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Belfast City Council plan a minimum of 376 redundancies. Last night IRSP Press Officer Paul little warned of “Local government employers using the economic crisis to frighten workers into accepting greater levels of poverty.” Local Government Employers in pay cuts and job losses scare tactics. The I.R.S.P. has discovered that all 26 local authorities in the North of Ireland have drawn up plans to cut jobs and services. It is thought that the wage cuts will mean in real terms a cut of £10 to £40 a week. Mr Little said, “Such cuts in wages will only apply to those employees earning under recognised poverty levels.” The IRSP representative continued, “it was significant that there are no plans to reduce the income of those earning £1000+ per week” The IRSP believe that there is no need for cuts in any public services pay or pensions, but that the collection of £100bn worth of tax evasion by the very wealthy and big business should pay for the crises that is not of our making. The IRSP stand shoulder to shoulder with all under paid and under valued workers who stand against the Local Government employers, they have stated that they do not intend to make a pay offer for 2010 nor, do they intend to keep the promise of £250 made to those workers already living below the poverty line. This is in direct contradiction of the Government who announced that staff earning less than £21,000 per annum would receive an increase of £250. STATEMENT ENDS Posted in: Information , Statements | Comments Off On BBC Newsline on BBC1 20/8/10 they issued a statement on behalf of C.A.R.A (Crumlin Ardoyne Residents Association) denying that they were affiliated to Sinn Fein. Whilst it is undoubtedly true that they are not officially affiliated to SF, we are unaware of any community group anywhere that is officially affiliated to any political party. The C.A.R.A. denial does however beg the question why would anyone claim that they are? FACT- THE ORIGINAL PROTESTS IN THE MID 1990’S AGAINST LOYAL ORDER PARADES ON THE CRUMLIN ROAD WERE NOT RESIDENTS PROTESTS BUT THEY WERE ORGANISED BY FORMER SINN FEIN COUNCILLOR EOIN DE BRUIN UNDER THE GUISE OF OGRA SINN FEIN. THEY ONLY BECAME RESIDENTS PROTESTS WHEN IT WAS POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT FOR SINN FEIN TO SAY SO. C.A.R.A was set up a couple of years ago at a meeting in Ardoyne Hall, this meeting was called by Joe Marley (Prominent Stormont republican) and addressed by Stormont Junior minister Gerry Kelly in the wake of the break up of the APDG ( Ardoyne Parades Dialogue Group). The APDG broke up following SF’s failure to get consensus on its strategy of NO TALK-NO WALK approach to unwanted sectarian marches through the area, most Ardoyne residents totally oppose the loyal order marches passing Ardoyne and rightly view any dialogue with the loyal orders as futile. Republican Socialists, through our ex prisoners group Teach Na Failte were actively involved in the APDG, we worked tirelessly to find a solution to this problem, It was Republican Socialists that investigated and located an alternative route away from Ardoyne and in to Glencairn where undoubtedly all loyal order parades would be welcomed with open arms. At the initial meeting to set up CARA in Ardoyne hall attended by the IRSP and SDLP as well as Stormont republicans (SF), SF produced an already written constitution and proceeded to attempt to form CARA even though there was no consensus to do so at the meeting. It was clear that SF were going to form a group that was sympathetic to its strategy of consenting to loyal order parades passing Ardoyne in the morning but not on the return in the evening, regardless of the overall rejection of that strategy by the vast majority of Ardoyne residents. The 12th demonstration 2010 and the trouble that accompanied this triumphalist parade have been well covered in a SF compliant media. CARA were the good fenians (Identified by yellow bibs with Ardoyne Steward printed on the back) and GARC (Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective) were the bad fenians, the Orange Order and the PSNI were blameless, so the media told the world. This is utter rubbish! The GARC protest was both legitimate and peaceful and whilst GARC called for support from other areas and political groupings to join their protest, they were entitled to do so, the same tactic worked on the Garvaghy Road and Ormeau Road. What went unreported is that many of the yellow bib brigade supporting CARA, do not come from Ardoyne but are bussed in from other parts of Belfast, they are paid Sinn Fein apparatchiks, who masquerade as Ardoyne residents. The job of the yellow bibs, led by Sinn Fein’s Bobby Storey, is to suppress the genuine residents of Ardoyne. The IRSP neither support CARA or GARC, we view this division of the residents of Ardoyne as entirely the work of Stormont Republicans. Republican Socialists refuse to get drawn into this false division, however, we do support all the residents of Ardoyne who quite clearly oppose sectarian marches passing their homes, and we support their right to organise free from political interference. In regards to CARA assertions that it is not affiliated to Sinn Fein it needs to look at why people might think they are? If they are not bringing the paid, state vigilantes into Ardoyne to decide who is allowed to protest and who is not, then who is? Posted in: Information , Statements | Comments Off AN IRISH REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST PARTY OVERVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF THE 13/8/2010 OVERVIEW On Easter Sunday 2010 the Republican and Republican Socialist political prisoners, being held in Roe House, Maghaberry Gaol, barricaded themselves in the canteen in protest against the punitive regime in which they where forced to endure. The Republican wing at Roe House is made up of prisoners from different organisations including the INLA, CIRA, RIRA and other independent Republicans. It includes convicted and non-convicted political prisoners ranging in age from their early twenties to one prisoner in his sixties. Over recent years the IRSP, 32CSM, RSF, Eirigi and RNU have been organising protests both individually and collectively on the outside to highlight the ongoing plight of the Republican prisoners in Roe House. When the prisoners barricaded themselves into the canteen on Easter Sunday it was quite clear that they had reached the end of their tether and that their protest was going to be intensified. The prisoners believed that an intensified campaign was necessary which would put the prisoners plight in the public domain and which would bring a focus to seeking a satisfactory resolution. At the beginning of May 2010 following an IRSP white line picket on the Falls Rd the IRSP were approached by a former republican prisoner with a view to forming a prisoners support group in Belfast that would campaign on behalf of all the republican political prisoners. This led the IRSP, 32CSM, eirigi and RNU as well as a number of non-aligned republican political ex-prisoners, to hold a meeting in West Belfast. (RSF could not take part, as their constitution does not allow them to take part in broad front campaigns but who nevertheless organised their own pickets and protests.) Out of this meeting a prisoners support group, ‘Families, Friends and Ex-prisoners’, was formed. It was immediately decided to hold a demonstration at Maghaberry prison to highlight the plight of the prisoners. Hundreds attended this demonstration which put added pressure on the establishment. Also a large, well attended, public meeting was also organised, in Conway Mill in support of the prisoners, by the support group. Further demonstrations at Maghaberry were also organised during this period-all of them being well attended which further added more pressure on the establishment as well as successfully highlighting the plight of the prisoners. Protests were also held at the Prison Ombudsman’s Office, Alliance Party Office in South Belfast. White line pickets were held on the Falls Rd, Andersonstown, Short Strand, Antrim Road, Carrickhill lower and Upper Springfield Road. A successful protest march was also held in Lurgan, County Armagh. After the protest at the Ombudsman’s Office contact was made with the Families support group through Jim Auld (CRJ). He had been involved in the resolution of a hunger strike by Liam Hannaway in an unconnected protest in the isolation block in Maghaberry. Jim Auld related to the group that the prison service wished to seek a resolution to the protest. More in hope than expectation, the Families group requested that a delegation from the group be allowed into Maghaberry to speak to the protesting republican prisoners to ascertain exactly what would be required to bring a resolution to the protest. Jim Auld related this to the prison service who surprisingly granted the delegation visit for the 19th of June 2010. The delegation arrived at Maghaberry at the arranged time and quite quickly it became clear that the prison service and/or the POA were not prepared to let this delegation visit take place. Whilst the Delegation got through as far as the visiting area there was an attempt to strip search one of the protesting prisoners on their way to meet the delegation. The prisoner rightfully refused and the rest of the prisoners were returned to Roe House. The families delegation was informed that the meeting would not now take place. Jim Auld was then contacted and came and met the group. He reported that the cancellation of the delegation visit was a cock-up and assured the families group that the prison service were serious about seeking a resolution to the situation and that a further delegation visit would be permitted to visit the prisoners on Monday 21st of June. Though the Families group had its reservations it agreed to accept the visit with the proviso that no republican prisoner would be strip-searched. This delegation visit was unilaterally cancelled by the prison service on Saturday the 19th June-no reason was given. Following this fiasco the IRSP released the following statement; IRSP condemn Prison service Jun 19, 2010, 6:08pm The IRSP have reacted strongly to the decision taken by the Prison service to cancel a planned delegation visit by the families and friends of prisoners committee to the protesting Republican prisoners in Maghaberry. The families group then decided to dispense with the services of Jim Auld as a facilitator. Whilst it was accepted that though Jim Auld was acting in good faith it was quite clear that he was viewed by the prison service as expendable and that he did not enjoy the confidence of anyone involved. The IRSP whilst supporting the families campaign reserved the right to explore and initiate other strategies that potentially would support the prisoners and assist them in finding a satisfactory resolution to their protest. It was evident to the IRSP that outside protests alone would not bring a satisfactory resolution to the deepening crisis in Maghaberry. The IRSP had, from the outset of the protest, began lobbying political contacts which included a meeting with the NIO. We made it clear, as did the other participants from the prisoners support group, that the prisoners and the prisoners only would have the final say in any settlement. Our ex-prisoners group, Teach na Failte, also lobbied their contacts including meeting Sinn Fein whom we felt, given their senior position and responsibility in the Stormont Executive, had a role to play in seeking a resolution. At the same time, given the collapse of the ‘Auld Initiative’, the IRSP began to search for possible facilitators/mediators that we believed would be acceptable to the Prisoners. After talks with trade union officials and Creggan Enterprises members of the IRSM leadership flew to Amsterdam to talk with the Dialogue Advisory Group who had already been lobbying their political contacts at the request of the IRSP. We explored the possibility of them becoming involved in the dispute as facilitators if this was acceptable to the prisoners. They agreed and along with Rath Mor Creggan Enterprises and the ICTU, a four person team of joint facilitators/mediators was put in place. An IRSP delegate met with two of the four Facilitators/ mediators in the Belfast Centre for the Unemployed and presented them with the following briefing document. Irish Republican Socialist Party Currently, thirty+ Republican prisoners are being held at Roe House in Maghaberry Prison. Roe House is a separated wing housing only Republican Prisoners over two landings. Since Easter 2010 Republican prisoners have been on protest against the conditions in which they are being held, this protest has escalated to a limited dirty protest beginning a fortnight ago. The protest by Republican prisoners arose following a deterioration of the conditions in which they are being held following industrial action by the P.O.A. which essentially was a ‘go slow’ action, the result of this action being a denial of republican prisoners basic human rights. • Wearing Easter Lilies by a 23hr lock up, confined to their cells, which have been stripped of their personal belongings. • The regime is only allowing one prisoner at a time get a shower thus insuring some prisoners do not have the opportunity to wash. • Legal visits, family visits and association have been interfered with. • Controlled Movement, (Three Prison Officers to move one prisoner or Five to move two prisoners), has to cease immediately. • Prisoners have been assaulted and singled out for strip-searching. • Prisoners are currently on a limited dirty protest • Republican prisoners, their families and representatives have indicated a willingness to enter dialogue with the Prison Service to bring a resolution to the protest. • The Prison Service and the P.O.A. so far have frustrated any dialogue, which could see a resolution of the crisis within Maghaberry. • The Republican prisoners have two basic demands. 1- End to controlled movement/ Free Association, 2- End to strip-searches. • It is imperative that prisoner’s human rights, which were compromised by the industrial action by the P.O.A., do not become the normal way of treating republican prisoners. • To that end the I.R.S.P. caution the P.O.A., British government and indeed the Stormont regime against continuing down this road that can only result in continued confrontation. Following this briefing a meeting was organised between the potential Facilitators/Mediators and the ‘Families, Friends and Ex-prisoners’ support group, The Families listened to and questioned the Joint Facilitation Group and agreed, to explore further the possibility of finding a negotiated resolution, subject to the agreement of the protesting prisoners. Key to their proposal was that there would be face-to-face negotiations between the protesting prisoners and the prison Service. To this end we requested another delegation visit to the republican prisoners in Maghaberry through the Joint Facilitation Group. The aim of this delegation was to inform the protesting prisoners of this possible initiative and to gauge whether they would support this as a possible resolution process. This was granted and after some discussion within the prison with the prisoners they agreed to give this initiative the go ahead. There was not much movement in the first two weeks of July due to the 12th holidays. It was difficult for the Joint Facilitation Group to pull together the people necessary to find a resolution due to holidays etc. However, the JFG spent time lobbying various groups and interested bodies to use their influence to support a negotiated dialogue that could bring a lasting resolution in Maghaberry. Some of this lobbying included; ROE HOUSE Friday 16 July 2010 Notified Northern Ireland Office Prison Service (Colin McConnell) that prisoners seeking a facilitated meeting between Prison Administration and themselves to seek resolution to the issues that gave raise to the current protest in Roe House. Meeting with Mark Durkan to discuss how best to secure the need for independent chair and observers for any face-to-face discussion between the prisoners and the prison regime. Notified Department of Foreign Affairs (Dublin) on the need for the use of independent facilitators to be engaged to resolve the current impasse at Roe House. Meeting with International Committee of the Red Cross (Geoff Loane) on thee issues of concern. Geoff Loane who is the Head of Mission based in London agreed to raise the issue with David Ford, Department of Justice and the NIO. Discussed the prisoners’ concerns that their human rights were being violated with Monica McWilliams who indicated that the Human Rights Commission have alerted the prison authorities of their concerns and requested a visit to the prison. Monday 19 July 2010 Informed by both Alan Craig and Colin McConnell that the Prison Service were keen securing “a win-win” for the prisoners and the prison service but required clarity on who was speaking for whom. Both raised concerns that confusing messages could undermine any potential for a resolution. Tuesday 20 July 2010 Meeting with representatives of the Pat Finucane Centre (Maggie O’Conner and Paul O’Conner) re: feedback with their meeting with David Ford yesterday. PFC reps said they were informed that if NIPS can’t resolve this matter internally it would consider moving to some form of mediation and was aware of need to act on the issues quickly. Requested by CAJ (Mike Ritchie) for update on current position and how could they further assist the process towards a resolution based on the rights of the prisoners being protected. Discussed current position with Richard Good, Special Advisor to David Ford who indicated he would encourage a local resolution involving the prison service and the prisoners with support from an independent chair and observers in the event of any face-to-face dialogue. Held meeting with Jim Roddy and Seamus Heaney and welcomed their support to help resolve matters in Roe House and would be grateful for any endorsement of our approach to resolve in Roe House (to the Justice Minister, the Prison Service or – most importantly – the prisoners and their representatives). *(During this time the 32CSM in Derry moved their weekly picket in support of the prisoners from the Bogside to Bishop St. in Derry city centre. This caused concern within the Business community in Derry especially with the annual Apprentice Boys of Derry commemoration of the Siege of Derry which was due to be held on Saturday 14th of August. This meant that if the Republican prisoners were still protesting on this date that both Republicans and Loyalists would be demonstrating in Derry city centre at the same time on the same day. Jim Roddy and Seamus Heaney contacted the 32CSM in Derry to see what it would take to resolve the protest. They both met the prisoners and the Families group and agreed to support and lobby for the ongoing initiative.) The ‘JFG’ over the course of almost a month literally spent days behind bars with both the prisoners and the establishment facilitating and chairing joint meetings between both as well as separate meetings inside Maghaberry with both of the delegation parties. The JFG also had a series of meetings with other parties/individuals over that period including a number with Ford’s office. After long, protracted, negotiations, which at one point seemed on the verge of collapse the JFG successfully brought the talks to the following conclusion/agreement: TEXT OF AGREEMENT ENDING ROE HOUSE PROTEST A. Agreement Reached on Dispute at Roe House in Maghaberry Prison Following a protest by Republican prisoners in Roe House, the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) and the prisoners agreed to engage in a facilitation process. A Joint Facilitation Group (Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Creggan Enterprises and Dialogue Advisory Group) met both parties on a number of occasions over the past several weeks. The discussions were underpinned at all times by the following principles: B. Fundamental Principles C. Prisoner Forum An effective Prisoners’ Forum will be established, in addition to existing processes for complaints and requests. This should provide a meaningful mechanism to address issues of mutual concern and is designed to build trust. D. Full body searching 4. NIPS reserves the right, in exceptional cases, to require any prisoner to undergo a full-body search – under existing arrangements – if: 5. In such cases the full-body search must be authorised and observed by a supervisor and carried out in a manner, which is both sensitive and dignified. The process of searching will be audited and monitored to ensure it complies with human rights standards. E. Movement / association 1. The Prisoner Ombudsman’s report of June 11 2010 recommended that a review of the separated regime should be included in the current independent Prison Review and that the review team should examine the evidence considered by the CJINI/HMCIP when it concluded in 2006 and 2009 that the arrangements for the movement of separated prisoners “were unnecessarily restrictive”. (The HMCIP finding states that “there was severely restricted prisoner movement… this was particularly noticeable on the separated units where, even within the unit itself, the system of controlled movement meant that only three prisoners were allowed out an any one time, with no less than five staff present”). NIPS have fully accepted the Prisoner Ombudsman’s recommendation. F. Next Steps The Republican Prisoners in Roe House called of their protest on Friday 13th August 2010. The IRSP issued the following statement; IRSP WELCOME MAGHABERRY PROTEST RESOLUTION The Irish Republican Socialist Party welcome the resolution of the current protest by the republican political prisoners in Roe House, Maghaberry Gaol. IRSP Press officer Paul Little said that the prisoner’s demands had been conceded and that there would be a phasing out of controlled movement and that random strip-searching has been abolished. At this time we would pay tribute to the republican prisoners who have been steadfast in their determination to see that they achieve their basic human rights, we also pay tribute to the families friends and ex prisoners support group who have campaigned ceaselessly since the protest began at Easter. Finally, the IRSP commend the facilitators/mediators for their sterling efforts in bringing about this resolution. Statement ends. The role of the IRSP in assisting the resolution of Maghaberry Protest The process, which resulted in this resolution, was undoubtedly unprecedented in the context of prison struggle. Never before in the history of prison struggle/protests was there direct face-to-face negotiations between political prisoners and the establishment with an outside 3rd party known as ‘The Joint Facilitation Group.’ A 3rd party of the prisoner’s and the ‘Family and Friends Committee’s’ choosing facilitating and chairing the talks. The establishment delegation who had negotiated with the prisoners during this period made it clear that they were unhappy with the presence of the JFG. Furthermore, the JFG are now recognised by both the prisoners and establishment as being the custodians of the agreement that was accepted by all and who will be regularly monitoring the agreement. What was also clear, long before the agreement was concluded, was the fact that the establishment conceded, by the very nature of the process itself, that these prisoners were indeed political prisoners. Posted in: Information , Political Prisoners | Comments Off The Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) have recently organised in North Antrim particularly in the following areas, Loughguile, Ballycastle, Rasharkin and Dunloy. The IRSP stands for the establishment of a 32 county republic in which the working people are in charge of their own destinies, a republic which is representative of all the people and one which will cherish all the children of the nation equally. This development in North Antrim is part of the continuing expansion of the IRSP throughout Ireland and reflects the desire among working class people for an alternative political voice to represent their views. For too long the people of North Antrim have had very little choice in terms of political representation, it was either of the main two nationalist parties, the SDLP or Sinn Fein. We see very little political difference between these parties in terms of their positions on many fundamental political issues. We intend to offer the people of North Antrim an energetic and vibrant voice that can and will challenge the current political situation. We will offer the people of this area the chance for real positive change. We will be exposing the hypocrisy within the established political parties and showing their contradictions for what they are. In these days of cut backs brought about by the banking crisis we intend to hold the parties of Stormont to account and to prevent them from punishing the poor and marginalised, we will be at the forefront in the battle against the cuts and we will be standing shoulder to shoulder with the poorest and most deprived sections of our society. Why should the working class suffer for the actions of the rich bankers? If you would like more information on the IRSP and are looking for real positive change the you can contact us on 028 71 353090 (Derry Office) or email northantrimirsp@gmail.com Posted in: Information | Comments Off The Republican Socialist Youth Movement believes that the removal of essential cancer care services from Sligo General Hospital to University College Hospital, Galway, is a disgraceful attack on the people of Sligo. Cancer patients in Sligo are being forced to travel for well over 4 hours for what is in many cases 15 minutes of treatment. The required facilities and treatment for these people were previously accessible in Sligo General Hospital to the highest standard, that was before the savage intervention of Mary Harney and the Fianna Fáil/Green Party coalition government. We in the RSYM think that this episode clearly demonstrates how the current system in place in this country cannot possibly cater for the needs of the Irish people. This government would rather throw billions at the banks in an attempt to preserve their failed system than to come to the aid of cancer sufferers who desperately need their help. The people of the North-West are entitled to their own Centre of Excellence and it is time those in positions of power in Ireland recognised this. As a socialist organisation, the RSYM believes that adequate health care is a right and not a privilege. Part of that right is accessibility, and due to the recent move of Sligo’s cancer services it is a guarantee that less people are going to avail of the treatments they need. This government is gambling with people’s lives. The Republican Socialist Youth Movement calls on the government to end the hand-outs to the bankers who have destroyed this country’s economy and to use some of that money to give the people of Sligo their own Centre of Excellence. Republican Socialist Youth Movement
Posted in: Information , Statements | Comments Off Statement by the Republican Socialist Youth Movement: Over the last number of weeks the Republican Socialist Youth Movement has been agitating over the issue of homelessness in Ireland. With young activists in areas such as Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Ennis, Derry, Sligo, Strabane, Tipperary and Galway taking part in our ’House the Homeless’ campaign which was designed to highlight the plight of some of the most vulnerable people in Irish society today. Figures given to the RSYM by Focus Ireland estimate that there is currently up to 5,000 people who are homeless throughout the country. We believe that this is totally unacceptable. We find it reprehensible that with so many properties left lying vacant after the collapse of the property market (some estimates put the figure at up to 300,000) and with housing prices on the wane that the government would rather hand over billions to the profiteering millionaires who have led us to economic ruin than to come to the aid of people who need their help the most. This is the great contradiction within the capitalist system. Thousands upon thousands of properties are left derelict and unused throughout the country while Irish citizens are forced to sleep on the streets in huge numbers. There is absolutely no excuse for it. We need a system that caters for the needs of the people of Ireland and that doesn’t simply pander to the richest in society whenever their risk-taking gets them into trouble and they come to the taxpayer with a begging-bowl. We are dealing here with the same government that encouraged the property bubble to spiral out of control, ensuring that many young families could simply not afford their first home and for those who tried to pay the greatly inflated prices, they are now left with huge mortgages that they cannot possibly pay back. The repossession of families homes, as in the recent case in Waterford, will become an all too common story. There will be no bail-out for these families. This government, and moreover the political system we currently live under do not have the interests of people at heart but the interests of private profit. The RSYM calls on this government to stop bailing out those who have held our economy to ransom and to invest in people. If the measure of a nation’s economy is not to be the price of bank shares or property values but how well the most vulnerable people in society are looked after, then it is indeed clear that we are in the middle of an economic crisis. Join the RSYM – For National Liberation and Socialism! Posted in: Information , Statements | Comments Off The Starry Plough Magazine Number 02 is now printed and ready for distribution. This issue contains details about the ongoing debate around the 1981 hungerstrike controversy, reports on the IRSCNA and RSYM conferences, An Bord Snip’s report, the Drugs Scourge and the first of a two part special on the 40th anniversary of the NICRA written by Peadar Dubh among other articles and letters. If you would like a copy or want further information then please contact the Starry Plough. starryplough@gmail.com
Posted in: Information | Comments Off “We, the O Hara and Devine families, would also wish to put on public record our full support for an independent Republican Inquiry, which was first called for by ex-Hunger Striker Gerard Hodgins, into the controversial claims surrounding the events of the 1981 Hunger Strike. At a recent meeting in the Gasyard, Derry City, which we attended, compelling and disturbing evidence revealing that an offer made by the British which conceded four of the five demands, was accepted by the prison IRA leadership and rejected by elements of the outside IRA leadership. These claims which have been supported by former blanket men and ex-hunger strikers have led us to conclude that only an independent Republican Inquiry, free from party political affiliations, can heal the wounds of our families that this controversy has re-opened. We are only interested in the facts, the evidence and the truth and we would hope that all republicans would support us in our call and bring and end to this controversy so that we, the families, have peace of mind as to what really happened during this period.” Tony O Hara, on behalf of the O Hara family Posted in: Information , Statements | Comments Off The IRSP wish to put on public record our support for an open independent republican inquiry into the truth behind the 1981 hunger strike as called for by the o Hara and Devine families and also by former IRA hunger striker Gerard Hodgkins. Given the contradictory statements emanating from various spokespeople from Sinn Fein on this matter and the refusal of these people to partake in the recent discussion held in the Gas yard center in Derry we are firmly of the opinion that such an inquiry is the only course of action open to the republican community. We have come to this conclusion because of the weight of evidence from wide ranging sources who were directly involved which clearly contradicts the Sinn Fein version of events and which furthermore suggests that the lives of the last six hunger strikers may have been saved. The forthcoming Sinn Fein closed meeting with the families of the ten hunger strikers is purely another attempt to mislead and confuse events surrounding the 1981 hunger strike Martin McMonagle Posted in: Information , Statements | Comments Off A chara, On behalf of the IRSP I would like to respond to Donncha MacNiallais’s letter ”Hunger strike story incredible” (Friday, 5th June) in which he questioned the motives of those who participated and contributed to the Gasyard debate. If Donnacha had have taken the time to attend the debate those motives would have been very clear but given that he didn’t, I will clear up any queries he may have in relation to the IRSP’s contribution. The IRSP got involved in this controversy on behalf of the relatives of the INLA hunger strikers who asked us in early 2006, just over a year after the controversial claims (of a settlement offer by the British Government] were made by Richard O’Rawe, to investigate the allegations made. At first the IRSP did not believe Richard’s claims and we told the families this after talking to senior IRSP/INLA personnel from 1981 who, just like you, Donnacha, were unaware of the ‘Mountain Climber’ initiative. That all changed in June 2006 when the IRSP were presented with compelling evidence that supported O’Rawe’s claims. Michael Og Devine has asked a number of questions of SF in relation to this controversy through this newspaper and others and has been met with silence. Both the Devine and O’ Hara families have asked the IRSP to represent them in their quest for the truth and we make no apologies for doing so. You are quite right when you say that all this has caused much pain to the families. So too have the untruths from SF which we find totally obnoxious. I hope this clears up your question on the motivation of the IRSP, chara. Willie Gallagher, Posted in: Information | Comments Off |
