| Subject: Straight Talking |
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IFC - USA
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Date Posted: 18:31:58 08/13/02 Tue
>
>IRISH FREEDOM COMMITTEE NEWSLIST
>www.irishfreedomcommittee.net
>-----------------------------
>
>Subject: In Response to Media Bias
>Date: 06 04 02
>
>The following two letters were sent to the
>Andersontown News, in >response to the baseless and unwarranted outcry following the expression
>of the wishes of the Republican POWs at Maghaberry
>Gaol to continue to be represented, as they have been very capably, by the Irish Republican >Prisoners Welfare Association.
>
>It bears remembering that the POWs themselves issued
>the statement that caused such uproar at the meeting designed with their own interests in mind.
>
>In other news, families visiting loved ones at
>Maghaberry Goal this past weekend were subjected to yet more abuse and torment by the new dog
>handlers at the jail. Two families were turned away
>from visiting their family members in a further display of governmental contempt.
>
>Stay tuned for more news on the ongoing crisis at
>Maghaberry Gaol, Occupied Ireland.
>
>
>The Irish Freedom Committee ®
>www.irishfreedomcommittee.net
>************************************************
>To the Editor
>The Andersontown News
>
>
>On behalf of the families of Tyrone POWS currently
>incarcerated in Maghaberry jail I wish to counter the groundless and unfair attacks made on the IRPWA through your letter page.
>
>The suggestion that the prisoners cause will now
>suffer due to the collapse of the RSF prisoners initiative is grossly unfair and an insult to the IRPWA activists who have supported our loved ones and ourselves through thick and thin, both financially and in terms of campaigning and
>awareness raising for the past four years. I cannot
>understand how the Crossan family who themselves are suffering due to the prison regime have not heard of the IRPWA who have been at the forefront of the campaign for Political Status and Segregation for Tommy and the other
>Maghaberry POWS.
>
>The IRPWA have for example in the past year mobilised
>over 100 people on the Falls Rd in Belfast, 300 in Derry City, 200 in Strabane, 200 in Dungannon and 150 in Coalisland, all high profile events and well publicised in the local media. On 5th May the IRPWA organised a large
>demonstration outside Maghaberry itself, raising the
>spirits of the men inside considerably.
>
> The IRPWA lobbied Derry City council in
>early April which resulted in that council backing a motion calling for segregation in Maghaberry. This move along with the IRPWA's large presence on the streets was pivotal in forcing the prison authorities to grant
>compassionate parole to Ciaran Mc Laughlin to see his
>dying grandchild-a welcome precedent.
>
> Granted there exists a media blackout on the
>whole prison issue which makes it hard for the wider public to become aware of the campaign but even that was tackled when the IRPWA staged a successful picket and
>occupation of the BBC headquarters in Belfast on
>Monday 3rd June.
>
> The IRPWA looks after 18 prisoners in the six
>counties, 41 in the 26 counties and 7 in England. This is no easy undertaking considering that the IRPWA is banned in the USA where much financial support emanated from in the past, nevertheless the members of IRPWA find the time to go out onto the streets in door to door collections ensuring dependants get the support they need.
>
> The IRPWA is not 'proud' of the levels of
>incarceration in Maghaberry but we the families are proud of our loved ones and are grateful for the IRPWA's efforts on their behalf. To be quite honest the person who began their letter" As a Republican" went on to make
>statements unbefitting any Republican. Nearly all
>prisoners families appreciate and support the IRPWA, the prisoners themselves have made their views clear, there was no need for RSF to muddy the waters in the way they did. We think that what happened in Conway mill was unfortunate
>but it was necessary for the IRPWA to prevent RSF from
>building their party's profile on the backs of our loved ones'prison struggle.
>
> As far as we the families can see the campaign
>for the prisoners rights will not be affected by these events, as the IRPWA is strong, united and determined to struggle on until Political Status is restored.
>We wish them well in their efforts and call on all
>concerned to support the IRPWA.
>
>
>Dolores Dillon.
>
> Co. Tyrone.
>
>
> Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association.
>
>Following recent coverage in your paper with regard to
>a meeting in Conway Mill on 26th May 2002 and subsequent letters in "mala poist" we find it necessary to bring some clarity to the situation.
>
> We in the IRPWA have been
>working tirelessly over the past 4 yrs to highlight the plight of Republican prisoners in Maghaberry, Portlaoise and Foreign jails. Our only concern is the welfare of these prisoners and their families. We have already buried
>one man out of Portlaoise and have absolutely no
>desire to have that repeated in any of the jails. We have witnessed first hand the heartbreak caused. We have always been an open and inclusive organisation and have worked with many groups in the past, including RSF members from outside the Belfast area, with no difficulty whatsoever.
>
> We questioned the need
>for and the agenda behind a so-called " independent" prisoner group because the very people behind it had only a few weeks earlier stated, " Tommy Crossan was the
>only Republican prisoner in Ireland". We found their
>'road to Damascus conversion' to concern for 'all' Republican prisoners curious to say the least but again we felt better late than never. However a few phone
>calls from Irish/ American fundraisers clarified and
>explained the whole agenda for us. The IRPWA is banned from fundraising in USA however RSF is not.
>
> We found some of the
>comments in your letter page questionable. To begin a letter "As a Republican" and proceed to felon-set individuals and family working on prisoners behalf's is surely a contradiction in terms. As to the tirade of
>personal abuse against myself, I feel that when people
>sink to that level it is a sure sign they have lost the argument.
>
> The whole situation
>surrounding this 'new' group has only served to detract from the fight to have Political Status restored to Republican prisoners. We in IRPWA would hope that
>genuine people like Eddie Duffy, a man of great
>integrity, who has spoken out publicly about the prisoners when others would not, continue to show their concern and support for the plight of these men. We in IRPWA wish to draw a line under this whole sorry affair and get on with
>the work of giving these Republican prisoners and
>their families the support they so justly deserve.
>
> Signed On behalf
> of the IRPWA.
> Marian Price
>(Chairperson).
>
>************************************************
>For a list of Irish Republican Prisoners who are now
>being DENIED Political Status under the terms of the 1998 Treaty with Britain, please go to www.irishfreedomcommittee.net
>
>************************************************
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