Self-Determination Is The Highest Expression Of Democracy

Our Constitution - InPDUM

INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC UHURU MOVEMENT CONSTITUTION

 

The International Constitution and Bylaws of the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement, The National Organizing Committee for the National People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement, hereby adopts the following articles for the Constitution and Bylaws for the National People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement by authority of the Central Committee of the African People’s Socialist Party as directed under the resolution adopted by the African People’s Socialist Party on September 8th, 1990. This document was updated and accepted by the International Executive Committee on July 15, 2001 and now reflects the new name, International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement. This document was updated and accepted by the International Executive Committee on September 13, 2020 at the 2020 InPDUM International Convention.

 

ARTICLE 1 NAME AND ADDRESS

 

  1. This association shall be organized as a non-profit association, an unincorporated association under the name: International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement, hereinafter referred to as the INPDUM.
  2. The place, checking account and address of the principal office of the INPDUM shall be established by the International Executive Committee of the INPDUM.
  3. Other offices and checking accounts may be placed in other areas as may be determined by the International Executive Committee.

  

ARTICLE 2 DURATION

  1. The period of existence is permanent unless dissolved by the International Executive Committee.
  2. Existence shall commence immediately upon approval of this constitution by the International Organizing Committee acting as the first International Executive Committee of the INPDUM.
  3. In the event of dissolution of the INPDUM, the assets shall be distributed to the African People’s Socialist Party.

ARTICLE 3 PURPOSES

Section 1. Purposes

  1. Said association is organized exclusively as a non-profit unincorporated association in connection with and under the supervision of the African People’s Socialist Party, an unincorporated association.
  2. The general purpose of the association is to advance the welfare of African people around the world with the policies and programs of the African People’s Socialist Party as determined by the International Executive Committee
  3. The special purposes of the INPDUM are to defend the international democratic rights of all colonized African communities, with the understanding that the highest expression of democracy is self-determination. This is opposed to the view that integrating into the capitalist white power system is the highest expression of democracy.

Section 2. Restrictions

  1. The INPDUM is organized as a separate association but subject to the supervision and control of the African People’s Socialist Party.
  2. No part of the net earnings of the INPDUM shall benefit or be distributable to its members, officers or other private persons, except that the INPDUM shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in this article.

ARTICLE 4 MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Composition

Membership in the INPDUM shall consist of persons who sign a membership pledge, subscribing to the purposes of the INPDUM and pay a membership fee of $25.00 per annum. Membership fee adjustments will be made in countries according to the average income and other factors. National Executive Committees will propose the membership fee with the approval of the International Executive Committee. In places where there is no National Executive Committee, the International Membership Coordinator will propose the membership fee with the approval of the International Executive Committee.

 

Section 2. Membership Collection, Branches and Organizing Committees

  1. Membership applications shall be collected by a membership committee either on a branch level and/or by an organizing committee (local and state level) on behalf of the International Office.
  2. The member who collects a membership must use an official membership envelope that sets forth the name of the applying member, their address, zip code, phone number and email address (if applicable). The collector must place the cash or check donation in the envelope and give a receipt to the donor which sets forth the address and phone number of the International Office.
  3. The collector shall turn over the collections to the Membership Coordinator of the Branch, Organizing Committee or International Office. The Membership Coordinator shall register the collection on a membership report form and give the fees to the Treasurer who will deposit the funds in the checking account within one week of receipt of the collection.
  4. The membership report form shall be in triplicate, setting forth the name, address, phone number, amount received, and the amount to forward to the International Office.
  5. At least once per month, the Membership Coordinator will get payment for the International Office’s share of the membership fees for that month from the Branch Treasurer. The Membership Coordinator will send this money along with the membership report form for that time period to the International Office. At least once per month, the Membership Coordinator will present the membership report for that month, including money amounts sent and kept, to the Branch Executive Committee for approval.
  6. The International Office shall issue membership cards, signed by the International President, and mail same to the members, unless the International Office determines that said membership cards shall be sent to the branch office to be distributed to the membership, within one month.

Branches and Organizing Committees will follow the INPDUM Bank Policy to open and operate a bank account

 

    1. ARTICLE 5 INTERNATIONAL GOVERNING STRUCTURE

       

      Section 1. Powers

      1. The international governing structure shall consist of the International Convention and the International Executive Committee (IEC). The IEC consists of the President, Secretary, Membership Coordinator, Economic Development Coordinator, Treasurer, Outreach Coordinator, Information and Education Coordinator and Regional Representatives from the following regions: African region, North American region, Central American region, South American region, European region, Asian region and Oceania region. The President of the InPDUM IEC is appointed by the Chairperson of the African People’s Socialist Party. The International President appoints each Regional Representative from the nine regions. Each InPDUM Regional Representative nominates the InPDUM national presidents in their region, subject to approval of the IEC. The lower bodies are binding to the higher bodies (International Executive Committee, Regional Executive Committees, National Executive Committees, Local Executive Committees). 

      1. The IEC must pay reasonable compensation to the International President to serve on a full-time basis and may appoint an International Executive Vice-President who is nominated by the International President and approved by the IEC. The IEC must pay reasonable compensation to the IEC Vice-President to represent the President. The IEC Vice-President shall be a non-voting member of the IEC.

      1. The IEC shall be empowered to terminate the membership of any individual for gross violations of InPDUM policies and bylaws and actions harmful to the unity or functioning of the organization in its struggle for national democratic rights and self determination of African people everywhere.

      1. The IEC shall initiate investigations and inquiries to determine the validity of the allegations of policy violations by any of its members worldwide. These investigations and inquiries will be conducted in a manner to provide due process to the member/members facing allegations of misconduct. Investigations of misconduct and the resolution of these cases will be completed within 90 days. The accused member who is the subject to an investigation may be suspended or removed from participation in InPDUM activities until the completion of the investigation. Upon completion of the investigation the IEC will render a decision that may include a range of options concerning the allegations, up to termination of membership. The Determinations of disciplinary action shall be made by a majority vote of the IEC.

      Section 2. Organization of the International Convention of the InPDUM 

       

      1. The International Convention of the InPDUM is the main educational, policy-making, advisory and advocacy body of the membership of the InPDUM to the International Executive Committee. The International Convention shall consist of members and delegates (who are also members) of regional, national and state conferences, local branches and local organizing committees who are members.

      1. The International Convention agenda and program shall be established by the International Executive Committee, including arrangements and support.

      1. The International Executive Committee in place shall recommend the membership of the succeeding International Executive Committee to the Convention, except for the International President, who shall be selected as defined in Article 5.4.1 of this Constitution. The membership of the International Executive Committee, except for the International President, will be elected by the Convention annually.

      1. The agenda and program of the International Convention shall provide for full opportunity to delegates for the reporting of regional, national, state and local actions and for the presentation and discussion of proposed policy resolutions on international actions and concerns provided same are submitted to the International Executive Committee at least one month before the Convention for its comments and copies made thereof for the Convention participants available upon registration. The International Executive Committee will send proposed policy resolutions to all INPDUM branches and other representatives at least one month before the Convention.

      1. The International President shall appoint a Resolution Committee who shall review the resolutions and constitutional amendments before being submitted to the convention for recommendation to the International Executive Committee as to their appropriateness for discussion by the Convention regarding being consistent with the policies of the African People’s Socialist Party.

      1. Resolutions submitted from the floor without review by the International Executive Committee as described herein can only come to the floor as emergency resolutions approved by the International President.

       

      Section 3. Time and Place of the International, Regional and National Conventions

       

      1. The International Convention of the InPDUM shall be held on an annual basis at such time and place as determined by the International Executive Committee.

      1. The Regional Conventions of the InPDUM shall be held at least every two years.

      1. The National Conventions of the InPDUM shall be held at least every two years.

       

      Section 4. Officers of the International Executive Committee 

       

      1. International President – The International President of the InPDUM shall be a member of the INPDUM and a representative of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) appointed by the National Chairman of the Party, subject to the advice of the InPDUM IEC, who shall serve at the will of the APSP National Central Committee (NCC). The International President leads the International Executive Committee (IEC), calls and leads the regular meetings of the IEC and ensures that the offices on the IEC are being carried out to the fullest. The International President is responsible for the organizational adherence to the InPDUM Constitution and resolutions passed at the annual convention. The International President is responsible for the creation and implementation of the International Plan of Action (POA) and reports regularly to the InPDUM IEC. The International President is responsible for the political and practical leadership of all members of the IEC as well as all InPDUM regions, branches and members. In the event that an office on the International Executive committee is unfilled, the International President shall be empowered to appoint a replacement for the position for 90 days or the next Convention, whichever comes first.

      1. International Secretary – Prepares and types memoranda, letters, forms and reports; works with International President to develop agendas for meetings and distributes those agendas and minutes of meetings; maintains record files; schedules appointments and meetings; proofreads and edits documents; sets up and routinely checks the international voicemail account, processes incoming and outgoing mail; prepares and catalogs documents for filing; attends and records minutes of meetings, composes correspondence, routine reports, special reports and other written documents; sets up a communications system for the organization.

      1. International Membership Coordinator – is responsible for meeting the InPDUM membership and recruitment goals; creates and develops the International Membership Plan of Action (POA) to meet those goals; leads the membership sub-committee meetings and prepares the agenda for the meetings; provides political leadership to the local membership coordinators in the area of recruitment and aggressively builds the membership and contact base of the organization; strictly enforces the membership process laid out in the InPDUM Constitution; ensures the strict adherence to the mandated SELLS process(Call the People Dammit!); develops the Point of Entry events and all follow up events, as well as all aspects of the Membership and Sustainable Funding (MASF) program; maintains the international contact database. In the absence of the Outreach Coordinator the Membership Coordinator also leads up the outreach work by developing and implementing the outreach strategy for the organization.

      1. International Economic Development Coordinator – Coordinates the development of programs and means to develop a sustainable income for the International Economic Development Office by developing and maintaining existing fundraising projects and encouraging new sustainable economic development projects to be developed; creates and develops the International Economic Development Plan of Action (POA). The Economic Development Coordinator will submit an annual economic development report to the Office of Economic Development of the African People’s Socialist Party from financial reports from IEC Committees compiled by the International Treasurer.

      1. International Treasurer – Creates and maintains the InPDUM budget, maintains financial records and daily/weekly bookkeeping tasks to keep track of incomes and expenses of the InPDUM budget; collects branch payments and membership fees; takes control of resources at fundraising events and makes timely bank deposits of the InPDUM resources after fundraising events; makes financial reports to the International Economic Development Coordinator, in IEC meetings and other meetings where appropriate; works with the International Economic Development Coordinator to develop program budgets and compile financial reports for the annual economic development report to the Office of Economic Development of the African People’s Socialist Party; be a primary signer, along with the International Economic Development Coordinator and International Secretary, on the InPDUM bank account.

      1. International Outreach Coordinator – Creates and carries out the international Outreach Plan of Action (POA); puts in place a consistent and effective outreach committee who will propagate the ideas of the organization through political education and through various outreach techniques including but not limited to drops, door to door, tabling, forums, panel discussions, postering, teach-ins, trainings and media, both internal and mainstream; ensures the strict adherence to the mandated SELLS process (Call the People Dammit!); trains local outreach coordinators in techniques of effective outreach; leads and trains local branch N2U coordinators using the N2U Manual; influences public opinion and empowers the masses of African people through outreach strategies; is the primary media contact for preparing press conferences, statements etc. under the direction from the International President; reports to the IEC will include the amount and type of propaganda distributed, the number of spears sold, locations of outreach, contacts and members.

      1. International Information and Education Coordinator –  Oversees the international dissemination of the theory of African internationalism throughout the African masses and the political education of InPDUM leadership and membership; creates and carries out the International Information and Education Plan of Action (POA); informs and educates the African working class on the goals and objectives of the InPDUM; creates political education curriculum along with trainings for various skills pertaining to the production and dissemination of propaganda; maintains and regularly updates an archive of InPDUM’s various events, institutions, campaigns and actions, functions as media relations liaison and oversees press conferences and all interviews with media; builds the Info & Ed subcommittee which consists of, but is not limited to: vice chair, secretary, graphic design coordinator, social media coordinator, Internet outreach coordinator, A/V Coordinator and African Resistance Now coordinator – responsible for the monthly submission of articles for the African Resistance Now! column in the Burning Spear Newspaper – and ensures InPDUM’s adherence to all mandates and directives issued by the Agitation and Propaganda Department of the African People’s Socialist Party.

      1. International Regional Representatives – Nominates the InPDUM national presidents in their region, subject to approval of the IEC and for the overall growth and development of the InPDUM membership and economic development in their region and gives reports to the IEC on a regular basis; collects reports from national presidents or local branch presidents if there is no national president. Other responsibilities are to carry out mandates of the IEC in accordance with the InPDUM constitution and the implementation of the InPDUM International Plan of Action (POA). They are responsible for guiding the growth and development of the executive committees of the national presidents and local branches and organizing and participating in conventions whenever they are held. 

      1. Members of the International Executive Committee shall be members of the INPDUM.

      1. Members of the International Executive Committee may be removed for cause by either the Central Committee of the African People’s Socialist Party or the International President of the INPDUM.

       

      Section 5. Time and Place of Meetings of the International Executive Committee of the InPDUM

       

      The International Executive Committee (IEC) shall meet on a quarterly basis and at such times and places as determined by the International President. The President shall have authority to exercise all of the powers of the InPDUM between the meetings of the IEC.

 

ARTICLE 6 REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNING STRUCTURES

 

Section 1. General

 

The International Executive Committee must establish and empower organizing committees of INPDUM on a regional, national, state, city or county level composed of persons approved by the International Executive Committee or the International President or his or her designated representative including the organization of regional, national, state conferences and local branches of INPDUM.

 

Section 2. Regional, National and State Conferences of INPDUM

 

  1. The International Executive Committee of INPDUM shall establish a standard constitution and bylaws for regional, national and state conferences of INPDUM allowing for full democratic organization and practice, subject to the approval of the Central Committee of the African People’s Socialist Party.

  1. When a regional, national or state conference is established, the regional, national or state conference, subject to the approval of the International Executive Committee and the International President, shall represent the International Executive Committee in representing INPDUM on a regional, national or state level and shall supervise the organization and activities of the local organizing committees and branches.

  1. Upon finding of cause by the International President, or his or her representative, that the regional, national or state conference and its representatives are not complying with the policies of the INPDUM, the International President or his/her representative, subject to the approval of the International Executive Committee, can remove the officers and members of the regional, national or state conference, and establish a trusteeship and trustee over the assets and affairs of the regional, national or state conference until the cause and its conditions are removed.

 

Section 3. Local Branch Requirements of INPDUM

 

  1. Must Submit a Certificate of Association Form to the IEC Identifying the Officers of said prospective branch.

  1. Each InPDUM branch will be responsible for $25.00 in branch dues payable on or before January 1st and on or before July 1st. The January 1st branch dues payments cover the period of January 1st through June 30th. The July 1st branch dues payment covers the period from July 1st to December 31st. The IEC will have the discretion to allow initial branch dues paid in June to cover the July 1st through December 31st dues period.The IEC will have the discretion to allow Initial branch dues payments paid in December to cover the January 1st through June 30th branch dues period. Countries outside the U.S. shall hold a special meeting to decide on the Branch Association fee for their prospective branches.

  1. Have identified and consolidated the following officers, who have paid a membership fee to the International Office of InPDUM.

  1. Branch President – The Branch President of the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM) is an annually elected position, as per the InPDUM Constitution. The Branch President leads the Local Executive Committee (LEC) of the Branch, calls and leads the regular meetings of the LEC and ensures that the offices of the LEC are being carried out to the fullest. The Branch President is responsible for the Branch’s adherence to the InPDUM Constitution, resolutions passed as the annual convention and the Branch Contract. The Branch President is responsible for the creation and implementation of the Branch Plan of Action (POA) and reports regularly to the InPDUM International Executive Committee (IEC). The Branch President is responsible for the political and practical leadership of all members of the LEC as well as all InPDUM members within the Branch’s jurisdiction.

  1. Branch Secretary – Prepares and types memoranda, letters, forms and reports; works with the branch president to develop agendas for meetings and distributes those agendas and minutes of meetings; maintains record files; schedules appointments and meetings; proofreads and edits documents. Sets up and routinely checks the local voicemail account, processes incoming and outgoing mail; Prepares and catalogs documents for filing; attends and records minutes of meetings, composes correspondence, routine reports, special reports and other written documents. Sets up a communications system for the organization.

  1. Branch Membership Coordinator – Responsible for meeting the membership and recruitment goals of the branch and developing the membership campaign to meet those goals. Will lead the membership sub-committee meetings and prepare the agenda for the meetings. Will provide political leadership to the local branch in the area of recruitment and aggressively build the membership and contact base of the organization. Will strictly enforce the membership process laid out in the InPDUM Constitution.

  1. Branch Economic Development Coordinator – Coordinates the development of programs and means to develop a sustainable income for the branch by developing existing fundraising projects and encouraging new sustainable economic development projects to be developed within the office. Provides monthly financial reports to the LEC. Submits branch association payments to the IEC. Submits the IEC portion of membership fees to the IEC. Takes control of resources from fundraising events for deposit into the InPDUM bank account. Required to make reports in all LEC meetings and other meetings where appropriate on the income and expenses of the InPDUM branch. The Economic Development Coordinator will submit an annual financial report to the branch.

  1. Branch Treasurer – The treasurer is not a requirement to become a branch but is highly recommended. The treasurer is an appointed staff person who works under the leadership of the Economic Development Coordinator and will be chosen by the Economic Development Coordinator with the approval of the majority of the LEC. The treasurer will have the following responsibilities: maintain financial records and make timely bank deposits of InPDUM resources. Be one of the primary signers, along with the branch Secretary, on the InPDUM bank account.. Required to make reports to the Economic Development Coordinator. 


9. An annual report must be made by each local branch to the International Executive Committee to the Annual economic report to the African People’s Socialist Party and also who has the responsibility to collect the branch association payment.

 

ARTICLE 7 ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER (NEWLY REVISED)

This Organization shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order (Newly Revised) that are not inconsistent with these articles or rules of procedure adopted and approved by the International Executive Committee.

ARTICLE 8 AMENDMENTS

  1. This Constitution and Bylaws may be amended or revised by a two-thirds majority vote of those voting members present and voting at the International Convention, subject to the approval of the International Executive Committee of the INPDUM and the Central Committee of the African People’s Socialist Party.

  1. This Constitution shall be amended if grammatical errors are found between conventions.

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