International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners (Bay Area)

POLITICAL CONVICTIONS
{{{ liberating political prisoners }}}

a BAY AREA week of solidarity
for International Day of Solidarity with
Political Prisoners, Prisoners of War
and and Political Exiles

On December 3, 2005 people in over 10 countries around the world including
Palestine, the Philippines, Haiti, Brazil, Italy, Switzerland, England, India and
the U.S. will mark the first "International Day of Solidarity with Political
Prisoners, Prisoners of War, and Political Exiles" with rallies, marches, and other
forms of resistance. Filipino political prisoner Donato Continente called for this
day to challenge the increasing globalization of repression. We in the Bay, are
hosting a week of films, action, and speakers. We aim to expose and educate a broad
audience about the liberation struggles of oppressed people around the world in an
effort to build genuine anti-imperialist solidarity. Join us!

FILM FEST
New College of California Cultural Center
766 Valencia Street, SF
6:30~9:30 PM
Co-Sponsored by New College's Activism & Social Change Program

MON 11/28: The Real Eco-Terrorists & Call me Nuh (U.S.)
TUES 11/29: Beyond the Walls (Philippines) & Hambre de Justicia (Mexico)

Laney Community College
Irma Walker Conference Room #401 - Student Center
900 Fallon Street, Oakland
6:00~9:00 PM
Co-Sponsored by Laney College's Club Knowledge

WED 11/30 : All Power to the People (excerpts) (U.S.) & Mission against Terror (Cuba)
THURS 12/1: Women in Struggle (Palestine) & Repatriation (excerpts) (Korea)

SOLIDARITY EVENTS

Day of Action: 12~2pm on Friday, 12/2
Oakland Federal Building ~ 1301 Clay Street, Oakland

Day of Solidarity: 7PM on Saturday: 12/3
Performances & Guest Speakers Kathleen Cleaver & Alicia Rodriguez
First Unitarian Church ~ 685 14th Street, Oakland
$5-20 donation - no one turned away
MORE DETAILS ON DEC 3RD EVENT:

DECEMBER 3, 2005
INTERNATIONAL DAY IN SOLIDARITY WITH POLITICAL PRISONERS
EVENTS HELD IN 25 CITIES WORLDWIDE!!

KATHLEEN CLEAVER - FORMER BLACK PANTHER LEADER
ALICIA RODRIGUEZ, FORMER PUERTO RICAN POLITICAL PRISONER SPEAKING OUT ABOUT U.S. AUTHORIZED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE!

Where: First Unitarian Church – 14th and Castro, Oakland, CA
When: December 3, 2005: 7PM

Oakland, CA 7 November 2005 - Former Black Panther leader and Yale Law
School Professor KATHLEEN CLEAVER will headline the first annual
International Day in Solidarity with Political Prisoners. “It's essential
to work for the freedom of those still imprisoned because of their
contributions to the human rights struggle within the U.S., particularly in
these days of intensified government surveillance of and restrictions
against dissent....” Ms Cleaver explained.

Puerto Rican Independentista ALICIA RODRIGUEZ, who was pardoned by
President Clinton after 19 years in prison, will join Ms. Cleaver. “The
U.S. government just assassinated our freedom fighter Filiberto Ojeda Rios
because they want us to believe that resistance is futile. Nothing could be
further from the truth. We know from our experience that we must continue
our fight to get all of our prisoners out –they must know that they are not
alone.”

There are over one hundred political prisoners incarcerated in the U.S. and
tens of thousands imprisoned around the world. Under the pretext of the
Patriot Act and the “War on Terror”, the U.S. government is imprisoning
more people every day. The force-feeding of hunger strikers in Guantanamo,
the torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and the use of secret prisons in
Europe are only a few of the grave human rights abuses taking place around
the world under the authority of the U.S. government.

In response to escalating human rights violations, activists from around
the world have decided to initiate a Day in Solidarity with Political
Prisoners Worldwide. Donato Continente, a recently released political
prisoner from the Philippines explained: “It’s time we took a united and
international approach to the freeing of political activists and freedom
fighters – it’s essential that we share our experiences and that we mount
international campaigns.”

The event in Oakland will also feature representatives from Haiti,
Palestine, the Philippines and the Cuban 5. There will be simultaneous
activities in 25 countries including the Philippines, Turkey, Mexico,
Croatia, Canada, Spain and cities around the United States.

The event will be preceded by a film festival, Political
Convictions: Liberating Political Prisoners with showings from Monday,
November 28 through Thursday, December 1st at New College, San Francisco
and Laney College, Oakland.

There will be a demonstration on December 2nd, 12 noon at the Oakland
Federal Building, (1301 Clay St.) demanding freedom for all political
prisoners.