In Memory Of Ricky Morris 20.03.68 - 29.11.87
JIKA JIKA, PENTRIDGE, 29th OCTOBER 1987 A BLACK DAY !!!
I am writing this as a state of panic sweeps Jika Jika. Hours ago, at least five prisoners here died in a fire. Some prisoners in the other unit have been taken from their cells terrified, screaming that they will be killed also. An eye witness to today's fire says that prisoner officers stood behind windows in safety, laughing and doing nothing to help as the prisoners died today.
I could go into many pages as what i have seen and suffered here personally, including a bashing by prisoner officers last week. Jika Jika is a festering sore in a sick prison system. The prison officers here at all levels are out of control.Every prisoner i have been able to talk to after today's death's {murders?} expect to be killed also.We all expect the usual cover up {the fire burnt wiring so the cars couldn't opened in time to save the prisoner's -that is complete bullshit}. No prisoner here believes or expects any prisoner officer would try and stop any prisoner here from dying, and might push them into suicide attempt or perhaps even help them along. Something must be done soon. We are going to explode here, this place is total planned insanity and torture.
P.S. {Hours Later} Important!!!! 12.30 middle of the night
A prisoner who survived the fire in unit 4 was just moved over here with us. He is willing to be named as a witness, as are we who questioned him, regarding the fire and events. Both sides of unit 4 barricaded their door to the hallway. The 'barricades' could not stop the doors from being opened. Prisoners on both side were 'screaming "LET US OUT" . Prison officers were laughing and calling out "Die you C.nts", while the fire was going.
The events were planned by both sides of unit 4 and told to the Governor on 'request's' at least as early as last Sunday. Prison officers were warned again today before barricades were put up.
Prison officers taunted prisoners by telling them the AIDS carriers had arrived today. Prisoners who lived through the fire were dragged out into the passageway and bashed and kicked by prison officers. Prison Officers afterward fixed doors so they appeared in operable and firemen would have to cut them open so all would look right. A prisoner in an ambulance on the way to hospital was told by three prison officers "don't say anything or else!"
THE JIKA FIRE:
I participated with other inmates of unit 4, Jika Jika, in a protest against long term placement in Jika, The de-humanizing conditions, mind games, the constant intimidation, stand over tactics, threats of violent s and deaths from prison officers, the double standards that existed between the protection prisoners and what we receive - they were rewarding the Judas' - at the deaths of inmates in Jika under suspicious circumstances and to a LESSER extent, The transfer of AIDS inmates to Jika. It was all a combination of all these things. The men who died - their main concerns were about long term placement in Jika and the review and assessments and Classification Committees.
It was for these reasons that such a desperate and dangerous protest was agreed upon by Unit 4, sides 1 & 2 of Jika Jika - and in the hope that we could help things come along the path to a Royal Commission. To end some of the speculation and the incredible amount of lies that have been told about what has happened, i make this statement in a desperate hope that the five inmates who died and the 4 of us who came within minutes of dying {including myself}, have not died and suffer in vain. We all hope as the 5 would, that Jika will never re-open or that a place like it will never re-open again. We desperately hope that there will be a Royal Commission into Victoria's prison system and reforms implemented so this will never have to happen again. Some inmates of Jika are now {as i am} in 'H' Div. We are told there will be reforms in 'H' Div, but we will see it as window dressing.
WE ARE OUT OF SITE OUT OF MIND !The truth will come out if the inmates of Jika are called to the inquest as we were there and stood with them to the END!.
UNIT 3 – K Division -1988
To begin with you know Jika does not exist in "K" Division, you know where it went don't ya?? Right!!! Unit 3 is now a drug rehab unit... and 10 of us decided in Fairlea to come over... No-one was intimidated to come. Stand-overs played some weird games to prevent the move, but no one who came here got forced at all.
There are now 12 of us.. the first 10 actually stood their ground " copped heaps to get here", but i know that i 'do' know better - but to come here and not stay in Fairyland " use dope" . Dope dominates the Fairy-world.. believe me, its easier to score there than it is on the street..
Why don't people concentrate on that reality or the reality of Jika's short move, rather than deliberately try to deter this Unit and Division.This program is actually the first for woman in jail in Australia. Its surely warrants a try and support..
Some junkies don't make it back to jail, they in fact die on the street alone, so any program which promotes some kind of drug free lifestyle must be worthwhile and supported, regardless of the political force of our screwed up Australia..... Jail politics should not intervene either, if one smack freak "makes it" then Unit 3 has been worth it...
5 men died in vain, i can tell you.. I'm sure they'd be proud to know there is now a chance for junkies - and they made it possible by drawing so much attention to Jika.. The cause of their deaths flashes in my face everyday " it's my fault".. I believe those five must smile to see a drug rehab in "K" Division.. Another Unit will hold 20 men from "G" Division in 3 weeks doing the same program. Unit 3 holds 20, so that 40 people will be given the chance in jail to do jail in a new way...
More then 5 men died in Jika, I believe with all my heart that not 1 of then died in vain as long as a drug free program exists in jail. Not one day passes that i don't think of Jika " the concept of all that, it hurts, but it happened.I personally need to live a drug free the chance is here " im going for it. But for now i simply needed to tell you this program is working for me. Dont judge me for my decision to be in "K" Division, judge and expose the continuing essence of Jika, its there, bold as brass, don't be fooled by this building re-opened.....
RELEASE
I am hoping you understand how it actually is when one is faced with 'release'. Many factors surround 'release', if one is honest about all the things pertaining to 'getting out', then, one cannot avoid the harsh realities of the real world and fears connected with 'fitting back in' out there.
I mean people mainly think of 'dope' and the so called 'fun' they say they wanna get back into. I honestly feel that most people being released are far from looking at their situation in a realistic way. Maybe jail suppresses 'reality'.
Well, whatever, people need to be very aware. I can't help but wonder that some people are never 'aware', also they avoid 'reality' as they intend to come back to jail. Or maybe they feel they really have no choice in the matter anyway.
So just go for it, so to say, once they get out. Its sad to realize that people really think they have no choice in life. Its very sad when people think that their 'lot' in life is to shoot dope... that's the harsh reality of a lot of people.
Its very hard to stand up and say 'I have a choice', takes certain courage, as some have no self esteem at all. Isn't it a tragic day for humanity when people sink so low and get so suppressed that they have no self esteem at all.
Can you imagine how lost that feels, may well be the loneliest feeling of all.
Hopefully mankind will see that people do not have to sink that far down in order to be controlled and that they can be quiet well controlled by lessor forms of suppression. maybe mankind ought to scrutinize itself in a very pedantic fashion and for god sake get it together. I surely hope it happens in not to distant future, a mankind will slide back into the ... from whence it came..
****My insights into things lately definitely do not pull that "monstrousity'' smile on this dial, but, we go regardless, hey.***
Our thanks to all the people who made this magazine possible, both inside and out....
I could go into many pages as what i have seen and suffered here personally, including a bashing by prisoner officers last week. Jika Jika is a festering sore in a sick prison system. The prison officers here at all levels are out of control.Every prisoner i have been able to talk to after today's death's {murders?} expect to be killed also.We all expect the usual cover up {the fire burnt wiring so the cars couldn't opened in time to save the prisoner's -that is complete bullshit}. No prisoner here believes or expects any prisoner officer would try and stop any prisoner here from dying, and might push them into suicide attempt or perhaps even help them along. Something must be done soon. We are going to explode here, this place is total planned insanity and torture.
P.S. {Hours Later} Important!!!! 12.30 middle of the night
A prisoner who survived the fire in unit 4 was just moved over here with us. He is willing to be named as a witness, as are we who questioned him, regarding the fire and events. Both sides of unit 4 barricaded their door to the hallway. The 'barricades' could not stop the doors from being opened. Prisoners on both side were 'screaming "LET US OUT" . Prison officers were laughing and calling out "Die you C.nts", while the fire was going.
The events were planned by both sides of unit 4 and told to the Governor on 'request's' at least as early as last Sunday. Prison officers were warned again today before barricades were put up.
Prison officers taunted prisoners by telling them the AIDS carriers had arrived today. Prisoners who lived through the fire were dragged out into the passageway and bashed and kicked by prison officers. Prison Officers afterward fixed doors so they appeared in operable and firemen would have to cut them open so all would look right. A prisoner in an ambulance on the way to hospital was told by three prison officers "don't say anything or else!"
THE JIKA FIRE:
I participated with other inmates of unit 4, Jika Jika, in a protest against long term placement in Jika, The de-humanizing conditions, mind games, the constant intimidation, stand over tactics, threats of violent s and deaths from prison officers, the double standards that existed between the protection prisoners and what we receive - they were rewarding the Judas' - at the deaths of inmates in Jika under suspicious circumstances and to a LESSER extent, The transfer of AIDS inmates to Jika. It was all a combination of all these things. The men who died - their main concerns were about long term placement in Jika and the review and assessments and Classification Committees.
It was for these reasons that such a desperate and dangerous protest was agreed upon by Unit 4, sides 1 & 2 of Jika Jika - and in the hope that we could help things come along the path to a Royal Commission. To end some of the speculation and the incredible amount of lies that have been told about what has happened, i make this statement in a desperate hope that the five inmates who died and the 4 of us who came within minutes of dying {including myself}, have not died and suffer in vain. We all hope as the 5 would, that Jika will never re-open or that a place like it will never re-open again. We desperately hope that there will be a Royal Commission into Victoria's prison system and reforms implemented so this will never have to happen again. Some inmates of Jika are now {as i am} in 'H' Div. We are told there will be reforms in 'H' Div, but we will see it as window dressing.
WE ARE OUT OF SITE OUT OF MIND !The truth will come out if the inmates of Jika are called to the inquest as we were there and stood with them to the END!.
UNIT 3 – K Division -1988
To begin with you know Jika does not exist in "K" Division, you know where it went don't ya?? Right!!! Unit 3 is now a drug rehab unit... and 10 of us decided in Fairlea to come over... No-one was intimidated to come. Stand-overs played some weird games to prevent the move, but no one who came here got forced at all.
There are now 12 of us.. the first 10 actually stood their ground " copped heaps to get here", but i know that i 'do' know better - but to come here and not stay in Fairyland " use dope" . Dope dominates the Fairy-world.. believe me, its easier to score there than it is on the street..
Why don't people concentrate on that reality or the reality of Jika's short move, rather than deliberately try to deter this Unit and Division.This program is actually the first for woman in jail in Australia. Its surely warrants a try and support..
Some junkies don't make it back to jail, they in fact die on the street alone, so any program which promotes some kind of drug free lifestyle must be worthwhile and supported, regardless of the political force of our screwed up Australia..... Jail politics should not intervene either, if one smack freak "makes it" then Unit 3 has been worth it...
5 men died in vain, i can tell you.. I'm sure they'd be proud to know there is now a chance for junkies - and they made it possible by drawing so much attention to Jika.. The cause of their deaths flashes in my face everyday " it's my fault".. I believe those five must smile to see a drug rehab in "K" Division.. Another Unit will hold 20 men from "G" Division in 3 weeks doing the same program. Unit 3 holds 20, so that 40 people will be given the chance in jail to do jail in a new way...
More then 5 men died in Jika, I believe with all my heart that not 1 of then died in vain as long as a drug free program exists in jail. Not one day passes that i don't think of Jika " the concept of all that, it hurts, but it happened.I personally need to live a drug free the chance is here " im going for it. But for now i simply needed to tell you this program is working for me. Dont judge me for my decision to be in "K" Division, judge and expose the continuing essence of Jika, its there, bold as brass, don't be fooled by this building re-opened.....
RELEASE
I am hoping you understand how it actually is when one is faced with 'release'. Many factors surround 'release', if one is honest about all the things pertaining to 'getting out', then, one cannot avoid the harsh realities of the real world and fears connected with 'fitting back in' out there.
I mean people mainly think of 'dope' and the so called 'fun' they say they wanna get back into. I honestly feel that most people being released are far from looking at their situation in a realistic way. Maybe jail suppresses 'reality'.
Well, whatever, people need to be very aware. I can't help but wonder that some people are never 'aware', also they avoid 'reality' as they intend to come back to jail. Or maybe they feel they really have no choice in the matter anyway.
So just go for it, so to say, once they get out. Its sad to realize that people really think they have no choice in life. Its very sad when people think that their 'lot' in life is to shoot dope... that's the harsh reality of a lot of people.
Its very hard to stand up and say 'I have a choice', takes certain courage, as some have no self esteem at all. Isn't it a tragic day for humanity when people sink so low and get so suppressed that they have no self esteem at all.
Can you imagine how lost that feels, may well be the loneliest feeling of all.
Hopefully mankind will see that people do not have to sink that far down in order to be controlled and that they can be quiet well controlled by lessor forms of suppression. maybe mankind ought to scrutinize itself in a very pedantic fashion and for god sake get it together. I surely hope it happens in not to distant future, a mankind will slide back into the ... from whence it came..
****My insights into things lately definitely do not pull that "monstrousity'' smile on this dial, but, we go regardless, hey.***
Our thanks to all the people who made this magazine possible, both inside and out....
