A huge and successful demonstration for the retrial of Mumia took place in Paris.

Find below my own account of that demonstration.

This mail was originally issued at dawn on Sunday, 24^th day of October 1999.

Hello all, list members, Brothers, Sisters, Friends, It is demonstrated here in Paris, that Mumia will live, for ever

Hello all, list members, Brothers, Sisters, Friends

I am sorry getting back to you this late for it is past mid-night here in Paris this 1^st

Earlier, yesterday, 24^th day of October 1999 at 15h00 a long protest demonstration was staged here in Paris, from Richelieu-Drouot to La Madeleine.

It doesn’t matter if you see in those misleading prints that there were only two persons demonstrating but I was there and I can tell you that on a surprisingly sunny saturday in Paris (this is a day were French rather go beach hunting than go demonstrating) , the crowd that turned out to protest the conspiracy to murder Mumia Abu Jamal was made up of thousands of French, Africans, men, women, children, some parents with their babies in prams. I heard some of the most inspiring slogans, for avoidance of misinterpretation, let me relate them as I heard them : Clinton, tu es foutu, l’Afrique est dans la rue; Etats Unis, Etats Racists; Mumia ne doit pas mourrir, il faut un autre procès. However and do not mind if my free translation is challenged by those quite apologist who are always quick with grammar and take my translations for honest ones. The slogans go thus:

Clinton, you’re done, Africa is in the street; USA, Racist States; Mumia must not die, we need a new trial... The long rows of demonstrators trailed that sunny boulevard des Italiens and Boulevard des Capuncines to La Madeleine, was a dignified one, singing their slogans with unmistakable dignity and determination. The demonstration ended at the Place de la Madeleine with a short speech by Julia WRIGHT, the daughter of our only Richard WRIGHT. I am reporting here speech, off head and in summary. Said she : we were told that is no link between Pinochet and CIA and the present attempt to murder Mumia Abu Jamal. (and she gave facts to buttress the links). We claimed that the death warrant against Mumia Abu Jamal is crime against humanity. And we were told not to exaggerate. So those are the exaggeration. The Governor of Philadelphia (his reporter forgot what his name is) campaign for governorship on death penalty. Since he became Governor, he has signed nearly 150 death warrants. Of those at least 120 concerned African-Americans. And the population of the State if only 4%. She concluded, those are the exaggerations that made the attempt to assassinate Mumia Abu Jamal crime against humanity.

The demonstration dispersed at about 6 p.m. and a delegation led by Julia WRIGHT proceeded to launch a formal protest the Unites States Ambassador here in Paris.

I left that demonstration to see the hospitalized mother of a friend and then join other friends to review the days events before turning home to my own family. My own conclusion is this: JUSTICE FOR BLACKS THROUGH OUT THE WORLD, IS A NON NEGOTIABLE NECESSITY.

Good bless
Ibrahim Alabi ORIDOTA
AFRICA DIASPORA
africa_d@club-interrnet.fr
Fax : +33 (0)1.47.61.14.29