| Jericho
Calls for Congressional Investigation
into COINTELPRO
Dear Sisters
and Brothers,
In January 2007, Congressman John Conyers will become the new chair of the
United States House of Representative Committee on the Judiciary. The House
Committee on the Judiciary jurisdiction includes the following areas: (1) the
judiciary and judicial proceedings, civil and criminal; (2) civil liberties;
(3) claims against the United States; (4) national penitentiaries and (5) Revision
and codification of the Statutes of the United States.
Herman Ferguson, on behalf of The Jericho Movement, has written a letter to
Congressman Conyers requesting that he schedule hearings on "COINTELPRO:
Its Legacy and Continuing Impact." A copy of Herman's letter is below. It is
our hope that these hearings, if held, will not only further expose the FBI
and local law enforcement crimes against the Black Liberation Movement and
many of those involved it, but also result in legislation addressing some of
these injustices.
Of particular concern to the Jericho Movement is the release and treatment
of our political prisoners. Though the United States steadfastly denies it,
presently there are many political prisoners in the United States, the majority
of them Black/New Africans who were targets of the COINTELPRO "Black Nationalist
Hate Groups" program. Many of these brothers and sisters have been incarcerated
for decades.
For example, Jalil Abdul Muntaqim has been incarcerated since 1971; Sundiata
Acoli and Herman Bell since 1973. It is critical that the human rights and
constitutional violations surrounding their arrests, trials, sentencing, conditions
of their confinement and continuing incarceration because of their political
histories—all were members of the Black Panther Party—and continuing
commitment to the liberation of Black/New Afrikan people be brought to the
wider attention of the public. Sundiata Acoli, now 70 and with a near exemplary
record, has twice been denied parole.
If nothing else, congressional hearings on "COINTELPRO: Its Legacy and Continuing
Impact" would go along way towards achieving this result.
To this end, we are calling on all supporters of political prisoners—defense
committees; revolutionary nationalist, radical, and progressive organizations,
elected officials, community, religious, spiritual leaders, etc.—to write,
fax, or call Congressman Conyers to urge
that schedule hearings on COINTELPRO. Congressman Conyers' address is as follows:
The Honorable John Conyers
2426 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5126
(202) 225-0072 Fax
Your support of Jericho's call will help ensure that it becomes a reality.
Forward, download, copy and distribute this letter and Jericho's call
to as many people as possible. Please mail or email copies of your letters
to Herman Ferguson at the following address:
National Jericho Movement
P.O. Box 340084
Jamaica, NY 11434
Iyaluua@aol.com
Thank you in advance for your support of this effort. Please also do not hesitate
to contact Herman or us if you have any questions about this campaign.
In solidarity,
Joan P. Gibbs, Esq. (718) 270-6296 or 1-718-757-4093
Mani Gilyard, Chair, Malcolm X Commemoration Committee
To read
Herman's letter to Congressman Conyers, click here!
National
Jericho Movement • P.O. Box 1272 • New York, NY 10013 |
