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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 5, 1977)
Portland Observer Thursday, May 8. 1977 Page 9 From behind the wall Oo i ctoody Tuesday afternoon. April 2ft. a vary productive meeting waa arranged between a group of men at the Oregon State Penitentiary. At the meet iag. labels like captain's bar and superin t'a name tags were layed aside with label* of convicts like the »arh o f the 25 Black for identification. Each of men sat down, began to roll up their aieevee. and proceeded to work and deal with internal grievances and prob lems. Thia was too allow the two groups to work toward Black prisoners’ human i men were not afraid to deal with subjects, such aa racism, discipline and unequal justice. They were looking for the same goal: How to live together with respect for one another behind the walls at OSP. Not many prisons would attempt to make such efforts today, in the United States, because of the high, invisible wall between prisoners, guards and admini strators. Grievances are never shared by either aide. I t is unheard of for a prisoner to walk up to a warden and voice his opinion, but this is a daily occurance at OSP. Superintendent H.C. Cupp makes it obvious that such an open relationship and communication between inmates and staff stay that way. Three guard captains. Director of Security, the Superintendent and his assistant govern by laws and administra tive procedures. They met with Coordi nators of the Black Culture Organization. Bantu and Muslims, who govern by codes and morals. Together, they worked through some of the discontent of every day prison life. The main complaints were registered: A Black prison staff member be ap pointed to be a direct liaison to the Superintendent's office in the event of a black problem: escorts be obtained for Black inmates who are approved to voluntarily work on church projects in the Albina community of Portland: disci plinary actions; and race relations be tween guards and Black inmates. After the meeting, this reporter was able to question two representatives of the Black prisoners for their comments on the meeting's accomplishments. Ray Charles Maples said. " It was conceivale that we needed channels more open in order to direct the problems of the rapidly increasing Black population ro the ‘powers that be.' ” George Rhodes commented. “This is the same rhetoric. Nothing was accom plished at the first meeting that we haven't been hearing for years, but at least the administration is showing willingness to test the water level of caged up Black emotions around here." Both men haertily agreed that more meetings such as this were needed more often. The administration brought other areas that needed work to the attention of the group, such as a guard's union and prison procedures and obtaining qualified staff. This reporter approached two of the Captains of the OSP guards for their observations. Captain Seed stated that such meet ings were very healthy for all concerned and that at one time under the prior Classification Committee, when officers as well as staff had input, the decision making process worked out many prob lems. but that these sorts of meetings were definitely an access to this prison's environment as a whole. Captain Whitley replied, “Meetings like these are very enlightening. It gives the channce for people to view their differences and then all work toward a solution." Ron Martin, the only Black OSP coun selor, was selected to become the liaison. When there is a willingness for men wanting to work together, then 50% of the problem is already solved. Even as the meeting ended on this cloudy Tuesday afternoon, rays of sun light were beginning to shine through. Come Today! I . Why are there no flowers Even convicts like to smell and feel - Why are men laughing so loudly— Are there fears they're trying to conceal - Why do they rush from day to day— Because time is passing by— It makes a man stop and wonder- Where his destiny lies— A M cn F a (London) Skyrocketing coffee prices have brought much-needed revenues to Africa's 28 coffee-producing nations, but have also presented them with a dilem ma: Should they increase production now and risk a big drop in coffee prices when the huge Brazilian coffee crop returns to normal in 19607 Because it takes three years for newly planted coffee trees to bear fruit, cashing in oo the current boom is no easy matter. And weather problems and political dis ruption have already cut into production in several key exporting countries, in cluding Angola. Tanzania. Uganda and Ethiopia. I f those and other African coffee countries plant too many new trees now, however. 1960 may see an enormous coffee glut on the world market and an steeper drop in prices. One factor may force a rush to expand _ fa m o u s , to p q u a l i t y t Whirlpool But iiomeday, My Brothers, never— Never more to Roam- we will get to— Leave this place and maybe even - Go Home Peter Austin Jr. *39023 2-Speed, 3-Cyde Washer An economy washer with feature* you'd expect to find only in higher priced model*. Two washing and two spin speeds. Three cycles: NORM AL, GENTLE and SOAK. Cool-down care for Permanent Pre** fabrics. 3 Wash/rinse water temp selection*; 2 load-size water-saving selection*. Easy-to-dean filter. Heavy duty 1 /2 hp. motor; super SURGILATOR agitator. Bac-Pak Laundry Information Center. Your Next Drink Is On Me When I was a child I use to sit and think. What made, my brothers and sisters drink. Now I ’m a man, I don't have to wonder. I t ’s society that made its blunder. While you sit at home tonite in your easy chair. Have a drink on me and feel no despair. Smoke on your joint and sip your wine. While must sit here and do my time. Peter Austin Jr. *39023 Inside Africa Toward Unity (Dor Es Salaam. Tanzania) The two Rhodesian nationalist movements that formed a political alliance as the Patriotic Proa at the Geneva conference. ZA N U and ZAPU . are taking steps to unite their fighting forces. Patriotic Front leader Robert Mugabe announced here recently that the two movements are attempting to reconstitute the Zimbabwe People's Army (ZEPA)-a force put together over a year ago by ZA N U and ZAPU command ers but splintered last summer by fac tional fighting. Under ZIP A. the Patriotic Front would have joint military training for its re cruits as well as joint field operations directed by a unified command. The African front-line presidents, from Tan zania, Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana and Angola, have urged the Zimbabwe nationalists to unite and avoid the kind of power struggle between rival Black fac tions that precipitated the Angolan civil hom e fu rn ish in g* WBTfT Permanent Press Dryer production in spite of the risk. Under the International Coffee Agreement of 1976, export quotas will be imposed, beginning in 1979. if prices fall to an unsatisfactory level. But the quotas will be based on the export performance of coffee producers between now and 1979 s dear incentive to beef up exports in the next two years. South African Military Using Mercenaries (Johannesburg) The Johannesburg Star reports that more than 200 foreign mercenaries have joined the South A fri can Defence Force. The foreigners, coming in what a defense spokesman calls a steady stream, sign three year service contracts. The Star says the foreigners include former officers of the British Royal Navy and former servicemen from Portugal, which fought several long guerilla wars in its African colonies before granting them independence. The most common reasons given by mercenaries who join the South Sfrican military are early retirement in the armed forces of their own countries, unemployment at home and the high salaries and fringe benefits offered by South Africa. Rhodesian Judge Slaps Government For Botswana Abductions (Salisbury. Rhodesia) A high court decision here has offered the first public admission that Rhodesians have abducted citizens of neighboring Botswana in their “hot pursuit" raids across the border. Special Court President Sir Hugh Beadle ruled that two Botswana citizens arrested by Rhodesian forces in Bots wana were not subject to trial. “The courts should discourage the illegal ab duction of the nationals of another state... and they can only do so by refusing to exercise jurisdiction." he said. The Rhodesians have launched hot pursuit raids against guerilla training camps in both Botswana and Mozam- bique, designed to wipe out the Black nationalists before they have a chance to do'any damage. In the recent case, the Rhodesian prosecuting authorities ar gued they had a right to arrest the two Botswana citizens because they had rifles, ammunition and grenades and had "conspired” with others in Botswana who later entered Rhodesia. They cited the case of Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi war criminal who was captured in South America after World W ar I I by Israeli agents and taken back to Israel to be tried and hanged. Amnesty International Charges Widespread Torture By South Africa (London) Amnesty International, the respected international human rights organization, has accused South Africa of carrying out systematic torture in Na mibia, which South Africa rules in de fiance of the United Nations. Amnesty claims that torture is fre quently used to extract confessions from political detainees and to gather informa tion about the movements of nationalist guerillas in northern Namibia. Torture methods include shock tre a tm e n t, beatings and assassination threats, the organization says. And in some cases the South Africans have allegedly sentenced their nationalist opponents to death. “Under the laws which South Africa applies to SWAPO (the guerrilla organi zation) supporters in Namibia,” says Amnesty spokesperson David Simpson, “just about anything the government chooses can be an offense.” In addition to those actually convicted of political of fenses, Simpson says, hundreds have been detained without trial. Africa Expected Te Boycott U S. Sports Teams (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) U.S. sports teams are expected to be boycotted soon by African nations, in the wake of the Cool-down care for Permanent Pre**. Extra large lint screen. Large 5.9 cu. ft. drying drum. Push-to- stort button; automatic door shut off. Bak-Pak Laundry Information Center pud* up for easy ref erence. U.S.-South Africa Davis Cup tennis match in southern California. The Organi zation of African Unity here has called for boycotts of all events involving countries with sports links to South Africa. When New Zealand, which had sent a rugby team to South Africa, refused to leave the Olympic games last year, all but two African nations boycotted the event. Mobutu Arrests Potential Opponents In Zaire Capital (London) While fighting continues in Shaba province, the Zaire army has arrested dozens of prominent citizens in Kinshasa, the capital. BBC correspondent Ben Ammar, who returned to London recently after a month in Zaire, says the detainees are mostly well-to-do citizens, some born in Angola. Observers believe the arrests were ordered by President Mobutu in order to remove potential opponents at a time when his position is threatened by the rebellion in Shaba province. Mobutu has weathered previous political storms in much the same way. MEETOUH POWEHSAVI ENTERS! BOTH for only *4 2 8 LDE-3000 w ith tra d e w e g i v e y o u m o r e ___ home furnishings 30th and S.E. Division Shop W e e k d a y s 9 to 9 We'd like to introduce some thing new in saving energy. It’s called a Power Saver Center. What is it? It's a one-stop shopping center for power saving ideas and hardware everything from storm-window kits to water heater wrap packages to shower restrictors plus much more 234-9351 Saturday til 6 C losed Sunday Where are they located? We re putting them where you do your shopping... in hardware stores and other locations that handle con servation supplies. Also, every Pacific Power office will feature a Center. The People el Pacific Power. Power Saver Centers are at the following locations Burtitt numbing. Inc. Portland Bressie Electric Company Portland Cornell * Woodland Park Lumber, Inc. Portland Parkrose Hardware Portland Phillips Hardware Portland Woodland Park True Value Hardware Portland Pacitic Power Offices Portland W ert, J r. tekee k b erth «f ram Jsrtga Wflfoaa B. Bryart Coert for the District rt Aprfl 21 as the chief dvi I aa Navy Gas erai Chief J artica of the la Paatagsa lawyer la Usa Navy The 84 year-eid W ert wfll everaee the week al thaa 200 Navy lawyer* worldwide. W ert la a native of Winstea-SakmmN.C. and la married te the former Gail Estelle Berry ef CiadaaaU. Mrs. W ert U holding the family Bible
