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Sonntag, 7. August 2011

California prisoners stage massive hunger strike

1 August 2011. A World to Win News Service. Thousands of prisoners in the US state of California launched a hunger strike on 1 July.



This protest was spearheaded by hundreds of inmates at Pelican Bay State prison subjected to inhumane conditions of solitary confinement in the the Security Housing Units [SHU]. Although these prisoners began taking food again in the third week of July, thousands of people in other California prisons also began a hunger strike in support of the demands of the Pelican Bay, which they share, for adequate food and warm clothing, an end to almost total solitary confinement for decades and collective punishment, phone calls and photos and even the right to have calenders to keep track of time in their windowless cells.



In short, their demand is that they be treated as human beings.



While some success has been achieved and core demands acknowledged by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), there is great concern that prison authorities may retaliate against individual or groups of prisoners, families of prisoners and their attorneys and representatives.



The US is a global fortress of injustice. It is infamous for its prison camps, from Bagram in Afghanistan to Abu Ghraib in Iraq and Guantanamo in Cuba, where thousands of captives have been systematically tortured and subjected to extreme abuse. American ships are still functioning as off-shore torture centres. Further, Washington is the world leader in the outsourcing of repression, not only continuing to "render" its captives to allied governments to be tortured and sometimes killed, but also backing and often commanding regimes that imprison, torture and murder on a mass scale to put down movements that threaten imperialist domination.



The other side of the coin is what the rulers of the US do to people in their "homeland". While the number of political prisoners there is far smaller than in some countries under the American boot, figures like the Native American leader Leonard Peltier and the African-American journalist and activist Mumia Abu Jamal have been kept in dungeons for decades in retaliation for the mass revolts of the 1960s and 70s and as a warning to people today.



The repression against ordinary people in the US who are not political prisoners, however, is no less telling about the fundamental nature of American imperialist rule. With 2.3 million people behind bars, the US has both the world's largest number of prisoners and by far the largest percentage of its population in prison. China is second to the US with 1.6 million prisoners even though it has over four times the population. The majority of US prisoners are Black and Hispanic, far greater than their proportion of the population, reflecting the oppression of minority peoples within the US as well as repression against poor people in general. In Washington D.C. three out of four young Black men are expected to serve some time in prison, while in other major US cities 80 percent of young African-Americans now have criminal records.



Following are edited excerpts from recent articles on this struggle in Revolution, newspaper of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (revcom.us ).



The prisoners at Pelican Bay are heroically taking a stand, in the most isolated, inhumane conditions, to refuse to be treated like animals. Because of this, a light is being shined on the torture and inhumanity going on behind these prison walls.



The hunger strike started 1 July – demanding an end to what amounts to torture and brutally inhumane conditions. The weekend of 2-3 July, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reported that 6,600 prisoners, in 13 different prisons, refused food in solidarity with the strike.



From the very outset, the hunger strike has inspired and tapped into a deep well of sentiment of people outside the prisons who have come together in growing numbers to initiate actions of solidarity. Press conferences, demonstrations, solidarity hunger strikes and more have occurred in several cities in the US and a number of cities internationally. Family members of prisoners; religious leaders; people from the inner-city communities where mass incarceration is a crime of epidemic proportions; organisations that have been working to assist prisoners and their families during and after incarceration; researchers and investigative reporters who have documented the magnitude and depth of the state-sanctioned torture taking place inside prisons throughout the country; and radical and revolutionary forces have come together and taken action on the prisoners' behalf.



The 13th day of the strike, alarming, urgent reports started coming out that the medical condition of some of the prisoners was at a severe crisis. Mediators in contact with prisoners reported that some of the strikers had lost 25-35 pounds [11-15 kilos]. According to a 13 July press release from Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity, a source with access to the medical condition of the prisoners said the health of the hunger strikers was quickly and severely deteriorating – that some were in renal failure and had been unable to make urine for three days; and some had blood sugars measuring in the 30 range, which can be fatal if not treated. Legal representatives who visited prisoners in the Pelican Bay SHU on 12 July reported that many prisoners were experiencing irregular heartbeats and palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath and other respiratory problems; some were suffering from diagnosed cardiac arrhythmia. There were reports that prisoners at Calipatria State Prison and Corcoran, on a hunger strike in solidarity with the prisoners at Pelican Bay, were also in a dangerous medical condition.



From the beginning, the CDCR refused to even consider any of the demands of the prisoners.



The prisoners want an end to long-term solitary confinement where they are kept in windowless cells with no human contact for 23 hours a day, in some cases for decades. They want an end to collective punishment, and the practice of "debriefing", which amounts to forced interrogation on alleged gang affiliation. They are asking for decent food, rehabilitation and education programs, one phone call per week, one photo per year, two packages a year, more visiting time, permission to have wall calendars, and warm clothing.



The CDCR argues that these prisoners are the "worst of the worst" and deserve what they are getting. But as human beings, we need to be clear: nobody – no matter what they have done –deserves to be tortured. Nobody deserves to be put in such extreme conditions of isolation where prison guards try to extinguish everything that makes you human, that keeps you physically and mentally alive, that connects you with the world and other people, that gives you a reason to live, to love, to learn and think.



What would it mean if people on the outside don't stand up and do everything they can to make sure these prisoners don't die, to really fight for these prisoners to be treated like human beings? What would this say about our humanity? But also, what will it mean if hundreds and thousands of people do stand up together, wage a determined struggle for the just demands of these prisoners, and in this way, assert our own humanity?



As a statement from prisoners in Corcoran Prison put it: "It is important for all to know Pelican Bay is not alone in this struggle and the broader the participation and support for this hunger strike and other such efforts, the greater the potential that our sacrifice now will mean a more humane world for us in the future."


Close your eyes and imagine you're in a cell that's 8 x 10 feet [7.5 square metres] with no windows, no air, just concrete walls all around you. This tomb includes a slab of cement to sleep on, a toilet and sink. That's it. You’re deprived of human contact. Your food is shoved through a slot in the door. You can’t take a photo of yourself to send to your family. Maybe once a day, but maybe not, you are let out of this cell for one hour, into a space a little bigger, with a little bit more air. You are denied medical care. And if the guards decide you're not cooperating – for something as minor as not returning a food tray or banging on the door – a team of them, in full riot gear, with batons, handcuffs, will "extract" you from your cell, hogtie you and beat you with no mercy. You have been in this cell, subjected to this torture, for five years, or 10 years, or maybe 30 years, deprived of human contact, never feeling the sun, never seeing the sky or a blade of grass, never hearing a note of music.



This is life – or more accurately, a slow death – for 70,000 men and women who have been put in maximum security units in prisons all over the USA. This kind of solitary confinement stands in violation of international human rights standards, including the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. This kind of sensory deprivation and lack of human contact is known to create severe psychological disorders, to literally drive people crazy. Putting an end to all this is what the hunger strikers at Pelican Bay State Prison are willing to die for.



Think about how prisoners in these conditions are on a hunger strike. Many of them have no way of even knowing what is happening outside of their cell. They have no way to communicate with each other and no way – or very limited ways – to talk with friends, family and supporters on the outside. Meanwhile prison officials have tried all kinds of ways to sabotage the strike – including lying to prisoners, telling them the strike is over, and trying to create divisions among the prisoners.



Prison officials say this hunger strike just goes to show that these prisoners should be in the SHU. Terry Thornton, spokesperson for the CDCR, said, "That so many inmates in other prisons throughout the state are involved really demonstrates how these gangs can influence other inmates, which is one of the reasons we have security housing units in the first place."



But even the mainstream press has reported on how this hunger strike has united prisoners across different nationalities and other divisions which prison officials have always used to set prisoners against each other. The New York Times reported, "The hunger strike has transcended the gang and geographic affiliations that traditionally divide prisoners, with prisoners of many backgrounds participating."



The SHU at Pelican Bay is a super max prison within a prison. In fact, a huge percentage of prisoners are in the Pelican Bay SHU simply because prison officials have decided to "validate" them as affiliated with a gang. A prisoner can end up in the SHU because he has a certain tattoo or hangs out with someone who guards say is a gang member. A prisoner in the SHU can target another prisoner as a gang member – whether it is true or not – in order to get out of the SHU. A prisoner can end up in the SHU because they are rebellious, because they dare to think. A letter from a hunger striker at Pelican Bay to the Prisoners Revolutionary Literature Fund (PRLF) said:



"Just being a rebellious or progressive prisoner gets one targeted and labelled a 'gang member' and sent to Shu. The Shu is made out as a big stick to intimidate the prison population into passivity, (think deportation threats to migrants or the whip shown to the slave). It doesn't mean it's going to be used but the thought of it existing is enough to control a large portion of the prison population so it becomes a tool not used for rehabilitation but for social control... It is these conditions where even reading material such as philosophy or history is censored. Pelican Bay SHU is designed to control, nothing more. We have seen even Revolution newspaper being censored and banned from this prison at one time. How would you feel about the system that upholds the actions of these officials?"



Since the end of the strike the transition to eating food again has been brutal and confusing.

After not eating for four weeks, it is very hard to begin eating solid food again right away, so many prisoners are in need of more medical care than the prisons can provide. Medical staff at the prisons were already overwhelmed by general conditions of overcrowding, and have been even further overwhelmed by this massive protest. While the medical staff supposedly need to follow certain protocols assisting hunger strikers' transition to eating solid food, provision of basic medical care is unreliable and ineffective.

Family members and supporters are anxiously waiting confirmation on whether or not prisoners are continuing the strike at other prisons. Prisoners at Calipatria have explained that they joined the hunger strike specifically in protest of the torturous formal and informal policies of group punishment, gang "validation" and debriefing – practices also imposed at Calipatria. Prisoners at Calipatria are now transitioning to eating food again, according to family members of prisoners participating in the hunger strike.



While the initial concessions to the strikers made by CDCR may seem too small to claim a victory, it's important for people outside prison to understand the significance for prisoners who have been held in the SHU for decades to now have warm clothing, and to be able to keep track of time since they have no windows and the fluorescent lights are on 24 hours of every day. The courage of thousands of prisoners risking their lives effectively pressured the CDCR to sit at the same table and bargain, after refusing to negotiate for weeks and insisting prisoners are less than human.



Supporters continue to discuss how to keep pressure on the CDCR to implement the necessary changes brought to the world's attention by the strike. Many supporters are coordinating (inter)national days of action throughout the next few weeks. People from all over the world have been sending statements defending the just demands of the prisoners. For updates or to add your support, go to revcom.us/s/pelicanbay-hungerstrike-en.html



The US: 5 percent of the world’s population – 25 percent of the world's prisoners



The bigger context for the inhumane conditions in maximum security units like the Pelican Bay Prison SHU is that this system, with its police, laws, courts, and prisons is using mass incarceration to enforce oppressive economic and social relations, especially in terms of the systematic subjugation of Black people as a people.



This system of U.S. capitalism, from its very inception, has, in large part, been built on and developed by carrying out the most brutal oppression of Native Americans, Black people and other people of colour.



This oppression has been woven into the whole fabric of US society, from the days of slavery until today. It has been and is an integral part of the economic and social structure in this country. White supremacy has and continues to maintain Black people in a subjugated position in every aspect of society. And all this has created, and today still maintains a "master class" of white people and a "pariah class" of Black people.



In this way, the systematic oppression of Black and other people of colour has been, and continues to be, part of the very glue that holds U.S. society together, even as it has gone through different changes and been enforced in different ways. The outright ownership of Black people under slavery gave way to Jim Crow segregation and Ku Klux Klan terror. And now we have what has been called "the new Jim Crow" of police brutality and murder and the mass incarceration of hundreds of thousands of Black people.



The subjugation of Black people is a pillar of this system, a part of the economic and social relations in society, and white supremacy is a key element in the dominant ideology. And this is why this system cannot get rid of the oppression of Black people, because to do so would mean tearing up and undermining the whole economic, social and ideological/culture basis of US society. The United States claims it is the "leader of the free world" and protector of democracy and human rights. But the prisoners' hunger strike has objectively exposed the complete illegitimacy and hypocrisy of this system.

Donnerstag, 10. März 2011

NEUE BEWEISE FÜR FOLTERUNGEN IN GUANTANAMO BAY

übersetzt von Jens-Torsten Bohlke

Havanna, 4. März 2011, Cubadebate.(auf Kommunisten-online am 7. März 2011) – Das rechtswidrig von den USA in der widerrechtlich besetzt gehaltenen Guantánamo Bay betriebene Gefängnis ist erneut in den Mittelpunkt der Öffentlichkeit geraten. Diesmal kamen neue Beweise für die Folterungen an den Häftlingen in diesem Gefängnis an das Tageslicht. Ein ehemaliger Häftling sprach über die verbrecherischen Experimente von US-Medizinern an den Gefangenen im US-Marinestützpunkt Guantánamo Bay.

Muraz Kurnaz ist Deutscher türkischer Herkunft. Er äußerte gegenüber der Berliner Zeitung, „wie schlecht“ er sich fühlte, nachdem ihm eine der üblichen Spritzen verpaßt wurden, bis dass „ich mich übergeben mußte“. Laut Kurnaz zwangen sie ihn zur Einnahme von Tabletten und behaupteten dabei, dass es sich um Medizin gegen die Malaria handeln würde. Als er eine dieser Tabletten eingenommen hatte, fühlte er sich völlig kraftlos, erlitt Schweißausbrüche und Atemprobleme.

Die Erklärungen dieses Deutschen türkischer Herkunft stimmen mit den Ergebnissen von zwei Untersuchungen überein, die unabhängig voneinander von US-Rechtsanwälten und der US-Menschenrechtsorganisation Truthout durchgeführt worden sind. Beide Untersuchungsberichte enthüllen, dass jahrelang medizinisch an den Gefangenen von Guantánamo herumexperimentiert wurde. „Gegen ihren Willen und ohne Notwendigkeit“ wurden die Gefangenen gezwungen, hohe Dosen von bestimmten Medikamenten einzunehmen.

In den Archiven der beiden Untersuchungsgruppen finden sich Informationen, wonach die Gefangenen von Guantánamo Mefloquin einnehmen mußten. Dies ist ein Vorbeugemittel gegen Malaria. Dies trotz der Tatsache, dass in Kuba keine Malariakrankheit auftritt. Die in Guantánamo Bay stationierten US-Militärangehörigen nehmen üblicherweise keinerlei Mittel gegen Malaria ein. Außerdem überstieg die den Guantánamo-Häftlingen aufgezwungene Tagesdosis der Medizin das Fünffache der empfohlenen Dosis für eine Woche.

Desweiteren offenbarte Kurnaz in seinen Erklärungen das Fehlen jeglicher medizinischer Betreuung in der Haftanstalt. Er sagte aus, dass er zwei Jahre lang an starken Zahnschmerzen litt, aber weder ein Schmerzmittel noch eine Behandlung erhielt. Oft litt er auch an Kopfschmerzen. „Auf die Bitte hin, mir doch wenigstens eine Tablette zu geben, pflegten sie mir zu sagen, dass ich meine Aussagen machen soll und dann die Medizin erhalten würde sowie sie dann einen Arzt rufen würden, damit er mir hilft.“

Laut Kurnaz ließen sich einige Häftlinge auf diese Bedingungen ein und erhielten danach wirklich eine medizinische Betreuung.

Die Angaben der Menschenrechtsverteidiger und Zeugen bestätigen, dass gegen die Gefangenen in jener Haftanstalt Folterungen angewendet wurden, wie zum Beispiel das simulierte Ertrinken namens „waterboarding“, der systematische Schlafentzug, die psychische Folter mit hochfrequenten Dauergeräuschen, usw.

Im November 2010 verteidigte der ehemalige US-Präsident George Bush öffentlich den Gebrauch der Verhöre mit gewaltsamen Methoden in dem Gefängnis. Dabei beharrte er darauf, dass mit der dadurch erlangten Information geholfen wurde, terroristische Anschläge zu vereiteln.

Am zweiten Tag seiner Amtszeit versprach US-Präsident Barack Obama die Schließung der Einrichtung binnen eines Jahres bis Januar 2010. Dessen ungeachtet ist der Plan des US-Präsidenten immer noch nicht umgesetzt worden und bleibt das Gefängnis intakt.

Auf der 9. Sitzung des UNO-Menschenrechtsrates in Genf im Herbst 2010 ersuchten die Mitglieder dieses Gremiums um die sofortige Schließung des Gefängnisses von Guantánamo Bay sowie die Untersuchung aller Anklagen, die diesbezüglich mit den USA etwas zu tun haben.

Ende 2010 erklärte Robert Gibbs, Sprecher des Weißen Hauses, dass die Haftanstalt auf dem US-Stützpunkt Guantánamo nicht in naher Zukunft geschlossen werden würde. Er verwies auf rechtliche und gesetzliche Probleme, die den Abtransport und die weitere Verbringung der Gefangenen verhindern würden.

Viele der dort Inhaftierten sind niemals verurteilt worden. Colin Powell, der einstige Chef der Kanzlei des ersten Staatsekretariats der Regierung des US-Präsidenten George Bush, erklärte, dass die Mehrheit der Gefangenen von Guantánamo „absolut unschuldige Menschen“ sind.

„Wenn Guantánamo jetzt nicht geschlossen wird, müssen wir fürchten, dass es nie geschlossen werden wird. Wir befürchten, dass es als ein tragisches und verbrecherisches Denkmal für die Unfähigkeit des Menschen weiterbesteht, das Richtige in den kritischen Momenten zu tun“, sagte Frida Berrigan von der Organisation Zeugen Gegen die Folter. Diese Erklärungen erhielt die Nachrichtenagentur EFE am 9. Jahrestag dieses Gefängnisses, dem 12. Januar 2010.

Die USA halten seit 1903 widerrechtlich den Stützpunkt Guantánamo Bay in Kuba besetzt. Er fungiert auf Weisung von George W. Bush als Gefängnis für die als besonders gefährlich eingestuften Häftlinge seit den Anschlägen vom 11. September 2001. Seit 2002 werden dort mehrheitlich Angehörige der Organisation Al-Quaida und der Taliban-Bewegung gefangengehalten, die bei US-Aggressionen in Afghanistan und Irak gefangengenommen wurden. Es handelte sich um insgesamt 770 ausländische Häftlinge. Derzeit verbleiben von ihnen noch immer 170 Menschen im Folterkerker des US-Stützpunktes Guantánamo Bay.

(aus dem Programm von RT)

Quelle:

http://www.cubadebate.cu/

Freitag, 10. Dezember 2010

Leonard Peltier on the Day of Mourning

Greetings, my relatives.

It seems another year has gone by since the last time we gathered like
this. I say we, although I am not there with you in body, my spirit
certainly is. We have coined this day, a day of mourning, as opposed
to a day of thanksgiving. It's a shame that for the most part
thanksgiving is relegated to only one day. And mourning is something
that relates to unhappy circumstances that have taken place. We
certainly can't change what has happened. This very day is ours and
tomorrow hasn't happened yet and, is uncertain. I really don't like
to dwell on the mourning aspects of life but instead, on what we can
do to prevent those unhappy and sometimes terrible times in our
history. I may have mentioned it once before but I once read about a
union organizer named Joe Hill that was framed by the copper mine
owners to be executed. And I believe he said what really needs to be
said upon his death. His words were "don't mourn, organize". And
those are also my sentiments.

There are a lot of things that happened in the past that can be
prevented in the future. There are losses that can be regained. But
we must organize to do it. We must find it within ourselves to be in
touch with the Creator for I can tell you from a heartfelt fact that
when they've pushed you away, into a dark corner, not just your body,
but your mind, your soul, your spirit, there is no one that can
sustain you but the Creator himself. Dark moments come and go in all
our lifetimes. And there are those in political office, who will try
to turn your head away from the obvious truths. They will lie to you
about what they believe. They will try to get you to follow what they
consider politically correct while ignoring the truth, such as
protests against the Mosque being built within blocks of the fallen
Trade towers, which incidentally was a monument to wealth and wealth
seekers. I am not trying to demean the innocent people whose only
cause of their death was seeking a place of employment to feed their
families. While they protest the Mosque, no one mentions the Native
American sacred places that by treaty are seriously violated daily.
Our Sacred Black Hills of South Dakota, sacred to many tribes, have
the faces of many of our oppressors carved on them. The place of
vision seeking, Bear Butte in South Dakota, sacred to us for
millennia, has a bar built at the foot of it and there is talk of
having helicopter flights around it to attract tourism. And, there is
even talk of drilling for oil and gas.

Every time I have to write or I should say dictate, one of these
statements, I try to think of what I would say if this was the last
time I got to speak. The thing that comes to mind in some of our
sacred ceremonies and that is thoughts of our relationships with the
ones we love and the Creator of all life. Not to take away from the
theme of this day, but if you can hold the person you love, be
thankful. If you can walk on green grass, touch a tree, be thankful.
If you can breathe air that didn't come through a ventilation system,
or a window with bars, be thankful. If you can stand in an open field
or some other place at night and look up at the heavens, be thankful.
No one appreciates the simple things as much as a man or woman locked
away. I know sometimes some of my friends may have thought I had
become institutionalized and there may be some element of my thinking
behavior that has become calloused from this continued imprisonment.
But I have not for a moment forgotten the needs of my people and the
atrocities committed against them or the circumstances that all the
poor and impoverished face in this world at the hands of those who
take more than they need and exploit for gain, the futures of our
children. I paint pictures of them sometimes, people I've known,
people I've met, places I've seen, and places I've only seen in my
minds eye. And if my paintbrush was magical, rest assured I would
paint for myself one open door.

I wrestle with what to say to you and words are sometimes so
inadequate. So if you are free today, un-imprisoned, be thankful.
Give the person next to you a hug for me. May the Great Spirit bless
you always in all ways with the things you need. May you find joy in
doing what is right and righting what is wrong and seek to be the best
example of what a human should be in our lifetime.

In the Spirit of those we mourn, those who gave their lives and those
whose lives were taken from them.

I really don't know what else to say because in writing this, my heart
has become heavy with the emotions of this time.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, who gave his life for what was right and
tried to right what was wrong.

Your Brother,


Leonard Peltier

----


Time to set him free... Because it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Friends of Peltier
http://www.FreePeltierNow.org

Montag, 11. Oktober 2010

Menschenversuche in USA

Katholische Kirche hilft offenbar mit und kassiert


Quelle Freace

Am Dienstag strahlte die britische BBC einen Bericht[1] mit dem Titel „Guinea Pig Kids“ („Kinder-Versuchskaninchen“) aus, der belegt, daß HIV-positive Kinder in Kinderheimen in New York benutzt werden, um bisher unerprobte Medikamente zu testen.

Weder die Eltern noch die Vormünde der Kinder wußten von diesen Experimenten, geschweige denn, daß sie diesen zugestimmt hätten. Das jüngste der Kinder war erst drei Monate alt.

Jacklyn Hoerger hat in einem solchen Heim gearbeitet und war für die Verabreichung von Medikamenten an die Kinder zuständig. Allerdings wußte sie nicht, daß es sich um unerforschte Chemikalien handelte und daß diese hochgiftig waren.

„Man hatte uns gesagt, daß wenn sie sich übergeben würden, wenn sie ihre Fähigkeit zu gehen verlieren würden, wenn sie Durchfall hätten, wenn sie sterben würden, daß all dies aufgrund der HIV-Infektion sein würde“, sagte sie.

Tatsächlich erkrankten die Kinder an den ihnen verabreichten Chemikalien.

Auf Anfrage der BBC sagte die Sprecherin der „Alliance for Human Rights Protection“ („Allianz zum Schutz der Menschenrechte“), Vera Sherav: „Sie haben diese höchst experimentellen Medikamente getestet. Warum haben sie die Kinder nicht mit der derzeit bestmöglichen Behandlungsmethode versorgt? Das ist die Frage, die wir haben. Warum haben sie sie dem Risiko und den Schmerzen ausgesetzt, da sie hilflos waren? Hätten sie diese Experimente mit ihren eigenen Kindern durchgeführt? Das bezweifle ich.“

Insbesondere die Tatsache, daß für diese Experimente nicht zufällig Opfer ausgewählt wurden, sondern offenbar systematisch Kinder in Kinderheimen - also die wehrlosesten aller möglichen Opfer - gesucht und benutzt wurden, verleiht diesen Experimenten ein fast unfaßbares Ausmaß.

Über 23.000 Kinder leben in New York in solchen Pflegeheimen, die überwiegend von religiösen Organisationen im Auftrag der Stadt betrieben werden. Fast 99 Prozent der Kinder sind schwarz oder von lateinamerikanischer Abstammung.

Diese Kinder werden offenbar seit über 10 Jahren für medizinische Experimente benutzt.

Der städtische Auftraggeber der Heime ist die „Administration for Children's Services“ (AMS, „Verwaltung der Dienste für Kinder“). Diese Behörde hatte in den 90er Jahren von dem damaligen New Yorker Bürgermeister Rudolph Giuliani weitreichende Befugnisse erhalten. Innerhalb kürzester Zeit waren tausende Kinder in Pflegeheime untergebracht worden.

„Sie sind absolut außer Kontrolle“, sagte der Anwalt für Familienrecht David Lansner. „Ich habe viele ACS-Sachbearbeiter gehabt, die mir gesagt haben: ‚Wir sind die ACS, wir können tun, was immer wir wollen' und normalerweise kommen sie damit durch“, so Lansner. Nachdem sie die Kinder in Heimen untergebracht hatte, übernahm die ACS statt der Eltern die vollständige Verantwortung über sie und konnte mit ihnen tun, was immer sie wollte.

Eines der Heime in die HIV-positive Kinder gebracht wurden war das Incarnation Children's Center, ein großes, aufwendig renoviertes Gebäude aus roten Ziegeln im Stadtteil Harlem, das der katholischen Kirche gehört. Anfragen der BBC wurden an ein PR-Unternehmen im teuren Stadtteil Manhattan verwiesen, das seinerseits Aussagen über Vorgänge innerhalb des Heims verweigerte.

Dr. David Rasnick von der Universität von Berkeley, der international für seine Arbeiten zu zahlreichen Krankheiten bekannt ist, ließ keinen Zweifel an den Auswirkungen der Experimente.

„Wir reden über ernste, ernste Nebenwirkungen. Diesen Kindern wird es absolut elend gehen. Sie werden Krämpfe und Durchfall haben und ihre Gelenke werden anschwellen. Sie werden sich auf dem Boden herumwälzen und man kann sie nicht anfassen“, so Rasnick.

Die verabreichten Chemikalien, die von mehreren großen Arzeimittelherstellern, darunter Glaxo SmithKline, stammten, bezeichnete er als „tödlich“. Auf Anfrage sagte Glaxo SmithKline, derartige Versuche müßten hohe Standards haben und örtliche Gesetze strikt befolgen.

Die Auffassung dieser Bedingungen in dem Incarnation-Heim ist offensichtlich mehr als ungewöhnlich. Nicht nur, daß weder die Kinder noch deren Eltern von den Experimenten erfuhren, Kindern, die sich weigerten, die Chemikalien einzunehmen, wurden diese durch eine Magensonde verabreicht.

Aber auch die ACS war offenbar daran interessiert, daß die Experimente fortgesetzt wurden.

Jacklyn Hoerger hatte zwei Kinder aus dem Heim, wo sie arbeitete zu sich in Pflege genommen und plante, sie zu adoptieren.

„Es war ein Samstagmorgen und sie waren einige Male unangekündigt gekommen“, erzählte sie. „Also bat ich sie herein als ich die Tür öffnete und sie sagten, es sei kein schöner Besuch. Zu dem Zeitpunkt sagten sie mir, daß sie die Kinder wegnehmen würden. Ich stand unter Schock.“

Zuvor hatte die gelernte Krankenschwester aufgehört, den kindern die Chemikalien zu verabreichen, was zu einem umgehenden Aufschwung ihrer Gesundheit und ihrer Fröhlichkeit geführt hatte. Vor Gericht wurde sie allerdings der Kindesmißhandlung angeklagt und sie durfte die Kinder seitdem nicht mehr sehen.

In der Sendung wurden weitere Fälle wie der von Jacklyn Hoerger als auch der Bericht eines Kindes, daß an den Experimenten teilnehmen mußte, gezeigt. Der Sendung zufolge handelt es sich bei dem Incarnation-Heim nicht um einen Einzelfall und die Experimente werden auch jetzt noch fortgesetzt.
Nachtrag: NDR Niedersachsen strahlt die deutsche Fassung der Sendung am 14.12.2004 um 04:15 Uhr und um 05:15 unter dem Titel „Kinder als Versuchskaninchen“ aus

Mittwoch, 21. Juli 2010

Leonard Peltier

*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our
inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter
the state of facts and evidence."--John Adams
*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*


* Life Bringers: A Call to Action *

Women bring life in many ways, including through the work of
their hands. We're calling on all the mothers, sisters, aunties,
and grandmothers to hand write a heart-felt letter on behalf of
Leonard Peltier. Send that letter to:

First Lady Michelle Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

Speak to Mrs. Obama, today -- sister-to-sister, mother-to-mother.
Prevail upon her to intercede with the President on Leonard's behalf.


* Realities of the Day *

We've heard that the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
(LPDOC) is busy at work at the United Nations in New York and Geneva.
We also understand that the legal team is hard at work, dealing
with various aspects of the Peltier case and fighting for Leonard's
freedom. But the reality is that activities planned for the near
future won't come to fruition without the help of supporters.

The LPDOC needs to build its war chest. Yes, folks. We're talking
about money, a necessary evil. We're told the Committee will incur
significant costs for publishing, travel, outreach, and lobbying in
the coming months. The Committee always needs supplies to carry on
their work, too: paper and envelopes (all sizes); printer and fax
toner or ink; postage stamps; etc. The Committee's photocopier, after
some 15 years of long service, is beyond repair and must be replaced.

In addition to helping by writing letters and making phone calls
on Leonard's behalf, let's all help raise needed funds to ensure
the fight for Leonard's freedom moves forward. Send a check
or money order made payable to the LPDOC to PO Box 7488, Fargo,
ND 58106. You also can make a secure credit card donation online
at www.whoisleonardpeltier.info. No amount is too small.


* Sunday, September 12 *

In roughly two months, Mr. Peltier will celebrate his 66th birthday.
We ask all supporters to plan an event, large or small, to help
raise awareness of the Peltier case and build support for Leonard's
freedom. Reach out to members of your community and educate them
about the case. Hold a vigil. Host a house party and/or film
showing. A Pot Luck supper is a great way to introduce others to
the case.

Here's an idea: Host a breakfast or luncheon on Friday, September
10, and ask your guests to bring their cell phones. Coordinate phone
calls to the White House on Leonard's behalf. Keep these numbers to
the White House comment line handy: 202-456-1111 or 202-456-1112.
If the lines are busy, you can try the White House switchboard
at 202-456-1414. Ask to be connected with the comment line.

Do you own a video camera? Make a video of your guests sharing
their thoughts on the Peltier case. Upload the video to YouTube
and grab the URL so you can share your video with others.

The possibilities are endless. Be creative. Have fun. Do your
job and do it well. Remember... Leonard's life depends on it.


*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*
"Never cease in the fight for peace, justice, and equality for all
people. Be persistent in all that you do and don't allow anyone to
sway you from your conscience."--Leonard Peltier
*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*
Time to set him free... Because it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Friends of Peltier
http://www.FreePeltierNow.org

Donnerstag, 21. Januar 2010

Freiheit für Mumia Abu-Jamal!

Gerichtsentscheidung über Mumia Abu-Jamal

„Der US Supreme Court hat vor wenigen Stunden eine Entscheidung des 3.
Bundesberufungsgerichtes von 2008 aufgehoben, die damals die Todesstrafe
gegen Mumia ausschloss. Damit hat das Gericht einen "Mittelweg" zwischen
sofortiger Todesstrafe oder aber Abweisung derselben gewählt, zugleich
aber auch die Position der Staatsanwaltschaft gestärkt…“ Infos der
Mumia-Hörbuchgruppe vom 19.01.2010 bei indymedia
http://de.indymedia.org/2010/01/271233.shtml

Siehe dazu auch: Mumia weiter im Todestrakt – Kein Grund zur Entwarnung!

„Der Oberste Gerichtshof der USA hat entschieden – allerdings (noch) nicht
für eine baldige Hinrichtung von Mumia Abu-Jamal, sondern zunächst für
eine Zurückweisung des Falls an das 3. Bundesberufunsggericht. // WICHTIG:
DIE NOTFALLPROTESTE »Mumia 3 plus 12« sind ausgesetzt, um die weiteren
Schritte der Kampagne neu beraten zu können! Aber weil Mumia nach wie vor
zum Tode verurteilt ist und seine Gegner ihn weiterhin umbringen wollen,
läuft die Mobilisierung FREE MUMIA weiter, und natürlich geht es weiter um
die weltweite Abschaffung der Todesstrafe! (…) Weitere Artikel und
Stellungnahmen der Verteidigung und der Solidaritätsbewegung werden
folgen. Wir werden uns insbesondere mit den Falschmeldungen der
bürgerlichen Medien befassen, die am 19. Januar verbreitet haben, Mumia
bekäme angeblich einen »neuen Prozeß«. Leider stimmt das nicht, weil der
Supreme Court vom 3. Bundesberufungsgericht nur eine bessere juristische
Vorlage geliefert bekommen will, um Mumia schlußendlich doch hinrichten zu
können. Unterzeichnet vor allem weiter die Petition an Barack Obama…“
Bewertung der Entscheidung vom 19.01.10 bei freedom-now
http://www.freedom-now.de/news/artikel592.html

Freiheit für Mumia Abu-Jamal!

Gerichtsentscheidung über Mumia Abu-Jamal

„Der US Supreme Court hat vor wenigen Stunden eine Entscheidung des 3.
Bundesberufungsgerichtes von 2008 aufgehoben, die damals die Todesstrafe
gegen Mumia ausschloss. Damit hat das Gericht einen "Mittelweg" zwischen
sofortiger Todesstrafe oder aber Abweisung derselben gewählt, zugleich
aber auch die Position der Staatsanwaltschaft gestärkt…“ Infos der
Mumia-Hörbuchgruppe vom 19.01.2010 bei indymedia
http://de.indymedia.org/2010/01/271233.shtml

Siehe dazu auch: Mumia weiter im Todestrakt – Kein Grund zur Entwarnung!

„Der Oberste Gerichtshof der USA hat entschieden – allerdings (noch) nicht
für eine baldige Hinrichtung von Mumia Abu-Jamal, sondern zunächst für
eine Zurückweisung des Falls an das 3. Bundesberufunsggericht. // WICHTIG:
DIE NOTFALLPROTESTE »Mumia 3 plus 12« sind ausgesetzt, um die weiteren
Schritte der Kampagne neu beraten zu können! Aber weil Mumia nach wie vor
zum Tode verurteilt ist und seine Gegner ihn weiterhin umbringen wollen,
läuft die Mobilisierung FREE MUMIA weiter, und natürlich geht es weiter um
die weltweite Abschaffung der Todesstrafe! (…) Weitere Artikel und
Stellungnahmen der Verteidigung und der Solidaritätsbewegung werden
folgen. Wir werden uns insbesondere mit den Falschmeldungen der
bürgerlichen Medien befassen, die am 19. Januar verbreitet haben, Mumia
bekäme angeblich einen »neuen Prozeß«. Leider stimmt das nicht, weil der
Supreme Court vom 3. Bundesberufungsgericht nur eine bessere juristische
Vorlage geliefert bekommen will, um Mumia schlußendlich doch hinrichten zu
können. Unterzeichnet vor allem weiter die Petition an Barack Obama…“
Bewertung der Entscheidung vom 19.01.10 bei freedom-now
http://www.freedom-now.de/news/artikel592.html

Freitag, 4. Dezember 2009

Friends of Peltier - Newsletter

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"Hope only brings the possibility of freedom. Creator works through
each of us to make miracles happen and, so, we must always do our
part. Be a living prayer... connected to sky and earth and all our
relations... possessed with courage, generosity, humility, endurance,
and wisdom. Vigorously pursue freedom in this way, every day and
in every generation. Creator will bless your actions."--Anonymous
*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'


* Campaign for Executive Review *

Friends, there is more than one path to freedom for Leonard Peltier.
Tell Attorney General Eric Holder you expect him to conduct an
Executive Review of the Peltier case. For information on the Zoom
In campaign, visit <http://www.FreePeltierNow.org/zoom1.htm> and
keep those flyers coming. All flyers will be sent to AG Holder
on or around 06 February 2010, the 34th anniversary of Leonard
Peltier's arrest.

Also take this opportunity to educate others in your community
about the case and encourage others' participation in Peltier's
freedom campaign: <http://www.FreePeltierNow.org/zoom3.htm>.

If you have questions or need any assistance with campaign materials,
please don't hesitate to contact <zoom@whoisleonardpeltier.info>.
Campaign coordinators are standing by to assist you and will even
prepare your campaign flyer for you if you're experiencing technical
difficulties.


* End of Year Donations *

Times are tough, but no less so for grassroots organizations
like the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee. If you can
spare $1, $5, $10 or even $25 to help keep Leonard's hopes for
freedom alive, please donate now. Send checks or money orders
made payable to "LPDOC" to LP-DOC, PO Box 7488, Fargo, ND 58106.
Or donate securely online by visiting the Committee's Web site
at <http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info>. The Committee is PayPal
certified.


* Peltier Holiday Gift Drive *

Again this year, Leonard Peltier is organizing a
holiday gift drive for the children of Pine Ridge
Reservation in South Dakota and the Turtle Mountain
Reservation in Belcourt, North Dakota. For details, see:
<http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/11/2009-leonard-peltier-holiday-gift-drive.html>.


* Special Appeal on Behalf of a Long-Time Peltier Supporter *

On Thursday, November 19th, civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart
was ordered by Judge John G. Koeltl to turn herself in to begin
serving a 28-month prison sentence for her 2006 conviction. A victim
of post-9/11 hysteria akin to McCarthyism, while representing a
client to the best of her ability, Lynne was accused of conspiracy
and providing material support to terrorists. This 70-year-old
woman has devoted her life to the poor and underprivileged
and has fought tirelessly for justice. Today, Lynne Stewart
is fighting not only for her freedom, but for any American's
freedom. We urge everyone to sign the petition on Lynne's behalf
at <http://www.petitiononline.com/091127ls/petition.html>.


* Upcoming Events *

03 Dec. NYC: COINTELPRO Then and Now. Commemorating the 40th
anniversary of the murder of Fred Hampton and the release of "The
Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and the Chicago Police
Murdered a Black Panther" by Jeffrey Haas.
<http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/11/cointelpro-then-and-now-40-years-since.html>

04 Dec. SF: Fred Hampton Commemorative Film Festival
<http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/11/fred-hampton-commemorative-film.html>

07 Dec. NYC: Screening and Book Signing. The Assassination of Fred Hampton:
How the FBI and the Chicago Police Murdered a Black Panther. Speakers:
Jeffrey Haas, Michael Steven Smith, Cleo Silvers
<http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/11/assassination-of-fred-hampton-book.html>

08 Dec. NYC: Protest Re-Sentencing of the Cuban 5
<http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/11/protest-day-of-re-sentencing-of-cuban-5.html>

13 Dec. NYC: Celebrate International Human Rights Day with NYC Jericho and
Friends at the 6th International Day in Solidarity with Political Prisoners
and POWs.
<http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/11/celebrate-international-human-rights.html>

13 Dec. NYC: Art Benefit Show and Auction for Daniel McGowan.
<http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/11/art-benefit-show-and-auction-for-daniel_29.html>

17 Dec. Los Angeles. Bringing the Circle Together Native American
Film Series showing of "Warrior: The Life of Leonard Peltier"
with speaker: Ben Carnes.
<http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/11/la-free-screening-of-warrior-life-of.html>


* Xtra *

Video of the 40th Day of Mourning in Plymouth, MA. Includes Peltier's
statement.
<http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/11/video-40th-day-of-mourning-26-nov-2009.html>

Audio of the Sunrise Ceremony and the celebration for the 40th
anniversary of the occupation of Alcatraz.
<http://FreePeltierNow.blogspot.com/2009/11/sunrise-ceremony-at-alcatraz-audio-26.html>


*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*
"Never cease in the fight for peace, justice, and equality for all
people. Be persistent in all that you do and don't allow anyone to
sway you from your conscience."--Leonard Peltier
*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*
Time to set him free... Because it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Friends of Peltier
http://www.FreePeltierNow.org

NOTE: Please delete text from this point down before forwarding our announcements along to friends and family.