M-1 of Dead Prez Calls Artists To Action Concerning Cuba & Zimbabwe

The Artist Must Elect To Fight For Freedom or Slavery – Paul Robeson

A People’s Art Is The Genesis Of Their Freedom – Claudia Jones

Calling Our Artists to Action and Service

M1

We are truly honored and privileged to absorb the people of Cuba as they proudly celebrate the 60th anniversary of the July 26th Movement led by Commandant Fidel Castro and Che Guevara storming the Moncada Barracks in 1953, thereby launching the guerilla campaign that led to the overthrow of the US-Spanish backed military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1959. All daughters and sons of Africa, both on the continent and the Diaspora are also carefully observing the Republic of Zimbabwe’s third Presidential election this century. While their citizens seek to emphatically make the statement on the world stage, they can resolve their political differences without external forces attempting to shape the destiny of the nation.

Because Malcolm X would have turned 88 years old on May 19th, African people in every corner of the world will be celebrating his life and work; this particular year, those reflections unfortunately coincide with the tragic and untimely death of his grandson and namesake Malcolm Shabazz who made his transition to the ancestors on May 9th, 2013. Our overwhelming desire to complete the work he left behind serves as the inspiration for reaching out to the artistic sector of the community at this crucial moment in history.

In what many consider Malcolm’s most heartfelt speech “Message to the Grassroots”, he eloquently stated, “Land is the basis of all independence”. That powerful statement on a practical level is the driving force behind the Land Reclamation Program (“LRP”) that was launched by the Government and people of Zimbabwe 13 years ago. The decision to reclaim 70% of their country’s most agriculturally resourceful land came with a price, the US-EU alliance imposed sanctions aimed at crippling Zimbabwe’s basic infrastructure and imploding their economy.

The same identical measure was used by the Kennedy administration over 50 years ago when he made the decision to ruthlessly impose a blockade on Cuba, which was intended to make the Government and people of Cuba regret embracing a Socialist path and since has cost the island nearly 100 billion dollars in revenue. This diplomatic maneuver by President Kennedy came on the heels of the failed CIA Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, in which the objective was to overthrow the Cuban Government led by Fidel Castro.

In the same aforementioned speech, Brother Malcolm called the Cuban Revolution a real revolution that overthrew the system. Because quality health care and education, women’s and youth empowerment and self determination are the staples of both Cuban and Zimbabwean Society, the blockade and sanctions have genocidal implications. It is on that basis we are calling on African musicians at home and abroad representing all genres of our music to make songs calling for the immediate lifting of the US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe and the US blockade on Cuba.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a59Kwp35Z80

We feel this action not only will serve as a working tribute to Brother Malcolm, but it sends a bold and uncompromising message to our former colonial and slave masters, that our art and culture remains an invaluable weapon which we will not hesitate to use to defend and consolidate any meaningful gains Africans have made anywhere on this planet. For those artists who are ready to make a contribution towards this effort, our goal is to put together a compilation album exposing the negative impact the sanctions and blockade have had on the people of Cuba and Zimbabwe and our goal is to have the music for this project completed by the first week of September. All interested artists can reach out by e-mail and contact us at palo02@yahoo.com or obiegbuna15@gmail.com for more details pertaining to the project.

With the entire world unequivocally opposed to both the US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe and the US blockade on Cuba, the songs produced for this project will be sweet music, not only to the ears of the Daughters and Sons of Africa in 125 countries worldwide, but to all freedom loving people hoping and fighting for a world free of Racism, Exploitation and War for profit and theft. For those artists who respond to this call for action, a pool of research that consists of historical data and current events concerning developments in both Cuba and Zimbabwe will be made available to you.

Cuba Si Bloqueo No
Zimbabwe Forever US-EU Sanctions Never

Mutulu Olugbala AKA M1 of
Dead Prez

Obi Egbuna Jr.
US Correspondent To The Herald (Zimbabwe’s National Newspaper)
US based member of ZIMCUFA (Zimbabwe-Cuban Friendship Association)

source: http://yourworldnews.org/blog/?p=4098

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj6bxmE0EKM

The Great Debate on the Civil Rights Movement w/ Malcolm X, James Farmer & Wyatt T Walker

Wanted to take people back into time and remind folks of an incredible debate between Malcolm X, James Farmer of CORE (Congress of Racial Equality), Wyatt T Walker of SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Council) and host Alan Morrison. This debate took place on June 12 1963 , this was the same day Civil Rights leader Medger Evers was killed. The day before President John F Kennedy had given a speech on race and plans were in the works for the Great March on Washington where King would deliver his famous I Have a Dream Speech. ..

This historic debate touched upon an array of topics ranging from integration to segregation to the general direction of the Civil Rights Movements.. They also debate Martin Luther King and John F Kennedy. Malcolm goes in and points out what he feels are major flaws with the Civil Rights Movement and the quest for integration, he gets push back from the other panelists..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mEk3PQWHsM pt1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjHf-2Gu4zA pt2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr1h3TSNaSM pt3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2DF1qCB7UE pt4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow7QZtER-V8 pt5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPti943hY_0 pt6

 

Afro-Mexicans on Hunger Strike to Protest Death of Malcolm X’s Grandson

Right now the eyes of the world are focused on two hunger strikes..One just kicked off in California at Pelican Bay with inmates, demanding improved conditions including an end to solitary confinement…Yesterday (July 8th) more than 30 thousand inmates refused food…

The other big hunger strike is the one in Guantanamo Bay which was started by detainees and has been going on for more than 100 days.. Yesterday Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def made a video where he demonstrated how striking prisoners were being force fed food. It was grueling and beyond disturbing. Yasiin because of the extreme pain, could not complete what detainees are forced to endure everyday.

There is a 3rd hunger strike that we should pay attention to…This one involves Afro-Mexicans in Mexico City who launched a hunger strike last week to protest the brutal slaying of Malcolm Shabbazz who was the grandson of Malcolm X.. Below is a video of the news report coming out of the DF.. Below that is a link to their blog explaining whats going on in their own words.. We took the liberty of translating two of the entries, but encourage folks to stay up to date

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSP5EcsjrS0&feature=youtu.be

Here is a link to the Citizens’ Committee Defense not Naturalized and Afro-Mexicans blog

http://ccdnam.blogspot.com/p/noticias.html

A demonstration outside the government headquarters in Mexico City •

The Steering Committee of Defense and African Naturalized demanded a dialogue with the city government head Miguel Angel Mancera, to clarify the death of Malcolm Latif, otherwise continue with the hunger strike in front holding government offices of the Federal District since 4 July.

Wilner Metelus, CCDNAM president, said Monday afternoon met with the DF government secretary, Hector Serrano, to reach an agreement.
However, the official said that the committee has not been clear in the demands made by a letter submitted to the Government on 18 June.

“This morning with Serrano invited me to discuss my application, but it says that my claims are not accurate. We will not lift the hunger strike without having a meeting with the presence of Mancera, enough is enough, not racism, that must end, “he said.

He said that all they ask to know is what happened with the death of Latif Shabazz and the Nigerian’s Echidenu Isaac, who was killed two years ago, the same day as the death of the grandson of activist Malcolm X, near the station Metro San Antonio Abad.

He also assured that the four police officers involved in the death of Echidenu are free and the Committee can not allow the same impunity for Latif.
“We know that our brothers abuse are receiving from the police, with pressures and threats. Echinedu Isaac’s death was a hate crime, it’s a shame, “he said.
He noted that at the meeting, Serrano could not provide information regarding the case of Latif and asked to forward a new letter, with clear requests about what is required by the organization.

“They listen to us, we are citizens (…) in the letter ask to have a meeting with Mancera to know how Echinedu Isaac died in the investigation were quite a few mistakes, and also asked to know what happened to the video of the death of Latif” added

Begin fasting grandson case of Malcolm X

Mexico • Members of the Citizens’ Committee Defense not Naturalized and Afro-Mexicans began a hunger strike outside the headquarters of the Federal District, in protest of the results in the murder of the grandson of activist Malcolm X in Garibaldi, occurred in May .

Metelus Wilner, president of the organization, considered that there is sufficient provision to two Eastern Prison this nightclub waiters, who are accused of killing Malcolm Shabazz, so requested a meeting with the president of the capital, Miguel Angel Mancera.

“We delivered a letter from May 18 to have an audience with the prime minister about the case of our brother Malcolm Shabazz because we believe that there is no progress, there are only two detainees and do not know what is happening with the other responsible” said.

Metelus revealed that he met with the Secretary of Government, Hector Serrano, but its intention is that the holder receives the GDF to discuss the progress of the Attorney General of the DF, as well as others in terms of discrimination suffered by police.

The civil association representative said that during the administration of Marcelo Ebrard four policemen killed a Nigerian in San Antonio Abad Station of the Metro, and “are now free”, so he said, do not want to repeat this situation.

NEWS – THURSDAY JULY 4 INITIATE A HUNGER STRIKE AGAINST GOVERNMENT OFFICES City, MADE FOR JUSTICE FOR THE DEATH OF OUR BROTHER LATIF African-American MALCOLM X MALCOLM GRANDSON WAS MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD DF. ! NOT ONE STEP BACK! ! CCDNAM VIVA! ! AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!

Wall of silence surrounding the murder of the grandson of Malcolm X in Méxicoç