| Subject: PoW Solidarity |
Author:
Ireland's Own
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Date Posted: 06:35:22 09/12/02 Thu
>
>9 September 2002
>
>Ireland's OWN
>
>Statement of Solidarity with IPSC
>
>Ireland's OWN sends greetings of solidarity to our
>comrades in the Irish Political Status Committee,
>England, who will be holding a picket at the Irish
>Embassy on Saturday, the 14th, to highlight and seek
>restoration of political status for Irish Republican
>POWs, as well as repatriation to Ireland. Ireland's
>OWN fully supports your efforts.
>
>Once again, England is violating International Law by
>holding the Slovak 3 — Irish citizens Michael
>McDonald, Fintan O'Farrell and Declan Rafferty — in
>England.
>
>And once again, the British government and its Irish
>overseers have violated not only international law,
>but also basic rights of humanity. The world will
>never forget the Irish Hunger strikes, in particular
>the 1981 strikes, in which 10 men gave their lives in
>an effort to achieve not only political status, but
>also basic human rights. And, history has a way of
>repeating itself — the quest for political status is
>again very much in the forefront.
>
>Our comrades are separated, isolated and forced to
>endure a prison system that is designed to break down
>their Republican identity and mindset. They live under
>constant threat and intimidation from loyalist inmates
>and prison guards who will look the other way.
>Moreover, our POWs are not only criminalised but also
>punished for not accepting the Good Friday Agreement,
>i.e., for not accepting British Rule. Their families
>are consistently intimidated and humiliated by
>loyalist screws and their sniffer dogs.
>
>To highlight just a few of the many incidents:
>
>
>March 1998. The lights were deliberately extinguished
>on a landing in Portlaoise, and Mick Kenny was
>savagely beaten (and left for dead) as the prison
>officers ran from the scene.
>
>November 2000. Darren Mulholland was allowed to be
>seriously beaten by loyalist prisoners as prison
>guards looked the other way.
>
>November 2000. POW Danny McAlister was denied the
>right to attend his father's funeral. He had also been
>denied temporary leave to visit his dying father. On
>one occasion McAlister was actually brought to the
>gates of Portlaoise prison with his suitcase and
>handed a bus ticket, only to be told by prison guards
>that there had been a mistake. Passionate leave was
>again sought when McAlister learned that his brother
>was dying. The leave was finally granted – a few hours
>AFTER his brother was dead.
>
>September 2001. POW John Martin Swift had to have 17
>metal staples and 14 stitches to his face. His wrist
>was broken as he was beaten with an electric iron in
>Maghaberry prison. Prison officers left the scene as
>loyalists beat Swift.
>
>September 2001. Despite the fact that Martin Swift was
>in a wheelchair and experiencing excruciating pain, he
>was taken from hospital on a 78-mil journey to attend
>a remand hearing in Enniskillen. The trip was
>unnecessary because prisoners are not usually required
>to be present at remand hearings!
>
>November 2001. POW Kevin Murray, despite the fact that
>he complained of severe headaches and dizziness, was
>not allowed proper medical attention. By
>mid-September, Kevin was in critical condition; yet he
>was not taken to hospital until October at which time
>he suffered a severe stroke that left him blind. And,
>on 13 November, Kevin died.
>
>November 2001. Despite a spirited, non–violent
>protest, POWs were forcibly returned one by one to
>their cells. Throughout this process, extreme violence
>was repeatedly used by prison officers on isolated
>Volunteers. Men lying on the floor were kicked and
>stamped in the groin, others were beaten with shields,
>while in one case a riot officer stood with his boot
>on a man's neck, screaming personal abuse at his
>victim.
>
>November 2001. Riot officers gripped and attempted to
>crush the testicles of naked men with their hands. Men
>were prohibited from receiving visits, writing letters
>or making phone calls for two months. A 23-hour
>lock-down was implemented. Men were being confined to
>darkness for 16 hours in freezing cold cells, and
>given only one bucket for the duration.
>
>March 2002. POW Vincent McKevitt suffered a heart
>attack. He was moved out from Portlaoise Prison to a
>hospital in Dublin for treatment; he was moved in a
>van — not an ambulance — WITHOUT a Medic — and not
>even with a blanket. Within days, despite the fact
>that the hospital recommended against it, he was sent
>back to Portlaoise.
>
>August 2002. POW Ciarán Mc Laughlin was denied the
>opportunity to see his dying grandson Kyle, and only
>given a few hours to attend the funeral.
>
>These are only some examples of the attempts by the
>establishment to try to criminalise not only the men
>themselves but the very Struggle to which they bear
>allegiance. Here we are 21 years since the 10 men
>died, and sadly not much has changed for Irish
>prisoners of war.
>Ireland's OWN would also like to commend our comrades
>on the Irish Political Status Committee for their
>dedication and perseverance. While we witness other
>support groups stabbing each other in the back for
>glory or gain, the IPSC has consistently exhibited a
>well-organised, cohesive agenda. We are honoured to be
>in partnership with them. Since their inception in
>February 2001, they have consistently addressed not
>only Irish POW issues, but other pressing issues
>including, the Turkish hunger strike, Palestinian
>rights, so-called anti-terrorist laws and other
>incidents of oppression by fascist and imperialist
>regimes.
>
>Whilst ex-Republicans sit in the parliament of the
>enemy, it is up to us to carry on the Struggle. Onward
>to victory.
Taken from the IA-PL Forum, "Stormont-Watch" via
www.voy.com/70381/ Ireland's Own is a US-based website group.
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