From Flint to Standing Rock to Pennsylvania Prisons, Water IS Life

WATER IS LIFE: From Flint to Standing Rock to Pennsylvania Prisons

by freemumia.com

February 28, 2017

Since August of 2016, Mumia Abu-Jamal and other Inmates at the State Correctional Facility in Mahanoy, Pennsylvania, have been plagued with unsafe drinking and bath water.

For several months now, inmates have complained about brown, oily water in both the showers and the faucets of their cells. This has been an on-and-off problem from August 2016 to this very day. One of the inmates at SCI Mahonoy, Lorenzo Cat Johnson, when asked of the matter, stated that one week the water seems good and another week, when run, the water seems to go from the color gray to the color brown.

 TOMORROW, WED. MARCH 1, NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION 

DEMANDING CLEAN WATER IN PA PRISONS

As recently as last week in a conversation with MOVE Political Prisoner Edward Africa, Eddie was asked what he did for water and he stated that he obtained his water from a hot water filter that was on his cellblock. So other than the alternative to obtain a little water from a hot water filter, men are being forced to shower and wash in brown water. Eddie stated that the only time inmates can get bottled water is when they are on a visit in the visiting room. All the while, prison staff are being provided bottled water at SCI Mahanoy and are being told not to drink the water because it's unsafe.

Mumia Abu-Jamal, who is suffering from a very serious skin condition due to Hepatitis C, is required to take specialized baths in the prison infirmary, but has not been able to take these baths due to the water hazard. Grievances have been filed on this matter, but to no avail--the water situation has not been resolved.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

On March 1, 2017, we are calling for a National Day of Action aimed at both Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel.

The power is in the hands of the people; the only way to make these officials respond is through massive public pressure, so we are upping the ante.

From 9 am to 12 noon, we are calling on people to call, fax, and tweet the office of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf.

 

(P) (717) 787-2500

(F) (717) 772-8284

(Twitter) @Governor Tom Wolf

From 1 to 3 pm, we are calling on people to call, email, and tweet Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel.

(P) (717) 728-2573

(Email) Ra-crpadocsecretary@pa.gov

(Twitter) @john e Wetzel

These Are the Demands:

(1) Inmates at SCI Mahanoy are provided immediately with clean water both for their bathing and other personal needs.

(2) An environmental Protection Agency testing of the water at both SCI Mahonoy and SCI Frackville.

(3) Bottled water be provided immediately to inmates in all Correctional Facilities across Pennsylvania.

Let's keep the pressure on to get clean water for the men and women across Pennsylvania’s state prisons.

The International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal

The Campaign to Bring Mumia Home

Workers World Party

The International Action Center

The Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition (NYC)

The MOVE Organization

Philadelphia Coalition for Real Justice

For more info, people can go to http://www.freemumia.com