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by Greg Dunkel
In historic Riverside Church
on Jan. 12, 2013, an impressive number and range of progressive
groups gathered to honor former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey
Clark for his 85th birthday (which was on Dec. 18).
The event was also to mark the 20th anniversary of the
International Action Center (IAC), a solidarity and activist
center that Clark founded out of his Greenwich Village law
office.
Cuban, Venezuelan, and Serbian
diplomats attended, as well as dozens of organizations ranging
from the ANSWER Coalition and other anti-war and
anti-intervention groups like Veterans Against War to groups
calling for justice in U.S. prisons. Also present were the
Islamic Center of North America, the International Committee to
Free the Cuban Five, as well as a table of collaborators of
Haïti Liberté. U.S. political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal sent
a recorded address, and Pam Africa of his International
Concerned Family & Friends spoke.
The IAC has long supported the struggles of the
Haitian people. In 2004, it published a book of essays entitled
"Haiti: A Slave Revolution," which was updated in 2010 to
include articles on the earthquake and Aristide's exile and
return. Ramsey Clark, author Edwidge Danticat, poet Paul Laraque,
and journalist Kim Ives of Haïti Liberté were all
contributors to this book.
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