Statement from a volunteer observor St patricks Cathedral, Sunday May14th

dublin | rights and freedoms | news report Wednesday May 17, 2006 13:41 by Chris Murray - the unmanageables

Acknowledgement.

On Sunday 15th May and Monday 16th May members of the Peace network, including Irish Anti-war, some unmanageables , individuals from residents against Racism
and concerned individuals gained access to St Patrick's Cathedral and spent large parts of the day and evening inside talking to the men and to the authorities on their behalf.
I do not speak on behalf of this group, but as an individual who was a part of it.

The personnel from the Cathedral allowed free and open access to the men from this group of volunteers. Janet, the press officer facillitated communications with the men and the small group of volunteers. She regularly asked for information , such as urging Ibera to collect the names and Id numbers of the hunger strikers, for confirmation as to whether the men were at different stages of the asylum process. She warmly extended the sanctuary of the cathedral to the men, but urged less media and more humanitarian aid. The people who were working there had a good relationship with both the protestors and the authorities.
I was asked to contact the Red Cross by the men and by the Cathedral authorities. I called them at 10am , and by the time I had left at 2pm no member of the Red Cross had materialised.
we could offer little in the way of pragmatic support, nor were we there to judge the rights or wrongs of the situation, we were there as witnesses, invited by the men.

Others came and spoke with the men, I received calls to say that two nurses had turned up in the evening and the men were tired and wished to sleep. some people stayed until after 9pm,including Ibera and Rosanna flynn, from RAR.

I wrote here on Monday night that the authorities were not dealing with the situation in a proper manner. Gardai stated that their role was to maintain Law and order. There was on Monday evening no sign of medical back-up, trained counsellors or a screen to protect the men from the all day scrutiny of tourists and curious onlookers.

On Tuesday Morning a plan had been put in place by the Cathedral authorities and the state authorities, which was necessary to protect the men when they started collapsing.
However, people who had been nominated by the men were excluded from monitoring the situation independently. It was accepted by us, that priority had to be given to the medical situation and that we wd have access later. This did not happen. I arrived at Ten thirty , behind a fire engine and a paddy wagon. Janet came out to apprise us of the situation and we made way for the constant stream of ambulances.
Rosanna Flynn gained addmittance to the cathedral at 11.25am, She was the only independent observor present on Tuesday morning.

There were four health board workers inside and no friend or witness that had worked with the men and offered solidarity.
A constant stream of TD's gained access , and three photographers were allowed in, they photographed the men in various stages of collapse and put it out on the news.
I am writing this because the situation at the Cathedral became
one wherin the men were deprived of the people whom they had asked to represent them and witness on their behalf, in the understanding that though a medical emergency was called certain things were not handled properly by the State or the Cathedral.

1. Press scrutiny of men in extremis who had declared a willingness to die was allowed on Tuesday 16th May, by the press office of St pat's cathedral.

2. People nominated as independent witnesses were not allowed access to the men.

3.Four men outside the grounds were striking in solidarity. Three of the informed me that they had not taken fluid or food since monday evening. I informed the emergency services who said that they would monitor the men. last night these men had gone into hypothermic shock outside the cathedral. No ambulance was at the scene. Two gardai were guarding the access gates.

The change from openess to one of protectiveness by the Cathedral authorities was swift and decisive.

We continue in what way we can to offer supports but cannot communicate this to the men.

Those present, (Sunday14th, Monday 15th, Tuesday16th):

Elaine, Kitty, Glenda, Mick, Rosanna, Ibera, Chris,Deirdre,
and others whose names I did not know.
The indy team were told that only press card carrying reporters were allowed access to the Cathedral. thus indy had little in the way of access to the visual situation inside or independent observors.