MIM(Prisons) is a cell of revolutionaries serving the oppressed masses inside U.$. prisons, guided by the communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.
Under Lock & Key is a news service written by and for prisoners with a focus on what is going on behind bars throughout the United States. Under Lock & Key is available to U.S. prisoners for free through MIM(Prisons)'s Free Political Literature to Prisoners Program, by writing:
MIM(Prisons) PO Box 40799 San Francisco, CA 94140.
Tres semanas dentro de la huelga, CDCR ha dado su repuesta oficial lo
que se puede resumir, “La vamos a investigar.” El 15 de Julio CDCR les
hace una propuesta a los huelguistas de Pelican Bay que termine la
huelga sin prometer cambios. Los presos rechazaron la oferta y
continuaron con el hambre, que calificaron de “humo y espejos” y de
“insultar”. (1) Estas personas están dispuestos a morir por los derechos
fundamentales que ha sido negado durante años, décadas, para muchos, y
CDCR llega a la mesa con nada
Nuestras preguntas han recibido las mismas repuesta del Director sobre,
“Operando en acuerdo completo de la ley . . . mientras proveyendo por el
tratamiento humano y ético de todos los prisioneros.” Aun más
indignante, el Director afirma que CDCR proveen, “la capacidad de hacer
programas con todo seguridad y participar en su rehabilitación.” ¡La
huelga está ocurriendo porque no hay programas ni rehabilitación!
Los que están en contacto con los huelguistas nos informan que algunos
en Pelican Bay quien habían dejado el ayuno han regresado a la huelga en
repuesta a la negligencia de CDCR. También hemos recibido palabra de 4
camaradas que están en el Instituto para Hombres de California en Chino
que ellos acaban de comenzar una huelga de hambre en solidaridad después
de recibir noticias desde MIM(Prisons).
Otros reportes recibidos recientemente incluyen uno en lo que United
Struggle from Within organizó camaradas en Kern Valley State Prison por
una huelga de hambre de 24 horas en solidaridad. En High Desert State
Prison, donde los marranos servían doble porciones de comida para
impedir una huelga, unos cuantos camaradas rehusaron la comida desde el
primer de julio hasta el tercero. Secciones enteros de California State
Prison - Corcoran todavía están de huelga y los médicos están viniendo
regularmente para pesar los prisioneros.
I am currently at Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) and I was involved in
the recent hunger strike. We stayed on strike until July 5th, not just
the 24 hour strike that
your
article stated we did at KVSP. It would have gone on longer until
ISU and IGI started pulling out certain individuals and demanded we get
off the hunger strike! As you know, validations are very easy to come by
nowadays. So the hunger strike ended.
I got your letter about the food strike. I did my best to hang in there,
I gave it 2 weeks and I had to eat. Sorry, I could not last any longer.
So what is the outcome of the food strike? Did they accomplish their
goal? Can you please let me know what’s going on right now? I am
validated and I got 6 years clean and they won’t let me out of the SHU
either.
MIM(Prisons) responds: We are doing our best to keep our comrades
behind bars updated on the food strike, which
ended
at Pelican Bay on July 21, at least temporarily. The
latest issue of
Under Lock & Key just went out with this update. The
original goals of the strike were not won, but the administrators
promised a major review of policies and the
latest
report from others in touch with strike leaders say that the CDCR
has a few weeks to complete their review before the strike begins again.
One thing is for sure, if we don’t keep up the pressure and hold them to
not only review but actual policy change, the conditions of abuse and
torture in prisons across California will remain the same. In addition,
hunger strikers are likely to face reprisals as punishment for their
protest if we don’t continue to increase support inside and outside
California prisons.
The recent mass hunger strike got the prisoncrats’ attention even though
the prisoncrats seek to downplay or minimize the success of the strike
by spoon feeding the media. In particular, their Sacramento Bee spin
doctor stooge accepts the official representations which contain very
few facts mixed with the typical misleading, provocative and confusing
innuendo so as to perpetuate their coined myths.
The public is gullible and must be constantly educated to see through
muddy water. Such has been the case for years because of the assumption
that government officials and law enforcement allegedly have their
safety, security and best interests at the forefront when it’s really
all about the money or budget. The CDCR purveys to the public that the
most dangerous and supposedly most hardened prison gang leaders called
for the hunger strike even though they also claim that the modus
operandi of gangs are violence and intimidation which is totally
contrary to the utilization of a passive non-violent form of protest
which requires self restraint and determination.
The secretary, Matthew Cate, stated in a CDCR prepared statement that
“hunger strikes are dangerous and ineffective as a means for prisoners
to attempt to negotiate.” Yet, the administrative appeal process is also
dangerous and ineffective as each level rubber stamps the arbitrary
decision of the prior level. Even when the decision was obviously in
error and a threat to prisoner health and safety, they refuse to accept
responsibility and accountability.
What the secretary has not said is that the hunger strike by masses of
prisoners have in fact overwhelmed the prison medical department with
additional medical expense to an already overburdened prison healthcare
system. The strikers pose a more significant problem for the
prisoncrats’ budget than the shooting and gassing of violent prisoners
in prison uprisings or even non-violent prisoners who are also shot,
gassed/sprayed and beat with zeal as prisoncrats claim they were a
threat to institutional security [see
grievance
campaign].
Prisoncrats, as any conscious prisoner should know, could not care less
about the health of prisoners. They do care about the expense of
providing constitutional mandated medical care. Therefore we should
question the prisoncrats’ claim to have had plans since January to
review and change some policies, which were only revealed to us after
weeks of food strikes.
Prisoncrats tend to take full advantage of the divide and conquer
concept and are at their best when they are able to pit the lumpen
divisions against each other for amusement or distraction which is why
one should be suspicious of any claim by the prisoncrats to want to
eliminate what they have for years encouraged and perpetuated in the
penal system to justify the excessive prison budget.
The mass hunger strike may have only lasted 20 days, but it was like a
shot across the bow of the CDCR’s battleship by an enemy they can not
justifiably target with all their massive violent resources and
infrastructure. Yes the mass hunger strike got the prisoncrats’
attention and their immediate response was to again expand the
censorship of information prisoners receive so as to keep us unaware of
what’s going on. However, it also got their budgetary attention via
their healthcare pocketbook.
The hunger strike also got the attention of the CCPOA which realizes
that such strikes benefit the SEIU who are gaining more clout in the
prison system and custody staff have effectively been rendered impotent
as they do not have a real or effective contingency for dealing with
non-violent forms of protest that they can not counteract or employ
violence to suppress and to that extent the mass hunger strike was a
success.
MIM(Prisons) responds: Many are writing in disappointed with
the outcome of the California hunger strike so far. But as this comrade
points out, the strategy of the hunger strikers was effective in a
number of ways. And as the CDCR is given a “brief grace period,” as one
of the strike initiators called it, we are regrouping. There are many
who just found out about the strike as it was happening. If the CDCR
continues to drag its feet on making any real changes, as we all expect
they will, we should see an even stronger and more widespread response
from prisoners across California and beyond. Of course, CDCR is
regrouping as well, and we must guard against efforts to trick prisoners
into thinking they do not share the same conditions and the same
enemies.
California Prison Focus reported
this evening (July 21, 2011) that CDCR claims that the hunger strike in
Pelican Bay has ended are true. They report they stopped “in exchange
for a major policy review of SHU housing conditions, gang validation
process, and debriefing process.” While our experience of reviews within
the department are universally that nothing happens, the leaders of the
strike have nonetheless achieved a great victory in uniting prisoners
across California and beyond for the just demands of the oppressed. This
is a struggle to learn from and build on.
Presumably prisoners at other prisons (such as Chino, Calipatria,
Corcoran, Tehachapi, Folsom, Vally State Prison for Women, San
Quentin) are still on food strike unaware of the agreement.
MIM(Prisons) sent another stack of letters in support of the prisoners
on hunger strike across California to the so-called Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation with the cover letter below. There will
also be a demonstration in support of the prisoners’ demand outside of
the CDCR office today:
Monday, July 18th 1-4PM Demonstration outside CDCR Headquarters.
1515 S. St. in Sacramento, CA
Warden Greg Lewis Pelican Bay State Prison P.O. Box
7000 Crescent City, CA 95531-7000
18 July 2011
Dear Warden Lewis,
Two weeks ago we sent dozens of letters from residents of California who
are concerned for the welfare of the prisoners in Pelican Bay State
Prison. As the conditions outlined by the prisoners have still not been
addressed by the CDCR we are sending additional letters of support (see
enclosed). We are all aware that the conditions of many prisoners are
becoming critical and we urge you to take immediate action to remedy the
conditions. The conditions addressed by the prisoners demands are in no
way conducive to rehabilitation and no one should have to die for these
basic requests.
We have also forwarded copies of these letters to CDCR Internal Affairs
and CDCR Office of the Ombudsman.
Sincerely, MIM Distributors P.O. Box 40799 San Francisco, CA
94140
Three weeks into the California Food Strike the CDCR has given it’s
official response, which can be summed up as “We’ll look into it.” On
July 15, the CDCR made a proposal to the strikers at Pelican Bay to end
the strike without promising any changes. The prisoners declined the
offer and continued to fast, calling it “smoke and mirrors” and
“insulting.”(1) These guys are willing to die for basic rights they’ve
been denied for years, decades for many, and CDCR comes to the table
with nothing.
Our inquiries received similar canned responses from the Warden about
“operating in full accordance to [all] law… while providing for the
ethical, humane treatment of all prisoners.” Even more outrageously, he
claims they provide “the ability to safely program and actively
participate in their rehabilitation.” The strike is on because there are
no programs or rehabilitation!
Those in close contact with the striking prisoners report that some in
Pelican Bay who had stopped fasting have returned to the strike in
response to the CDCR’s negligence.(1) We’ve also received word from 4
comrades in the California Institution for Men in Chino that they have
just begun a hunger strike in solidarity after getting news from
MIM(Prisons).
Other recently received reports include that United Struggle from Within
organized comrades in Kern Valley State Prison for a 24 hour food strike
in solidarity. In High Desert State Prison, where the pigs were serving
double the normal amount of food to prevent a hunger strike, a number of
comrades didn’t eat from July 1 thru 3rd. Whole sections of California
State Prison - Corcoran are still on strike and doctors are coming in
regularly to weigh the prisoners.
I am one of the participants involved in the peaceful protest at Pelican
Bay, basically and simply just to challenge our predicament. We’ve
exhausted all other resources but no one within the system listens to
our cries for human decency and respect. We are expected to abide by the
designed laws of the state, but when we elect to exercise so-called
given rights, we are condemned for such action.
A peaceful protest presents us the opportunity to demonstrate our
humanity contrary to the misguided propaganda that’s utilized to degrade
and demean our intelligence. It is definitely a drastic approach and
sometimes when there are no doable options, its necessary to take the
struggle to the next level of development. Dialectical materialism
teaches us about the science of reason and logical development in order
to reach a synthesis to whatever that contradiction is, anything that
isn’t growing is definitely stagnant!
The hunger strike is reaching critical stage for those who have pledged
to strike indefinitely, especially the elder and ill. The CDCR still
refuses to negotiate and the leaders of the oppressed locked in Pelican
Bay continue to exert their leadership. Here is the latest report being
circulated by a point persyn on the outside:
Tuesday 8:30 AM: According to a SHU nurse, things are bad at Pelican
Bay. The prisoners have not been drinking water and there have been
rapid and severe consequences. Nurses are crying. All of the medical
staff has been ordered to work overtime to follow and treat the hunger
strikers. As of Monday, there were about 50 on C-SHU and 150 on D-SHU.
They are not drinking water and have decompensated rapidly. Some are in
renal failure and have been unable to make urine for 3 days. Some are
having measured blood sugars in the 30 range, which can be fatal if not
treated. They have refused concentrated sugar packs and ensure. The
staff has taken them to the CTC and given them intravenous glucose when
allowed by the prisoners, but some won’t accept this medical support. As
of Monday, no one has been force fed with a nasogastric tube. A few have
tried to sip water but are so sick that they are vomiting it back up.
Some of the medical staff is freaked out because clearly some of these
guys seem determined to die. Not taking the water is crushing the staff
because the prisoners are progressing rapidly to the organ damaging
consequences of dehydration.(1)
CDCR is reporting 800 prisoners continue to refuse food at 6 prisons.(2)
However there are multiple reports of groups of prisoners joining the
strike this week and even planning to join later in the month.
The campaign initiated July 1st by prisoners in Pelican Bay State Prison
(PBSP) against the torturous conditions of long-term isolation has
received broad support going on for weeks now. The California Department
of Corrections and Rehabilitation [sic] (CDCR) has admitted that 6600
prisoners refused food trays last weekend across 13 of their 33
prisons.(1) Meanwhile, numerous organizations have organized
demonstrations and mobilized support across the United $tates and Kanada
leading up to and following the start of the hunger strike. Over five
thousand people have signed an online petition pledging their support.
Volunteers with MIM(Prisons) have interacted with thousands of people on
the streets inside and outside of California with info on the hunger
strike, gathering dozens of
signed
letters and a handful of donations.
According to CDCR 1,600 prisoners remain on food strike one week after
the start.(2) The media is reporting a sharp drop in the number of
prisoners refusing food in a tone that implies the strike is losing
steam. But this is hardly the case. Many prisoners we’ve heard from
outside of Pelican Bay only pledged to strike one or two days in
solidarity. One reason for this is because it is hard for them to know
when the strike ends or what is happening despite the efforts of outside
supporters to send updates. Even in Pelican Bay many of those protesting
specified the number of days they would fast beforehand. Only a minority
of participants have pledged an indefinite strike until the demands are
met. The rest of us work in solidarity with them until the end.
Despite all the noise being made, word from those organizing to mediate
negotiations is that the CDCR is refusing to negotiate with strikers or
mediators.(3) We know the CDCR has been talking to hunger strike
organizers, but it seems that no resolution is in the works as of July
8.
We’ve seen the ripples of this campaign in our own work as we connect
with many new people in California and reconnect with people who we have
been
cut
off from by the state. We’ve also seen record traffic on our website
with the hunger strike campaign page and the article featuring the
prisoners’ demands bringing in a lot of hits. This increase in
readership is a direct result of the organizing of prisoners in
California. However we must admit that a good chunk of the traffic is
coming from state officials trying to gather intelligence from our
reporting.
Donations we’ve collected so far are less than a tenth of the printing
and postage expenses for outreach, mailing protest letters and sending
communications to prisoners in California. As always, we can use
donations of money and labor to keep up with this important work.
Building Support
The hunger strike comes almost a year and a half after a
formal
complaint was filed with the governor of California regarding the
torture and violation of Constitutional rights that prisoners face in
Pelican Bay. After being ignored by official channels, they turned to
outside supporters who came together and organized a press campaign and
negotiation support. There was enough lead time that MIM(Prisons) was
able to send campaign info to all of our California subscribers prior to
the strike. We also hit the streets to gather signed letters of support
and explain to people the importance of this struggle leading up to the
strike.
Demonstrators support the demands of Pelican Bay prisoners at a march to
reduce incarceration in California marking 40 years of the U.$. war on
the oppressed called the “War on Drugs.”
A rally in San Francisco in June against the drug war featured the
Pelican Bay prisoners’ demands prominently. A comrade representing
MIM(Prisons) spoke on the upcoming hunger strike, stressing that Pelican
Bay was developed as a tool to repress political organizing in the
California prison system and that those being targeted with indefinite
SHU terms are largely leaders and influential people among the
imprisoned oppressed nations. A former California prisoner also spoke
about the torturous conditions in Pelican Bay, urging people to support
the hunger strike.
During the march, supporters of the “Revolutionary Communist Party -
USA” (rcp=u$a) were chanting, “Once we have the revolution, there’ll be
no mass incarceration!” Which revolution are they talking about? Even on
a simple issue like opposing torture in prisons, rcp=u$a’s
idealist/chauvinist colors showed through. As we point out in every
issue of Under Lock & Key, all Amerikans should be viewed
as criminals who need to reform under the dictatorship of the
proletariat. When the revolution finally hits U.$. soil there will
likely be an increase in incarceration of U.$. citizens, as the majority
of the world experiences freedom they have not seen for centuries. The
difference is that proletarian prisons focus on reform and reintegration
into society not torture and isolation as the imperialist system does.
Comrades spread word of the upcoming strike at a Juneteenth festival
celebrating the struggle of the Black nation for freedom in Amerika.
The Campaign Continues
Once the strike began, MIM(Prisons) stepped up efforts to reach the
public about the sacrifices and struggles of our comrades in prison.
While comrades were able to reach visitors coming to CDCR prisons with
fliers and letters of support, repression was reported from a few public
spaces inside and outside California. In one case police forced comrades
to leave for accepting donations without registering with the state, in
others merely handing out fliers on public property got shut down. One
police officer claimed that activists could not set up a table on a
public sidewalk to solicit support for the strike, contradicting
California laws and illegally shutting down our free speech. There are
contradictions in a country that locks 100,000 of its citizens in
isolation cells and prevents people from distributing leaflets in public
space to support their struggle against torture. Their repression only
strengthens resistance, and this campaign is a prime example of that. It
is ludicrous to consider the label “free country” for a country that
does not even provide equal access to political dialogue to all people.
In addition to talking to people on the street, comrades made efforts to
reach people through independent media and art. MIM(Prisons) hosted a
video clip on
its website from the documentary
Unlock the Box
explaining the history of control units and how they were developed to
repress those whose politics were in opposition to the state. Comrades
also did outreach at hip hop shows and talked to a revolutionary Chicano
group called BRWN BFLO who pledged
active support to spreading the word about the hunger strike. Allies in
the United $tates and Kanada hosted screenings of Unlock the
Box as part of the campaign. Other organizations did interviews and
programs on various radio shows.
Those doing outreach reported many interactions with people who had been
in Pelican Bay State Prison, in some cases multiple people in the span
of a couple hours. All strongly agreed with our criticisms of the
conditions there. However, some people concluded that there was nothing
that could be done, and that oppressed nations will always be treated
this way.
There is a common attitude among current prisoners as well that
struggling is useless. The SHU was invented to reinforce that idea. The
best way to change those people’s minds is by showing them the
possibilities. We do that by fighting smartly, as these comrades in
Pelican Bay have done resulting in people all over the world knowing
about their fight. Serious, diligent organizing work is needed in our
struggles for liberation, and basic rights such as the right of
association, communication with the outside world and access to
educational materials and programs. There are no quick fixes.