(Previous report can be found at http://www.iww.org/en/node/4707)
Fellow Workers - On April 30, 2009 I gave news of immigrant prisoners on hunger strike at the South Texas immigrant detention facility known as Port Isabel Detention Center (PIDC). It has been nearly a week since my last report, but matters at PIDC have not yet been resolved. PIDC detainees continue their hunger strike!
Now entering their second week on hunger strike - PIDC detainees continue strong - as strong as one can be without food consumption - and hopeful in light of outside community support.
On May 1st, 2009, communities in the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Texas and Philadelphia engaged in public solidarity fasts with the PIDC detainees.
The hunger strike demands remain the same: due process for all detainees, access to legal resources, adequate medical attention, and an end to abuses inside PIDC.
PIDC detainees stress that immigrant detention must stop in its current form, that civil and human rights are constantly violated, and that the system is failing immigrants - leaving them stuck in detention without being able to adequately address their legal issues; suffering verbal and physical abuse from guards and ICE officials.
The hunger strike has already received local media attention and national independent media coverage - including coverage on Democracy Now with Amy Goodman.
Community members have started raising money to purchase phone cards for detainees on hunger strike. The phone cards will be used by hunger strikers to contact media in order to continue reports on conditions inside PIDC and updates on their struggle.
Organized
Southwest Workers Union (SWU) organizer, Anayanse Garza tells us this: "Prisoners we spoke to stressed that no one person is responsible, or spearheading this movement. The hunger strike was organized collectively with the support of many people."
Some detainees went without food for eleven days, and are now engaging in a rotating hunger strike in order to prolong their strategy.
Their goal was to have at least 100 detainees participating in the action, but Garza says "We estimate approximately 200 participating in the strike. Staff at the prison continues to falsely report that prisoners are taking their trays of food when they clearly haven't."
PIDC detainees are well organized and will continue the hunger strike until justice is served; however, our support is critical in their victory.
Support
Several of you have responded with words of support and questions on how you can show your solidarity with the international workers being detained at PIDC.
We ask that you call the numbers bellow and tell them what area of the country you are calling from. Tell them you know about the hunger strike at the Port Isabel Detention Center. Tell them you support the detainees on hunger strike, their families, and the Rio Grande Valley community working to make the issue public. Tell them you demand an end to the abuses at PIDC, demand adequate medical attention for all PIDC detainees, and you demand transparency and community monitoring of all those on hunger strike!
Michael J.. Pitts,
Field Office Director Central South Texas
Office- 210/967-7056
Department of Homeland Security:
Operator - 202/282-8000
Citizen Comment - 202/282-8495
President Barack Obama
Office - 202/456-1414
Fax - 202/4562461
The Rio Grande Valley IWW also encourages your branch to hold a solidarity action at the ICE or DHS offices closest to you. Contact us at rgviww@gmail.com if you plan on having an action or once you have called any of the numbers above.
