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Co-editors: Seán Mac Mathúna • John Heathcote
Consulting editor: Themistocles Hoetis
Field Correspondent: Allen Hougland

E-mail: editors@fantompowa.net

The bombing of MOVE in 1985: Urban warfare in Philadelphia
Allen Hougland
MOVE

The Waco Massacre

 

INTRODUCTION

In Philadelphia during 1985, 11 people were killed by the US police, when a bomb was dropped on the house containing members of MOVE, including five children, and it's founding member, John Africa (whose former name was Vincent Leaphart). The picture above shows Ramona Africa, the only adult member to survive this brutal attack on civilians. The US government and its federal agencies have never hesitated from murdering those who opinions it disagrees with - take the ruthless slaughter of the 80 civilians at the Waco compound in Texas. At Waco, according to recently released video evidence the US police set the building on fire, knowing that there were defenseless women and children in the building (including some 23 British citizens).

State terrorism in America. The attack on the Waco compound in Texas, USA in 1985, in which the police delibrately burned alive over 80 civilians, including over 20 British citizens. Not a word of protest was uttered by the British government.

As with the MOVE, there have been no prosecutions of those state officials involved in the murder of civilians at Waco. Whereas the United States feels free to intervene and criticize countries because of their human rights records (Cuba), or even attack them, claiming that it's defending them (Yugoslavia), it should look at itself and check it own human rights record - one of the worst in the world - according to Amnesty International in 1998 and 1999. America is up there with China, Iraq, and Iran as one of the top four countries that abuse the rights of their citizens and today contravene international human rights agreements. Apart from the attacks on MOVE and at Waco, we should remember the FBI's COINTELPRO programme - which led to the deaths of 38 members of the Black Panther Party (mainly in the late 1960's and 70's). To date, there has been no justice for the victims of the MOVE bombing or Waco. Mumia Abu-Jamal and many other political prisoners remain incarcerated in US prisons. Flame supports their immediate release and calls for the United States government bring to justice those responsible for these crimes.

Seán Mac Mathúna

 

© 1999

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