This week, we’re featuring a conversation with Mohammad Hureini (twitter / instagram), a young activist from Masafer Yatta, an area in the hills south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank in Palestine. Mohammad is a member of a non-violent group called Youth of Sumud that struggles to hold on to the sites and lives of Palestinian villages despite displacement by the Israeli military occupation as well as the illegal zionist settlements (like the neighboring Havat Ma’on) and their routine violence and impunity. For the hour, Mohammad speaks about the work of Youth of Sumud, their recent report co-published with The Good Shepherd on increased settler violence entitled Indigenous Erasure: How the zionist movement is using state sanctioned violence to eliminate the Palestinian communities of the West Bank, the South African genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice and other topics.
Check out the January 2024 episode featuring updates on support for antifascists facing charges in Budapest from February 11, 2023; reflections from an Autonomist on the ’80s-’90s journal “Radikal”; a portion of our interview with Israeli refuser Yuval Dag; and an interview from Solidarity Zones on the case of accused Russian war sabateur, Ruslan Siddiqui
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Featured Track:
Building Steam with a Grain of Salt by DJ Shadow from Entroducing….
First up, you’ll hear an interview with Shupavu wa Kirima, General Secretary of the Revolutionary Intercommunal Black Panther Party, comes on to talk to us about the ongoing hunger strike among prisoners at Red Onion State Prison in Virginia protesting the abuse of solitary confinement and the medical status of hunger striker Kevin “Rashid” Johnson. More at https://RashidMod.Com [00:01:18 – 00:25:47]
Then, Yuval Dag, an Israeli anarchist member of Mesarvot recently imprisoned for publicly refusing conscription, talks about draft refusal, opposing the war on Palestinians and the occupation and undoing zionist ideology. More at https://linktr.ee/meaarvot [00:27:31 – 01:06:13]
Sean Swain is an anarchist prisoner who’s serving an indeterminate sentence in Ohio for a self-defense killing. Sean has authored 3 books (one co-authored with Travis Washington) and released an album of his music (with collaboration of a number of artists) while behind bars. Sean is also a dear friend and collaborator on The Final Straw for 10 years, now. We’re sharing here a conversation Bursts had with Sean Swain to mark the 10th anniversary of Sean’s (mostly) regular segments on the show, You Are The Resistance.
The show notes will be chock full of links to segments and articles worth checking out, but you can find a full rundown of Sean’s audios on the first link labeled “You Are The Resistance”, our first interview with him about the Army of the 12 Monkeys linked in the first paragraph and a whole bunch more writings and audio at SeanSwain.Org and at our website. You can find contact info there to reach out to Sean if you want to strike up a conversation.
Links to materials as they come up in the conversation:
This week on the show, you’ll hear Kazi Toure. Kazi is a former political prisoner from the Ohio 7 case and founding member of the Boston chapter of The National Jericho Movement. For the hour, Kazi and I talk about the history of Jericho Movement, supporting political prisoners and support for post-release and aging prisoners. You can find recent updates from the group at @OfficialJerichoBoston on Instagram.
Two interviews Kazi’s former co-defendant, Ray Luc Levasseur (pt 1 / pt 2)
Then, Sean Swain’s segment begins the annual tradition of reading the names of people killed by the police in the USA during the prior year. Stay tuned mid-week for a release of a 10 year anniversary chat with Sean about his life since he began participating in TFSR [00:55:58]
Announcements
Post-Release Fundraiser for Mwalimu Shakur
Formerly incarcerated New Afrikan revolutionary activist Mwalimu Shakur has been released from prison after 20 years, Mwalimu was featured on this show twice talking about his organizing work. If you’d like to contribute to his post-release fund, consider donating to our paypal or venmo linked at our website or via this cashapp with Mwalimu support in the memo. You can find his former appearances on the show here.
Hunger Strikes Grow More Dire at Red Onion Prison
Several Virginia prisoners began a hunger strike on Tuesday, December 26 at Red Onion State Prison, protesting the continued use of long-term solitary confinement at the institution.
Despite critical concern, outcry from the public and prisoner populations in the state, incarcerated people are still subjected to this brutal practice which has been renamed “restorative housing” since July 1, 2023 when measures were passed to limit its use in the state.
Leading these prisoners in this effort is longtime prison activist, revolutionary writer and artist, Kevin “Rashid” Johnson. Rashid has stated that no one will take any food at all until demands are met. Some of the strike participants have underlying health concerns that make the undertaking of such a demonstration particularly risky.
Rashid, himself, is recovering from multiple rounds of radiation to treat prostate cancer as well as suffering from untreated heart disease/congestive heart failure. This is why the public’s support is especially needed.
We are asking that calls, emails, and letters be sent to the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) officials as well as Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin’s office voicing support for the strikers and condemnation for the inhumane use of long-term solitary confinement/restorative housing.
PLEASE EVERY DAY THIS WEEK: call and email the following people demanding that the hunger strikers demands be met (end long term solitary confinement) and Rashid receive the medical care he has been denied for months, and that he be transferred immediately. If the latter is not an option, then demand an interstate compact transfer take place immediately.
** Demand that the Governor intervene on Rashid’s behalf and that an internal investigation be conducted immediately that would reveal why there were documents removed from his medical jacket and why his referrals to outside medical care were canceled.
Joka Jeupe Mkali, AKA Komrade Shine White, who put out this call to action, said “Death is inevitable, but it mustn’t be at the hands of some racist dogs. Rashid walks in shoes that cannot be filled, thus we must keep him walking in them as long as possible.”
Thank you for all you do to help prison rebels keep walking!
Red Onion Hunger Strike Participants:
Kevin “Rashid” Johnson – #1007485
Jason Barrett – #1092874
Rodney Lester – #1429887
Charles Cousino – #2213403
Eric Thompson – #1208012
Joe Thomas – 1193196
Nguyen Tuan – #1098070
Demetrius Walllace – #1705834
Gregory Binns – #1157265
P. Williams – #2103207
DeQuan Saunders – #1458253
J. Hilliard – #1988319
Ray Galloway – #1407902
Gregory Azeez – #1421616
Phone Zap for Aaron Isby-Israel at Plainfield CF in Indiana
Aaron Isby has been facing increased harassment Plainfield the last few weeks. Details and the support script are available at IDOCWatch. Here’s who to contact:
Please call Plainfield CF and IDOC HQ, and email the Ombusdan and the Governor and demand that the harassment against Mr. Isby cease immediately and that he be provided full access to the law library in accordance with law and policy!
Call IDOC HQ: (317) 232-5711 ext. 0 ext. 1
Call Plainfield CF: (317) 839-2513 ext. 7 ext. 9
Email the Ombudsman Bureau: idoa@ombud.in.gov
Call & Email the Governor: https://www.in.gov/gov/ask-eric/
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Featured Track:
Water No Get Enemy by Fela Kuti from Expensive Shit
We’re joined again by podcaster, writer and activist Elia J. Ayoub, who is a Lebanese Palestinian living in Europe, co-hosts a podcast called The Fire These Times which is soon to be a part of the From The Periphery podcast network. For the hour we speak about the Israeli war on Palestinians, US policies in the SWANA region and the possibilities of war expanding to neighboring states, conspiracy thinking in the early days of these massacres, European state approaches to massacres in the Occupied Territories and other subjects.
Supporters of antifascist and anarchist activist Daryle Lamont Jenkins are raising funds for DLJ after a recent visit to the hospital. You can learn more and kick in some funds at GoFund.Me/e40da8b8 or check the link in our show notes.
New Episode of B(A)D News
The latest episode of the monthly podcast from the A-Radio Network is available, featuring stories from:
Kilavo Seme about Quilombos and struggles in Brazil;
A-Radio Berlin on the trials concerning the 2017 G20 protests in Hamburg
Flora Radio in so-called Valparaiso, Chile, on recent repression against Mapuche people claiming their lands
Hunger Strike At Red Onion Expands
The hunger strike that began on December 26th at the infamous Red Onion State Prison in Virginia has doubled in size as of a few days ago with participation of 7 more imprisoned resisters protesting abuse by isolation despite Virginia policy and international human rights law. There is a rundown of the hunger strike and conditions at Red Onion available at RashidMod.Com and supporters are requesting that people call or email VDOC officials to end this cruel and unlawful use of segregation.
Newly joined the strike:
Nguyen Tuan – #1098070
Demetrius Walllace – #1705834
Gregory Binns – #1157265
P. Williams – #2103207
DeQuan Saunders – #1458253
J. Hilliard – #1988319
Ray Galloway – #1407902
Gregory Azeez – #1421616
Who To Contact:
VADOC~ Central Administration; USPS—
P.O. Box 26963
Richmond, VA 23261
