and abuses within the High Security Units and Segregation Facilities are not only inhumane, but counter productive to any rational attempt to correct or rehabilitate (see Ruis vs. Estelle, a decision from the Eastern District of Texas 3-1-99).
The prisoners within these units are asking for Letters of Support for immediate changes in the current conditions of segregation. Demanding educational programs, substance abuse classes such as AA and NA as well as other drug and alcohol assistance programs. We are asking for things that we should already be given.
Even high security situations where confinement to a cell is necessary, that an in-cell television can offer educational programming, religious and mental activity that can be made available without any security risk using basic VCR technology. These systems are used throughout this country, even on death row, though in the State of Texas cruelty comes before human decency.
September 13th, we will begin a fast in remembrance of those who have given their lives at Attica in the struggle for change. We will also stand up as they did 30 years ago seeking change in the unconstitutional violations we face today. We ask everyone that is a part of this struggle to stand with us in solidarity".
*
Texas Hunger strike Beginning Early
The conditions of the Segregation Unit in the prisons of our nation and worldwide are cruel and unusual punishment. These conditions have prompted many throughout history to stage hunger strikes in order to protest inhumane treatment and to bring to the attention of the public and media what goes on behind the razor wire. Many of our poor people of all races are housed in segregation. Many have died fighting for their rights. This is an important issue to confront to people who are in support of prisoner rights, Native rights, indigent rights, human rights. 
The hunger strike in Texas that was slated to run parallel to the Attica Uprising Anniversary of September 13th, 1971 has already begun. Commencing with the hospitalization of Gerald Williams (# 791309, Eastham Unit, POB 16, Lovelady, TX 75851, USA). He has refused his meals in a death fast to protest the medical department's denial of treatment for his Hepatitis C (the silent killer) and for segregation conditions of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice system. He was transported for emergency medical reasons on July 18th, 2001 after 12 days of refusing his meals. He would not have been transported unless his medical condition were serious.
Gerald writes :"...I am doing time in a Texas prison. I haven't been wrongfully convicted of any crime but I am being wrongfully convicted to die. I have been diagnosed in having Hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis C is a blood borne pathogen. It is spread in the same way that HIV is spread. The combination of two drugs (to help in the treatment) will cost TDCJ approximately $2000 per month, which they do not want to spend. Considerations for control of this virus is prevention -- something TDCJ knows nothing about. Exposure to blood and body fluids must be safeguarded against in order to prevent contracting HCV. TDCJ does not enforce that their barbers put their clipper blades in a solution approved for destroying viruses. My wrists were bleeding from the edges of the handcuffs. Not 10 minutes later they are placed on another inmate and the handcuffs repeat it all over again. 
I believe to bring about change there must be some form of sacrifice. So I hold this pen. I have given myself over to this sacrificial role. As of July 7th, 2001 I have refrained myself from eating. I will continue to do so until changes are made and kept. I will not stop until those of us who have HCV receive the proper medical treatment. Maybe my hunger strike may not bring change but I will rest in peace knowing I tried.
I urge you to shed a tear for those who are dying behind the cold and uncaring walls of prison. Those who died in the struggle to bring about change. I ask to shed a tear for those who are still fighting, suffering from the countless atrocities committed by those who are given the job to watch over us, to heal us not kill us!. If such a tear still can be found call it a tear of knowledge, if you will, for knowing the source of our ills is the initial step towards a solution..." 
*
"I'm going hungry"
"September 13th, I will begin a death fast. Prisoners all over Texas that are housed in segregation and high security units will refuse the food that is provided by the Texas Prison System. I along with these men, and yes, women too, will go hungry. Some of us like myself will set our hearts and minds on going even further than just a hunger strike. We will look at this as a DEATH FAST.
I feel that I have nothing else to live for under the existing circumstances. 
I have reached a point where I am willing to risk my life to bring about changes we need within the Texas Department of Corruption.
Why is this dire task necessary -- you may be wondering? Why would human beings make a deliberate decision to place themselves in harm's way? To actually put themselves, their body and physical well being in jeopardy. Even their lives.
We are going to go hungry because our treatment and conditions are not only inhumane, but they are even deemed unconstitutional by the Federal Courts Eastern District of Texas.
Prisoners in solitary confinement throughout Texas are kept for years; even for decades with no concern for their mental or physical well being. These conditions are undeniably counter productive to any intent to correct or rehabilitate.
I'm going hungry because I do not wish to live like we are being forced to live. Starvation and death is an acceptable outcome versus the continuous mental madness and total isolation we face daily. Our conditions are no better than being held in a TOMB.
Many men and women have reached the breaking point unconsciously and resorted to extreme and often fatal actions. These conditions create mentally deteriorating circumstances which result in depression so severe that prisoners cut themselves up, slash their wrists and arms, and have even cut their own throats. 
Many are found hanging from the cell bars. A friend of mine here at the Eastham Prison on January 1st, 2000 hanged himself. He begged to be let out of seg. He was screaming that "They were coming to get him". He told them that it was all their fault. He had literally lost his mind from long term solitary confinement. They laughed at him. Told him not to worry because nobody was going to get him. It was a joke to the guards and also to the medical staff. They did not care about him. And to them he was acting normal IN HERE. 
My friend Houston Martin hanged himself on New Years morning of 2000. No one knows, so no one cares.
What must we do? What will make them listen? Why does no one care? Because they have hidden us behind an iron curtain so that no one really knows what goes on. How many others like Houston Martin must die in these lonely cells where they have thrown us away? How many more men and women will lose their minds because they cannot take it any more?
I am going hungry because I am willing to put my life on the line by my own choice. I am making this decision while I can do so consciously. Because I do not want to lose my mind and end up taking my own life like Houston and so many others have done.
Those who have committed suicide have done so to escape the literal hell they have turned these places into. Texas is far below the federal standards and it is long overdue that something is done to correct this problem. They have a saying here in isolation when an inmate is found dead or self mutilated in their cell: IT'S ONLY AN "ISOLATED" INCIDENT."
Sid Hawk Byrd : #872404, PO Box 16, Lovelady, TX 75851
    
The hunger strikers call for sending the following sample letter of support to : Warden Stacks, Eastham Unit, PO Box 16, Lovelady, TX 75851-0016, USA :
Name and address 													Date
Re: Hunger strike in the Segregation Unit

Dear Warden Stacks:
I have carefully studied Sid Byrd's # 872404 "Statement of the Facts" regarding the conditions in the segregation unit. It seems very reasonable to me that a lot can be done to rectify this unnecessary situation without having prisoners endangering their lives by going without food. Before it gets to this please work on getting better living and medical conditions for the prisoners there at your prison. A few areas that desperately need change include:
1. allowing contact visits with family and loved ones
2. installing a cordless phone system / easier access to phone calls
3. educational programs such as TV, VCR, GED study groups / class instruction & higher level & for mental stimulation
4. installing tables in each cell
5. turning lights off at night
6. having reasonable meal, recreation & shower times
7. allowing prisoners to have cleaning supplies
8. improving food service
9. contagious disease prevention by proper handling of barber clippers / handcuffs 
10. having a successful grievance procedure that listens & addresses problems
As a reasonable outsider, I do not see how any of the aforementioned could possibly be a security risk especially when they are already housed in high security.
Also I would like to bring to your attention that Gerald Williams # 791309 has been hospitalized. He has been refusing his food for 2 weeks protesting the lack of proper medical care regarding his HCV.
Thank you for your immediate attention to this life-threatening hunger strike situation.
Sincerely,
For more infos, contact the outside coordinator of the hunger strike : IRONHOUSE/Support, c/o Barbara Fortier, Coordinator, PO Box 262, Villa Rica, GA 30180-0262, USA - bdyingswan@aol.com. Website : www.ironhousesupport.f2s.com
*  *  *
DEMAND JUSTICE FOR MARK BARNSLEY NOW!
By the time you read this Mark Barnsley is very likely to be in the segregation block at Wakefield Prison again. This week Mark was told he has been allocated to the prison workshop at HMP Wakefield. Since he has declined the offer of prison work he will be charged for refusing to follow this order. The likely outcome is that he will spend time in Wakefield Prison's notorious segregation unit, under the worst conditions and may have extra time added to his sentence.
The victim of a gross miscarriage of justice, Mark has steadfastly refused to collaborate with the system since his wrongful imprisonment over 7 years ago. Instead of doing prison work he has spent his time constructively, working on the campaign to overturn his conviction and clear his name, supporting other prisoners and doing education classes when possible.
According to the prison service, the reason prisoners are given work is so that they can learn a trade as part of their rehabilitation. In theory, increasing their chances of getting a job upon release. At HMP Wakefield however, prisoners either make prison uniforms or do extremely tedious packing work for a private company based in South Yorkshire called Hepworth Building Products. In return for working 25 hours per week they are paid from nothing to £5 (yes that's per week). Even with bonuses, prisoners are paid a maximum wage which is less than 10% of the minimum wage paid to workers on the outside. No wonder private companies are eager to exploit this captive workforce.
Unlike other prisons where you can send a prisoner items such as stamps, clothing, stationary, radio's etc..., at HMP Wakefield prisoners have to buy almost everything from within the prison, usually at hugely inflated prices. Even the pay-phones used by prisoners to contact family and friends on the outside are more expensive. Prisoners are only allowed £10 per week from their personal funds to pay for these things. Therefore it's not surprising that many there are willing to work for such a pittance. Not Mark however.
Mark Barnsley was also recently denied an Open University course by HMP Wakefield. The Governor there told us that this was because Mark was appealing his conviction! Now, they expect Mark to waste his time either making prison uniforms for them (it'll be prison bars next!) or creating profits for a private company.
We ask Mark's supporters, Trade Unionists and all who struggle against injustice to let both Wakefield Prison and Hepworth Building Products know what you think about this blatant exploitation. Mark Barnsley should not be punished for refusing what amounts to slave labour.
You can contact the real criminals below :
-The Governor, HMP Wakefield, 5 Love Lane, Wakefield WF2 9AG. Tel: 01924 378282 - Fax: 01924 299315.
-Hepworth Building Products, Eddlington Lane, Eddlington, Doncaster DN12 1BY. Tel: 01709 856300 or 01226 763561
      
Last Friday 8th, June 2000, about 50 anarchists gathered in London for a day of solidarity with Mark Barnsley during which they also went to the spanish embassy to express their solidarity with Eduardo Garcia Macias (see above). They intended to protest the frame-up of both prisoners and to claim for their freedom. A picket was held at the home office in solidarity with Mark Barnsley's ceaseless struggle for justice and to highlight the 7th anniversary of the attack upon him (known as The Pomona Incident). In light of the increasing level of harassment against Mark and his campaign, it'’s crucial that we send a clear message to those with ultimate responsibility, that we are determined to see justice done. Therefore, any action in support of Mark's struggle for justice at any time would be welcome, moreover as Mark's situation, rather than being improved, is getting worse. The late victimization of Mark remains only one additional evidence showing the Home Office's determination to deny his wrongful imprisonment, as a part of an wider attempt to make him surrender.
Mark Barnsley : WA 2897, HMP Wakefield, 5 Love Lane, Wakefield WF2 9AG, England.
*  *  *
ZAPATISTA POLITICAL PRISONERS ON HUNGER STRIKE THREATENED
Six Zapatista political prisoners from La Voz de Cerro Hueco initiated a hunger strike on Tuesday 24th, July 2001 in spite of property damage, threats and physical assault by prison authorities. This nonviolent resistance is being undertaken by prisoners in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas and Tabasco in demand of the unconditional liberation of the remaining 9 Zapatista prisoners as well as the fulfillment of the San Andres Accords and complete military withdrawal from Chiapas.
For the first time ever, La Voz de Cerro Hueco are declaring themselves against the new federal and Chiapas state governments, claiming that both are merely continuing the implementation of policies initiated by the PRI.
Four civilian organizations, including Estación Libre, recently visited the three Zapatista prisoners of Cerro Hueco, only to discover that prison authorities had reached the hunger strikers first. Claiming to be acting on orders from his superiors, prison director Erasmo Ramirez Figueroa entered the "autonomous cell" of La Voz de Cerro Hueco members and personally tore down tissue paper banners that proclaimed "liberty, justice and dignity" and "Viva el EZLN."  Upon his return one hour later, with backup of 13 inmate cell commanders, the director twisted the arm of Alejandro Mendez and declared that prisoners could not carry out a hunger strike, threatening to beat and transfer them if they did.
According to reports from Tabasco, similar threats were made against the three Zapatista prisoners carrying out hunger strikes in their respective prisons: Francisco Perez Vazquez, Angel Concepción Perez Vazquez, and Carrillo Vazquez Lopez.  Rafael Lopez Santiz, Zapatista political prisoner in San Cristobal de Las Casas, was unable to participate in the hunger strike due to the fragility of his health; prison authorities are denying him the daily medicine and medical attention that he needs.
In Tuxtla Gutierrez, Salvador Lopez Gonzalez, Alejandro Mendez Díaz and Gustavo Estrada Gomez specifically asked visiting organizations to spread word of their situation outside the prison, and "not to leave (them) alone." They fear that if outsiders do not pressure authorities for their release, threats of violence will be carried out against them. They also note that they have chosen a hunger strike as an expression of their preference for nonviolent resistance; however, it seems that prison officials won't even allow this. Nonetheless, the three prisoners are exhibiting considerable courage and determination to continue the fast in spite of the impending threat of violence. 
For more infos, get in touch with Estación Libre : e-libre@tao.ca
*
Communiqué by La Voz de Cerro Hueco "Autonomous Cell"
Cereso One, Cerro Hueco, Tuxtla Gutierrez - Chiapas, July 24th, 2001
To the people of Mexico and the world
To all human rights activists
To the Red de Defensores Comunitarios Por Los Derechos Humanos
To the Zapatista Front of National Liberation (FZLN)
To all social activists
To the local, national and international press

Brothers and Sisters, 
We, the Zapatista political prisoners belonging to La Voz de Cerro Hueco in Tuxtla and San Cristobal de Las Casas, have the following to say: 
Today, July 24th, 2001, at 11am, we started a hunger strike in protest of the government's lies. It continues favoring moneyed men to the detriment of indigenous autonomy, for which reason the Zapatista political prisoners express their word:
The marginalizing policies that have governed our country and increased poverty since the era of the PRI, have been maintained with the taking of power by Vicente Fox Quesada. Yet another time, Mexicans trusted that change would lead us to real democracy. 
But this is not possible as long as the enrichment of a few is based on the impoverishment of the many. Fox has lied to the Mexican people and has lied to us, who have struggled for a country with justice and liberty and have been persecuted and incarcerated. (On March 23rd, 2001) Fox mentioned our names, promising a liberty that we are still waiting for in resistance, in the jails of Chiapas and the nation.   
We declare ourselves against the Bartlett - Cevallos indigenous law, approved by those who supposedly represented us in their farce of a democracy. (The passage of this law occurred) in spite of our round rejection, once again excluding the indigenous from participating in their own future which, as far as we can see, continues consisting of duplicity, poverty, prison and extermination.  
In order to trick people, the government uses the media to spread its claim that development will come. In reality this means the militarization of our villages and programs that only maintain damaging dependence and not real self-determination. With this it is clear that the government does not want lasting peace. It has not fulfilled the three signs that the real army of the Mexican people demanded as a precondition to continue with dialogue. Trustworthy proof of this is that we are still here, we are still resisting and struggling for liberty with justice and dignity, seeing that this has not come. On the contrary, the prisons continue being filled with poor indigenous and non indigenous. Unseen among them are the real criminals - rich landowners and corrupt government officials that continue the false policies of "Don Dinero." 
For this reason we call on all prisoners of the 13 prisons of Chiapas, and all social activists that have been imprisoned in response to their demands to join our resistance and organize, according to their means, to denounce the corruption which exists in the legal processes of our country.  
We know that in this struggle the government will want to intimidate us because it doesn't serve their interests for it to be known that many prisoners are still unjustly incarcerated. Many deserve "pre-liberation"* while others are in jail because they had been tried or sentenced unjustly. Others are imprisoned due to their inability to pay for justice. 
That is all, thank you."  
For liberty with justice and dignity for Zapatista
political prisoners in Chiapas, Tabasco and Querétaro!
Salvador Lopez Gonzalez, Alejandro Mendez Díaz, Gustavo Estrada Gomez 
   
* Translator's note: Pre-liberation refers to a legal clause that allows prisoners to be freed if 1) they have served half their sentence and 2) they belong to a marginalized group. Three of the four Zapatista prisoners in Chiapas qualify for pre-liberation. 
*  *  *
AN APPEAL FROM ALI KHALID ABDULLAH
Ali recently addressed a message to all comrades concerned about his medical condition to correct what had been diagnosed as a throat cancer in a first stance. As he stated :"There was an honest misunderstand in this and part of that is my fault. I do not have "throat cancer", but do have "Thyroid Cancer", which, I am told, is very treatable and won't spread. My lack of understand the difference may have contributed to a lot of confusion and for that I am sorry. However, please note that I am being treated and have been told of the medical regimen I will undergo for the next 6 months." Consequently, he calls for not sending letters of protest any longer and to translate this concern into showing your support for the International Campaign to Support Ali Khalid Abdullah, which Lorenzo Komboa Ervin and others have launched

"Where was the support for Lorenzo Komboa Ervin and the Chattanooga 3?"
"Lorenzo Komboa Ervin is a Black Autonomous Anarchist comrade, and a personal friend of mine, who's been in many struggles throughout his life and has paved many paths for the oppressed. This man was once involved with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the early sit-in campaigns in the South to stop racial segregation and inequality.  He was also a member of the Chattanooga, Tennessee branch of the Black Panther Party and served to help stop oppression and police terror against Blacks and other peoples of color who were the most repressed in Amerikkka during the 1960's and early 1970's.  This man, in his dedication to the sturggle and for the ending of government oppression, done a courageous act by hijacking a plane in order to seek refuge in Cuba from Amerikkka's legal lynching they had out for him, and was later arrested and captured by the Western German authorities who extradited him back to Amerikka where he stood trial and was convicted and spent 15 years in the harshest maximum security federal prisons Amerikkka has, with nine of those years in constant solitary confinement; life in constant jeopardy by white supremacists and other people.  
During his confinement Lorenzo learned the application of the law and helped many prisoners obtain their release from prison. He learned about the Anarchist Black Cross and studied the history of Anarchy and Anarchism and finally gained support from the Anarchist Black Cross in Amsterdam who helped launch an international campaign for his freedom. Yet, while this was going on Lorenzo continued to fight for others as he fought for himself and eventually gained his release from prison from his diligent legal pursuits. But, I should mention that while this man was in prison he began to write and developed many pamphlets that are structurally sound on anarchist theory and also, with the help of Bonnie Kerness, developed the beginnings of an Anarchist black Cross Federation here in the United States. And since his release from prison Lorenzo has continued to serve the people and expose the injustices of Amerikkka and the world. One of his most profound pamphlets that I have read and which influenced me greatly in my development into anarchism was his pamphlet: Anarchism and the Black Revolution, which if you have not read it, it would behoove you to read it.  
But, I am not here to write a history lesson about Lorenzo Komboa Ervin, but to raise serious questions regarding his lack of support for his most recent trial held in Chattanooga, Tennessee dubbed as "The Chattanooga 3" where he and seven other civil rights protestors had been arrested on May 13, 1993, for protesting the refusal of the Hamilton County Grand Jury to prosecute eight white law enforcement officers in the death of a 32 year old Black man, killed by a choke-hold in an attempt to secure his arrest. Lorenzo and others were charged with "disorderly conduct and disruption of a meeting", which the charge of "disrupting a meeting" was later dropped. Nevertheless, the protest was legitimate and the law used to arrest and charge Lorenzo is, not only unconstitutional, but a racist law, because it prohibits Blacks from being able to protest but allows white supremacists to protests to spew their hate-message to people.
Lorenzo, with the help of Sister JoNina Abrons and the Black Autonomous Network of Community Organizers (BANCO) campaigned and worked diligently to fight this racist law that Lorenzo was charged with and to gain the support of Anarchists in North Amerikkka to rally behind him. A man that has given so much and contributed mightily to the Anarchist collective worldwide. Yet, his call was not heard. His support was lacking and he didn't have the proper funds to fight the racist injustices hurled at him by a racist judicial system. I do not know why the Anarchist in Amerikkka has ducked its head and shirked its duty to stand behind this brother in revolutionary struggle, but I do know it was wrong and irresponsible.  
We claim to be for total liberation, social revolution, the destruction of government rule and the right to live our lives in a harmonious and free manner, yet no one wants to come to the aid of a proven comrade battling something as important as the right to protest? Many of you may view the fight Lorenzo and the Chattanooga 3 have waged against the racism in the State of Tennessee as a "single issue" and thus not worth of your involvement but that's where I say you are wrong. Many of you may say that fighting to stop a racist law is not what anarchists are about or should be fighting for and again I'd say you are wrong. If we are going to fight for and "support all people's rights" then we must stand by what we say.  
If we believe in the principles of fighting for the right to defend ourselves and to stop exploitation then we cannot draw lines in the sand and say we will only fight for this cause but not that cause. Even if we do not agree with every single thing a fellow comrade says or does... even if we have had verbal battles with comrades and have not spoken to that comrade in years... when that comrade is in need we are to be there no matter what. We are to show and give our support and make sure that that comrade knows they have our support. This is what we are supposed to be about. This is how we gain strength and control our destiny and win support from the people at large. By watching what we do to one another determines whether or not we will win others to join us in our struggle and make the necessary changes needed for a complete and better life. Not a half-lived and broken life.
There are anarchists that I totally disagree with and have let them know that I disagree with much of what they have said, but when the call comes for their support you can bet I will be there to give that support. Why? Because I DO believe in the concept, "an injury to one is an injury to all". I believe that strongly and would give my life to defend any comrade who is being denied justice. If I felt any other way then I am fooling all of you with my pretense of being an anarchist. Of being for complete and total revolutionary change for all people, not just for some people, or one group or segment of people. I fight injustice everywhere and anywhere I see it because if I don't that same injustice done to someone else will eventually be done to me.  This is how we should be thinking and should feel about one another in the struggle for anarchist principles. But to leave one dangling and having to beg and scrounge to find the means to fight against the evils of oppression is flat out wrong and unjustifiable.  
Many of you who claim to be anarchist have not done nor sacrificed one-tenth of the things Lorenzo Komboa Ervin has, yet you neglect to support this man in his hour of need?  You go to rallies and demonstrations that are highly publicized months in advance so that the news media and the government is well aware or your coming and partake in rock and bottle throwing and to gain some momentary exposure while you neglect another comrade or comrades who are in dire need because their case isn't "worthy enough to gain large crowds". What a sad and pathetic commentary.
Right now, Lorenzo has filed a Petition For A Writ Of Certiorari which means he has filed a suit requesting permission to go before the United States Supreme Court to fight the illegality of his conviction handed down to him by the State of Tennessee for his right to protest as the United States Constitution has guaranteed we have the right to do. What this man is doing will have a grave impact on whether the rest of us will be allowed to protest without law enforcement stopping us from being able to protest. Therefore, we should GET BEHIND THIS BROTHER WITH MATERIAL, FINANCIAL, AND MORAL SUPPORT. We shouldn't leave him and BANCO to do all the foot work and receive all the flak. If we do, then we are GUILTY OF REVOLUTIONARY TREASON TO A FALLEN COMRADE.  
Lorenzo has sent me a copy of his brief to the United States Supreme Court and I have read it in its entirety. It is good and it is on point. We should fight with him now and not wait until it is too late. We should develop letter writing campaigns to the court to express our concerns about this case. We should send financial donations to BANCO to aid and support Lorenzo in this trying hour of need and not let the state win merely because he doesn't have the funds to properly fight the case.
I ask you all, I urge you all, please, join in and fight with this brother and let us claim a victory.  If we do this, if we share our support for him and demonstrate for him as we've done at the WTO, NAFTA, GATT, IMF/WB, and the recent demonstrations in Quebec City, Quebec, we could show the United States Supreme Court and the world that we are united and that we do stand by our own and will fight with our own even if we do not personally know the person or may not particularly like the person per se. That we stand united under the banner of Anarchy and Anarchism (in all its variations) and will not allow any state or federal agency or government to divide us when it is time to protect one another.
I have made this appeal and now it is up to you to act. If you are willing to aid and support this brother in anarchist struggle then please, send your support and donations to him and letters/emails of inquiry as to how you can best aid and rally around his need by writing/emailing as follows : Lorenzo Komboa Ervin c/o BANCO, PO Box 19962, Kalamazoo, MI 49019-0962, USA. Phone: (616) 345-3478 - Email: komboa@yahoo.com
In the trenches..."
Ali Khalid Abdullah
Ali Khalid Abdullah : s/n 148130, 3225 John Connley Drive Lapeer, MI 48446, USA
*  *  *
BELGIUM : LETTER FROM A REFUGEE VICTIM OF AN EXTRADITION ATTEMPT	
Here is the letter which Ibrahim Bah sent to the anti-expulsion Collective short after being targeted by a fifth extradition attempt.
"Hello Marie,
I feel pain when writing this letter to you just after coming back from the airport. I take my time and think about what they did to me in Zaventem. Marie, believe me, this time they try to kill me. They started at the jail. On Thursday at 7:00am, the chief (the screw) came into my room and said I was free. He said I had to take all my stuffs. Afterwards, I changed my clothes. I said to the chief that I wanted to phone. He refused. They said I couldn't phone. They took me to the place where one can talk with one's lawyer. 
In the room, there were police officers. They handcuffed me and chained my hands and my feet. They forcibly took me into their white van. I was laying on the floor of the van. Police officers were leaning against me. 
They punched me in the face. They drove until the airport. At the airport, they took me to the isolation cell. In the isolation cell, they try to kill me. They tied me up. In my whole life, I've never been through such a hard time. My blood stopped running in my veins. I couldn't feel my hands any longer. They beat me till I urinate blood. When hey asked me to shut up, I refused. They tried to put the mattress over me so as I can't breath any more but another officer made them stop. He said if they do so, they were going to kill me. They said they were going to kill me. Because I have nobody in Belgium, no one would ask them nor would know about it. 
After being chained for an hour, my african brothers came over to help me. They argued with the police to take me out of the plane. After some disputes, they took me out of the plane and back to the white van. In the van as well, they punished me, they walked over my head. 
They took back to the isolation cell. They said if I refuse to leave, they would kill me. Because I am a criminal. I told them I was not a criminal but a refugee. In the isolation cell, I was constantly chained. They beat me. They said they were fed-up with paying for feeding me, that it was over for me with Belgium, that I had to return to Africa. They laughed; I asked for a drink, an officer told me to open my mouth so as he urinates inside. Fifteen minutes later, a doctor came and asked what had happened. I explained that I felt pain. He said he was going to come back in 5 minutes to treat me. He never came back. I remained chained into the cell. After some time, they took me to the van again to take me back to the prison. Now, I'm in the prison. I need help. If you don't help me, I think they're going to kill me because I don't want to leave. I have the right to remain in Belgium. Thanks. 
Ibrahim Bah, St Gilles prison
*  *  *
BURN THE JACKALS !!!
Tuesday 19th, June. Mario Deiana dies.
The mass-media say that he throws himself under a train. This should be the conclusion of a quite strange story, that begun the sunday before with the new of a fire that broke out in a Eurostar's carriage.
The reconstruction of facts as cops and journalist have seen it, supposes that Mario was an insane terrorist*1 intending to decimate the whole train, and as a "logical" consequence of his gesture, he committed suicide, as some newspapers prophesied.
For them, there wouldn't be any other possible end to this story, the insane should disappear to save the society from his useless and dangerous presence, better if suicide, in order to relieve journalists and cops, judges and social assistants from the task to legally eliminate Mario in a prison or in a psychiatric hospital.
By the rest, this is not the first time that the same jackals venture in these kinds of vicissitudes, to rend and slander the victim on turn, broadening the slanders to those who were his comrades (real or presumed ones).
When getting to know about the fire, the usual dissociation from those who want to accredit at all costs as the good side in front of the public opinion, the journalists and the institutions -institutions from whom they don't even think about refusing the profits and spaces, spaces that they often dare to define as "occupied"-. The same characters who, once Mario was found dead, reveal themselves again as Mario's best comrades, take advantage of this situation to denounce a frame-up against their own image.
Among some other things, it has been said and written that Mario often used to see anarchists, and that they blowed him away. None has ever pushed Mario away. Some of us remember him in the strikes for the (real ones!) squatted houses in Bologna. Others -who have never had the chance to know him- feel anyway in agreement with his story, closed to his rebellion feelings, angry because of the way this part of society exploited the facts that Mario hated so much. It is for this reason that we just wanted to express ourselves about this event, just not to leave him alone in the hands of his enemies.
The enemies of anyone who loves freedom and does not want and cannot find his/her own little place inside this prison-society.
Anarchist individuals
*1Note : in english, the word "attentore" doesn't exist. Therefore, it was replaced by the word "terrorist", which doesn't mean exactly the same thing.
*  *  *
BRIEF NEWS ITEMS
Demo against solitary confinement in support of 3 german prisoners : Last Saturday 28th, July 2001 a solidarity demonstration against solitary confinement and for the liberation of our comrades Thomas Meyer-Falk (detained in Bruchsal), Rainer Dittrich (detained in Lübeck) and Christian Klar (detained in Bruchsal) was held in front of Bruchsal prison (Baden-Württemberg).
By doing so, demonstrators intended to protest against solitary confinement in the whole world, but especially in the German Federal Republic. There are also political prisoners in our so-called democratic countries who are being exposed to continuous repression by the justice system (isolation, deprivation of stimulus, mail censorship, restricted visits etc.). With this demonstration, they wanted again to break the silence and turn the attention onto our comrades. Thomas, Rainer and Christian are only three of the many political prisoners in German prisons, and are representative of all the others.
-Thomas Meyer-Falk is a redskin convicted for a bank robbery (in order to raise money for political activities) in 1996. He got a sentence which will last till 2010. Nevertheless he got in addition a security custody, which means that he will yet stay in prison after 2010. This extra detention time is "justified" by the fact that he has never denied his anti-fascist attitude and that he is still targeted by the German state.
-Rainer Dittrich has been sitting in German prisons since 1987. He is a prisoner out of the communist resistance. He has spent most of these 13 years in solitary confinement, which caused his health to be in a very bad state. During the last years he has been very active in the support for the liberation of other political prisoners (RAF, etc) and also run a turn-to-turn unlimited hunger strike to protest the introduction of the F-cells in Turkey).
-Christian Klar was active in the prisoner's’ solidarity movement and became a member of the RAF (Red Army Fraction) at the end of 1976. He got arrested in 1982 and was convicted to a life long sentence in 1985. In 1992 he was convicted a second time to life-long imprisonment. In 1997 the Supreme Court of Stuttgart put down a minimum imprisonment time of 26 years. Today Christian Klar is 46 years old, he had been incarcerated for several years in Stammheim prison and has been sitting in Bruchsal since 1989.
The demonstration was organised and supported by: Anarchist Black Cross Luxembourg, Antifa Bensheim, Boeckstreet Noise, Gruppe "Freiheit für alle politischen Gefangenen" Mannheim, Red and Anarchist Skinheads (RASH), SDAJ Bensheim, Tamara Bunke -Verein zur internationale Jugendverstaendiging.
ABC-Luxembourg new email! : The ABC group from Luxembourg changed recently of email address and urge you to pass it around : abcluxembourg@hushmail.com  
SPAIN : Iñaki Garcia Koch, a member of the "Solidarios con Itoiz" group was arrested on Monday 26th June in Léon (Navarra) and is in jail there awaiting transfer to another prison. Iñaki, along with seven companions were sentenced, in their absence, to nearly five years for cutting cables on the construction site of the Itoiz dam. Hopefully, the other seven companions remain free and are "on the run". You can contact their supporters at the following address : Apdo 2015, Iruena, 31 080 Pamplona, Euskadi, Spanish State. Web : www.eusnet.org/partaide/solidarios/home.html 
You can write Inaki at the following address : Iñaki Garcia Koch, Centro Penitenciario "Villa Hieros", Mansilla de Mulas 24210 Léon, Spain
FINLAND : Antti Rautiainen, a member of the Finnish anarcho-syndicalist group Solidariisus, has been imprisoned for desertion in Finland. In fact, in accordance with his anarchist principles, he has always refused to serve in the army, be it under arms or some "alternative" service.
He has lived for several years in Moscow, where he studies and is involved in a number of anarchist organizations, and recently came back to Finland for a peaceful holiday. He was arrested and thrown into prison until 13th September 2001, the date on which he will be tried. He will then be sentenced to another 6 months prison if he does not accept some other type of service other than military, which will be most probably the case. He had stated previously that he was perfectly aware that he would be heading for prison once he set foot in Finland. You can write him at :  Antti Rautiainen, Helsingin tutkintavankila, PL 160, 00161 Helsinki, Finland
DEMO GOTEBORG : As for every world elites' summits that took place along the past few years, the EU summit in Goteborg was the ground of police brutality against thousands of demonstrators who had come around to protest the Fortress Europe. Nowadays, firearms are inclusively part of the means used by security forces to protect the true hooligans, i.e. the handful of businessmen and their politician accomplices. Two young demonstrators were actually shot, amongst one fell into coma for a number of days. He's hopefully out of danger now. According to the swedish paper "Arbetaren", 50 people are still in prison. Up to now, 29 of them have already been tried and 19 more are awaiting for trial. 16 were sentenced to prison time :
-a 24-year-old swedish man charged with sabotage received a 1 year and two months prison sentence. Police accuse him of having destroyed a police radio during the riots, which he denies. A number of people would have confused police communication means during the riots. Yet, he's the only one to have been arrested and charged for it. 
-Two 19-year-old and one 30-year-old swedish guys accused of "participation in a violent riot" sentenced respectively to 8 and 10 months in prison.
-7 danish people are collectively charged with "participation in a violent riot". They would have been followed by a plainclothes police who declares having seen them throwing stones at cops. He then would have followed them into a pub where they took their cowl off. They were sentenced to 1 month for the youngest up to 8 months for the oldest.
-A 20-year-old swedish guy accused of "leading and organizing the riots". A bunch of 5 to 10 secret police had followed him for a month because he had been arrested during demos in Prague. He's part of the all-white group Globalisering Underifran. His parents wrote a letter to the swedish paper Expressen saying he's active in several non-violent groups and that the sentence he received (2 years and a half) was already decided even before the trial takes place. 
-A 38-year-old swedish man charged with "leading and inciting the crowd to violent riots" got a 9 month-prison sentence.
-A 24-year-old german charged with "participation in a violent riot" is banned from the swedish territory when he will have served his sentence (1 year and 3 months).
-A 38-year-old english librarian was sentenced to 1 year in prison for "participation in a violent riot".
It appears that all foreigners extradited will be banished from the Schengen zone for 5 years, which means they can no longer travel from one country to another within this economic area. Regarding the accusation of "participation in a violent riot", there's no need to have committed violent acts for being charged with it. Being part of a crowd behaving violently (against people or materials) is enough. The law actually stipulates that "intending to be violent" is punishable as well. Trials are still taking place on a high-speed rhythm... 
DEMO BARCELONA : In spite of the cancellation of the World Bank summit planned basically in Barcelona on June 24th, 2000, demonstrations took place anyway. At midday, the so-called "good" demonstration started peacefully until the point where it reached the Catalonia Place. There, plainclothes policemen (amongst some were wearing typical anonymous cowl) provoked serious troubles. Consequently, security forces (the famous anti-disturbios) cleaned up the place where at least 25,000 people had gathered, including tourists and bystanders.
In the end of the afternoon, the anarchist movement had called for another demo which the police didn't even allow to start. While anarchist-inspired people and anarcho-syndicalists were peacefully gathering, police attacked them brutally. When trying to escape, demonstrators were faced with more cops who were "hunting" and beating their preys, rather than willing to arrest them. About 50 people were injured, and 24 arrested, amongst members of the CNT-AIT from Malaga. They have been released and are charged with "public disorder and destruction", though the demo had even not started...
DEMO GENOA : From July 19th to 21st, the G8 summit that gathers the leaders of the 8 richest countries of the world took place in Genoa, Italy. About a week before the summit starts, the italian State had deployed a huge "security" device in order to abort the protests : closure of the borders, filtering of the individuals attempting to cross the border, repeated searches, creation of a "forbidden zone" around the congress building, etc. All along the three days, tanks, machine-guns, tear gas and water barrels were being used by 20,000 cops and soldiers. According to many comments from all sides, the demos turned into a field of urban guerilla. Summit after summit, repression is getting harder and harder. In Goteborg already, a cop had shot onto a demonstrator who got severely injured. In Genoa, a 23 year-old militant, Carlo Giuliani, was shot dead with 2 bullets in his head, and then run over by the police car where the shooting came from. About 1500 people attended his funerals. 
Over 600 demonstrators were severely injured, most of them savagely beaten up by cops, and hundreds of people were arrested arbitrarily, even when walking on the footpath out of demonstrations. The Genoa Social Forum's organizational center was attacked illegally by police randomly beating dozens of people. Hard disks, footages and most of the demonstrator's materials were completely destroyed or confiscated. Police searches and arbitrary arrests have continued throughout Italy, and the italian anarchist/squat/radical movement has little chance to be spared reprisals...
BELORUS : Professor Bandazhevsky was recently sentenced by the "Justice" of Belorus (ex-Belorussia) to 8 years of hard labour, without any right to read or write and with 3 visits by his wife per year. Nevertheless, witnesses retracted during the trial, explaining they had been pressured... What's his "crime"? In 9 years of research and experimentation at the Gomel Medical Institute which he created and run until his arrest, he's the only one who started to describe the destructive effect of low radioactive doses of Cs 137, which was incorporated into human organism, onto all vital organs, following the Tchernobyl disaster. But for the Belorus Power (and the world nuclear lobby), there's no way to recognize the true consequences of this disaster. The only way out is to require from the Belorus president to pardon him. You can send messages for it at presid@president.gov.by with a copy to s.m.fernex@wanadoo.fr.

The Anarchist Black Cross is a federation of autonomous groups whose purpose is the definitive abolition of the penitentiary system. We'll not manage it right away and therefore, the ABC network offers to support revolutionary, leftist, anarchist or else framed up prisoners as a first step. As well, we support prisoners who became politically aware in the course of their detention, so-called "illegal" immigrants in jail, victims of racist, sexist and police aggressions. We encourage readers to write to prisoners, we collect funds to provide them financial support to cover their lawyer costs, help their political work in jail, or else their expensive and difficult daily life. As for the group in Dijon, we spread infos on a monthly bulletin in french and a bi-monthly in english, we propose a short list of prisoners' writings and materials about the prison topic, we organize solidarity actions, etc. Get in touch to receive prisoners' addresses, flyers, infos, to subscribe or just to know more. 
ABC-Dijon, c/o Maloka, B.P. 536, 21014 Dijon-cedex, France. E-mail : maloka@chez.com. Website : www.chez.com/maloka