[This is an UPDATE just received (Saturday jan. 4, 2003) from one of the hunger striking prisoners at Clallam Bay Corrections Center (CBCC) at Clallam Bay Corrections Center (CBCC( at Clallam Bay, Washington. It is a copy of a letter sent to the superintendent there:]

jANUARY 1, 2003

Ms. Sandra Carter, Superintendent, CBCC:
re: abuse and mistreatment suffered by us prisoners here in the IMU [solitary confinement unit]
Dear Ms. Carter,
I am writing to inform you that I am no longer drinking water (as of tomorrow morning). I have gone without food for about 62 hours now, and I am now also depriving myself of water until you rectify the problems we've presented you with.
My decision to go without water as well as food is based on 1) your refusal to honestly and seriously address the issues of abuse and mistreatment and arbitrary rule discussed in my letter (dated 12/23/2002) to you, and 2) your intent to whitewash the reasons behind our nonviolent direct action campaign.
According to Ms. Debi Sopher, (an inmates's mother who called and talked to YOU), you told her that our campaign is just a ploy to get transferred -- that is, we're all going without food and subjecting ourselves to the attendant health risks because we want to be transferred.
Why you're misrepresenting the facts is beyond me, but the TRUTH is this: WE HAVEN'T REQUESTED ANYTHING ABOUT BEING TRANSFERRED. We asked that you ensure that IMU staff perform their duties ACCORDING TO POLICY on all levels, that is, with respect to: 1) the use of force; 2) the feeding, showering and recreating of prisoners; 3) the level reviews and promotions; 4) access to legal supplies; 5) adequate access to the law library; and 6) the everyday interactions with prisoners, and any other situations that directly affect our standard of living.
We have engaged in our NON-VIOLENT direct action campaign because 1) you refused to promptly address our complaints, 2) we do not want to be deemed disruptive and transferred, 3) we do not want to be subjected to the use of force, and 4) we do not want to be subjected to any unjustifiable sanctions.
If you would like to end this food and water strike before someone is hospitalized, then please understand that we are willing to begin eating and drinking again when our issues are HONESTLY AND ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED: when legal supplies are issued acording to policy; when we're afforded access to the CMU legal library according to policy; when hearings and level reviews are conducted according to policy; when the use of force is used only in accordance with policy; when our staff misconduct and other grievances are taken seriously; when we're fed, showered and afforded recreation according to policy; and when the necessary steps are taken to ensure that ALL staff here in the IMU perform their duties professionally.
When these requests are met, we will discontinue our direct action campaign.
Having been reasonable, sincere and honestly forthright, I hope that you will re-think your position toward us and seriously address our complaints in an objective manner, especially since we're now going without water.
Thank you for your careful attention and consideration.
Sincerely, James Curtis #984533
cc: Home File

[Because Superintendent Carter has not responded to the requests of our first petition http://www.PetitionOnline.com/CBCC1/petition.html we have initiated a NEW PETITION, which demands her immediate action, now that it is rapidly becoming a matter of life and death. (Depriving the body of water is well known to cause rapid and often irreversible and life-threatening deterioration of health.)
We ask you to sign the new petition at http://www.PetitionOnline.com/CBCC2/petition.html and also to continue calling and/or writing Superintendant Carter at (360) 753-1573 at Clallam Bay Corrections Center, 1830 Eagle Crest Way, Clallam Bay, WA 98362, and Secretary of Corrections Joseph Lehman, 411 West 4th, PO Box 41100, Olympia, WA 98504-1100, docwebmaster@doc1.wa.gov, and Governor Gary Locke, until you get a satisfactory answer from them.
PLEASE NOTE: So far the Superintendent has unfortunately opted for the most crude and irresponsible of all bureaucratic responses to this very serious and easily solveable problem: COVER-UP AND WHITEWASH. Besides fabricating "they just want transfers" out of whole cloth, they are also telling parents and friends of the prisoners when they call that, "it's all a scam and most have dropped out already." THESE STATEMENTS ARE ABSOLUTELY FALSE: So please be forewarned, and let them know that you are not going to settle for any ludicrous "public relations" nonsense and will settle for nothing but the truth and immediate action to end this dangerous situation.
(The initial letter we sent out a few days ago as this hunger strike was beginning, with links to a more detailed letter and to the first petition, are elsewhere on this 911 section) ]

# 18 here, this is not enough folks please get on this. Love Barbara

Dear Durk:

#19. Glad to help out. The superintendent needs to have a heart instead of a political agenda.

Linda

I am number 68,, :)

Hi lulu & Linda, I just checked back #18 is the last sign in. lulu did you sign the new one? Love Barbara

Signed--#22

Deb

which new one?

hi lulu check the second one listed above it is the new one. Love Barbara

I posted the first petition on here, but I have now signed this new, more urgent, one.

Everyone...PLEASE sign this petition! I personally know the inmate who authored it and I can tell you, he is DEADLY serious about this and I truly fear for his health and the health of his fellow inmates.

Cherrie

ok, i am now 25. :)

I just signed the new one...

#27

I am 28.

softie

#71

I've signed. Has anyone heard any update as to what is going on?

72 & 30

31...een en dertig....done

Hello, this is Durk who is helping to post the CLALLAM BAY HUNGER STRIKE letters and petitions.
Seems like the signatures on the CBCC2 petition about doubled over night. Great that people are responding and spreading the word, etc.!
I've been printing out the petitions and their signatures every day or so, as the number of signatures increases -- and sending them to James Curtis, to Superintendent Carter, and now to Secretary of Corrections Lehman -- whose addresses are in the letter(s). The more people who can find time to keep them aware of the urgency , in this and in other ways, the better.
The only email address I have is Secretary Lehman's. I'm not certain it's still good or if he ever looks at it , but so far messages to it have not been returned as invalid. Anyway, I've been emailing him the petitions and signatures now and then as the number of signatures increases: docwebmaster@doc1.wa.gov (There's a "send this petition to someone" button on the petition sites.)
They have cut off James Curtis' phone privileges (which I'm quite sure is against all kinds of their own policy regulations!), so if anybody else has contact with any of them and has news, please share it here as you get it, when you can. I will post any news as soon as I get a letter from James (or others).
Durk

#34

Ola! Thanx! Signed this one too :) 46.

45 and 82

#82....any update?

#46 here on the second one I believe. Anyways hopefully something will be done very very soon. Please keep us posted on this.

cherrie from tx

James Curtis called me this morning with the great news that the nonviolent direct action hunger strike at Clallam Bay was a great success (although the administration will likely be keeping that truth from the public for obvious reasons):
After about 4 days, behavior of staff started changing for the better rapiclly, and their main greivances started to be addressed.
Later today, or tomorrow, I will post an "all clear" on the "911" forum, and as soon as James can get a letter to me with a first-hand account, I will post it on PTO (under "general" I guess). At that time I will also send it out as the "lead story" in the free "NONE OF THE ABOVE NEWS" enewsletter." ( Anyone who would like to receive that newsletter can simply send an email to me at justjames@ourchurch.com with "Send me None of The Above" in the subject line and I'll put you on the list.)
All of the participants are in good health and spirits and send their great gratitude to all who supported them with signatures, etc.!
Durk
PS: James said it got into the nearby Port Angeles, wA newspaper of Jan. 8. I'm going to go look for that now.

# 47!!!

Signed before I saw the last post of Durk's... oh well, GOD FORBID that they would need it again but my name is there.

It never ceases to amaze me the cruelty of some towards their brother and sister!

[[[[[[ LATEST NOTE: January 18: The hunger strike at Clallam Bay seems to have concluded successfully!
We will be leaving the following reports here for a while, and then probably will archive them on their own page on this site, because they amount to quite a complete ANATOMY OF A SUCCESSFUL NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION CAMPAIGN. ]]]]]


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Because the elites who own the media own our minds
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
NONE OF THE ABOVE NEWS$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$
**{Please reprint and forward as appropriate}}
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[To receive this freEnewsletter regularly email justjames@ourchurch.com with "Send me None of The Above News" in the subject line.$$$$$$$$$$$$To be removed from the list simply reply with "Remove" in the subject line.]$$$$$$$$$
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Clallam Bay Hunger Strike Finally Resolved Successfully

After prisoners at Clallam Bay Corrections Center (CBCC) resumed their nonviolent campaign on January 14th, the administration there has apparently realized the seriousness of their grievances and moved swiftly to deal with them
A Participant there, Chad Walton, is mailing us a more detailed account which we will print here in a few days.
Meanwhile:
Superintendent Sandra Carter has sent each of the participants a memo promising to wind up her investigation and send them her conclusions by February 1, and urging them to start eating -- which they did at breakfast today, January 18th.
Chad reports that many of the grievances have already been remedied, and that they feel confident that this time the administration and staff are sincerely determined to bring Clallam Bay's Intensive Management Unit (IMU) into line with Washington Department of Corrections policy -- which was all they have been campaigning for in the first place. {Naturally, if their evaluation turns out to be too optimistic necessitating yet another return to the campaign, we will be reporting on it here in this newsletter, which goes to about 1000 concerned organizations, individuals and media.)
Greatly contributing to this remarkably successful outcome have been some local media investigation and reporting by the Port Angeles "Peninsula Daily News" and Seattle NPR radio station KUOW 94.9 FM -- and probably others which we're not aware of. The great response by concerned people who signed our online petitions were also of critical importance.
We would like to urge people to consider making a small (or large!) contribution to the non-profit WWW.PetitionOnline.com We used this easy and efficient free online service to do the petitions (whose links are seen elsewhere in this newsletter). which were so helpful in gathering many signatures and enlightening comments. These were printed out and sent to the relevant officials, and to some of the hunger strikers. (Such tools will also be invaluable in the many nonviolent direct action campaigns against the war and the fascist Bush regime.) Instructions for contributing by credit card or check can be found at http://www.petitiononline.com
Unfortunately we must end this very encouraging report with this letter which we just received from one of the prisoners who has suffered severe medical complications from his participation. We hope that phone calls and letters to the Superintendent, etc. will ensure proper treatment for his dangerous condition. This is his letter:

"January 16, 2003
" To whom it may concern,
" I'm writing in hope of bringing some attention to the uncaring health "care" staff here at CBCC.
" On 1/13/03 I was rushed to an outside hospital in Forks, WA. for severe dehydration. My blood pressure was at a mere 88: this after not eating for seven and one-half days and not drinking for 6 and one-half days.
" While at the hospital I was told to drink as much juice as possible, take vitamins and work my way back into eating solids 'real slow.' On 1/14/03 at around 10 AM (at Forks Hospital) I couldn't even hold down ice-cream; yet since I've been back at CBCC I've been put on 'Soft Bland Diet Foods' which include beans, eggs, greasy potatoes, stir fry, chicken and egg salad, etc. (I got back here on 1/14/08 at approximately 12:30 PM.)
"The health 'care' staff have refused me vitamins, health drinks such as Boost, health snacks such as what was given to me at Washington State Penitentiary and Shelton Corrections Center when I was unable to eat a regular diet: fresh fruit, crackers, powdered milk, juices, etc. They've also refused to modify my meals to foods which I can consume with minimal difficulties. CBCC doesn't even have a dietitian.
"I informed the staff here that starting at dinner tonight (1/16/03 at 5 PM) I won't be participating in the food service program because of safety and health concerns. Most likely I will be punished for this, but that's how the system works.

"David Troupe #765714
CBCC IMU
1830 Eagle Crest Way
Clallam Bay, WA 98326"

[We hope there will be no more cases of retribution like this one at CBCC; but if there are we will report them in future issues of this newsletter.]
[You can find the history of this campaign archived at http://www.ourchurch.com/member/j/jamescurtis

signed! Best of wishes and prayers for these inmates!

OK tell me did I sign ALL of the ones? hehehe DUH moi :)) If not send me the URL and I am READY to send my signature.

Linda

Well...If I signed the right one...I am #64

#65 here and my husband is #66.

Signed!

I signed it, Hope this helps.

69

Moved out of 911 Issues.. The date on this is January and it is a petition. Will leave a re-direct in the 911 forum but this is being moved to petitions.

#111 signed

i signed...

Signed.

# 82 GOOD LUCK !!!

signed second :) 83

98

I read somewhere that online petitions aren't effective because they don't contain actual signatures. I think the involvement of the media probably is what did the trick. The prison can ignore online petitions but not media involvement. Actual paper petitions where they have actual signatures that can be verified as legal can be more effective than the online ones, but media involvement is usually the key that unlocks the door of narrow minds in prison management.