Attica to Abu Ghraib: Human Rights, Torture, and Resistance Conference

From Attica to Abu Ghraib:
An Organizing Conference on Human Rights, Torture, and Resistance
sponsored by the International Human Rights Initiative

Friday, April 22, 6 - 9 p.m.: Opening Event featuring keynote speaker Cynthia McKinney.
St. Joseph the Worker Church, Berkeley, California
Saturday, April 23, 8:30 a.m. - 9 p.m: Working Conference.
U.C. Berkeley

Email: info@attica2abughraib
Website: http://www.attica2abughraib.com
Phone: 510-593-3956

Torture, illegal detention and other human rights abuses have always been weapons used by the United States government to crush dissent and social justice movements. Today, the criminalization of people of color in the US, mass illegal detentions and deportations of Arabs, Muslims and immigrants, torture in Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and the ongoing torture of political prisoners in US prisons are evidence of a terrifying escalation in US repression both at home and abroad.

What can we do? Our strength lies in building on the experiences of those who resist: here in the US, in Latin America, Palestine, the Philippines, the Caribbean, and in countless communities throughout the world. The International Human Rights Initiative was conceived by a strong diverse coalition, including US political prisoners, to help unite the emerging global resistance movement.

Conference Goals

This is a conference for organizers, activists and members of the community to strategize and coordinate resistance to U.S. Government policies that violate human rights and international law. Activists will share their current work, experiences and strategies, and interactive working sessions will develop proposals for joint work which will be refined into a campaign plan.

The priorities of the conference are:
1. Develop strategic plans and launch an international campaign to stop the U.S. and its agents’ use of torture, detention, grand juries, immigration raids, and other human rights abuses.
2. Document these violations of human rights, domestic and international law in order to pursue redress in domestic and international forums.
3. Organize an International Day of Solidarity to demand freedom for political prisoners, within and outside the U.S.
4. Share resources and strengthen relationships among local, national and international organizations.
Focus areas
The conference program is divided into three broad areas of focus and analysis Each is a key component of the workings of U.S. empire and provides a focus for linking movements within and outside the U.S. Our aim is to use the analysis of these focus areas to formulate concrete plans to unite domestic and international organizations in a successful anti-imperialist campaign.
1. The Criminalization of Resistance: Political Prisoners, Prisoners of War, and Systematic Torture
2. The Repression of Dissent: COINTELPRO, The Patriot Act, and Grand Juries
3. U.S.-sponsored Terrorism: Occupation, Colonization, Racial and Religious Oppression, Attacks on Arabs, Muslims, and Immigrants, and the globalization of repression.

How You Can Participate
We want you (and your group, if you are part of one) to join in planning, publicizing, financing and putting on the conference, and building campaigns and networks growing out of the conference. Get in touch with us at the email address and phone number above.

Tax deductible contributions can be made to International Human Rights Initiative (IHRI)/Agape, and mailed to IHRI, P. O. Box 3585, Oakland CA 94609.

Partial List of Sponsors and Endorsers
All African Peoples Revolutionary Party (AAPRP)
Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition
American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Africa Initiative – SF
Amnesty International- Western Region
Arabs Building Community
Alliance of South Asians Taking Action (ASATA)
BAYAN USA
Black Radical Congress (BRC) – SF Bay Area
California Prison Focus
Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)
Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA)
Challenging White Supremacy Workshops
Critical Resistance (CR)
Education Not Incarceration
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights (EBC)
GABRIELA Network
Global Exchange
Haiti Action Committee
International League of Peoples Struggle (ILPS)
Jericho Movement
Justice Now
Justice in Palestine Coalition
LAGAI – Queer Insurrection
Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC)
Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM)
National Committee to Free the Cuban Five
National Lawyers Guild (NLG) – San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
Out of Control Lesbian Committee to Support Women Political Prisoners
Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC)
Queers Undermining Israeli Terror (QUIT!)
San Francisco Women in Black
School of the Americas Watch (SOA Watch)
SUSTAIN (Stop US Tax Aid to Israel Now)- Bay Area Chapter
TransAfrica Forum
World Organization for Human Rights USA