MIM Notes 194      September 15, 1999

Amerikan dungeons release two anti-imperialist wimmin

Anti-imperialist Laura Whitehorn was released from prison in 
August. And Silvia Baraldini was transferred to her native Italy 
later in the month. These wimmin, along with hundreds other 
revolutionaries still incarcerated, were imprisoned for their 
political opposition to Amerika's imperialist rampaging. These 
wimmin were punished for their participation in the struggle for 
justice. While Amerika attempts to push public attention toward 
the violation of human rights in other countries, Amerika 
continues to assassinate, incarcerate and brutalize people within 
the belly of the beast who oppose oppression.

Laura Whitehorn was initially arrested in 1985 and was sentence to 
23 years. Whitehorn was one of the defendants in the Resistance 
Conspiracy Case, charged with "conspiracy to oppose, protest and 
change the policies and practices of the United States government 
in domestic and international matters by violence and illegal 
means."

Silvia Baraldini, also a revolutionary anti-imperialist 
incarcerated for her political beliefs and alleged roles in 
political actions has finally been returned to Italy. Among the 
things Silvia is accused of is aiding in the escape of Black 
Liberation Army leader Assata Shakur. (Assata now lives in exile 
in Cuba). Amerika's incarceration and inhumane treatment of Silvia 
is due to her involvement with revolutionary struggle, not because 
of the crimes she was convicted of:  Silvia was never convicted of 
carrying out any violent acts or harming other people.

Many of our readers may be familiar with Silvia from the video 
"Through the Wire" about the first control unit prison for wimmin 
in Lexington, Kentucky. MIM has held several events at which the 
video was shown to raise awareness regarding the treatment of 
incarcerated revolutionaries. Silvia Baraldini was incarcerated 
along with Puerto Rican revolutionary Alejandrina Torres and anti-
imperialist Susan Rosenberg at the Lexington control unit 
explicitly to break their political will. The wimmin were 
subjected to small group isolation and sensory deprivation, and 
other control tactics like constant video surveillance, 
unnecessary strip searches, cavity probes and constant fluorescent 
lighting in the basement dungeon for nearly two years. The wimmin 
also were denied adequate medical care that resulted in 
Baraldini's health declining severely as cancer developed. The 
control unit was closed down as a result of consistent outside 
opposition to the inhumane, Nazi-like experiment.

Silvia has been imprisoned since 1983. Five times since 1989, 
Silvia and the Italian government had requested she be returned to 
Italy under a treaty that allows prisoners convicted abroad to 
serve their sentences at home. Each time Amerika said no, fearing 
that this leader of the people would not be adequately tortured by 
the Italian prison system.

But Italian anger toward Amerika grew after a u.$. Marine jet 
killed 20 people as it sliced through a gondala cable at an 
Italian ski resort in February 1998. Increased Italian protest 
helped to pressure the United Snakes to allow Silvia to return 
home.

Baraldini's transfer will not bring back the 20 Italians murdered 
by the U.$. Marines and it does not absolve Amerika from its 
imperialist crimes. However, taking advantage of the mistakes of 
our enemies, the revolutionary forces can sometimes win small 
victories while building strength to take on the larger battles.

In an amazing violation of Italian sovereignty, the United Snakes 
has the right to determine Silvia's prison conditions in Italy 
until her sentence ends in 2008. The agreement also denies Silvia 
the right to medical care outside of the prison, despite her 
struggles against cancer.

MIM has long called all prisoners political prisoners in 
recognition of the political system that chooses who goes to 
prison and who does not. But we also recognize the importance of 
the fight for freedom of political leaders incarcerated explicitly 
for their political beliefs and actions. Their incarceration 
weakens the movement as a whole by taking them off the streets as 
well as institutionalizing the punishment of people for their 
ideas alone. We celebrate the release of Whitehorn and the 
transfer of Baraldini. We urge readers to become active to 
continue to fight for the release of politically active prisoners, 
justice for all prisoners and ultimately for proletarian 
revolution. Proletarian revolution must continue to be our longer-
term objective. It is the only means through which law making and 
enforcement are conducted in the interests of the oppressed for 
justice.