What killed Merle Africa?
MOVE member dies in jail
By G. Dunkel
Merle Austin Africa, a member of the MOVE
organization, died March 13 in Pennsylvania's Cambridge Springs
prison.
Prison administrators first claimed she died of "tumors."
They later revised the reason for her death to "natural
causes."
Ramona Africa of the MOVE family told reporters that Merle
Africa was a physically and mentally strong 40-year-old
woman.
Merle Africa's mother was only told about her daughter's
death after she called prison officials and insisted on knowing
what had happened.
Another MOVE member, Debbie Sims Africa, was in the cell
with Merle Africa when she suddenly became unconscious. Guards
removed Debbie Sims Africa from the cell, and did not let her
watch the paramedics work on her sister.
Eddie Africa, jailed in SCI Camp Hill prison, has reportedly
been denied the right to make any telephone calls since his
sister's death.
MOVE is holding all the "system officials"-those responsible
for putting and keeping Merle in jail-responsible for her
death. The MOVE organization has been subject to years of state
brutality for their exposure of racist cops and calls for
revolution.
To the family of Merle Africa and the entire MOVE
organization
From the National Committee of Workers World Party
A Statement of Condolence on the Death of Merle Africa
We, along with the rest of the progressive movement, are
outraged and saddened at hearing of the death of our sister,
Merle Africa, who along with her MOVE 9 comrades had been
illegally held in captivity for 20 years as a political
prisoner of war.
No matter what the Pennsylvania authorities say was the
"official" cause of her death, every politically conscious
person should blame the racist prison system and the brutal
conditions inherent in that system for her demise.
They were her executioners and have to be held accountable for
her untimely death.
This is another reason the Jericho '98 coalition's demand
for immediate amnesty for all political prisoners takes on a
greater urgency. The March 27 march and rally at the White
House will be a significant step forward in achieving this
goal. The spirit of Merle Africa will live on. All out for
March 27!
Yours in struggle,
Monica Moorehead and Larry Holmes
For the National Committee of Workers World Party
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
Subscribe wwnews-subscribe@workersworld.net
Support independent news http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php)
HOME
:: U.S. NEWS ::
WORLD NEWS ::
EDITORIALS ::
SUBSCRIBE ::
DONATE
Email
this article
Printable
page