FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL COALITION
PO Box 16, College Station, New York, NY 10030
HOTLINE: (212- 330-8029 Website: http://www.freemumia.com
July 13, 2006
PRESS ADVISORY
CONTACT; Dr. Suzanne Ross, (917) 584-2135
Gwendolyn Debrow (718) 849-6886
Sundiata SADIQ (914) 941-6046
This year the 97th Annual convention of the NAACP is opening on July 15, 2006 in Washington D.C. At the Mt. Vernon Convention Center, 801 Mt Vernon Square. One of the convention's theme is "Voting Our Values". In the spirit of that theme, the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition of New York City are going to the nation's capital.
We are challenging the NAACP to be serious about the commitment they made at the 2004 national convention held in Philadelphia. We are going to Washington to remind the membership and the leadership of this national body that in 2004 they voted to support the opposition to the death penalty and to call for a moratorium on executions throughout the United States.
Equally important, they voted to support our brother Mumia Abu-Jamal, now sitting on Death Row for his 25th year despite powerful evidence of his innocence and an international campaign denouncing his trial as a sham and demanding a new and fair trial for him. Individuals such as President Nelson Mandela, President Jacques Chirac, Harry Belafonte, Angela Davis, Susan Sarandon, and Alice Walker are just a few of the thousands of well-known individuals in the political and artistic arena who have participated in this campaign.
Mumia's case has been put on the fast track. That is what this
nation's oldest civil rights organization must understand. There is a slight opening in the case for a new trial as the case appears before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. But the Danger of Execution continues to loom large.
Additionally, there is an international struggle going on following the naming of a newly built street in Saint-Denis, France in honor of Mumia. The city council of Philadelphia has denounced that street naming and has demanded that Saint-Denis and France rescind the name Rue Mumia Abu-Jamal. Similarly, the Pennsylvania Senate has also denounced the street naming, supporting U.S. House Resolution 407 which had presented this entire position, one initiated be the Fraternal Order of Police. House Resolution 407 has been submitted to the U.S. Congress.
Mumia's case is not like that of Tookie Williams who though asserted his innocence for the crime he was convicted, admitted that his life style involved crimes against society. Tookie by all standards was a redeemed man and that is what correctly let led the NAACP leaders to visit him and offer him a job working for the national body. Why not offer internationally recognized, and extremely talented journalist, Mumia Abu- Jamal, whom you supported at your national convention in 2004, and who has always led an exemplary life, a position at the Crisis magazine?
At the 2004 NAACP convention in Philadelphia, the city where Mumia grew up and worked as a journalist, the NAACP passed a resolution calling on all its units throughout America and the world to support the international call for Mumia's release from Death Row and to support the international movement for a new and fair trial for our brother. The organization voted its values, yet has done nothing since that time to implement that resolution other than to suspend the chapter that initiated the resolution, the Ossining, NY chapter!
We will be leaving NYC at 5:30 am on Sunday, July 16th Sunday morning from 33rd street and 8th Avenue(right in front of the post office) to attend the NAACP National Convention, to demand an opportunity to address the body, and to hold the organization accountable to its 2004 vote.
Those people who want to call the national NAACP Headquarters to raise this issue can call toll free 866-63-NAACP. Those individuals who wish to join the Free Mumia Coalition Delegation leaving from New York City should call the coalition hotline 212-330-8029 by Friday night.
No comments:
Post a Comment