Philadelphia, PA – On November 6, 2010, during African People's Solidarity Day in Philadelphia comrade sister Pam Africa announced to the crowd of more than 50 that a list had been compiled by an organization called the Institute for Terrorism Research and Response (ITRR) which included the name Diop Olugbala/Wali Rahman, President of the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM).
The ITRR is an Israeli based so-called "anti-terror" counterintelligence organization which received a $125,000 contract from the State of Pennsylvania (homeland security) to compile a list of organizations it considers to pose a threat to the status quo.
One can Google ITRR in its full name and find numerous articles on it and related to it, including its own website.
Apparently, Governor Rendell has openly criticized some of the ITRR's work, calling it “ludicrous” at times.
This is understandable, given the fact that forces like Bill Clinton and SEIU were on the list.
We also know, however, that even while the State may make open statements criticizing and condemning some of its own activities, it still carries out a general campaign of repression.
This is one of the defining features of the State. It’s a dictatorship, which rules without regard for law and will in fact make up the law at its own convenience.
The most recent Oscar Grant protests were a clear example of this, where the State announced prior to the sentencing that it would not restrict or allow police intervention of any protest and mass gathering in response to the sentence.
They did, however, the exact opposite – openly arresting and brutalizing nearly 200 protesters.
The government still will not admit any involvement in the assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, and in fact put the images of both of those freedom fighters on their own postage stamp!
So, we are not confused on the question of the government's role in the creation of this list and its own significance in terms of our movement's relationship to the State.
At the same time the Pennsylvania Homeland Security Office released its own document (see attachment) on August 11, 2010, in which it offers up a summation of different organizations/movements it considers to be some type of threat to the status quo.
InPDUM and the Free Diop campaign is the only organization mentioned under the "black nationalist" section.
In the document (can be downloaded here, go to pg. 7) it says,
"The International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM), a pan-African nationalist-socialist group, has called for three rallies this month in support of imprisoned Black convicts and against what it is calling "war on the Black community…"5“…The latter event coincides with the start of the trial of Diop Olugbala, also known as Wali Rahman, and a leader of the InPDUM. He is facing felony charges of aggravated assault on a police officer. According to InPDUM, "The struggle to free Diop is part of the struggle to defend the rights of Africans to resist."The most recent communication from InPDUM includes a call "for the white community to defend the democratic rights of the African community in Philly!"****** ANALYSIS ****** T/I/W Rating: LOW-to-MODERATEThere are no indications of planned violence or civil disobedience on behalf of Diop or the other inmates; however there are several local and national factors and influences that raise the risk level for such violence at this time.The movements to free convicted, ethnic minority murderers has been essentially "adopted" by extremist left-wing anarchists worldwide as one of their anti-state causes. Those jailed for attacks on law enforcement or related charges, including involvement in terrorism, are referred to by the far-left and the Black radicals alike as "political prisoners.” Supporters of the pan-African agenda may come to reject peaceful means, which they will see as having failed them thus far.Police responsibilities at the above-mentioned events will likely include handling crowd/traffic and access control issues. Nonetheless, the gatherings have the potential of drawing a broad, dangerous cross-section of opportunistic activists. It is unknown whether the sponsoring group has coordinated for the necessary police permits.”
Even though this is not a document that was prepared by ITRR, it is clearly part of an overall counterinsurgent campaign to undermine the work of the African Liberation Movement, specifically the Uhuru Movement.
It is reminiscent of the COINTELPRO documents of the 1960s through which the US government articulated its strategy to prevent the success of the Black Liberation Movement then.
The State has always moved to deal with black revolutionary threats as they begin to emerge, even in incipient form.
The State's attacks on Diop is clear evidence that the US government recognizes the Uhuru Movement and Diop as being on the cusp of leading popular resistance today, in the manner of yesterday's recognition of forces like JOMO and the Black Panther Party giving rise to COINTELPRO.
One counterintelligence or counterinsurgent tactic was the employment of domestic neocolonialism, or white power in black face.
This is the target of the Uhuru Movement and Diop's work today, placing him and the Party in the vanguard of the defining politics of this era. It is the Uhuru Movement’s responsibility to expose neocolonialism that led Diop and the movement to confront Obama in St. Petersburg, FL with the question of “What about the black community?”
It is this responsibility that led Diop and the movement to confront Nutter in Philadelphia with a demand that the City end its efforts to carry out the rescue of the system at the expense of the rights and hard-fought-for programs of the African workers and poor.
The funding for such services as after school programs, health care programs, libraries and public swimming pools is transferred to an all out war budget that allocates over $1 billion for police and prisons that attack the black community.
The repressive, anti-African policies of the State must be exposed through such media and organizations as Uhuru News, Black is Back Coalition, InPDUM and the Free Diop Campaign it leads.
If given the opportunity the State would do Diop and all of our revolutionaries as it did the brother imam out of Detroit and are trying to do our dear comrade Mumia Abu Jamal, both of whom were certainly on a list similar to that which was produced by ITRR.
We must arm the masses with this information, so that they are aware of their responsibility to defend the revolution and its leaders.
We will continue to lead this struggle and build an even stronger movement to destroy this system of oppression. We are not intimidated by a "list."
In fact, the entire African community is on the "list."
Oscar Grant was on the list. Sean Bell was on the list. The thousands of Africans who drowned in Hurricane Katrina were on the list.
It is the war against the black community that makes it necessary to build revolutionary organizations like InPDUM. Only organization can defeat this war.
This is why the State is trying to isolate InPDUM and intimidate the people from participating in their own struggle for freedom. We are not intimidated at all!
On February 19-21, InPDUM and our supporters and allies will be holding our National Convention in Philadelphia.
The theme of the Convention is Africans Have a Right to Resist! We Demand Freedom and Reparations Now!
The Convention will be a turning point for the African Liberation Movement as it will unleash the African Youth Resistance Campaign through the masses of African youth.
These same forces who participated in the uprisings of the Philly flashmobs, Oscar Grant rebellions in Oakland and the Battle of St. Petersburg, FL will unite under one banner to wage one united resistance against US imperialism.
It’s going down! Register today! (http://inpdum.org/)
The real terrorist is the US government!
Free Diop! Put the State on Trial!
Forward to InPDUM’s Convention!
