Emergency statement from Republican POWs

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Monday April 09, 2007 19:02 by IFC POW Dept - Irish Freedom Committee Saoirse at irishfreedomcommittee dot net

Easter clash at Maghaberry prison

In an emergency message from Maghaberry prison this morning the Irish
Freedom Committee has learned there was a clash with screws on wings
Easter morning Maghaberry prison and fifteen republican POWs are now
charged with wearing Easter lilies.

Maghaberry Prison Occuppied Ireland

Subject: EMERGENCY STATEMENT FROM MAGHABERRY PRISON
From: IFC NewsList "Irish Freedom Committee"
Date: Mon, April 9, 2007 10:38 am
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http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net

EMERGENCY STATEMENT FROM MAGHABERRY PRISON
Irish Freedom Committee ACTION REQUEST

Monday April 10, 2007

In an emergency message from Maghaberry prison this morning the Irish
Freedom Committee has learned there was a clash with screws on wings
Easter morning Maghaberry prison and fifteen republican POWs are now
charged with wearing Easter lilies.

The message stated that the republican prisoners were forced to run a
gauntlet of over twenty prison staff standing. The staff wouldn’t
allow the men out for food, Easter visits or exercise as they were
wearing Easter lilies.

The prisoners told the IFC:

"We stated quite clearly that under the Flags and Emblems Act and
under Equality issue we are allowed to wear our Easter lilies to
remember our patriot dead, just like they (staff and loyalist
prisoners) are allowed to wear their poppies. They said 'There’s no
rules in here, we call the shots.' The screws were very aggressive
and looking for confrontation. There’s fifteen prisoners now charged
with wearing an Easter lily This is total disgrace. This is 2007, not
1977; that’s what we told them."

"They are refusing us out to yards, they’ve given us no food, no grub,
they refused to let us out of the cells because we’re wearing an
Easter lily."

The prisoners decried the deteriorating conditions at Maghaberry.

"The provocation, intimidation, and victimization of republicans in
this day and age is a total disgrace. You have Gerry Adams allowed to
wear an Easter lily in a government building to meet Ian Paisley. Yet
Republicans are not allowed to wear an Easter lily to commemorate our
dead."

IFC ACTION REQUEST

We ask that our supporters immediately contact the NIO and Prison
governor at Maghaberry and protest the unwarranted aggression against
Republican prisoners. There is a Sample Letter below, use as is or
modify in your own words.

1. Enter the following email addresses in your email "TO" bar:
info@niprisonservice.gov.uk, press.nio@nics.gov.uk
Subject: "Maghaberry prison Easter aggression"
2. Copy and paste the suggested text below into your email body
3. Add your name and location to the text.
4. SEND
---------------- SAMPLE LETTER 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

Dear sir,

We are writing to protest the aggressive treatment of the republican
prisoners at Roe house yesterday morning, Easter Sunday. We have
learned that the republican prisoners were forced to run a gauntlet of
over twenty guards yesterday and have been denied food, visits and
exercise because they wore Easter lilies.

It is unacceptable that prison guards and loyalist inmates can openly
wear enormous poppies for Remembrance day in November, yet the
republican prisoners are annually treated to abuse and punishment for
wearing small Easter lilies to commemorate their patriot dead.

We remain concerned over the deteriorating conditions at Maghaberry
prison. We will continue to closely monitor this situation.

Sincerely,

NAME/ADDRESS

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The Irish Freedom Committee will continue to monitor events at
Maghaberry and will post more news here shortly. Please contact
Saoirse@irishfreedomcommittee for more information.

##### ENDS

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