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Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the Sept. 14, 2000
issue of Workers World newspaper
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MUMIA NEWS IN BRIEF

Latino unionists
demand new trial

At its Aug. 9-13 national conference in Chicago, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement adopted a resolution supporting a new trial for Black freedom fighter Mumia Abu-Jamal, who is beginning his 19th year on Pennsylvania's death row. LCLAA is the official Latino constituency group of the AFL-CIO.

The resolution states, "Mumia's case concentrates the whole atmosphere of criminalizing African American men, the expanded death penalty and the gutting of defendants' rights.

"The National Convention of Aug. 9-13 goes on record demanding a new trial for Mumia and joins in coalition with the individuals and organizations around the world that represent a growing chorus for freedom and justice and against the violation of Mumia's right to a fair trial and to stop the execution."

Labor support for Abu-Jamal has snowballed in recent months. The Service Employees, Postal Workers and California State AFL-CIO have come out in Abu-Jamal's defense this year.

Labor letter to Reno

The Labor for Mumia campaign is gathering signatures for "An Open Letter to Attorney General Janet Reno and the Department of Justice from Trade Unionists."

The letter reads in part: "We trade unionists demand justice for our union brother, award-winning journalist and National Writers Union member Mumia Abu-Jamal.

"Abu-Jamal has been on death row for the last 18 years, convicted of killing a Philadelphia police officer and sentenced to death in a trial that can only be described as a travesty of justice."

After laying out the facts of the case and the many abuses of courts, cops and prosecutors, the letter concludes:

"Attorney General Janet Reno, justice demands that you intervene to guarantee the rights of Mumia Abu-Jamal. We demand that you guarantee Abu-Jamal's right to a new trial. We demand justice. Anything less would amount to your complicity."

To get copies of the letter and background information especially prepared for union members, visit the Web site www.aspenlinx.com/labor.

Police attack Dutch protesters

A bulletin from the Dutch Campaign to Free Mumia reports that police attacked 75 protesters outside the U.S. Embassy at The Hague Sept. 2. At least seven activists were arrested after they demanded to meet with U.S. officials.

Braving heavy rains, the crowd chanted "Free Mumia, Free, Free Mumia!" in Dutch as they marched from Central Station to the U.S. Embassy. They found the door locked and the entrance deserted.

"The police, unprovoked, charged into the crowd waving batons," says the group's report. "Several people were wrestled to the ground, while many others were clubbed by police, apparently at random."

Eyewitnesses who were not part of the action have agreed to testify about the brutal police attack.

The Free Mumia group adds, "We call upon the Dutch government at all levels to apologize for the actions of the police, free our comrades in jail, and join the European Parliament, the Belgian Parliament, Amnesty International and other bodies that have studied the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal and called for his conviction to be overturned."

French parliament leader visits

Raymond Forni, president of the French National Assembly, visited Mumia Abu-Jamal on death row Aug. 28. He was a sponsor of the 1981 legislation that ended capital punishment in France.

At a press conference following the meeting, Forni urged the U.S. government to abolish the death penalty.

"With Mumia you have the case of everyone who is sharing his lot," said Forni. "Because of his particular intelligence [Abu-Jamal] is fighting two wars: one on his own behalf, and the other for the larger issue that we are interested in." (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Aug. 29)

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