online archiv 1998
Rubrik Repression & Widerstand |
Solidarität
Sender: owner-spg-l@smtp2.xs4all.nl From: SPG
tank@xs4all.nl From: Mumia@aol.com
Subject: We need your help
Mumia supporters:
I am writing to let Mumia supporters in Europe know about a
delegation from the Peoples International Tribunal for Justice for Mumia
Abu-Jamal that is traveling to Geneva for the United Nations High
Commission for Human Rights annual Convention and to ask for your support.
A five member delegation is traveling to the U.N. in Geneva at the end of
March/beginning of April to present the Judges Verdict and to request that the
U.N. assign Special Rapporteurs to investigate Mumia's case and related Human
Right Violations.
While in Europe we would like to arrange for members of the delegation to
speak and report back to European Mumia Support Committees about the Tribunal
and the follow up work that is being pursued through the United Nations. If
possible we would like to arrange some fundraisers where we could show a 50
minute video which is a summary of the evidence presented at the Tribunal and
includes a presentation of the Judges Verdict to Dr. Purificacion Quisumbing,
the NY Director for the U.N. High Commission for Human Rights, as well as her
recommendations.
My name is Maud Maron, I worked with the Legal team on the Tribunal and
with International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal. I am
presently working on follow-up with members of the Tribunal's Legal team,
Susan Burnett--Mumia's Internet person (from whom I got this list) and
Julia Wright--the International Concerned Family & Friends
representative in Europe who is based in Paris.
If you have any questions about the Mumia Tribunal Delegation which is
traveling to Geneva you can contact Julia Wright at (011-331) 45 79 8844 or e-
mail myself or Mumia@aol.com.
If you are interested in arranging to have a delegate come and speak at an
event and show the video (or any other ideas that you have) please reply and
let me know the following information:
-name of the organization -contact person name & number to work
with to arrange meeting/fundraiser? -where you are located? -how far
and how long is it by train from Geneva? -Also can your organization cover
the costs of travel? -is it possible to hold a fundraiser?
U.N. DELEGATION INFORMATION:
A delegation of human rights lawyers and activists from the Tribunal will
travel to Geneva in April to attend the U.N. High Commission for Human Rights
annual Convention and present the findings of the Tribunal to both member
States and Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs). Specifically the delegation
will request that the High Commission for Human Rights endorse the findings of
the Tribunal and assign a United Nations Special Rapporteur to investigate the
case of Mumia Abu-Jamal and related Human Rights violations as recommended in
the judges findings.
The delegation is presently working to secure the support of several NGOs
in advance of its presentation to the U.N. High Commission. The delegation
will include: Michael Warren, lead prosecutor for the Tribunal, Richard
Harvey, Tribunal counsel to the Judges, Ramona Africa and Sue Africa of
International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal and MOVE,
and Linda Thurston, former Director of the Program to Abolish the Death
Penalty Project of Amnesty International USA.
BACKGROUND:
The Tribunal for Justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal, like the Bertrand Russell
Tribunals on the United States war against the Vietnamese people, applied
principles of customary international humanitarian law. Article 38 of the
Statute of the INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE RECOGNIZES THE AUTHORITATIVE
EFFECT OF THE FINDINGS OF SUCH TRIBUNALS on contemporary standards on
international law.
The Tribunal convened in Philadelphia on December 6th. A team of human
rights lawyers served as prosecutors and presented an extensive array of
evidence concerning the deprivation of Mumia's constitutional rights. The
Tribunal investigated the facts surrounding Mumia's conviction and death
sentence and called attention to the larger issues of the death penalty and
human rights issues in the United States.
The defendants included: Pennsylvania Governor Thomas Ridge, the
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, the Philadelphia Police Department,
Judge Albert Sabo, District Attorney Lynn Abraham, the FBI and Attorney
General Janet Reno.
A verdict of guilty was delivered by a distinguished panel of 25
International judges (a list of judges is attached) who also proposed
several remedies including the United Nations assignment of a special
Rapporteur to investigate the egregious human rights violations in the case
of Mumia Abu-Jamal.
The Tribunal for Justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal and the follow up work
required to activate the Tribunal's findings, is a truly international
endeavor. On the day of the Tribunal, December 6th, there were solidarity
rallies in San Francisco and Vancouver. Solidarity Messages were sent to
the Tribunal from around the world, including messages from Ramsey Clark,
former U.S. Attorney General, Leoluco Orlando, Mayor of Palermo and
long-time death penalty opponent, Assata Shakur, exiled leader of the Black
Liberation Movement and Leonard Peltier of the American Indian Movement.
INTERNATIONAL WORK:
Our follow up work began immediately: On December 10th--Human Rights
Day--a delegation from the Peoples Tribunal delivered the Tribunal's
Indictment and the Judges' Verdict to the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights Office in New York. Dr. Purificacion Quisumbing, Director
of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights greeted
the delegation which included, Gamal Nkrumah, International Editor of
Cairo's "Al Ahram," Julia Wright, author and political analyst
and Ramona Africa of MOVE. During the 30 minute meeting, which was filmed
and has already aired on public access channels, Dr. Quisumbing made
several recommendations concerning the follow up work of the Tribunal.
Dr. Quisumbing accepted the findings of the Tribunal and made several
recommendations regarding international action on the findings. Specifically
Dr. Quisumbing recommended that the findings of the Tribunal and a complete
package of materials concerning Mumia's legal case should be presented to:
Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva Kofi
Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations Bill Richardson, United
States Ambassador to the United Nations, and to Gaye MacDougal, recently
nominated as a US member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of all
Forms of Racial Discrimination. Ms. MacDougal is also Director of the
International Human Rights Law Group.
If you need anymore information about the Tribunal or the delegation that
is traveling to Geneva, please let me know.
Also, if anyone has any housing suggestions or knows of anyone
who would be willing to provide housing for some members of the delegation
while in Geneva--it would be greatly appreciated.
Ona Move
Maud |