* * The Maoist Internationalist Movement * * - MIM Notes 114, May 15 1996 - RALLY DEMANDS RETURN OF MASSACHUSETTS PRISONERS HEALTH CONDITIONS APPALLING: PRISONERS DYING IN TEXAS The Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist League (RAIL) and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) held a rally May 4th to call for the return of the Massachusetts prisoners still being held hostage in Texas. This issue became particularly urgent in early April when Charles Mosby, one of the transferred prisoners, sent a letter to Jill Brotman of the AFSC Criminal Justice Program describing the deteriorating health of a number of the transferred prisoners and their lack of medical care and horrible conditions. On the six month anniversary of the transfers, the pawns in Governor Weld's political game fear they may lose more than contact with their friends and family in this transfer: they may lose their lives. One Massachusetts prisoner in Texas has already died of AIDS complications undiagnosed prior to the transfer (in spite of prison official claims that only the healthy prisoners were being transferred). Mosby wrote about another inmate, Robert Lena, who, only after threats of violence by the prisoners, was finally taken to a hospital with a temperature of 104. He was returned to the prison the next day (April 4) with the promise of antibiotic (which they had not given him as of the date of the letter, April 6), the doctors still unable to figure out what is wrong with him. Mosby described how Lena's feet were swollen and turning black and red with patches of blood on his feet like he is bleeding from the inside of his feet and legs. He had a swelling problem in his feet and legs for three months that finally worsened to the current condition. Mosby wrote: "...in the 3 months before his condition got like this if he would have proper medical attention, he probably wouldn't be in the condition that he is in now, I do fear that through the lack of treatment, Mr. Lena's life is very much in danger: as I have told you, my own feet have started swollen about 2 or 3 weeks after Mr. Lena and we have both exhibit the exact same symptom, only his is in an advance stage, so that means in the next weeks I would probably go through the same stuff. Jill, I am living in fear of maybe losing my feet or my life, each morning when I wake up I wake in fear of seeing my feet in worse shape, it is at the point where I am not living in fear of dying, simply because these people are not providing proper medical care, Jill we need help in here and if we don't get it, I am very much afraid that me, Mr. Lena, and the other inmate who has the same problem will not live to be brought back to Mass." Mosby goes on to say: "We don't want to die here in Texas, whatever it is that is wrong with us, we got it here, and it is getting to the point where I am beginning to believe that it may either be the food or something they put in the food, we were perfectly healthy when we were taken from prison in Massachusetts." The prisoners have also reported that the water looks like beer. Conditions in Texas are appalling: constant light, no exercise, no heat in the cold, and no medical care in addition to the problems with the food and water. As was reported in past MIM Notes, Weld forced passage of a $500 million bill to expand prisons after shipping 299 Massachusetts prisoners off to Texas. But even after this victory for Weld (a defeat for the oppressed) the prisoners still have not been returned. In response to this plea for help by the prisoners in Texas, people showed up in downtown Boston to educate themselves and others passing by, gather petition signatures, and organize people to further action while demanding that the governor and legislature return the prisoners. The rally was scheduled for 2 p.m. and the rain started just in time for the rally. A number of dedicated activists turned out in spite of the weather with petitions (covered with plastic) in hand. It was harder to talk to people in the rain but we did make some new friends, gathered a lot of signatures, and were interviewed for a radio show on a local station (WMBR). We closed down in time to dry off before heading over to Governor Weld's house where the American Friends Service Committee has led a demonstration of the friends and family of the prisoners each week since the beginning of the hostage crisis. As we marked these two six month anniversaries, that of the exile of prisoners and the struggle for their return, RAIL decided to begin holding an informational rally the first Saturday of each month 2 p.m. at the Park Street T stop in downtown Boston, and afterwards at the Governor's house, until the return of the prisoners. MIM Notes is not copyrighted. Please credit MIM when redistributing or referring to this material. Subscriptions are $20 for 24 issues, U.S. mail or e-mail. Send cash, stamps or check made out to "MIM Distributors." Write: MIM Distributors, PO Box 3576, Ann Arbor MI 48106-3576. E-mail: mim@nyxfer.blythe.org. http://ursula.blythe.org/mim