[2143] in peace2
first they came for the trade-unionists...
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Aimee L Smith)
Thu Jan 2 20:12:31 2003
Message-Id: <200301030112.UAA20090@gold.mit.edu>
To: peace-announce@MIT.EDU, greens-announce@MIT.EDU
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Date: Thu, 02 Jan 2003 20:12:15 -0500
From: Aimee L Smith <alsmith@MIT.EDU>
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*** PLEASE READ, FORWARD, AND JOIN US IN ACTION ON JAN 9 ***
If you were wondering when to get started in responding
to the horrendous assaults on civil liberties and freedoms that
have been going apace since 9/11, now is a good time.
National News:
Listen to the following links at Democracy Now!
http://www.webactive.com/pacifica/demnow/dn20021218.html
"It's not a Muslim thing. It's not an Iranian thing. It's not an Arab
thing. It's a human thing. Today it's men over the age of 16 from these
countries, tomorrow it will be women over the age of 16 from these
countries, then we will go to permanent residents. They don't care where
your citizenship is. They look to where you were born. Tomorrow I could be
one of those folks because I was born in Iran. It's a human thing. It's a
wake-up call."
http://www.webactive.com/pacifica/demnow/dn20021223.html
Local News:
Abdelkader Amir Ayed, an Algerian living in the Boston area, was arrested at
his
home early Monday morning on December 23rd. Between 10 and 20 agents came to
his
home in Everett and questioned his roommates while he was still at work.
They did not identify which agencies they were from or present search or arrest
warrants. They did, however, physically break down his bedroom door to see if
he was inside.
When Abdelkader returned home from work they arrested him in front of his
house. They still did not identify themselves but during the arrest he heard
that some of the agents were from INS (Immigration and Naturalization
Services). When Abdelkader told them that he wanted to speak to his lawyer
an agent replied that a lawyer wouldn't do him much good at this point. The
agents said they wanted to search his car, and he replied that he did not
consent to a search, which is the appropriate response. The officers then
told him that things would go badly for him if he took this attitude.
They then took him to INS headquarters in Boston where they began to
interrogate him about his political views. They asked him if he was an
extremist and if he knew any extremists. They asked him how he felt about
the United States. These questions had nothing to do with issues regarding his
immigrant status.
Abdelkader is currently being held without a date for a hearing at the Bristol
County Jail at 400 Faunce Corner Road in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts.
This is the same jail where Jaoudat Abouazza was subjected to medical torture--
the yanking of four molars--last June.
Abdelkader has a heart condition and normally follows a careful diet along
with medications to control the condition. In the week since his arrest he has
been experiencing health problems due to the poor diet in the prison and the
fact
that the foods he needs are not available. In addition to this, medical staff
at
the prison have forced him to take a standard dose of medications rather than
allowing him to adjust the dose each day as he needs to based on his
condition. Abdelkader also needs to see his cardiologist.
Each step of Abdelkader's arrest and detention has violated the norms of due
process. The political nature of this arrest is clear and all-too-familiar.
For the past year and a half, the INS has been targeting Muslim and Arab men
on the basis of their religion and country of origin. In collaboration with
the FBI, it is capturing them from their homes, workplaces,and off the
streets, shackling them, and putting them in jail for alleged violations
which in the past were handled by notices in the mail.
Immigrants from non-Arab countries are not being targeted in the same way.
This racial/religious profiling is being directed by the Bush Administration
and Attorney General John Ashcroft who are now resorting to mass roundups of
Arab and Muslim people as they prepare a massive attack on Iraq.
Please join the effort to help Abdelkader immediately in the following ways.
Many of these are the same steps we took with Amer Jubran's arrest ( see
http://www.amerjubrandefense.org). Around the country other groups are
trying to deal with similar cases. If you hear of other successful strategies
please share them with us.
STEPS YOU CAN TAKE:
1. Write and call INS District Director Steven Farquharson
In your letter, try to address the following points:
* Briefly state your concerns regarding the illegality of the arrest.
* Explain how Abdelkader's imprisonment is compromising his health and
insist that he be released immediately so that he see his regular doctors
and follow the diet that he needs.
* State your awareness of the political nature of the arrest and your
understanding that this is part of the targeting and intimidation of Middle
Easterners in our community.
* If you know Abdelkader, attest to his character. Show that he is not
going to try to escape if they grant him bail, without saying that
explicitly (e.g., Abdelkader is a responsible and reliable individual with
a stable job).
* Insist that a bond hearing be set immediately.
* Ask for a response to your letter (and follow up with more letters if
you do not get one).
Send your letter to:
Stephen J. Farquharson
INS District Director
Room 1700, JFK Federal Building
Boston, MA 02203
and please cc it to both
Michael Garcia, Acting Commissioner
Immigration and Naturalization Service
425 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20536
and
RI Detainees Defense Network
P.O.Box 5785
Providence RI 02903
FAX your letter to Steven Farquharson at: 617-565-4765
PHONE Steven Farquharson to explain these points to him in person at
617-565-4214.
Please also EMAIL a copy of your letter to ajdc@amerjubrandefense.org. in
Boston or bobbielouton@juno.com in Providence.
2. Write to Abdelkader to show him support and also to show INS that many
people are concerned for him and he will not conveniently disappear in the
system. You can send him photocopies of articles, poetry, or other things
he may enjoy reading.
Abdelkader Amir Ayed, unit GB, #123611
Bristol County Jail
400 Faunce Corner Road
North Dartmouth, MA 02747
USA
3. Protest illegal INS detentions at a major demonstration at the INS office in
Boston, JFK Federal Building, 12 Noon, Thursday January 9.
Demand justice for the 1,000 Muslim, South Asian, and Arabic immigrants
recently arrested in California. Demand justice in Massachusetts and Rhode
Island
for Abdelkader Ayed and for Amer Jubran who went through the same process of
illegal
arrest and detention in November and who is now out on bond and facing
deportation
proceedings.
4. Please ask your communities and contacts to participate in this work. We are
hearing of more and more detainees that we will need to defend and we need to
organize ourselves to respond effectively. The RI Detainees Response Network
has
recently formed to help people connect themselves proactively with others
who can support them before they encounter any difficulties, and to help those
who have already been detained. We would be happy to share our model with your
community and meet with you to help you organize to be able to respond to this
ongoing and escalating need in our communities.
