Background
The Jericho Movement grew out of a call for a national march on the White House during Spring Break of 1998 by political prisoner Jalil Muntaqim. The call was made in October of 1996 through the Provisional Government–RepubIic of New Afrika and the New Afrikan Liberation Front, but the organizers decided to use this opportunity to jumpstart a much needed movement to build a national s
upport organization for political prisoners in general. The Jericho March
Jericho98 was the collective work of over 50 organizations, defense committees and groups, 64 Jericho Organizing Committees and Students for Jericho, making the issue of Recognition and Amnesty for U.S.-held political prisoners and prisoners of war a national one with its successful demonstration and rally at the White House. The organizers who made up the Jericho Organizing Committees were/are just as diverse as the demonstrators who came from all across the United States, crossing the spectrum. The Jericho Movement was clear that we had to build a movement that left no political prisoner out there on his or her own again if we were to succeed in winning this struggle against racism, classism, and all forms of oppression. The Beginning of a New Commitment
The March 27, 1998 demonstration was just the beginning of a whole new commitment to support these political prisoners and demand recognition and amnesty for them. There are hundreds of people who went to prison as a result of their work on the streets against oppressive conditions like indecent housing and inadequate or complete lack of medical care, lack of quality education, police brutality and the murder of people organizing for independence and liberation. These people belonged to organizations like the Black Panther Party, La Raza Unida, FALN, Los Macheteros, North American Anti-Imperialist Movement, May 19th, AIM, the Black Liberation Army, etc., and were incarcerated because of their political beliefs and acts in support of and/or in defense of freedom. There is Work to be Done
Once the demonstration was over, the real work began. The Jericho Organizing Committees that came into being around this work continue educating people about the existence of these political prisoners. The original structure designed to mobilize people to go to the White House and serve notice that we will no longer allow our political prisoners to be behind prison walls with no support, and that work is being done to free them, has been transformed into a mass- based organizing tool. At the present time there are Jericho Organizing Committees operating in Albuquerque, NM, Chicago, IL, Los Angeles, CA, New York, NY, Portland, OR, Richmond VA and Italy, and regional committees functioning across the country. Then, too, Jericho is working with local defense committees to bring the cases of IndivIdual political prisoners to the public. Building a bond across organizational lines is what Jericho is about ... that’s where our strength lies. The Jericho Movement addresses four principal issues:
1. Building the Amnesty Campaign
A big part of this work is locating political prisoners, compiling dossiers on them, and building the case for amnesty.
2. Continuing the Educational Campaign
About the Existence of Political Prisoners inside the U.S.
3. The Jericho Legal Defense Fund. Providing supportive expenses for lawyers and law students etc. to provide legal defense for political prisoners.
4. The Jericho Medical Project
Fighting for adequate and quality medical care for political prisoners. How Can You Help? Organize speaking engagements about political prisoners in your church, school, community. Volunteer to work on one of the projects of the Jericho Movement. Organize a Jericho Committee in your area. Make a financial contribution to Jericho. Make all checks or money orders payable to: Maryland State Jericho and mail them to:
The Maryland State Jericho Movement
P.O. Box 2623, Baltimore, MD 21215
If you want your contribution to be tax-deductible, please make checks payable to IFCO/Jericho TRC. Our Other Comrades/Allies Doing Political Prisoner Work Across the Country and in the International Community
4strugglemag: Views, Thoughts and Analysis from the Hearts and Minds of North American Political Prisoners and Friends. All issues available online: www.4strugglemag.org email: jaanlaaman [at] ziplip.com
No Separate Justice: Mission of the campaign is to place these abuses taking place in prisons and courtrooms across the United States, firmly on the agendas of human and civil right organizations, the media, and the U.S. public through education and activism that draws directly upon the experiences and voices of those most directly affected. http://no-separate-justice.org
Prison Activist Resource Center: P.O. Box 70447, Oakland, CA 94612
510-893-4648; info [at] prisonactivist [dot] org; /www.prisonactivist.org/
The Anarchist Black Cross Federation: www.abcf.net
Break the Chains: www.breakthechains.net/
Gerald and Maas Night's Lantern: http://nightslantern.ca/2012bulletin.htm
International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal: www.freemumia.com
Journalists for Mumia: www.Abu-Jamal-News.com
The Move Organization: www.onamove.com/
ProLibertad: http://prolibertadweb.com/
North American Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network: www.ecoprisoners.org/
Support Eric McDavid: www.supporteric.org/
The Palestine Right to Return Movement Al-Awda: www.al-awdany.org
International:
Support Irish Political Prisoners and POW's: www.irishfreedomcommittee.net
Irish Political Prisoner Newsletter: http://lark.phoblacht.net/latestnews.html
Rafael Cancel Miranda's new website: http://sembrandopatria.com
News from Argentina: http://www.agenciapacourondo.com.ar/index.php
A powerful film about Palestinian women political prisoners told in their own words: womeninstruggle.com
The Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa'adat: http://www.freeahmadsaadat.org/
ADDAMEER Prisoners' Support and Human Rights Association
Postal Address: PO Box: 17338, Jerusalem, Ramallah, West Bank
Tel: +972-2-2960446 Fax: +972-2-2960447
Mob: 972-50-667961 email: [email protected]; http://www.addameer.org/index_eng.html
Basque Newsletter: www.baskinfo.org
Human Rights:
Behatokia (Observatory of Human Rights of Euskal Herria) www.behatokia.info/
Elkarri (Association For Peace, Dialogue and Agreement) www.elkarri.org/
Comrades Doing Prison Work
Books Through Bars mails books to prisoners across the country. Mail or bring your used books to: ABC No Rio, 156 Rivington Street, NYC 10002. For more info, go to: www.abcnorio.org/affiliated/btb.html. Or call 212-254-3697, ext. 322
Critical Resistance: www.criticalresistance.org/
