Jericho is a political and social movement that seeks to gain recognition, support, and freedom for all Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War in the United States who have principally struggled against capitalist-imperialism, white supremacy and fascism. Jericho work applies to Political Prisoners, Prisoners of War and Politicized Prisoners who struggle to secure freedom, justice and self-determination for colonized, neo-colonized and oppressed peoples in general for the amnesty and liberation of the politically oppressed or persecuted.
The United States refuses to admit that it holds in captivity Political Prisoners and POW’s, who were imprisoned as a result of domestic political conflict within or against the United States. Jericho represents their continued fight for freedom. The role and influence of each Political Prisoner in Jericho is vitally important and necessary in understanding the resistance against systems of racial and economic oppression. Jericho gives priority to all Political Prisoners, always leaving an open door welcoming their input, suggestions, recommendations, criticisms and advice.
Organization Goals
- Amnesty Campaign
- Locate Political Prisoners, compile dossiers on them, and build the case for amnesty.
- Educational Campaign
- Raise awareness about the existence of Political Prisoners inside the U.S.
- Legal Defense Fund
- Cover expenses for lawyers and law students etc. to provide legal defense for political prisoners.
- Medical Project
- Fight for adequate and quality medical care for Political Prisoners.
Website Goals
- Publish updates from Political Prisoners/Prisoners of War and Jericho chapters
- Encourage support for Political Prisoners/Prisoners of War through their profile pages
- Archive resources and activity from the Political Prisoner support movement
- Fundraise for Jericho and their campaigns
Background
The Jericho Movement grew out of a call for a national march on the White House during Spring Break of 1998 by former Political Prisoner Jalil Muntaqim. The call was made in October of 1996 through the Provisional Government–RepubIic of New Afrika and the New Afrikan Liberation Front, but the organizers decided to use this opportunity to jumpstart a much needed movement to build a national support organization for political prisoners in general.
The Jericho March
Jericho98 was the collective work of over 50 organizations, defense committees and groups, 64 Jericho Organizing Committees and Students for Jericho, making the issue of Recognition and Amnesty for U.S.-held Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War, a national one with its successful demonstration and rally at the White House.
The organizers who made up the Jericho Organizing Committees were/are just as diverse as the demonstrators who came from all across the United States, crossing the spectrum. The Jericho Movement was clear that we had to build a movement that left no political prisoner out there on his or her own again if we were to succeed in winning this struggle against racism, classism, and all forms of oppression.
The Beginning of a New Commitment
The March 27, 1998 demonstration was just the beginning of a whole new commitment to support these political prisoners and demand recognition and amnesty for them. There are hundreds of people who went to prison as a result of their work on the streets against oppressive conditions like indecent housing and inadequate or complete lack of medical care, lack of quality education, police brutality and the murder of people organizing for independence and liberation. These people belonged to organizations like the Black Panther Party, La Raza Unida, FALN, Los Macheteros, North American Anti-Imperialist Movement, May 19th, AIM, the Black Liberation Army, etc., and were incarcerated because of their political beliefs and acts in support of and/or in defense of freedom.
There is Work to be Done
Once the demonstration was over, the real work began. The Jericho Organizing Committees that came into being around this work continue educating people about the existence of these Political Prisoners. The original structure designed to mobilize people to go to the White House and serve notice that we will no longer allow our Political Prisoners to be behind prison walls with no support, and that work is being done to free them, has been transformed into a mass- based organizing tool.
At the present time there are Jericho chapters and organizers in Organizing in Atlanta, New York City, Rhode Island, Detroit, D.C., Boston, Oakland and Portland, OR.
Find us on Twitter at twitter.com/JERICHO4PPs
The Jericho Movement addresses four principal issues:
1. Building the Amnesty Campaign
A big part of this work is locating Political Prisoners, compiling dossiers on them, and building the case for amnesty.
2. Continuing the Educational Campaign
About the Existence of Political Prisoners inside the U.S.
3. The Jericho Legal Defense Fund.
Providing supportive expenses for lawyers and law students etc. to provide legal defense for political prisoners.
4. The Jericho Medical Project
Fighting for adequate and quality medical care for Political Prisoners.
How Can You Help?
Organize speaking engagements about political prisoners in your church, school, community.
Volunteer to work on one of the projects of the Jericho Movement.
Organize a Jericho Committee in your area.
Make a financial contribution to Jericho.
Make all checks or money orders payable to: Jericho and mail them to:
The Jericho Movement, P.O. Box 1352, Pine Lake, Georgia 30072
If you want your contribution to be tax-deductible, please make checks payable to IFCO/Jericho.