PRC-UTE
4th July 2006, 11:55
MAGHABERRY PRISON CRISIS ESCALATES
Posted by: "Irish Freedom Committee NewsList"
[email protected] ifcnewslist
Fri Jun 30, 2006 1:31 pm (PST)
IRISH FREEDOM COMMITTEE ACTION REQUEST
MAGHABERRY PRISON CRISIS ESCALATES
June 30, 2006
Irish Republican political prisoners at Maghaberry contacted the Irish
Freedom Committee today to deliver the ominous news that an ongoing
protest at the jail has escalated, with 32 republicans of three
different organizations now refusing to eat in their cells.
As documented in our earlier IFC Report from Maghaberry (06/21/06),
the selective and inhumane internment conditions at the jail order
that republican prisoners eat their meals next to open toilets while
confined in their airless cells - a filthy and inhumane provision, and
one which the republican prisoners have now united in refusing to
accept.
A republican prisoner has today told us:
"Whole organizations (in the jail) have come together... nobody is
eating food in their cells at all. There are 32 republicans on
landings from three different organizations who are refusing to eat
their dinner in their cells. We are looking to eat in the canteen and
they are not letting us down to eat in the canteen. They're trying to
make us eat it in their cells where there's a toilet and all. Morale
is good among everyone... it's good to see that everyone is doing the
same thing, singing off the same hymn sheet. We're just waiting for
the next stage...Please tell everyone from the IFC we're keeping our
spirits up. We won't break or we won't falter... We're OK."
We ask that all of our members and supporters write TODAY to the
addresses below and demand an immediate end to the barbaric practice
of having men confined in a bathroom to eat. These men are held in
one of the highest security jails in Europe and there is no reason why
they cannot take their meals in the canteen as other prisoners are
allowed to do.
TAKE ACTION
Copy and paste the sample letter below or use your own words. Please
send one copy to Maghaberry and the Northern Ireland Prison Service at
[email protected], and enter one copy in the contact form
for the NIO offices at
http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/contact-us/enquiry-form.htm.
Also please send signed HARD COPIES of all letters to each of the
three addresses posted in the sample letter.
[start copy +
paste]----------------------------------------------------------
MAGHABERRY PRISON
Mr. Alan Longwell - Governor
Upper Ballinderry Road
Lisburn, Co. Antrim
BT28 2PT
NORTHERN IRELAND OFFICE
Mr. Peter Hain - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Block B
Castle Buildings
Belfast BT4 3STGTN
NORTHERN IRELAND PRISON SERVICE
Mr. Robin Masefield - Director General
Room 321
Prison Service Headquarters
Dundonald House
Upper Newtownards Road
Belfast BT4 3SU
June 30, 2006
Dear Sir,
I am writing to protest the barbaric and inhumane requirement of
forcing the republican prisoners at Maghaberry Prison to take their
meals next to open toilets in tiny cells.
These men are held in one of the highest security jails in Europe and
there is no reason why they cannot take their meals in the canteen as
other prisoners are allowed to do.
I have recently become aware of a number of other extremely unsanitary
and inhumane conditions at Maghaberry Jail and I will continue to
monitor this situation very closely.
As an Irish American I sadly remember the hunger strike twenty-five
years ago that needlessly cost the lives of ten men at Long Kesh
Prison, on protest for their basic human rights. I strongly urge you
to immediately address the worsening conditions at Maghaberry and
prevent the situation from taking a grievous turn for the worse.
Please advise. The favor of a reply is requested.
Thank you;
YOUR NAME/LOCATION HERE
[end copy +
paste]----------------------------------------------------------
SUPPORT THE FAMILIES OF IRISH REPUBLICAN POLITICAL PRISONERS!!
Join the Irish Freedom Committee
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
MORE INFORMATION:
Irish Freedom Committee Report from Maghaberry Gaol June 2006
http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/POWs/...ghaberry_0606.h (http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/POWs/IFC_report_Maghaberry_0606.h)
tm
IFC Action Request Republican Prisoners on Protest at Maghaberry
(June 21 2006)
http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/ACTIO...onrequest_PROTE (http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/ACTION_ALERTS/actionrequest_PROTE)
STmaghab.htm
IFC POW Dept
http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/POWs/ifc_pow_dept.htm
Posted by: "Irish Freedom Committee NewsList"
[email protected] ifcnewslist
Fri Jun 30, 2006 1:31 pm (PST)
IRISH FREEDOM COMMITTEE ACTION REQUEST
MAGHABERRY PRISON CRISIS ESCALATES
June 30, 2006
Irish Republican political prisoners at Maghaberry contacted the Irish
Freedom Committee today to deliver the ominous news that an ongoing
protest at the jail has escalated, with 32 republicans of three
different organizations now refusing to eat in their cells.
As documented in our earlier IFC Report from Maghaberry (06/21/06),
the selective and inhumane internment conditions at the jail order
that republican prisoners eat their meals next to open toilets while
confined in their airless cells - a filthy and inhumane provision, and
one which the republican prisoners have now united in refusing to
accept.
A republican prisoner has today told us:
"Whole organizations (in the jail) have come together... nobody is
eating food in their cells at all. There are 32 republicans on
landings from three different organizations who are refusing to eat
their dinner in their cells. We are looking to eat in the canteen and
they are not letting us down to eat in the canteen. They're trying to
make us eat it in their cells where there's a toilet and all. Morale
is good among everyone... it's good to see that everyone is doing the
same thing, singing off the same hymn sheet. We're just waiting for
the next stage...Please tell everyone from the IFC we're keeping our
spirits up. We won't break or we won't falter... We're OK."
We ask that all of our members and supporters write TODAY to the
addresses below and demand an immediate end to the barbaric practice
of having men confined in a bathroom to eat. These men are held in
one of the highest security jails in Europe and there is no reason why
they cannot take their meals in the canteen as other prisoners are
allowed to do.
TAKE ACTION
Copy and paste the sample letter below or use your own words. Please
send one copy to Maghaberry and the Northern Ireland Prison Service at
[email protected], and enter one copy in the contact form
for the NIO offices at
http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/contact-us/enquiry-form.htm.
Also please send signed HARD COPIES of all letters to each of the
three addresses posted in the sample letter.
[start copy +
paste]----------------------------------------------------------
MAGHABERRY PRISON
Mr. Alan Longwell - Governor
Upper Ballinderry Road
Lisburn, Co. Antrim
BT28 2PT
NORTHERN IRELAND OFFICE
Mr. Peter Hain - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Block B
Castle Buildings
Belfast BT4 3STGTN
NORTHERN IRELAND PRISON SERVICE
Mr. Robin Masefield - Director General
Room 321
Prison Service Headquarters
Dundonald House
Upper Newtownards Road
Belfast BT4 3SU
June 30, 2006
Dear Sir,
I am writing to protest the barbaric and inhumane requirement of
forcing the republican prisoners at Maghaberry Prison to take their
meals next to open toilets in tiny cells.
These men are held in one of the highest security jails in Europe and
there is no reason why they cannot take their meals in the canteen as
other prisoners are allowed to do.
I have recently become aware of a number of other extremely unsanitary
and inhumane conditions at Maghaberry Jail and I will continue to
monitor this situation very closely.
As an Irish American I sadly remember the hunger strike twenty-five
years ago that needlessly cost the lives of ten men at Long Kesh
Prison, on protest for their basic human rights. I strongly urge you
to immediately address the worsening conditions at Maghaberry and
prevent the situation from taking a grievous turn for the worse.
Please advise. The favor of a reply is requested.
Thank you;
YOUR NAME/LOCATION HERE
[end copy +
paste]----------------------------------------------------------
SUPPORT THE FAMILIES OF IRISH REPUBLICAN POLITICAL PRISONERS!!
Join the Irish Freedom Committee
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
MORE INFORMATION:
Irish Freedom Committee Report from Maghaberry Gaol June 2006
http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/POWs/...ghaberry_0606.h (http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/POWs/IFC_report_Maghaberry_0606.h)
tm
IFC Action Request Republican Prisoners on Protest at Maghaberry
(June 21 2006)
http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/ACTIO...onrequest_PROTE (http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/ACTION_ALERTS/actionrequest_PROTE)
STmaghab.htm
IFC POW Dept
http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/POWs/ifc_pow_dept.htm