NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BLACK LAWYERS SALUTES NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD FOR VICTORY OVER GOVERNMENT REPRESSION AND DENOUNCES ONGOING CAMPAIGN OF INTIMIDATION
For more information, contact:
Imhotep Alkebu-lan, NCBL National Co-Chair (601)353-0450
Gilda Sherrod-Ali, NCBL National Co-Chair
(202) 399-1100 ext. 102
The National Conference of Black Lawyers (NCBL) congratulates the National Lawyers Guild (NLG), our long-time comrades in the struggle for human rights and justice, for fighting and defeating repressive acts of intimidation and harassment directed against the organization by the Federal government. NCBL denounces the government's actions in the strongest terms.
According to an NLG statement:
"...[A]n FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force subpoena [was] issued on Wednesday, February 4, 2004. The subpoena asks Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, to produce all records relating to a November 15, 2003 antiwar conference at Drake University called 'Stop the Occupation! Bring the Iowa Guard Home!'
The conference was sponsored by the Drake Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild and was followed the next day by a demonstration at the Iowa National Guard Headquarters in Johnston, at which 12 protestors were arrested on misdemeanor charges.
The subpoena asks Drake University for all records relating to the November
15 conference, as well as information about leaders of the Drake University chapter of the National Lawyers Guild and the location of Guild offices and any annual reports since 2002. In addition, it asks for 'all records of Drake University campus security reflecting any observations made of the November 15, 2003 meeting, including any records of persons in charge or control of the meeting, and any records of attendees of the meeting.'"
In addition, certain activists involved in these events were subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury. The NLG has announced that, after the filing of a motion to quash the subpoenas and widespread outrage about the government'
s actions, all subpoenas have been withdrawn as part of a complete retreat.
The government's illegal acts of repression violate important international human rights standards as well as Constitutional rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. They are an extension of an ongoing campaign of repression intended to crush rebellion against U.S. imperialism and wars of aggression.
They are in no way different from grand jury abuse and the COINTELPRO crimes of intelligence agencies in years past. NCBL's clients, members and the Black community at-large have suffered greatly as a result of these types of activities, and we are determined to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the NLG and anyone else prepared to resist the campaign to impose silence on progressive organizations and communities.
In addition to opposition to this specific act of repression, NCBL joins the three largest cities in the U.S. (Los Angeles, Chicago and New York) along with more than three hundred other counties and municipalities across the country, in rejecting the legality of Patriot Act I and Patriot Act II, and efforts to use such legislation to undermine human rights and constitutional civil rights. NCBL contends that because the legislation is illegal, it could not legitimately authorize the actions against the NLG attempted by the FBI and the Ashcroft Justice Department in this case.
The late Haywood Burns, who provided sterling leadership to both NCBL and the NLG, reminded us that the best defense against government repression is a militant offense. Toward that end, NCBL calls upon all persons of good will to voice their strongest opposition to federal repression and to intensify the ongoing campaign to resist grand jury abuse.