* * The Maoist Internationalist Movement * * - MIM Notes 107, December 1995 - RALLY AGAINST REPRESSION IN MASSACHUSETTS PRISONS Boston, November 18th--The Revolutionary Anti- Imperialist League held a rally outside the offices of the Department of Corrections and NYNEX co- sponsored by MIM, Latinos Against Abuse of Prisoners, the Committee to Free Puerto Rican Political Prisoners and POWs, the UMass- Amherst Radical Student Union, and Freedom Now. Over 40 people joined the rally to oppose the increasing repression in prisons in this state and in particular to target the new NYNEX contract with the DOC to cut prisoners' access to phones and tape and control every phone call. People holding signs and banners opposing the Amerikan injustice system, and decrying the real criminals in the Amerikan government marched through downtown Boston. We marched past Channel 7 news pointing out how the media is a tool of the imperialists, past City Hall voicing our opposition to the role they play in empowering the police officers to harass the people, and ended at the Boston Common where many people stopped to join the rally and sign petitions. Among the participants in the rally were parents of prisoners who expressed outrage at the treatment of their sons, and people who had been in prison and experienced the repression first hand. One man had just been released from jail that day and happened on the rally and was very excited to join in and help build the movement. Many sheets of petitions opposing control units were filled with signatures of people attending the rally and passing by. People spoke about the increasing use of control units to torture prisoners, the lack of access to education and health care, and the systematic repression of political activists, and oppressed nations. One prisoner from Walpole wrote a letter to RAIL about the rally updating us on the continuing repression in this Supermax prison and pledging his solidarity with us. He wrote: "Thank you so much for being concerned about the on-going UnLawfulness that continues to go on behind these prison(s) walls... I greatly thank you for being there for us in Our Struggles my Dear Comrades!" RAIL will continue its vigilance in fighting this battle against repression in Massachusetts prisons. We are planning other rallies for the spring and are ready to respond quickly if Weld is successful in getting money to build new prisons and more control units. We have educational and organizing meetings every Wednesday at 7:30pm in the Old Cambridge Baptist Church, 1151 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge. Anyone interested in joining the fight is welcome. MIM Notes is not copyrighted. Please credit MIM when redistributing or referring to this material. Subscriptions are $12/year (12 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.