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>: >T- 71-286359 >E-mail: rights.civil@googlemail.com > >LETTER TO THE EDITOR > >A Chara, > >In recent times we were publicly assured, immediately >before a “dissident” protest which would have occurred >at the same time as an Orange Order demo in the city >centre, that strip-searches would be replaced by the >use of electronic scanning. No doubt many members of >the public breathed a sigh of relief that the prison >authorities had abandoned their ‘old ways’ of carrying >out body-searches. > >It seems that the Internet is more reliable than our >local newspapers and radio stations in conveying what >current political prisoners are being forced to endue >within Maghaberry gaol. A recent letter, no doubt >smuggled out of that institution, signed by Damien >McLaughlin, I found to be highly upsetting and graphic >in its detail. In short, this man has been subjected >to ten violent strip searches in the previous twelve >weeks, before his letter was posted on the Internet as >recently as February 13th. > >The men are led to a small cubicle by two prison >officers and held there for around an hour if they >refuse to co-operate, and at times a governor will >read them the prison rules. Outside a riot squad is >getting ready and they enter in full riot gear, >helmets, shields, and body protection to overpower >each individual prisoner. Their jeans and other outer >garments go first, then shoes, socks, vests and even >boxer shorts are forcibly removed, while one officer >holds down the head, and others tightly grip arms and >legs. > >The prisoners describe this modus operandi in >different ways, speaking of it as “agony” or >"extremely painful". They write that often it is “hard >to breathe because of gloves covering face and mouth”. > This mainly happens before court appearances, and >often the clothes are actually cut off. On their >return, the whole ordeal is repeated again, before the >prisoner is escorted to his cell, more times than not, >suffering great stress and pain. What their relatives >are going through I can only guess at and no wonder >they are protesting. As in the civil rights days the >streets will undoubtedly become the only reliable >parliament for bringing grievances and issues unto the >public arena. > >I ask myself. My God, what has changed for the >political prisoners? What are ‘our’ politicians saying >or doing on this issue? Has the local media taken a >“Three ‘wise’ monkeys” approach for one dubious reason >or another? > >Agree or disagree with their political perspective, >Irish prisoners should not be so brutally abused. >Silence is deafening from certain quarters. These >strip searches are not merely inhumane and degrading, >but, in my humble opinion, amount to torture, plain >and simple. Mr. McLaughlin’s letter is a wake-up call >to all of us. We know too well from recent history >that the plight of prisoners, in the here and now, can >only be ignored at our peril. > >Is Mise, >Le Meas, > >Fionnbarra O’Dochartaigh, >Former political prisoner, >Co-founder, NICRA, 1967 >Address supplied.

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