[Newspoetry] [Fwd: Free Cheri Honkala]

[Mike Lehman]

More Seattle fallout
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Mike

"A. Belden Fields" wrote:
> 
> >Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 10:07:03 -0500
> >From: Ted Glick <indpol at igc.org>
> >Reply-To: indpol at igc.org
> >Organization: IPPN
> >MIME-Version: 1.0
> >To: Ted Glick <indpol at igc.org>
> >Subject: Free Cheri Honkala
> >
> >Dear Sisters and Brothers,
> >
> >One of the participants at the December Progressive Dialogue meeting in
> >D.C. was Cheri Honkala. If you don't know Cheri the email below gives
> >you the basic information. You'll notice that her organization is
> >requesting letters be sent to the judge in Seattle where she is
> >scheduled for trial after being arrested as part of the Seattle
> >protests.
> >
> >Ted Glick
> >
> >
> >From: <kwru at libertynet.org>
> >Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 10:39:44 -0500
> >Subject: [PPEHRC]:Don't let the poor be silenced!
> >
> >PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY
> >
> >[February 15, 2000]: Cheri Honkala was arrested on November
> >29, 1999 in Seattle, Washington.  Cheri is the Director of
> >the Kensington Welfare Rights Union and the National
> >Spokesperson for the Poor People's Economic Human Rights
> >Campaign.  The Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU) is an
> >organization of poor and homeless women, men and children
> >who are fighting both to survive and to end poverty.  The
> >KWRU was named as one of the five most significant human
> >rights efforts in the world by the United Nations High
> >Commissioner on Human Rights.  This year, the KWRU was
> >awarded the Letelier-Moffet Human Rights Award.  The Poor
> >People's Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC) is made up
> >of over 40 poor-led organizations from around the country
> >who are fighting for economic human rights.  The Campaign
> >recently completed a 400 mile "March of the Americas," from
> >Washington DC to the United Nations in New York City to
> >protest poverty in the richest country in the world.
> >
> >Cheri has dedicated her life to building a massive movement
> >to end poverty, led by the poor.  Cheri has signed on to the
> >case called "the Poor People's Economic Human Rights
> >Campaign vs. the United States."  This case, filed at the
> >Inter-American Commission of Organization of American
> >States, attempts to hold the United States accountable for
> >the economic human rights abuses being caused by downsizing,
> >poverty and welfare reform in the US today.  She has been
> >organizing for over 15 years to insure that poor and
> >homeless families are not hidden in America, and that the
> >voices of the poor are heard.
> >
> >WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY
> >Calling for human rights to be valued above corporate
> >rights, Cheri Honkala was arrested on November 29, 1999 in
> >Seattle Washington.  Cheri was participating in the protests
> >of the World Trade Organization.  She is charged with
> >obstruction for her non-violent attempt to speak out.  All
> >but a dozen of the over 500 cases related to the WTO events
> >have since been thrown out of court, yet the District
> >Attorney's Office is still pursuing Cheri's case. Cheri was
> >offered a plea bargain that included 5 days in jail, $1000
> >fine, and a two-year gag order prohibiting her participation
> >or involvement in demonstrations anywhere in the country.
> >Cheri has turned down this attempt to silence her and deny
> >her First Amendment rights. She is scheduled to stand trial
> >on March 14th, 2000 in Seattle.
> >
> >WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT
> >Right now, people throughout the country, including
> >musicians, labor leaders, students, religious leaders, and
> >lawyers are writing letters to the District Attorney's
> >office in Seattle asking that Cheri Honkala's case be
> >dropped. We ask that you do the same.  Cheri's case number
> >is 371901. Please address your letter to City Attorney Mark
> >Sidran.  Mail your letter to Municipal Building, 10th Floor,
> >600 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98104, or fax to (206)684-8284.
> >Also, please cc the KWRU Defense Committee at PO Box 50678,
> >Philadelphia, PA 19132, (215)203-1950 FAX,
> >kwru at libertynet.org.  Thank you for your support.
> >
> >---
> >CONTACT INFO:
> >
> >Kensington Welfare Rights Union
> >NUHHCE, ASFCME, AFL-CIO
> >PO Box 50678
> >Philadelphia, PA 19132-9720
> >Phone: 215/203-1945
> >Fax:   215/203-1950
> >email: kwru at libertynet.org
> >web:   http://www.libertynet.org/kwru
> >