MXGM Self-Defence Manual

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Malcolm X Grassroots Movement March 2013
Addressing Intra-Communal Violence
Despite the overwhelming containment strategies
employed against New Afrikans by the US government
and the forces of white supremacy, the cold and sad
reality is that for decades many more New Afrikans
have been killed at the hands of other New Afrikans
than by agents of the state (regardless of nationality and
race) or other enemy forces. Here we are speaking of
direct killings, not the slow death being systematically
committed against us by our enemies. This intracommunal
violence is a product of our colonial
socialization, the competition for scarce economic
resources produced by our subjugation, and the
internalization of white supremacy, patriarchy and
other systems of oppression. The scale of the carnage
we reap on each other makes us unintentional
participants in our own genocide (for instance the most
prevalent type of homicide against women is by partner
or husband 23 ). If the intra-communal violence and
killings are going to stop then we are going to have to
stop it, and not ask or depend on any outside entity to
do it for us.
In order to address the question of intra-communal
violence among New Afrikan people - turf wars, interpersonal
violence, domestic violence, etc. - we must first
expand our existing tools and strategies of self-defense
and conflict resolution, and devise new ones. One
means to do so, is to give special focus within our Self-
Defense Networks to questions of community healing
and conflict resolution in relationship to resource
maximization and economic development. In order to
end the violence, we are going to have to address the
material constraints imposed on our people with the
resources we have at hand. This means that we are
going to have to do a much better job of organizing
ourselves internally to maximize the use of the limited
resources we do possess and use them strategically to
access and produce more resources that will address our
need for adequate income, housing, education, health
care, food, water, and a healthy environment. This will
require the creation of various types of cooperatives,
land trusts, credit unions, and mutual aid societies.
Every great dream begins
with a dreamer. And always
remember, you have within
you the strength, the
patience, and the passion to
reach for the starts to change
the world.
Harriet Tubman
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