BAP at Five Years: Advancing the Struggle for Self-Determination and People(s)-Centered Human Rights

BAP at 5 Years: Advancing the Struggle for Self-Determination and People(s)-Centered Human Rights

“We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together. And you can’t get rid of one without getting rid of the other.” (Martin Luther King —Chaos or Community [1967])

“The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) seeks to recapture and redevelop the historic anti-war, anti-imperialist, and pro-peace positions of the radical Black movement.” (BAP mission statement)

“Peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather the achievement—by popular struggle and self-defense—of a world liberated from the interlocking issues of global conflict, nuclear armament and proliferation, unjust war, and subversion through the defeat of global systems of oppression that include colonialism, imperialism, patriarchy, and white supremacy.” (Black Radical Peace Tradition, a BAP Principle of Unity)

“People(s)-Centered Human Rights (PCHR) are those non-oppressive rights that reflect the highest commitment to universal human dignity and social justice that individuals and collectives define and secure for themselves through social struggle.” (BAP National Organizer Ajamu Baraka)

The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) was launched on April 4, 2017, a date with great symbolic political and moral value. It was on that day 50 years earlier that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., broke his silence, opposing the U.S. war on Vietnam and U.S. militarism. Exactly one year later, a bullet struck Dr. King as he protested with striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee.

Dr. King was not the first person who developed out of our Black Radical Tradition to oppose war and U.S. imperialism. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and much of the radical Black liberation movement had preceded him by several years. Nevertheless, on that day in 1967, he, too, entered the Black radical peace tradition with his remarks.

Starting as a collective of less than 20 members and organizations, BAP has grown into a significant force with a membership of several hundreds across the United States and a political influence global in scope. BAP has weaved together—consistently and without apology—the complex, but easily integrated, principles and programmatic work that connect our commitments to social justice, peace, anti-imperialism, human rights, and self-determination. That is how we have earned the public’s support for our national and international work.

The people have expressed their appreciation for how we have stepped forward in adopting tough positions on the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus taking reactionary stances on war and human rights. BAP also has lent unrelenting support for the right to national self-determination as socialist projects have been under attack in our region, the Americas, or what the people in those processes call, “Nuestra America” (Our America).

And recently, we have resisted assuming the herd position on the complex situation in Ukraine by reminding the public that—for BAP—the task must be de-centering the Eurocentric drama in Ukraine. As important as the conflict is, we have concluded it is more productive to help the public re-focus on the longer-term structural logic of imperialism that is driving decision-making.

We will continue to endeavor to carry out our responsibilities to our people, but also to global humanity, as we are situated in the heart of the U.S. empire. And we will never violate the trust of the people. The structural collapse of capitalism in its neoliberal form has created a legitimacy crisis for the capitalist rulers, making the use of force a permanent strategy for maintaining their dominance. We will continue to oppose the U.S./EU/NATO Axis of Domination, in the United States and abroad. On that, there will be No Compromise and No Retreat!

PRESS AND MEDIA

Rev. Sharon Djibo-Sobukwe, Ph.D., was a panelist on a webinar, “Why the Truth About Ukraine Should Matter to Faith Communities.” The Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ's Board of Social Action, a BAP Solidarity Network member organization, hosted.

Jacqueline Luqman presented BAP’s solidarity statement during the “Voices From Donbass—Stop The War Lies” webinar hosted by Struggle / La Lucha for Socialism, a newspaper. Jacqueline also was a panelist on the United National Antiwar Coalition's webinar, “The Ukraine War: Challenge to the U.S. Antiwar Movement” and wrote a Black Agenda Report article, “When U.S. Soft Power Meddled in An Election—In Russia.” Jacqueline appeared with her “By Any Means Necessary” co-host, Sean Blackmon, on Covert Action Magazine's inaugural podcast, Covert Action Bulletin, to discuss media censorship in the wake of RT America shutting down operations and Radio Sputnik being censored.

BAP Coordinating Committee member Margaret Kimberley and Danny Haiphong interviewed Dr. Anthony Monteiro on Biden, Ukraine and the crisis of the U.S. left. Then the duo spoke to Dr. Gerald Horne about an analysis from a Black left perspective.

“The Last Dope Intellectual” co-hosts Dr. Charisse Burden-Stelly (Dr. CBS)—a Coordinating Committee member—and Dr. Layla Brown spoke with their producer, Too Black, about their seminar with the Monthly Review that reviews Kwame Nkrumah's book, Consciencism. The two co-hosts and special guest Erica Caines—a Coordinating Committee member—interviewed Dr. Monique Bedasse, Associate Professor of History and African & African American Studies at Washington University in Saint Louis, about her book, Jah Kingdom: Rastafarians, Tanzania, and Pan-Africanism In the Age of Decolonization. The co-hosts also analyzed the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party (GC) statement on Ukraine. Check out the episode.

Jacqueline, Erica and Onyesonwu Chatoyer—who represents BAP member organization All-African People’s Revolutionary Party-New Mexico—discussed what the U.S./EU/NATO Axis of Domination has always done to non-European countries, for which no candlelight vigils have been held. Jacqueline, Erica and Dr. CBS also participated in an online teach-in on NATO, Russia and Ukraine. Meanwhile, Dr. CBS and Erica discussed on the Public Theologians podcast that NATO continued to encircle Russia despite U.S. President George H.W. Bush's National Security Advisor promising the military alliance would not expand “an inch eastward.” 

BAP member John Parker wrote an article about the connection between NATO expansion and the conflict in the Donbass region for Struggle / La Lucha for Socialism.

Netfa Freeman, who represents BAP member organization Pan-African Community Action on the Coordinating Committee, made a guest appearance to discuss Ukraine on Garland Nixon’s “Wake Up Call” YouTube show. Press TV’s “Spotlight” interviewed Netfa to discuss the row in the African Union over granting observer status to Israel. Then Netfa joined “The Critical Hour” to discuss Mali kicking out the French ambassador as well as the African Union suspending Burkina Faso. Plus, starting almost 90 minutes into “The Critical Hour,” Netfa and Ajamu discussed African countries rejecting the U.S. position on the Ukraine conflict, as well as the fallout from sanctions on Russia, the Haitian workers’ strike, and U.S. aggression against China. Margaret appeared on a Friends of Socialist China webinar about countries struggling against U.S. domination.

The Pan-African Revolutionary Socialist Party invited BAP member Djibo Sobukwe, who provided a history of Ethiopia. It can be heard here, here and here.

BAP member organization All-African People’s Revolutionary Party issued a statement on the invasion of the PAIGC Central Committee.

BAP Haiti/Americas Coordinator Jemima Pierre discussed on the Activist News Network the ongoing U.S. occupation in Haiti and Biden's treatment of Haitian migrants. BAP-Bay Area Core Member and Western Region Co-Coordinator Bilal Mafundi Ali spoke at a Haiti solidarity rally and march held last month in San Francisco. A community member (in the photo below) at the event held a sign that said, “From Haiti to the Bay… No Compromise, No Retreat!”

Bilal Mafundi Ali spoke at a Haiti solidarity rally and march held last month in San Francisco. A community member (in the photo below) held a sign that said, “From Haiti to the Bay… No Compromise, No Retreat!”

Radio Sputnik’s “Political Misfits” spoke with Netfa 56 minutes into the show about an investigative report showing U.S. police departments have spent $1.5 billion since 2010 to settle lawsuits regarding misconduct. Then they spoke about pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson apologizing for experimenting on prisoners in 1971. 

Jacqueline, Ajamu, Dr. Sundiata Cha-Jua and Zahir Ọládùnní Mobọ́lájí Touré spoke on a recent BAP webinar, “Gary 50 Years Later: Why Is the Question Still Reform or Revolution.”

Erica challenges reactions to anti-CRT legislation in a Hood Communist article.

Meanwhile, the Groundings podcast featured Erica and Dr. CBS diving into the history of Black communist women like Claudia Jones and why a battle is being waged to dissociate them from their communist politics. 

Lastly, we pay tribute to brother Askia Muhammad, an icon in Black journalism and Final Call Senior Editor, who recently transitioned to being an ancestor. The Final Call published a piece on his legacy. Askia also quoted Netfa in his recent article, “Activists Call Out U.S. Role in Russia-Ukraine Dispute.”

EVENTS

April 2-4: National protests on the anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Organized by Solidarity with Donbass & Antifascists in Ukraine and the Socialist Unity Party / Partido de Socialismo Unido. Learn more here. 

April 6: Join Dr. Marie Ramos Rosado at 6 p.m. ET for a book talk called, “La Mujer Negra en la Literatura Puertorriqueña” (Black Women in Puerto Rican Literature), at Howard University’s Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by Changó!, the Claudia Jones School for Political Education, People’s World newspaper and the D.C. Afro Latino Caucus. RSVP here.

April 6: Assistant Professor Rafael Outland will facilitate “History of Black Resistance, U.S. Political Prisoners and Genocide: A Conversation with Jalil Muntaqim,” an event at the State University of New York-Brockport’s McHue Auditorium. For more information, contact routland@brockport.edu.

April 9-10: The Black Is Back Coalition for Social Justice, Peace and Reparations is organizing its sixth annual Electoral Campaign School. Register here.

April 10: The National Network on Cuba is organizing the 15th International Brigade of Voluntary Work and Solidarity with Cuba (April 23-May 8). Celebrate May Day (International Workers’ Day) with millions of Cubans as well as with brigades arriving from other countries. The application deadline has been extended to April 10. Scholarships are available.

TAKE ACTION

The Black Latina Girls and Women Fund was created by BAP member organization AfroResistance, a Black Latinx women-led organization in the service of Black Latinx women in the Americas. Please donate and use the hashtag #BlackLatinaGWFund.

Sign up to join BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network to receive the bi-weekly AFRICOM Watch Bulletin in your inbox.

Make sure you keep up with us throughout the week by subscribing to our YouTube channel, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram and Twitter.

No Compromise, No Retreat!

Struggle to win,
Ajamu, Charisse, Dedan, Erica, Jaribu, Margaret, Netfa, Nnamdi, Paul and Rafiki
Coordinating Committee

P.S. Freedom isn’t free. Consider giving today.

Banner photo: Revelers took to the streets the morning after a coup in January in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital, to express support for the new military junta and call for Russian help in combating Islamist violence. (Malin Fezehai for The New York Times)