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| by BAR managing editor Bruce A. Dixon |
From Correntewire and Davey D’s Hip-Hop Blog
Georgia — On Thursday morning, December 9, 2010, thousands of Georgia
prisoners refused to work, stopped all other activities and locked down
in their cells in a peaceful protest for their human rights.
The December 9 Strike became the biggest prisoner protest in the
history of the United States. Thousands of men, from Augusta, Baldwin,
Hancock, Hays, Macon, Smith and Telfair State Prisons, among others,
initiated this strike to press the Georgia Department of Corrections
(“DOC”) to stop treating them like animals and slaves and institute
programs that address their basic human rights. They set forth the following demands:
- · A LIVING WAGE FOR WORK
- · EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
- · DECENT HEALTH CARE
- · AN END TO CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENTS
- · DECENT LIVING CONDITIONS
- · NUTRITIONAL MEALS
- · VOCATIONAL AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
- · ACCESS TO FAMILIES
- · JUST PAROLE DECISIONS
Despite that the prisoners’ protest remained non-violent, the DOC
violently attempted to force the men back to work—claiming it was
“lawful” to order prisoners to work without pay, in defiance of the 13th
Amendment’s abolition of slavery. In Augusta State Prison, six or
seven inmates were brutally ripped from their cells by CERT Team guards
and beaten, resulting in broken ribs for several men, one man beaten
beyond recognition. This brutality continues there. At Telfair, the
Tactical Squad trashed all the property in inmate cells. At Macon
State, the Tactical Squad has menaced the men for two days, removing
some to the “hole,” and the warden ordered the heat and hot water turned
off. Still, today, men at Macon, Smith, Augusta, Hays and Telfair
State Prisons say they are committed to continuing the strike. Inmate
leaders, representing blacks, Hispanics, whites, Muslims, Rastafarians,
Christians, have stated the men will stay down until their demands are
addressed, one issuing this statement:
“…Brothers, we have accomplished a major step in our struggle…We must
continue what we have started…The only way to achieve our goals is to
continue with our peaceful sit-down…I ask each and every one of my
Brothers in this struggle to continue the fight. ON MONDAY MORNING,
WHEN THE DOORS OPEN, CLOSE THEM. DO NOT GO TO WORK. They cannot do
anything to us that they haven’t already done at one time or
another. Brothers, DON’T GIVE UP NOW. Make them come to the table. Be
strong. DO NOT MAKE MONEY FOR THE STATE THAT THEY IN TURN USE TO KEEP
US AS SLAVES….”
When the strike began, prisoner leaders issued the following call:
“No more slavery. Injustice in one place is injustice to all. Inform
your family to support our cause. Lock down for liberty!” So calls to
the warden’s office of the following Georgia State Prisons expressing
concern for the welfare of the prisoners during this and the next few
days are welcome.
Macon State Prison is 978-472-3900 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 978-472-3900 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Hays State Prison is at (706) 857-0400 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (706) 857-0400 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Telfair State prison is 229-868-7721 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 229-868-7721 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Baldwin State Prison is at (478) 445- 5218
Valdosta State Prison is 229-333-7900 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 229-333-7900 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Smith State Prison is at (912) 654-5000 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (912) 654-5000 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
The Georgia Department of Corrections is at http://www.dcor.state.ga.us and their phone number is 478-992-5246 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 478-992-5246 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
For more info on this story, please read at Black Agenda Report
NEWSONE/The Nation
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