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| Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA) is an organization committed Muslims issues and concerns that especially impact indigenous Muslims—issues and concerns that we feel have been largely neglected. With the launch of this web site we are inviting masjids, organizations and individuals to join MANA. |
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MANA Seminar in DC: Muslims and Human Rights Violations in the U.S. Prison System
MANA’s Social Justice Task Force is organizing a seminar on Saturday, February 13 at Howard University (DC) to educate the Muslim community about the history and inhumanity of this type of punishment and to join forces with other activists who are addressing this issue so that ultimately we can all work to end this form of torture.
Guests include Cynthia McKinney, Ramsey Clark, Karima Al-Amin and other activists in the field such as Bonnie Kerness of the American Friends Service Committee and Sala Nolan of the United Church of Christ. 9:30-9:50 Welcome and Introduction (Blackburn Center Ballroom) - Hodari Abdul-Ali, Khalil Abdul Rahman, and Ihsan Bagby
10:00-12:00 Super Max Prisons, 23-hour isolation, Control Units and Administrative Segregation: Its History and Inhumanity (Blackburn Center Ballroom) - Mahdi Bray, Executive Director, MAS Freedom
- Bonnie Kerness, Coordinator of Prison Watch, American Friends Service Committee.
- J. Soffiyah Elijah, Deputy Director of the Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) at Harvard Law School (HLS)
- Masai Ehehosi, International Committee in Support of Imam Jamil Al-Amin
- Corey Saylor, CAIR, Moderator
12:00-1:30 Lunch and Salah al-Zuhr 1:30-3:30 Muslims, Imam Jamil Al-Amin, and the U.S. Prison System (Blackburn Center Ballroom) - Karimah Al-Amin*, Lawyer; wife of Imam Jamil Al-Amin
- Ramsey Clark, Former U.S. Attorney General
- Jihad Abdul Mumit, Activist and Performance Artist
- Watani Tyehimba, CEO, Tyehimba Services
- Rashad Byrdsong, Community Empowerment Association, Moderator
3:30-4:00 Break and Salah al-Asr
4:00-6:00 Developing Strategies for Change (Blackburn Center Auditorium)
- Cynthia McKinney, Former Congresswoman; Activist
- Sala Nolan, United Church of Christ, Minister for Criminal Justice and Human Rights Program
- Natsu Taylor Saito, Law Professor, Georgia State University
- Mauri Salaakhan, Executive Director, Peace and Justice Foundation
- Khalid Abdus Samad, International Council for Urban Peace, Justice & Empowerment, Moderator
* Al-Amin is the wife of Imam Jamil Al-Amin, who is incarcerated in a supermax prison in Colorado. The Imam sits in a small jail cell for 23 hours—in complete isolation. For one hour he goes out to a small, enclosed area and is able to walk around—still complete isolation. No human contact. Many Psychologists argue have this type of incarceration is inhumane and cruel. In the past, 24/7 isolation was reserved for prisoners who had committed a major violation. Imam Jamil didn’t commit a major violation. His treatment is due to the fact that he is Imam Jamil Al-Amin. The reality is that a large number of people are experiencing the same treatment. This “cruel and unusual punishment” was developed in the 1980s when SuperMax prisons and control units were built to house in particular politically motivated prisoners. This type of punishment has been expanded under the title of “security threat group management units” which is aimed at Muslims.
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Or think ye that ye shall be abandoned, as though Allah did not know those among you who strive with might and main, and take none for friends and protectors except Allah, His Messenger, and the (community of) Believers? But Allah is well- acquainted with (all) that ye do.
Quran: 9:16
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