Maghaberry crisis turns fatal
Maghaberry crisis turns fatal
The shooting of a senior British prison official has drawn attention to the conflict in the north of Ireland and the increasingly bitter dispute over the treatment of republican prisoners at Maghaberry jail.
A well-planned ambush on a remote stretch of the M1 motorway resulted in the death of Maghaberry warder David Black yesterday [Thursday] morning. Black had been involved in the torture and abuse of republican prisoners since as far back as the 1980 hunger strike.
Although no organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack,
there had been warnings over the years of an IRA response to the abuses
of republican prisoners, chiefly by the Continuity IRA.
A government backlash today saw PSNI raids and arrests in Lurgan, County
Armagh where the vehicle involved in the attack was said to have been
found. Former internee Colin Duffy, who spent almost three years behind
bars on IRA charges before finally being cleared in January this year,
was one of two men detained.
Sinn Fein and the rest of the political establishment at Stormont have
strongly condemned the attack.
"The killing of a prison officer yesterday is wrong," said Sinn Fein
President Gerry Adams. "There is no future in such actions which are
rejected by the entire community, North and South."
He said the organisations that are politically associated with the armed
groups had "no popular support or political strategy".
"On the contrary they play into the hands of those in the British system
who are opposed to the peace process and to its potential for achieving
a united Ireland.
"These groups must be challenged. The media has a responsibility to ask
these organisations where they stand on actions such as Thursday's
murder."
The attack was also condemned by the DUP, the PSNI Chief Matt Baggott,
British Prime Minister David Cameron and 26-County Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
But it drew little sympathy in hardline republican areas of the North. A
'screw' who had played an oppressive and mercenary role for the British
Crown -- from the original blanket protest and the hunger strikes of
Long Kesh, up to the current no-wash protest at HMP Maghaberry -- was
seen as a casualty of the war he had engaged in.
Black, who was also a prominent member of the anti-Catholic Orange
Order, was the 30th member of the British prison system to be killed in
Ireland since 1974.
PROTEST ARREST
The attack took place just days after a series of international protests
were organised by Republican Sinn Fein in protest at the abuse and
criminalisation of republican prisoners.
At one picket in Lurgan last weekend, the RSF Ard Chomhairle member Cait
Treanor was arrested and taken to Hydebank women's prison in Belfast.
In March, Treanor was fined for 'participating in and organising' a
march through Lurgan in January 2011 in support of Martin Corey,
interned without trial in Maghaberry since 2010. Treanor refused to pay
the fine of 700 euro imposed on her and so was arrested and jailed. She
is expected to be released after two weeks.
Pickets also took place throughout Europe, in Canada and in the US to
call for the restoration of political status and an end to the strip-
searching and controlled movement of the prisoners.
Dieter Blumenfeld, spokesperson of the organising committee, said: "More
than 30 years after the H-Block Hunger strikes ended, Irish prisoners
are once again forced to protest for their rights. Some of these men are
on dirty-protest for more than a year. Injustice in Ireland is growing.
"Marian Price and Martin Corey are both interned for more than a year
and an Irishman held in a Lithuanian jail is denied his basic human
rights.
"Only international pressure can be successful in the campaign to
support the Irish Republican prisoners."
There were protests in 11 countries on 3 continents. One of the
protests, a vigil organised by Irish republicans of the "Maghaberry
Awareness Group St. Pauli" in Hamburg was broken up by German police.
PRISONERS' STATEMENT
The following message was sent from the group of RSF-aligned republican
prisoners at Maghaberry to the protests:
"Greetings from the Republican Prisoners in Maghaberry jail to the
activists, supporters and participants of the International Day of
Action for Irish Republican Prisoners of War 2012.
"We, the Republican Prisoners of War incarcerated in Maghaberry prison
camp, wish to send greetings to those assembled all over the world today
protesting on our behalf.
"At present we are engaged in a 'dirty protest' to end the archaic
practice of strip searching and 23-hour lock-down, and to secure
conditions befitting of Prisoners of War. The age-old British policy of
criminalisation of Irish Republican prisoners is in full swing in
Maghaberry and as always we, as Republicans, will oppose this in anyway
we can.
"We have been on this current phase of protest now for over 18 months
and we see little movement from our captors. The conditions we endure
are far from humane or acceptable, yet we will continue in our struggle
until our demands are met. We have a duty to all Republicans and to
those prisoners who may follow us.
"We find ourselves incarcerated due to British rule in Ireland and are
part of the broader struggle for Irish independence. We take heart from
gatherings such as this, that Irish Republicanism is alive and vibrant,
kept alive by people like you. As Republican Prisoners of War we will
not shy away from our duty and we salute all those in Ireland and abroad
who work towards the independence of Ireland by any means necessary."The
support we have received from those across the world makes us more
determined and resolute, we are indeed grateful for such support, and
ask for your continued support and activism on our behalf.
"We applaud those of you who take to the streets all over the world in
protest at the detention of true Republicans.
"We will continue to resist all attempts by the British government to
criminalise us and our struggle and with your continued support we are
confident of victory.
"Onwards to the Republic!
"Signed O/C Maghaberry Gaol, "October 2012
A well-planned ambush on a remote stretch of the M1 motorway resulted in the death of Maghaberry warder David Black yesterday [Thursday] morning. Black had been involved in the torture and abuse of republican prisoners since as far back as the 1980 hunger strike.
Although no organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack,
there had been warnings over the years of an IRA response to the abuses
of republican prisoners, chiefly by the Continuity IRA.
A government backlash today saw PSNI raids and arrests in Lurgan, County
Armagh where the vehicle involved in the attack was said to have been
found. Former internee Colin Duffy, who spent almost three years behind
bars on IRA charges before finally being cleared in January this year,
was one of two men detained.
Sinn Fein and the rest of the political establishment at Stormont have
strongly condemned the attack.
"The killing of a prison officer yesterday is wrong," said Sinn Fein
President Gerry Adams. "There is no future in such actions which are
rejected by the entire community, North and South."
He said the organisations that are politically associated with the armed
groups had "no popular support or political strategy".
"On the contrary they play into the hands of those in the British system
who are opposed to the peace process and to its potential for achieving
a united Ireland.
"These groups must be challenged. The media has a responsibility to ask
these organisations where they stand on actions such as Thursday's
murder."
The attack was also condemned by the DUP, the PSNI Chief Matt Baggott,
British Prime Minister David Cameron and 26-County Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
But it drew little sympathy in hardline republican areas of the North. A
'screw' who had played an oppressive and mercenary role for the British
Crown -- from the original blanket protest and the hunger strikes of
Long Kesh, up to the current no-wash protest at HMP Maghaberry -- was
seen as a casualty of the war he had engaged in.
Black, who was also a prominent member of the anti-Catholic Orange
Order, was the 30th member of the British prison system to be killed in
Ireland since 1974.
PROTEST ARREST
The attack took place just days after a series of international protests
were organised by Republican Sinn Fein in protest at the abuse and
criminalisation of republican prisoners.
At one picket in Lurgan last weekend, the RSF Ard Chomhairle member Cait
Treanor was arrested and taken to Hydebank women's prison in Belfast.
In March, Treanor was fined for 'participating in and organising' a
march through Lurgan in January 2011 in support of Martin Corey,
interned without trial in Maghaberry since 2010. Treanor refused to pay
the fine of 700 euro imposed on her and so was arrested and jailed. She
is expected to be released after two weeks.
Pickets also took place throughout Europe, in Canada and in the US to
call for the restoration of political status and an end to the strip-
searching and controlled movement of the prisoners.
Dieter Blumenfeld, spokesperson of the organising committee, said: "More
than 30 years after the H-Block Hunger strikes ended, Irish prisoners
are once again forced to protest for their rights. Some of these men are
on dirty-protest for more than a year. Injustice in Ireland is growing.
"Marian Price and Martin Corey are both interned for more than a year
and an Irishman held in a Lithuanian jail is denied his basic human
rights.
"Only international pressure can be successful in the campaign to
support the Irish Republican prisoners."
There were protests in 11 countries on 3 continents. One of the
protests, a vigil organised by Irish republicans of the "Maghaberry
Awareness Group St. Pauli" in Hamburg was broken up by German police.
PRISONERS' STATEMENT
The following message was sent from the group of RSF-aligned republican
prisoners at Maghaberry to the protests:
"Greetings from the Republican Prisoners in Maghaberry jail to the
activists, supporters and participants of the International Day of
Action for Irish Republican Prisoners of War 2012.
"We, the Republican Prisoners of War incarcerated in Maghaberry prison
camp, wish to send greetings to those assembled all over the world today
protesting on our behalf.
"At present we are engaged in a 'dirty protest' to end the archaic
practice of strip searching and 23-hour lock-down, and to secure
conditions befitting of Prisoners of War. The age-old British policy of
criminalisation of Irish Republican prisoners is in full swing in
Maghaberry and as always we, as Republicans, will oppose this in anyway
we can.
"We have been on this current phase of protest now for over 18 months
and we see little movement from our captors. The conditions we endure
are far from humane or acceptable, yet we will continue in our struggle
until our demands are met. We have a duty to all Republicans and to
those prisoners who may follow us.
"We find ourselves incarcerated due to British rule in Ireland and are
part of the broader struggle for Irish independence. We take heart from
gatherings such as this, that Irish Republicanism is alive and vibrant,
kept alive by people like you. As Republican Prisoners of War we will
not shy away from our duty and we salute all those in Ireland and abroad
who work towards the independence of Ireland by any means necessary."The
support we have received from those across the world makes us more
determined and resolute, we are indeed grateful for such support, and
ask for your continued support and activism on our behalf.
"We applaud those of you who take to the streets all over the world in
protest at the detention of true Republicans.
"We will continue to resist all attempts by the British government to
criminalise us and our struggle and with your continued support we are
confident of victory.
"Onwards to the Republic!
"Signed O/C Maghaberry Gaol, "October 2012
