Derry CR Vets prisoner conference -- Stormont Watch

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Date Posted: Sat, Feb 24 2007, 21:54:29 PST
Author: Feb.22nd. 4th ANNIVERSARY
Subject: Derry CR Vets prisoner conference

IA-PL asks "Watchers"-Why should the Derry AOH still deny the FACTS,even though this event was properly booked, and was backed by leadng clergy, SDLP & other politicians, as well as major human rights and civil liberties groupings, in 2002/2003????. One Derry Hib in particular has been scape-goated ever since, because he chaired the event, and positively responded to the concerns expressed to him and other members of his family, by relatives, and concerned clergy and political figures. Shame on the AOH for allowing this injustice to drag on, year in, year out-2003,2004,2005,2006, & now 2007!!!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

IRISH FREEDOM COMMITTEE� NEWSLIST
www.irishfreedomcommittee.net
-----------------------------

Subject: Derry News Reporter on Civil Rights Conference
Date: 03 07 03

What follows is the original, uncut news report submitted to the Derry News by journalist Darinagh Boyle following the Civil Rights conference on Political Status held in Derry on February 22nd.

As the story below correctly attests, the sole purpose of calling the human rights conference was to address the escalating crisis at Maghaberry Prison; now dangerously close to a return to the dark days of 1976-1981.

Sadly, an outlandish attempt was made by tabloid elements of the press to hijack this civil rights conference and to create a sensational and farcical angle to suit salacious purposes. Fortunately that day there were journalists in attendance representing the best of their profession, who were more interested in factually recording the historic importance of the day�s events, and in relating the deadly serious issues uniting the conference attendees in concern.

The Irish Freedom Committee�
www.irishfreedomcommittee.net

************************************************
(The following is reprinted courtesy of �Stormont Watch� Forum)
----------------------
Derry News

MAJOR IRISH POW CONFERENCE HELD IN DERRY LAST WEEK
Fear of prison strife �spilling over�
By Darinagh Boyle

A republican prisoners� solidarity group may field candidates in the May elections amid growing concern, it claims, that escalating sectarian strife in the prisons is on the brink of �boiling over�.

A specially convened conference highlighting serious ongoing violence against republican inmates, particularly in Maghaberry, was held in Derry at the weekend.

The Full Status Now Campaign demanded immediate movement to repatriate Irish prisoners currently serving in English jails and segregated wings in prisons
here.

And the tone of one of the speakers was distinctly ominous when he warned: �But if the situation escalates on the inside, the clear message is that
there will be repercussions on the outside.�

The meeting was attended by around 60 relatives of republican inmates. And every prisoner in Irish and English jails has been contacted by the campaign
by letter.

The former republican hunger striker, Marion Price read a statement on behalf of a group of IRA POWs in Maghaberry jail. In the statement they criticized the direction the political leaders of republicanism have taken and reiterated their commitment to the struggle for Irish freedom.

Loyalist inmates have made a number of �life-threatening� assaults on republicans according to a member of the relatives� group who spoke at the meeting. He claimed Derry man Ciaran McLaughlin was lucky to have survived a recent �particularly vicious attack�. Others have sustained broken ribs and limbs - in one case from being struck with an iron.

He insisted that loyalist inmates �far outnumber� incarcerated republicans on many of the wings, that the isolation of individual republicans is acute and families of jailed republicans live in fear of further serious attacks.

It was also claimed that the number of violent attacks is grossly underreported partly due to the prison culture but also out of fear of even more vicious retaliation.

A spokesperson for the lobby group explained that in putting forward a representative to contest the May elections on an abstentionist ticket � they would raise awareness of the prisoners� plight.

But the spokesperson stressed that prompt action is necessary to prevent violent attacks outside the prisons. And he suggested that protest hunger strikes as a means of raising the profile of prisoners� rights has been ruled out.

�The message I�m getting from people in the prisons is, �If you people on the outside don�t do something, we�ll take it on ourselves.� And we don�t want to see that. This is a basic human rights issue. You don�t have to be a republican to be motivated by basic concern for human rights.�

He emphasized the campaign�s �total opposition� to any further casualties but he stressed that there is mounting fear that if the �prisoners� rights� are not met � a violent reaction may be impossible to avert.

�We don�t want to see any more prison deaths � whether that be loyalist or republicans � But if the situation escalates on the inside, the clear message is that there will be repercussions on the outside.�

MORE

Other relatives cite a long list of greviances including sniffer dog searches which they claim are designed to intimidate, distress and discriminate against those visiting republican prisoners, closed visits, the withdrawal of basic child care facilities, verbal abuse and intimidation, and inside the wings, hour-long cell searches and the destruction of personal items � including newspaper cuttings and in one example a Valentines card, among other alleged abuses.

�There are around 30 republican prisoners in Maghaberry out of around 500 in the prison. So you have a situation where there may be one republican prisoner among 24 others on a wing � loyalists, criminals, drug dealers, people who republicans don�t associate with.�

�A number of republicans have been seriously assaulted. Prison Services are courting danger � and they are going to wait until someone is killed.�

Another commented that republican prisoners requested and were refused a drugs-free wing.

�Drugs have never been found on republican prisoners in Maghaberry. Yet loyalists openly take drugs in there,� he claimed.

And he alleged that he was refused a visit, after a sniffer dog search, for no reason other than that he was visiting a republican�.

Meanwhile, an official report by the Inspector of Prisons yesterday described parts of Maghaberry Jail as �unsafe and unsatisfactory� as details of the inspection undertaken last May emerged. The report�s author also suggested that the prison population at the jail could be better served by a number of smaller establishments possibly contained on a larger site.

************************************************
For more on the Derry Civil Rights Conference on Political Status go to:
IFC NewsList - February 24, 2003 - Derry Civil Rights Conference on Political Status

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02 27 03 Irish Freedom Committee REPORT FROM MAGHABERRY

03 04 03 LIVE BULLETS FOUND AT MAGHABERRY

************************************************
� The Irish Freedom Committee� NewsList - IFC Updates

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