Republican POW’s have formulated five demands and call for these to be addressed immediately.
DEMANDS
FREE ASSOCIATION
END TO CONTROLLED MOVEMENT
RIGHT TO FULL TIME EDUCATION
SEPARATE VISITING FACILITY
RIGHT TO ORGANISE OUR OWN WING
Free Association & End to Controlled Movement – These issues can be taken together.POW’s are denied any Free Association and security concerns are cited by the Prison Service for enforcing Controlled Movement on the Segregated wing.This policy means that only three prisoners are allowed out of their cells at any one time and the ratio of prison staff to POW required is 4:2 or 3:1.This obviously prevents any Free Association between POW’s but also causes a number of practical problems.Canteen facilities are not open to POW’s and they are required to eat in their cells, this also restricts the amount of time POW’s can spend out of their cells and results in them being locked in their cells for 21hrs on a ‘good day’ and 23 hrs on a ‘bad day’.The regime operates ‘good day’ – ‘bad day’ on alternate days.
Education – Education is available in the segregated wing but this is hampered by the restrictions on movement.Due to the limited time prisoners are allowed out of their cells they must choose between education and exercise.If a prisoners’ class falls on a ‘bad day’ where 23hr lockup is imposed they forfeit going outside at all for the education class.In ordinary wings of the prison (that house non-political prisoners) the regime is less restricted and prisoners have access to both education and exercise.
- POW’s are denied blackboards/whiteboards etc that would facilitate them teaching each other. This is also prevented by the restrictions on Free Association.
- In terms of handicrafts prisoners are also denied necessary materials.In the other wings of the prison all materials are available and workshops are provided.
Within education the prisoners want a) freedom of movement so that they can engage in both exercise and education, b) Blackboards etc so that they can educate each other, c) full access to handicraft materials including tools and wood etc.
Separate Visiting Facility – When segregation was first introduced the Prison Service agreed to build separate accommodation as a visiting facility for segregated prisoners.The head of the prison service has said that this is no longer on the agenda.
For the safety of both visitors and POW’s separate facilities are needed.In one case, a visitor to a Republican POW was followed home to Belfast by visitors to a Loyalist prisoner.
In a sinister move the Prison Service have recently blamed Segregated prisoners for the cramped visiting facilities that now exist for non-political prisoners because part of that visiting accommodation is being used at present to facilitate separate visits for Segregated prisoners.
Right to organise wing – Last year POW’s discussed this with the priest in the gaol.The prison service were aware that this would become necessary but are not moving on this issue.
OTHER ISSUES
WELFARE VISITS
Sentenced Prisoners in Maghaberry are allowed one visit per week.Welfare visits are not available to the Republican Prisoners Action Group and so to have contact with a representative from the RPAG POW’s have to forfeit a family visit.
In advance of the Separated Regime Review of May 2006 welfare visits were only available to MLA’s, MP’s or councillors from a political party that had a sitting MLA/MP.The review changed this to allow Councillors from political parties with no representation at MP/MLA level to have access to welfare visits also.
In our submission to the Northern Ireland Prison Service Review Consultation exercise we highlighted the fact that this policy prevented representatives from RSF who are excluded from Council elections in the 6 Counties by the Test Oath and indeed the RPAG who represent prisoners but are not a political organisation who would be standing in elections at all.
POW’s are seeking welfare visits from the RPAG along the lines provided to Councillors, MLA’s and MP’s etc.They are not represented by any organisation that contest elections in the 6 Counties and so these restrictions impact severely on their contact with suitable representatives.
SEARCHES
POW’s, regardless of the restrictions on their movement, are subject to numerous rub down searches on the way to and from visits, including legal visits, and regular strip searches.A Prison Review in May 2006 indicated that the number of rub down searches would be reduced on the Segregated Wing.However the Review also referred to a facility being built for ‘private searches’, the facility has been confirmed to be for the purpose of strip-searching.This facility is located in the access areas to Bush and Roe houses, the segregated wings. (the Republican POW’s are held in Roe House)
14th August 2006
REPUBLICAN PRISONERS ACTION GROUP
The organizers of today’s Hunger Strike Commemoration at Casement Park today snubbed the prisoners currently in Maghaberry Gaol and their families.
RPAG had approached the organizing committee earlier this week with a statement setting out the conditions of Republican prisoners in Maghaberry. The organizers confirmed this morning that the statement could be read, but refused to let the mother of the prisoner read it herself. Despite the promises when it came to the event this afternoon no statement was read out.
RPAG is therefore asking the media to publish the statement.
Geraldine Taylor of Republican Sinn Fein said:
“The prisoners and the families are outraged at how they have been treated. The families have shown solidarity with the families of the Hunger Strikers and believe that they have much in common. However the sacrifice of today’s prisoners’ and their families has been virtually ignored by those organizing this event.”
For further details please contact 028 90319004 or 07921973328 STATEMENT FROM REPUBLICAN PRISONERS, MAGHABERRY GAOL
On 13th July 1981 a young boy 8 years of age was hoisted onto his uncle’s shoulders. He was given a hammer and a black flag. The young boy then hung the flag on the side of the coal-shed.
Around him he saw grown men openly crying, women talking and going from door to door. The people looked tired, sorrowful and a gloominess hung in the air like a thick dense fog. The answers to the boy’s questions didn’t really register. “A young man from the locality had died on hunger strike”, he was told. He had seen old people die before and there were no black flags. “Why now?”, he wondered. Little did he realise then, that was the beginning of his introduction to Irish politics and Irish history.
Some years later in his teenage years, the young man began reading books on Irish history and came to realise the significance and the symbolism of the black flag which he had hung years before. He read about the struggle for political status in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh, the blanket protest, the no-wash protest and eventually the Hunger Strike which culminated in the deaths of 10 young volunteers. He couldn’t believe the intransigence of the British as they allowed these young men died.
Now as a grown man he continues reading and believes strongly in the Republican ideology which was held dearly by those who died to achieve humane conditions for hundreds of Republican prisoners. Are conditions today better because of the sacrifices of these men?
The young lad who 25 years ago raised a black flag to his coal-shed now lies in a British prison camp. He too suffers the same degrading treatment. He and his comrades suffer strip searches designed to humiliate and degrade as well as 23 hour lock ups in an 8 x 12 tomb. They suffer sectarian abuse from loyalist staff working the landings. They are forced to eat all their meals in their cells like caged animals. They are denied any association with each other on the landing and are only permitted to leave their cells in 2s or 3s, accompanied by at least twice the number of prison officers. Families are denied visits for weeks at a time due to the suspicious reaction of the prison “drugs dog” despite the fact there has not been a single find of drugs on a Republican prisoner or visitor.
Rights that are granted to the rest of the prison population are denied to Republican prisoners; education, exercise, social inter-action – basic human rights. They are threatened with the loss of remission, or of being transported to England if they do not conform. But they will not conform to a regime that denies them the right to be treated with dignity and humanity. They cannot conform with institutional discrimination brought about to criminalise the Irish struggle.
That same young man and his comrades are now on protest in Maghaberry “concentration camp”. This is a protest against criminalisation, a protest for Political Status. They too have issued 5 demands. Freedom of Association, Freedom of Movement, Full Time Education, Separate Visiting Facility and the right to Organise their wings. They remain adamant in the belief that theirs is a just struggle. They are prepared to do whatever is necessary to achieve their objectives.
They are not, as the prison authorities are trying to portray, asking for the keys to their wing. They do not expect control of the landings. Their demands have been reasonable, but have been ignored.
In their protest they have been refusing to eat in their cells and are refusing to co-operate with the discriminatory regime imposed upon them. They are showing great restraint in the face of constant provocation. Both the Church and human rights groups have pledged their assistance, but all calls for humanity have been ignored. The prisoners, who have yet again been backed into a corner, feel that their only weapon is to fast. There has been a series of 24 hour fasts and this week a 48 hour fast but there is still no recognition from the authorities.
That young man now experiences the intransigence for himself and asks you the people of Ireland to support the prisoners and their demands, to do all in your power to challenge this injustice, to write letters of support to your politicians, to the press and to the authorities, to show your numbers on the streets in the protests and in the pickets that are being organised across the country.
Go raibh maith agaibh
OC Republican Prisoners Maghaberry Gaol
RPAG Statement
13th July 2006
PRISON FAST
On Friday 14th July 2006 Republican POW’s both in Maghaberry and Portlaoise will hold a 24hour fast in protest against the regime in Maghaberry and the attempts to criminalise Republican Prisoners by enforcing sub-standard conditions on the segregated landings.
Republican POW’s in Maghaberry have been engaged in a prison protest since 19th June 2006 and there are now over thirty POW’s on the protest.They are fighting to improve conditions for segregated prisoners in Maghaberry who are in effect being punished for exercising their right to segregation from non-political prisoners.They are demanding that their 5 demands be addressed.
RIGHT TO FREE ASSOCIATION
END TO CONTROLLED MOVEMENT
RIGHT TO FULL TIME EDUCATION
SEPARATE VISITING FACILITY
RIGHT TO ORGANISE OUR OWN LANDINGS
POW’s in Portlaoise have been acting in solidarity with their comrades in Maghaberry during the prison protest and 19 POW’s in Portlaoise will also be fasting on Friday.
The Republican Prisoners Action Group (RPAG) have been highlighting the worsening conditions that have existed since the implementation of segregation but our concerns were ignored by the prison service and others.This has led to POW’s themselves embarking on a protest as they felt that this was the only avenue left open to them.This issue cannot be ignored any longer, it must be dealt with and these demands must be addressed.
END
INCREASED NUMBERS ON PRISON PROTEST
From this week the number of Segregated POW’s in Maghaberry engaged in the Prison Protest is set to increase.No attempts have been made to address the 5 Demands of the POW’s although the RPAG have reported these demands on numerous occasions.
FREE ASSOCIATION
END TO CONTROLLED MOVEMENT
RIGHT TO FULL TIME EDUCATION
SEPARATE VISITING FACILITY
RIGHT TO ORGANISE OUR OWN LANDINGS
The Prison Protest will continue until these demands are addressed and the necessary changes are implemented.The media are censoring the ongoing struggle in Maghaberry and the prison service are ignoring it.This situation cannot continue and POW’s are determined that this situation will be resolved once and for all.The implementation of Segregation was not a meaningful attempt to deal with the issue of Political Prisoners it was a political move made in 2003 to trick the Irish people into believing that the conditions that led to protests within the prison at that time had been improved and that the issues had been resolved.Since Segregation conditions for both POW’s and their visitors have worsened.
The POW’s are relying on the Irish people to stand with them in their fight to improve conditions and ultimately to win back Political Status.The Irish people have never failed POW’s in the past and we have faith that they will not fail them now.
REPUBLICAN PRISONERS ACTION GROUP
Statement from Republican Prisoners Action Group (RPAG).
Republican prisoners today called on elements of the print and broadcast media to end their self-censorship of the Republican prison protest at Maghaberry jail. Despite widespread distribution of the details of the protest only one of Irelands main daily papers carried any details of the protest.
Today a special broadcast on Radio Ulster from Magilligan Prison about prison issues also failed to refer to the prison protest.
RPAG has been contacted by a number of individuals claiming to have contacted the programme. After expressing views about the protest they were denied the opportunity to have their views expressed on air.
A spokesperson for the RPAG also contacted the programme to challenge points raised by the British Minister for Prisons. Tony McPhillips, from the group, asked how the Minister could assert that his main policies were aimed solely at protecting the public and rehabilitating criminals when the treatment of Republican prisoners demonstrated that there is a clear anti-Republican political agenda being pursued by the prison authorities.
Tony McPhillips was asked if he would like to put this point directly to the minister and he readily agreed. He was advised that he would be contacted later in the afternoon but he was not.
But Ministers, the prison Ombudsman, numerous prison officers and criminal prisoners were all permitted to express their views on the programme. It appears that decisions are being taken at an editorial level to stop information about the protest from being disseminated.
RPAG calls on all sections of the media to end their silence and begin publishing the daily human rights abuses of Republican prisoners that continue at Maghaberry jail.
June 27, 2006
ENDS
Tuesday 27th June 2006
Statement from RPAG
“The Republican Prisoners Action Group has learned that prison officers have been spreading rumours amongst the press that a number of Republican prisoners had come off the prison protest which started last Monday and which was escalated this week. The prisoners have confirmed that the rumours are not true and have issued a statement in response.
RPAG understands that far from prisoners coming off the protest that more prisoners are today joining the protest and that support for their demands is growing. Prisoners in Port Laois have also announced that they will be holding a 24 hour fast on Wednesday in support of their comrades in Maghaberry. Since the announcement of the protest messages of support have been received from groups and individuals across Ireland, Europe and the World.
The prisoners have made it clear in their escalation of the protest this week that the protest is growing in strength. The rumours of prisoners coming off the protest are groundless and demonstrate that the prison service are concerned at the growing momentum of the protest and have nothing to offer in response.”
END
Statement from prisoners
“We categorically deny the lies being spread by those within the prison establishment. No Republican prisoner has left the protest. The Republican prisoners are strong and determined in pursuit of their aims and urge the people not to be manipulated by the imperialist foes. The Republican prisoners will continue with their protest until their demands have been met.”
END
PROTEST CONTINUES IN MAGHABERRY
On Monday 26th June 2006 Republican POW’s in Maghaberry will begin the second phase of their Prison Protest and will be refusing to eat meals in their cells. The RPAG would like to stress that the POW’s are noton Hunger Strike.
POW’s on the Segregated wing are denied access to canteen facilities and are forced to eat meals in their cells in close proximity to the toilet.
This is a practical problem that we believe results from the policy of Controlled Movement enforced on the Segregated landing.This policy prevents any more than three prisoners being allowed out of their cells at any one time and requires a staff to prisoner ratio of 4:2 and 3:1.The RPAG consider that the policy of Controlled Movement is excessively restrictive and POW’s will not tolerate these conditions any longer.
The Prison Protest began on Monday 19th June 2006 and will continue until the five demands outlined by the POW’s are addressed.
FREE ASSOCIATION
END TO CONTROLLED MOVEMENT
RIGHT TO FULL TIME EDUCATION
SEPARATE VISITING FACILITY
RIGHT TO ORGANISE OUR OWN LANDINGS
POW’s in Portlaoise Prison have expressed support for the Prison Protest and will begin a 24hour fast on Wednesday 28th June in solidarity with their comrades in Maghaberry. They have indicated that this will continue each week for the foreseeable future and in a statement issued from Portlaoise have called for support for the POW’s in Maghaberry in their fight to win back Political Status.
PRISON PROTEST BEGINS
Monday 19th June
On Monday 19th June Republican POW’s began a protest action in Maghaberry, this is the first in a series of protests planned by Republican POW’s in the gaol.POW’s are making clear that they will not accept the sub standard conditions on the segregated wing, they will not be criminalised nor will they be intimidated or coerced by the petty restrictions being imposed by prison screws to make the day to day life in the gaol for POW’s more difficult.
Political Status has been denied to Republican POW’s since the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and as a result conditions both for POW’s and their families and visitors have worsened considerably.The Republican Prisoners Action Group (RPAG) was formed to highlight the conditions faced by POW’s and we have met with the Human Rights Commission who accepted that our concerns were justified.Monsignor Faul, at our request also visited the gaol and spoke with the OC, he issued a report strongly criticising the regime and the conditions in which POW’s are forced to exist.The British Inspectorate for Prisons issued a Report in October 2005 that was also critical of a number of practices within the Segregated Regime in Maghaberry and yet the Prison Service have done nothing to adequately address these concerns.
The RPAG contributed a submission to the consultation process for the Separated Regime Review conducted by the Prison Service.In their ‘Summary of Responses to Consultation of the Review of the Separated Regime’ the Prison Service clearly indicated that they had identified the sources of concern of those who had contributed, however they failed to address any of these issues in a productive way.The main issues of contention of those who contributed were:
Searching
The passive drugs dog
The daily regime
Controlled movement.
In relation to searching prisoners it was reported that the number of rub down searches would be reduced, however the report also referred to plans to build a facility for ‘private searches’ ie. Strip searches that will be sited within access of the circle areas in Bush and Roe Houses (the Segregated wings).
The use of the passive drugs dog is not to be changed in any way that will benefit prisoners or facilitate the maintaining of regular family visits.Minor changes have been made that do not alter the present system in any recognisable way and the issue of prison staff abusing their control of the dog to prevent visits to POW’s in the segregated wing and to put POW’s in punishment cells on their return from Leave have not been addressed at all.
Instead of altering what is a sub-standard daily regime that requires POW’s to choose between exercise and education and enforces 18hour and 22hour lock-up on alternate days the prison service have plans to implement a Two-Tier regime.This is entirely unacceptable to Republican POW’s who are not seeking to earn privileges from the Northern Ireland Prison Service but are demanding their rights as Political Prisoners.
The review indicates that Controlled movement will not be changed and insists that it is necessary, the RPAG strongly refute this assertion.Controlled movement is excessively restrictive and prevents any free association between POW’s.
The POW’s are not prepared to accept these conditions and feel that the RPAG have exhausted all avenues on their behalf to no avail.The RPAG call on the public to give their support to the POW’s at this time. The Hunger Strikers sacrificed themselves to improve conditions for those POW’s who came after them and to ensure that Political Status was available to POW’s as of RIGHT.No one can be justified in signing away the Rights of others, however that is what happened in the Good Friday Agreement, and POW’s are now in a position where they must begin the fight for Political Status again.
FREE ASSOCIATION
FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
RIGHT TO FULL TIME EDUCATION
SEPARATE VISITING FACILITY
RIGHT TO ORGANISE OUR OWN LANDINGS
The British Government, the Prison Service, the media and local politicians have all been well aware of these issues for some time and have done nothing to address them.The POW’s have been left with no choice but to engage in protest within the gaol and this protest will no doubt intensify if these issues are not addressed and their demands are not dealt with.
The POW’s are relying on the Irish people to stand with them in their fight to improve conditions and ultimately to win back Political Status.The Irish people have never failed POW’s in the past and we have faith that they will not fail them now.
