Support
anti-war,
anti-racist
news

:: Donate now ::

Email this article 

Printable page

Email the editor

Fight to free Mumia gains new supporters

By Leslie Feinberg

The power of militant, creative, informa tional and on-going protest has brought the case of prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal to millions more people across the U.S. and around the world.

Activists here and abroad are using the temporary stay of execution--won by a tide of struggle--to help build awareness and organize a broader movement to save the life of this world-renown political prisoner.

A crucial federal district court ruling is due sometime in early spring. That decision by Judge William Yohn will decide whether or not Abu-Jamal receives an evidentiary hearing.

On Dec. 7, Abu-Jamal's lawyers filed a memorandum of law with Yohn. The 95-page memorandum documents the legal basis for each of the 29 constitutional violations in Abu-Jamal's first trial that are filed in the petition for a federal writ of habeas corpus.

Massive pressure--from the streets to the courtroom--won a stay of the scheduled Dec. 2 execution. Now an even wider movement is needed, an open letter to the movement stresses, to win Abu-Jamal not only an evidentiary hearing but a new trial.

The letter, signed by more than 20 prominent national and international supporters of Abu-Jamal, notes that "Our movement for Mumia has achieved much over the last year."

The letter cites the 1999 teach-ins, the Rage Against the Machine concerts, the New York Town Hall Rally, West Coast Longshore work stoppage, April 24 Millions for Mumia mobilizations, the invitation by Evergreen State College students to Abu-Jamal to deliver their commencement address, the 95 activists arrested in a civil disobedience action at the Liberty Bell and the Mumia 911 and Mumia Awareness Week mobilizations.

These and other actions, the letter explains, "have set Mumia's case before millions." But, these supporters add, "We still need to build the broadest movement possible in order to counter an opposition that remains powerful, dangerous, well-organized and poised to kill Mumia."

The letter calls on everyone who cares about justice for Abu-Jamal to take action. "Already planned are dozens of programs, actions, newspaper ads and mobilizations to give collective voice to our cry for justice."

Signers of the letter include Pam Africa, actor Ossie Davis, Robert Meeropol--a son of executed political prisoners Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, Safiya Bukhari from the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition-New York, Al Sharpton from the National Action Network, Manning Marable from the Black Radical Congress, poet Martín Espada, Julia Wright--the daughter of author Richard Wright, and Monica Moorehead from Millions for Mumia and the International Action Center.

Work on major events are already underway for the rest of the winter and spring. In January, Amnesty International is publishing a pamphlet on Abu-Jamal's case.

On Jan. 12, a union delegation from Europe will arrive in Washington to demand a new trial for Abu-Jamal.

And the death-row prisoners' struggle will be visible in Martin Luther King Day events across the U.S.

On Feb. 18-19, a National Emergency Conference for Mumia is planned. And the week of Feb. 23 is already designated as the annual national student and youth day for Abu-Jamal.

Civil disobedience actions on behalf of Abu-Jamal are planned in Washington and San Francisco on Feb. 28.

Later that month an "Educators for Mumia" ad will run in the New York Times.

Mumia Awareness Week is set for April 1-8, in order to coincide with the anniversary of the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King.

That same month, Abu-Jamal's new book "All Things Censored" will be available in bookstores.

For more information about these and other events and how you can help contact organizers in New York at (212) 633-6646; in San Francisco at (415) 821-6545; in Philadelphia at (215) 476-8812; or email npcny@peoplescampaign.org. On the Web, visit www.mumia.org and www.peoples campaign.org.

Copyright © 1999 workers.org