Vol. 77/No. 29      AUGUST 12, 2013

The strike began July 8, when some 30,000 prisoners refused meals in prisons throughout California. Prison officials said July 27 that 601 inmates at nine California prisons remain on hunger strike — as defined by having declined at least nine consecutive meals, reported Reuters.

Prisoners in solitary confinement in the Security Housing Units (SHU) at Pelican Bay in the far north of California initiated two strikes in 2011, as well as the current one. They have put forward five core demands, including an end to long-term solitary confinement, an end to group punishment, abolition of a snitch system that puts inmates accused of gang affiliation in solitary until they accuse others, and the right to adequate food, phone calls and warm clothing.

In the wake of the 2011 strikes some changes were made. Prison authorities began to review cases of prisoners in solitary, releasing 208 into the general population. But inmates say there has been no progress on the key issue of keeping thousands of prisoners in isolation.

“In California, nearly 12,000 people in prison are held in solitary confinement for 23 to 24 hours a day in small, windowless cells without sunlight, fresh air, meaningful human contact or constructive activity for many years, even decades,” according to the Prison Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition.

Prison officials have characterized the hunger strike as a “disturbance,” organized by prison gangs. While refusing to address the prisoners’ demands, they have retaliated against the hunger strikers, moving 14 of the Pelican Bay strikers to more isolated quarters, according the Prison Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition.

Demonstrations in support of the strikers have taken place throughout the state.

Sylvia Rogokos, a member of California Families to Abolish Solitary Confinement whose brother is a hunger striker in his 23rd year in the Pelican Bay SHU, told the Militant she is proud of the unity across racial lines of families that have come together in the fight.

On July 13, hundreds demonstrated outside the Corcoran State Prison here where more than 1,600 are held in solitary.

Maria Ceballos, whose uncle has been in the SHU here for eight years, drove with her family from Los Angeles to California’s Central Valley where the prison is located. “Inside the prison they try to divide them,” she pointed out. “It’s important to be united. That way we can put an end to what’s happening.”

Wendy Lyons contributed to this article.  
 
 
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