Cha, u-Mumia Abu-Jamal akakhululwa ukuthi akhulume e-Evergreen
Ukuthweswa iziqu e-State College. Kodwa-ke, ngoLwesihlanu ngoJuni 11, ukuthweswa iziqu kuka-1999 kulokhu
ikolishi izofaka ikheli lokuqala eliyingqayizivele - inkulumo erekhodiwe yomsindo eyimizuzu engu-13
iqoshwe ohlwini lokufa nguMumia Abu-Jamal.
U-Mumia ekhuluma lapho ethweswa iziqu udale inkulumo-mpikiswano enkulu ekhempasini
nangale kwalokho. Abafundi abaningi kanye nabasebenzi abathile kanye nabafundisi kuleli kolishi lombuso e-Olympia, WA
sebesebenze cishe iminyaka emibili ukwenza u-Mumia abe isikhulumi sokuthweswa iziqu. Kube khona futhi
umkhankaso ohlangene wenyunyana yamaphoyisa asePhiladelphia, iFraternal Order of Police, kanye
amaphoyisa kanye nezinhlangano eWashington State nakwezinye izingxenye zezwe ukuze
bathole ikolishi ukuthi lihoxise isimemo sabo sokuya e-Mumia. Ukuphathwa kwaleli kolishi,
enedumela eliqhubekayo, ithathe isifiso esikhululekile futhi ngandlela thize
isikhundla esingenazimiso. Bakubeke kwacaca kwabezindaba ukuthi abahloniphi
Mumia, futhi banikeza indondo kwesinye isikhulumi sokuqala esengeziwe
ngomzuzu wokugcina. Lokhu kwephula inqubo eyayimisiwe, eyayikhethe u-Mumia
U-Abu-Jamal njengesikhulumi sokuthweswa iziqu.
Umlando umi kanje. Abadala nabafundi abathola izabelo zabo
isiqu esiphezulu khetha isipikha sokuqala. Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, izikhulumi ziye
kuhlanganisa uLeonard Peltier ngo-1992, futhi kamuva uSherman Alexie, uLinda Barry, Winona La
I-Duke nensimbi izingwegwe.
Ukuhlelela i-Mumia Abu-Jamal
Phakathi kwabafundi abagxile kakhulu esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme kube khona a
intshisekelo ekhulayo nokuzibophezela ekuphonseleni inselelo inxanxathela ekhulayo yezimboni kanye
ukuboshwa kwabantu abayizigidi ezi-2, cishe u-ยฝ wabo omnyama futhi iningi labantu
umbala. Abafundi, ikakhulukazi abesifazane, bakha ikomiti elisebenza ejele elilethe abaningi
izikhulumi eziya ekhempasini kanye nokuhlela amasemina ngaphakathi kwamajele e-Washington State. Bona
baqwashise ngezimo zasejele, ukucwasa kohlelo lwezobulungiswa bobugebengu,
futhi yeseka iziboshwa zezombusazwe ezinjengoMumia Abu-Jamal, Leonard Peltier kanye no
Isiboshwa sezepolitiki saseWashington State, uMark Cook. U-Mumia Abu-Jamal uhlongozwe njengo
isikhulumi sokwethweswa iziqu ngo-1998 futhi nakuba ayenokusekela okulinganayo akazange akhethwe njenge
isikhulumi.
Umqondo womkhankaso wokuthi u-Mumia abe isikhulumi sokwethweswa kweziqu wawunjalo
ukuthi ukukhethwa kwakhe kuzophakamisa isithunzi kuzwelonke mayelana nokuchithwa kobulungiswa lokho
kuholele ekugwetshweni kwakhe futhi kwandise ingcindezi yomphakathi yokuqulwa kwecala elisha nokwenza kube ngaphezulu
kunzima ukuba izwe lasePennsylvania limbulale. Kwakubhekwa njengendlela yokwelapha
Umphakathi we-Evergreen State College ukujoyina inhlangano ekhulayo yomhlaba wonke eqaphelayo
intatheli edumile nombhali u-Mumia Abu-Jamal njengesiboshwa sezepolitiki okufanele sikhululwe
noma okungenani uthole ukuzama okusha. Ukweseka u-Mumia njengesikhulumi sokuqala kuphinde kwabonwa njenge
indlela yokumela ubulungiswa kanye nesigwebo sentambo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokuphumelela thina
kunganikeza labo abathweswa iziqu ithuba lokuzwa isikhulumi esinamandla sikhuluma abanye baso
izindaba ezibalulekile zosuku ezifana nokucwasa ngokwezikhungo ekungabini nabulungiswa kobugebengu
uhlelo nangaphezulu; kanye nokungalingani kwemali engenayo nengcebo kulo mphakathi.
Umkhankaso wokuba noMumia Abu-Jamal njengesikhulumi sokuqala
kwaqhubeka kulo nyaka wesikole. Emhlanganweni ongasamenyezelwanga kahle futhi owahambela ikwindla, ngo-1998
ukuxoxa ngokuthi ngubani ozoba isikhulumi sokuqala ngo-1999, uMbusi uGary Locke,
kanye nesigwebo sentambo uMbusi weDemocratic Party yaseWashington wayenamavoti amane kwathi uMumia
U-Abu-Jamal ube namavoti amathathu, wonke umuntu ube namancane. U-Governor Locke ngoJanuwari 1999 waphenduka
phansi isicelo sokukhuluma, okwaholela esimweni lapho abafundi, ubuhlakani nabasebenzi
ukholelwa ukuthi uMumia Abu-Jamal uzoba isikhulumi sokuqala. Iphephandaba lendawo i
Umnikazi kaGannett, i-Olympian, wabe esebhala izindaba ezazizoba umbulali wephoyisa elahlwelwa icala
isikhulumi sokuthweswa iziqu. Lena yindlela u-Mumia ehlale ekhulunywa ngayo emithonjeni yezindaba yasendaweni.
Abaphathi be-Evergreen State College bakhulume noMbusi u-Locke
futhi ngo-March 1999 wavuma ukuba isikhulumi sokuthweswa iziqu. Ngenxa yokuhlela
ngabafundi, isikole savuma ukuba uMumia abe isikhulumi sesibili. U-Locke wabe esecindezelwa
yinyunyana Yamaphoyisa Ombuso ukuthi angabonakali lapho kuthweswa iziqu lapho kuqoshwe khona i-tape ka-Mumia Abu-Jamal
izodlalwa futhi u-Locke wahoxa. Ngayo yonke into enengqondo, u-Mumia bekufanele manje abe nguyena
isikhulumi ekuqaleni kokuthweswa iziqu okuzayo ngoJuni 11. Nokho, ukwephula konke
izinqubo zentando yeningi ezase zimisiwe, uMongameli wekolishi, uJane Jervis; futhi
IPhini Likamongameli Wezindaba Zabafundi, u-Art Costatino, ilungu le-faculty elikhethiwe uStephanie
Coontz njengesikhulumi sokuqala, futhi wamemezela ukuthi inkulumo ka-Mumia izolalelwa
ukuthweswa iziqu kodwa ukuthi akasona isikhulumi esisemthethweni sokuthweswa iziqu.
Inkulumompikiswano Yekhampasi kanye nase-Olympia
Amalungu amaningi omphakathi, ngaphakathi nangaphandle kwesikhungo, ayaqhubeka nokubona u-Abu-Jamal
njengoba evezwa kwabezindaba zendawo "njengombulali wamaphoyisa," futhi uzizwa ecasukile lokho
uzobe ekhuluma emcimbini wokuthweswa iziqu ekolishi likahulumeni. Naphezu kokufinyelela kwezemfundo
ekhempasini ukuze kwakhiwe ukuqwashisa ngecala, njengokuboniswa izikhathi eziningi ze-
ifilimu efundisayo, "Mumia: Icala Lokungabaza Okuphusile", kugcwele ulwazi olunganembile.
Kuningi okunye okusamele kwenziwe ngodaba lwakhe e-Olympia nakuwo wonke umlando
izwe. Abanye abafundi, ubuhlakani, abasebenzi kanye nabaphathi nabo benze ingxabano yokuthi
iningi labafundi alimthandi u-Mumia Abu-Jamal njengesikhulumi sokuthweswa iziqu, futhi lokho
ukuthweswa iziqu kufanele kube isikhathi lapho isikhulumi kungafanele sihlukanise umphakathi futhi kufanele
ukukhuluma ngokujwayelekile okwenza abafundi nemindeni yabo bazizwe bejabule. Umbono wami ukuthi a
abafundi abaningi bayameseka u-Mumia ekhuluma, kodwa hhayi iningi. Ayikho indlela yokwazi.
Abaphathi bekolishi bazamile ukunciphisa indima kaMumia ku
ukuthweswa iziqu, ngokwesibonelo ngokungamnikezi noma iyiphi indondo futhi athi ikhasethi yakhe iyi-10 kuphela
imizuzu, ngoba abafuni ukubekela inselelo umuzwa wokulwa noMumia we
enamandlaโimithombo yezindaba yendawo, izishayamthetho, kanye nesixuku esihlelwe kuzwelonke esiholwa ngu
i-Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police enabangane abaningi. La maqembu ane
yacindezela iNational Public Radio (NPR) ukuthi ingawaphathi amarekhodi kaMumia. EThempelini
Enyuvesi, umongameli waphoqa isiteshi sabo somsakazo ukuthi sikhansele umbukiso wePacifica,
"Democracy Now", ebiphethe izingxoxo noMumia. Ukuphatha ku
I-Evergreen igoqe ingxenye yale ndlela kulo mzamo osobala wokuhlolwa kwezepolitiki.
Ukuqagela kwami โโโโukwesaba kwabo ukubhikisha kwabalandeli baka-Mumia Abu-Jamal kuvimbele a
ukusulwa ngokuphelele komyalezo wakhe onamandla.
Engikuthola kuthakazelisa futhi ukuthi izimpikiswano ezifanayo ezisetshenziswa ngokumelene
UMumia ekhuluma namuhla ngabe wasetshenziswa maphakathi nawo-1960 ephikisana noMalcolm X ekubeni
Isikhulumi sokuqalisa kunoma yiliphi ikolishi e-USโukuthi iningi alisisekeli,
ukuthi ikolishi izohlukanisa umphakathi wangaphandle (okusho ukuthi labo abanamandla
kanye nomthelela), ukuthi uMalcolm uzobhekana nezindaba zezepolitiki neziyimpikiswano ezikhona
akufanelekile ekuphothuleni iziqu, ukuthi unobudlova, njll. Kulula ukubona okungenangqondo
yale mpikiswano esikhathini esidlule kunamanje.
Ephendula umbono wokuthi isikhulumi kufanele sijabulise cishe
wonke umuntu, ngiyaphikisana nokuthi lokhu kusho inkulumo egcwele amazwibela angasho lutho lokho
akekho ozokhumbula ngemva konyaka. U-Mumia Abu-Jamal unikeza abantu abazothweswa iziqu
ithuba lokuzwa umuntu onesibindi nesibindi ekhuluma ngezindaba zengqikithi lapho sikhona
abahlala esikhathini lapho i-US ilwa impi enkulu ngokumelene neYugoslavia, abantu abangu-3000 bakhona
ohlwini lokufa, amajele e-United States ayachichima futhi isihluku samaphoyisa si
okwenzeka nsuku zonke.
Ngenxa yezizathu ezingacacile ngokuphelele, kuye kwaba nokunye okuningi
ubhikishela uMumia Abu-Jamal njengesikhulumi ekuthwesweni iziqu kunokuba kube khona inkulumo
ebhalwe yisiboshwa sezombangazwe, uLeonard Peltier, efundwe emcimbini wokuthweswa iziqu ngo-1992 e-Evergreen,
unyaka weColumbus Quincentennial. Mayelana noLeonard Peltier, owayengenabulungiswa
abalahlwe yicala lokubulala ama-FBI amabili endaweni ebekelwe i-Pine Ridge, i-FBI ayinakungabaza
usebenze kanzima ukuvimbela ukuhawukelwa kukaLeonard kanye nokuqulwa kwecala elisha nakuba kukhona a
inhlangano yomhlaba wonke efuna ubulungiswa kuLeonard Peltier. Abazange babeke nokho
ingcindezi ku-Evergreen State College ukuthi ikhansele isimemo futhi akwenzanga kahle lokho
iphiko ngaphakathi nangaphandle kwe-campus.
Ongakwenza
Ngokusho kwephephandaba lendawo, "I-Olympian" , i
umongameli wekolishi ubelokhu ethola okungenani izincwadi eziyishumi nambili nsuku zonke
bephikisana nokuba khona kuka-Mumia ngomlomo kuze kufike ezincwadini ezingaba ngu-90 ngoMeyi 24. ngicabanga
ukuthi uma usekela ilungelo lika-Mumia lokulalelwa kanye nokuqulwa kwecala elisha, bhala incwadi
ukumeseka njengesikhulumi sokuqala emcimbini wokuthweswa iziqu kwe-Evergreen encwadini ayibhalele
UMongameli uJane Jervis, i-Evergreen State College, i-Olympia, i-WA 98505 noma ngokumthumelela i-imeyili
Okubaluleke nakakhulu, uma ubona icala lakhe njengengxenye eyinhloko ye-
umzabalazo wokuqhubekisela phambili ubulungiswa bezenhlalakahle kanye namalungelo abantu, futhi njengengxenye yokusekelwa okudingekayo
iziboshwa zezombangazwe, memezela uMumia Abu-Jamal ekhuluma emcimbini wokuthweswa iziqu kuka-Evergreen. A
ukukhululwa kwabezindaba okuvela kubafundi abathintekayo, ubuhlakani kanye nabasebenzi kufanele kube kusizindalwazi se-ZNET,
noma uma ungayitholi, ngithumele i-imeyili kokuthi [i-imeyili ivikelwe] futhi ngizoyithumela kuwe.
Mhlawumbe, u-Mumia Abu-Jamal angaklonyeliswa ngeziqu zokuhlonishwa ekolishi lakho ngonyaka ozayo, kanye/noma
ungathola ibandla lakho, inyunyana, noma elinye iqembu oxhumene nalo, ukuthatha ukuma
ngokumelene nokuboshwa kwakhe ngokomthetho.