Statement from Dr. Mutulu Shakur Delivered Yesterday @ The Montefiore Medical Center By Bro. Sadiki "Shep" Ojore Olugbala

  "A Message To The Montefiore-Einstein Medical Center Doctors of Family & Community Medicine" By Dr. Mutulu Shakur

Dr. Mutulu Shakur is a New Afrikan community and prison organizer whose primary work has been in the area of health. He is a doctor of acupuncture and was a co-founder and director of two institutions devoted to improving health care in the Black community. In 1970 Dr. Shakur was employed by the Lincoln Detox (detoxification) Community (addiction treatment) Program as a political education instructor. His role evolved to include counseling and treatment of withdrawal symptoms with acupuncture. Dr. Shakur became certified and licensed to practice acupuncture in the State of California in 1976. Eventually he became the Program's Assistant Director and remained associated with the program until 1978.

From 1978 to 1982, Dr. Shakur was the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Black Acupuncture Advisory Association of North America (BAAANA) and the Harlem Institute of Acupuncture. Where, at Lincoln, Dr. Shakur had managed a detox program recognized as the largest and most effective of its kind by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, National Acupuncture Research Society and the World Academic Society of Acupuncture, at BAAANA he continued his remarkable work and also treated thousands of poor and elderly patients who would otherwise have no access to treatment of this type. Many community leaders, political activists, lawyers and doctors were served by BAAANA and over one hundred medical students were trained in the discipline of acupuncture.

By the late 1970's Dr. Shakur's work in acupuncture and drug detoxification was both nationally and internationally known and he was invited to address members of the medical community around the world. Dr. Shakur lectured on his work at many medical conferences, and was invited to the People's Republic of China. In addition in his work for the Charles Cobb Commission for Racial Justice for the National Council of Churches he developed their anti-drug program.

A target of the FBI's illegal Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) has sent the following statement from behind prison walls as he continues to be unjustly held as a U.S. Government Captured Political Prisoner since 1986 ..............................

In extending great enthusiasm and support for the objectives of the Montefiore Medical Center Community Doctors (MMCCD), I have kept in mind that 45 years ago an army of committed and concerned have-nots did take a realistic look at the state of the underserved health population in the City of New York, and; From all angles in the streets, community centers, hospitals and mobile experimental units tried to apply a predictable skill, and alternative modalities in which to give some predictability and healing for our community.

That (MMCCD) has decided to resuscitate/professionalize and to apply the same theory in these days and times could not have come at a more crucial stage in the role health care is playing or not playing in the political theater of the United States political paradigm. The awareness of the masses to the motives of the state must ultimately be revealed, by an astute politically conscious and medically deprived population. The revealing stage of the objectives of the American Medical Association and the pharmaceutical companies of 45 years ago was revealed when the collaboration of the state, city and national political apparatus made an attempt to convince the population that the war on drugs could be won and controlled by the introduction of a deadly chemical methadone.

I salute you, the medical cadres of the Black Panther Party, The Young Lords Party, Peoples Free Health Centers, Lincoln Detox, May 19th, John Brown Anti-Klan and; The Republic of New Africa salutes them as well for utilizing all the powers at their disposal to force the victims of the drug plague to submit to extraordinary doses of medication just so they would not be a part of the so called criminal class. We called it then as it was, chemical warfare, and chemical Genocide.

Today we have tons of research and great practitioners such as doctors, nurses, acupuncturists, midwives and activists that are trying to make up for the lack of consistent consciousness of the masses as to the effectiveness of alternative medicine. The task will be hard, and the opposition by the pharmaceutical companies and the media, will be severe.

I look forward to see the day that the work of our past comrades will be carried on by the work of MMCCD and others; Because so many of those comrades are underground, in prison, martyred or in exile. They suffered tremendous damages and casualties because of their effort to provide health care to the masses. If there are those who doubt this, then they should join me in calling for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission on how the FBI's illegal Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) conducted low intensity warfare waged against alternative health care in the 60', 70's, and 80's.

Thank you all who provide the opportunity for resurrecting the work of community based medicine and; I am very proud that the municipal hospitals in the city of New York make available the alternative acupuncture treatment that we started at Lincoln Detox and carried on in BAANNA for the victims of the Drug Plague, Post Traumatic Stress, and secondary conditions.

I congratulate Montefiore-Einstein for this innovation.

Aim High and Go all out

Long live the spirit of Lincoln Detox and Baana

Stiff resistance

Dr. Mutulu Shakur

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