A Tribute to a Fallen Warrior: Merle Africa

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Merle Austin Africa was the embodiment of strength, endurance and a welcoming spirit. A radiant smile was a partner of her commitment. A Black Woman, a MOVE member. A rebel, revolutionary. Bright, beautiful, genuine. The perfect sister.

It was thirteen years ago today—March 13th, that Merle passed away at the prison for women in Northwestern Pennsylvania in Cambridge Springs. She had been in prison for twenty straight years, doing a sentence of 30-100 years for essentially not renouncing the teachings of John African and turning on MOVE.

Merle maintained her innocence along with her family/co-defendants who 33 years in prison. Merle was a human being who was the soul of the family; her laughter was infectious. She must never be forgotten and in that spirit. I wish to reach out to all who embrace our sisters for their enduring spirit and centuries long dedication to the resistance of racism, misogamy and all forms of White Supremacy.

Too many of our unsung heroes go unnoticed or under-appreciated. We do not want Merle in that category. Merle was robbed of twenty years of her life. John Africa said if you rob someone of their life—impose on their contentment, you have in fact killed that person. She was murdered by the state.

Our concerted efforts to educate must be relentless as we strive to get justice and redress for all of these loses. And we must continue to link Merle’s persecution as a political prisoner and Black Women to all of our Political Prisoners and Women being oppressed. Over all objectives is our quest for eventual freedom for all and our God given right o determine for ourselves.

Merle died on March 13th, thirteen years ago. Those thirteen years and the date of her death are significant and eerie by itself. Those numbers bear a real, historical relation to MOVE and a chronology that started when MOVE members were arrested March 13th, 1981; our home bombed and eleven members murdered May 13th, 1985 and of course, her death, March 13th 1998.

If this bleak account is disturbing—as it should be—let us unify our effort wherever we can in honoring Merle and keeping her spirit alive as we re-double our efforts to fight for the release of all political prisoners and prisoners of war and human beings.

Free All Political Prisoners
Ona MOVE

Chuck Africa, MOVE 9
&
Iresha Picot, MOVE Supporter

Philadelphia's War on MOVE is a War on the Black Community!

International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement invites the community out to the film screening of MOVE: A Documentary with Post-Discussion from Pam Africa, minister of confrontation of the MOVE organization and chairwoman of the International Concern Family and Friends of Mumia Abu Jamal

MOVE: A Documentary goes behind the 1978 and 1985 attack on the Philadelphia revolutionary organization MOVE and the repression they suffered from the racist and brutal policies of the Philadelphia police department and the US justice system.


January 19th, 2010
Uhuru Solidarity Center
3733 Lancaster Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19104
6pm
$3-$5 suggested donation

For more information contact Iresha.Picot@gmail.com
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FREE the MOVE 9 display at the A-Space

Come out to a display on the MOVE 9 and Phil Africa's artwork from December 19th to January 27th.





A-Space
4722 Baltimore Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19143

Merle and Janet in the MXGM Newsletter

Two of the four women whom make up the MOVE 9 (Janet and Merle) are featured in the new fall newsletter of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. Scroll down to the "Freedom Fighters" section.

FREE THE MOVE 9!

Interview with Ramona Africa and new article on May 13, 1985

This is a new video interview conducted by Angola 3 News, an official project of the International Coalition to free the Angola 3.

Accompanying the video is a written article detailing the many arguments that can be made in support of MOVE's request for murder charges for the death of 5 children and 6 adults on May 13, 1985. Read the article here, as well as Angola 3 News' previous article and video-interview with Ramona focusing on the MOVE 9 here.

MOVE 9 on MXGM

Ona MOVE,

The MOVE 9 are one of many political prisoners highlighted on the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement site. Link below:

http://mxgm.org/category/political-prisoners/

Ona MOVE

Say "Hell No" to Death Row

WORLD DAY AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY: USA
10-10-10

WE DEMAND 100% ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY NOW!
NO EXCEPTIONS (INCLUDING MUMIA ABU-JAMAL)!

Several key members of US anti-death penalty organizations have recently made a move to exclude Mumia Abu-Jamal from the movement to abolish the death penalty, arguing that Mumia's inclusion alienated potential law enforcement supporters of the abolition movement!!! This position caused an international uproar. October 9th will be a reaffirmation of a real and unifying abolition movement: 100% ABOLITION! NO EXCEPTIONS!

BE IN PHILADELPHIA SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

9 AM RALLY AT THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE
HEADQUARTERS (longtime fighters for executions
and perpetrators of terrorism on those who fight for justice)
Broad Street and Springfield Gardens)
10 AM MARCH BEGINS

11:30 AM INDOOR RALLY BEGINS
LA FAMILIA
1310 North Broad Street

Scheduled Participants:
International representatives
Former Death Row Prisoners
Journalist Linn Washington
and many others

People's Lunch Counter: Black August

People's Lunch Counter Presents: Ramona and Pam Africa
Southside On Lamar
1409 S Lamar
Dallas, TX

The People's Lunch Counter is an organization in Dallas that works as an advocate for food justice and sustainability.The PLC provides a holistic approach to ending food insecurity and focus on a healthy body and mind through education, gardening and environmental awareness.

Part of our awareness campaigns include bringing awareness to the communities about political prisoners and organizations like MOVE who set the presidence and created a path for groups like us to be able and speak out against the misinformation and propaganda of the system.

Every August, PLC along with The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and other organizations come together to recognize the contributions made in August for the liberation of black people. We focus on political prisoners and events that occured in August throughout history. This year our Black August Course is dedicated to MOVE. We have two classes a week studying MOVE and the events leading up to the 1985 Bombing, the continued incarceration of the MOVE 9 and current events that MOVE is working on for Mumia also. Participants are encouraged to write to the 8 comrades at the end of the course and continue to show them love and support after the course as well.

The last week of this years Black August Course is ending with two special guest speakers! Ramona and Pam Africa will be in Dallas to host showings of the MOVE documentary on August 26th at Doc Shop Bookstore in Fort Worth and August 27th in Dallas at the Progressive Center. PLC is truly honored to have them and we are looking forward to continuing to support the MOVE and the campaign to bring home the Africa family still imprisoned.The People's Lunch Counter can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/plcdallas or email us at plcdallas@gmail.com

Free the MOVE 9: Putting Pressure on the Parole Board

The information below is from Phil Africa on behalf of the MOVE 9. Nine Black men and women who are serving a 30-100 year sentence for the murder of a cop back in 1978. After completing their minumum sentence of thirty years, they are continually being denied by the parole board. I encourage everyone to call and/or (contact info at the bottom) write on their behalf to the parole board for their release. Please circulate this around.


Chairman Catherine McVey
(717) 787-5699

Tips for Calling Parole Board

1—Keep a copy of our parole sheets with you when calling. This way you will know just what they said and how to attack it.

2—Key points are that we have done all that is required to be released.
a. All required programs have been completed
b. Have been misconduct free for over 20 years
c. Have the recommendation of the prisons to be released
d. We have home plans
e. We have job plans
f. We have strong community support networks
g. We have very strong family supports

Keep in mind, that the aforementionables are more than most have while pre-parole, so why are we not being paroled?

3— Reiterate that parole is about the 32 years being spent in prison verses the crime being committed.

The sentencing judge has never said that we would have to admit “guilt/take responsibility” for crimes we did not commit in order to be paroled. Ask them, where does it say in their rules that a prisoner must admit guilt to be released? Point being, that it is what they are demanding of us by refusing to release us because we “refuse to accept responsibility for the offense” and some other crap, which of course is not stuff that is on any of the information sheets that are given to us after our sentencing that tells you when you get to prison what is expected of you to be ready for parole/release.

4—Be sure to tape record your calls to these people whenever possible. That way you can quote them word for word and if caught in lies, having it on tape will be very impressive. Always be sure to get the name of the person you talk to and what their job or position with the parole board is when you call.

5—Pre-release vs Parole. We had been up for pre-release which is separate from parole because it is decided on by the Department of Correction. Yet when Delbert saw the parole board, they asked him “how is your pre-release bid coming along.” We were told by the staff here that we had been approved for it until it went to Harrisburg to be voted on and that we had been approved for it until it went to Harrisburg to be voted on. We know it was politics that had them make the change in vote once the Rendell/FOP people got wind of it. Like I said, these are just suggestions of things to ask or say to these people at the parole board when you all be calling them. They should be able to state and explain why they refused us parole and ya’ll know that whatever excuse they give we can pick apart with the truth and use it to expose them even more.

6—Ask them why since nothing has changed with the women or men, they’ve got no misconducts, have the prisons recommendation done completed all of their programs, that they were not released but instead given longer parole hits. Now this is a big issue because only when you mess up do they give you a longer hit, so how do they explain giving the women those increased hits.


I encourage all to write to the parole board as well on behalf of the MOVE 9:
Attn: Inmate Inquiry
1101 South Front Street, Suite 5300
Harrisburg, PA 17104
(717) 787-5699

Along with Chairman Catherine C. McVey, the other eight Parole Board Members are Charles Fox, Michael L. Green, Jeffrey R. Imboden, Matthew T. Mangino, Benjamin A. Martinez, Gerard N. Massaro, Judy Viglione, Lloyd A. White.

August 8, 1978, We Must Never Forget!

On August 7th, MOVE members, supporters, and activists came out to 11th and Market in memorializing the attacks on the MOVE family in 1978 and rallied together in solidarity for the freedom of the MOVE 9.

On August 8th, 1978, in the wee hours of the morning, over six-hundred hundred police officers attacked MOVE’s house on 309 N. 33rd Street while MOVE members were asleep. After MOVE barricaed themselves for safety in their basement, police began to deluge hoses so powerful into the basement, it pulled bricks from the walls and also rounded countless number of bullets aimed at people; attempting to kill MOVE babies, women and men inside. Inadvertly, one of those shots fired by police, fatally killed Officer Ramp, and nine MOVE members (MOVE 9), were each sentenced to 30-100 years for killing one police officer. After serving their full minimum sentence of thirty years, the MOVE 9 have continually been denied parole and at this present moment, they have seen the parole board for the third time since 2008, unfavorably.

We need to let this year not only mark the 32nd consecutive year of the MOVE 9--Janine, Janet, Debbie, Phil, Mike, Delbert, Chuck and Eddie’s (Sis Merle past away in 1998) incarceration for a crime that they did not commit, but let their mere presence behind enemy walls, stir our continued fight for their release from a racist and unjust penal system that is so threaten in letting them have their freedom that they are hell bent on keeping them confined. We are only one part; the whole of the community has to get involve in bringing the MOVE 9 home. As the revolutionary Che Guevara profoundly stated “Words are beautiful, but action is supreme”.
ONA MOVE,
---Iresha


http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/phillynow/2010/08/08/move-9-supporters-continue-fight-for-justice/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=move-9-supporters-continue-fight-for-justice

Metro - MOVE shooting: It’s been 32 years

Metro - MOVE shooting: It’s been 32 years

August 7 Event in Philadelphia

ONA MOVE, All!

As I'm sure you all know, this August 8th marks 32 years of unjust imprisonment for The MOVE 9. Our main activity is to pressure the parole board about their release but we won't let August 8th go by without reminding people what that day represents. We will gather at 11th and Market Sts. from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm on Saturday August 7th. We will have info to distribute to people and will be available to talk to people about The MOVE 9.

Hope to see you there--Ramona