I’m here sitting here at Pelican Bay SHU [Secure Housing Unit] where me and similarly situated prisoners have been violated of their human rights, their civil rights which is a constitutional violation for human beings. We have peacefully correlated together in order to present to the warden, and to the state of California, that no prisoner’s Constitutional rights should be violated under any circumstances. Request to the Governor, CDCR Secretary, Warden of PBSP, have been informed 2-3 months ago of the act that we are about to embark upon. I’m here today to tell you that every race here in Pelican Bay, and throughout California prison system that we are one united fist, in solidarity in this hunger strike. What needs to be understood that the prison industrial complex in the United States have control units in SHU throughout the United States. Human rights violations existing throughout this country. We have come to take a stand due to the fact that we have been subjected to this for 21 years. I have been held in prison, 30 yrs. Of the 30 yrs, I’ve been held in confined units since 1985. To this day, they cannot state that I came to the hole, SHU, lock-up for violent crimes as it relates to my placement. Nor can others state that we physically committed an act of violation which placed us in SHU since this prison has been open. I personally have been at this prison since the year of 1990 and to this day, prisoners’ constitutional and civil rights have been violated. What I suggest, and what I see, is that every organization that stands for human rights and civil rights within the borders of the United States, come to the table and deal with all organizations that support us currently. What I suggest is the Jesse Jacksons of this world, the Al Sharptons of this world… I seek them and even the President of the United States to speak to the issue of the torture behind prison walls. We as prisoners come to prison for crimes that was convicted in a court. We are being held in SHU for crimes we never been convicted of.

Sitawa Jamaa, 7/6/2011