Panel discussion and vigil on political prisoner struggles around the world.
photo Palestinian boy views photos of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails.

Saturday, December 10, 2011
13h-16h panel discussion / food
16h-17h vigil / protest ending at US consulate in Montreal.
St James United Church
463 Ste-Catherine west
métro McGill, Montréal, Québec
facebook event

We are living in a time of crisis. Around the world, people are facing austerity measures, poverty, war and violence, as those in power try to dig their way out of their mess by offloading it onto the oppressed.

As people rise up and resist, governments invariably resort to more and more repression, with prisons being one of their favored instruments. Indeed, wherever governments fear resistance, imprisonment is used pre-emptively against activists and target populations who would challenge their illegitimate power.

We see this happening all around the world, such as in the police brutality and arrest tactics used against the Occupy Wall Street movement. It is estimated that there are 356 political prisoners in the Phillipines, often members of trade unions, women’s organizations, human rights groups, peasant organizations and rebel peace negotiation teams. Following the overthrow of Mubarak in Egypt , 12,000 activists now face military trials, in an attempt to terrorize those standing against the ruling military junta and for true economic justice and democracy.

Arrests and imprisonment are also hallmarks of the repression waged against the popular resistance in occupied Palestine, where despite the recent prisoner exchange, over four thousand remain behind bars for resisting Israeli apartheid. Furthermore, dozens of political prisoners have spent decades behind bars in the United States for resisting the racist and militaristic policies of their government. Indeed, California prisoners captured the imaginations of people around the world this summer, as thousands engaged in a hunger strike against long-term solitary confinement, a central feature of the U.S. prison system.

Meanwhile, here in Canada, the Conservative government is about to go on a prison-building spree to make space for the thousands who will be locked up if their new crime bill passes. At the same time, several activists have just been sentenced to prison for their part in resisting the G20 spectacle last year in Toronto, where they will join Roger Clement, Nyki Kish and other Canadian political prisoners.

Around the world, the details change but the underlying reality is depressingly familiar: those who resist, or who might resist, are targeted for repression and imprisonment.

On Saturday, December 10, join us to share stories of struggle of political prisoners from Palestine to the Philippines and beyond.

Speakers on the Philippines, Egypt, Palestine, Latin America, and the United States.

food will be served / whisper translation will be provided

childcare available – please confirm 48 hours in advance iwc_cti(at)yahoo.com

organized/endorsed by

Center for Philippine Concerns
PINAY: Filipino Women’s Organization in Quebec
Women of Diverse Origins Network
Immigrant Workers Center
Certain Days Political Prisoners Calendar
Tadamon!
Projet Accompagnement Solidarité Colombie (PASC)
QPIRG-Concordia

Tadamon! Montreal
tel: 514 664 1036
e-mail: info[at]tadamon.ca
@tadamonmontreal