Archive for the ‘Prisoners’ Rights’ Category
Bernadette McAliskey’s Speech to the January 2013 Bloody Sunday March for Justice – We Have Got to Get Our Act Together or We Are In for One Hell of a Hiding
Bernadette McAliskey addressing the rally at this year’s Bloody Sunday March For Justice which had the theme ‘End Impunity’. Despite a wet, windy, wintry day around 3500 people braved the elements to march in solidarity with the victims of Bloody Sunday and other injustices
Link to a Video of Bernadette McAliskey’s Speech :
End Impunity! on Vimeo on Vimeo
Some Key Points from the speech :
Is the state of Northern Ireland governed according to the principles of openness, transparency and accountability?
Lawyers and human rights campaigners had to spend a whole day in court to force the Northern Ireland Justice Minister, Alliance Party Leader Mr David Ford, to allow Marian Price spend four hours grieving beside the coffin of her dead sister Dolours.
Nobody read about this because Mr Ford asked the judge to prevent public reporting of the case in the media.
But Bernadette McAliskey is not reporting; she does not work for the media; so she was only telling us :
The judge told Mr Ford that his behaviour was “unlawful, unreasonable, and irrational”.
“We are not supposed to say this” advises McAliskey. Read the rest of this entry »
Dolours Price buried in Belfast – “A Liberator But She Never Managed To Liberate Herself” The Irish Times – Tue, Jan 29, 2013
Dolours Price – “a liberator but she never managed to liberate herself”
Eamonn McCann’s tribute sums up this moving newspaper report – despite having major political differences, Eamonn McCann and Dolours Price remained close friends for forty years.
Bernadette McAliskey was applauded when she told shivering mourners:
“We cannot keep pretending that 40 years of cruel war, of loss, of sacrifice, of prison, of inhumanity, has not affected each and every one of us in heart and soul and spirit.
“We cannot keep pretending that the war did not hurt. It broke our hearts and it broke our bodies, it changed our perspectives and it makes every day hard.”
Carrie Twomey wrote this account of the wake and funeral for Dolours Price
Carrie Twomey : “Rest in Peace”
Clare Daly TD questioned Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore on the imprisonment without trial of Martin Corey and Marian Price in the Dáil recently.
Video Link Here :
Daly points out that Martin Corey has spent almost 3 years in jail without being shown any evidence justifying his incarceration – Gilmore hides behind the fact that the case is subject to an appeal in the Belfast Supreme Court next February. Read the rest of this entry »
“Be Patient and Never Give up the Struggle” An interview with Tommy McKearney
International Viewpoint has published a stimulating interview with Tommy McKearney,
http://www.tommymckearney.com/Site/Blog/Blog.html
Tommy McKearney - A Patient Revolutionary Socialist
We hope soon to carry a review of Tommy’s recently published book
Goodbye Armalite, Hello Ballot Box?
Tommy welcomes the United Left Alliance Project :
Q: In late 2010 the United Left Alliance came together to contest the February 2011 general elections in Ireland, winning five seats. What is you assessment of the ULA?
TM: The ULA is a positive and progressive development. The fact that organizations of the left have come together at any time is good and that these groups are doing so at this time of capitalist crisis is heartening and encouraging. The ULA has also given some needed visibility to the left through its articulate and high-profile spokespersons such as Richard Boyd Barrett and Joe Higgins.
Asked about Ed Moloney’s “Voices From the Grave” and the British state attack on the Boston College Belfast Project, Tommy says : Read the rest of this entry »
Northern Ireland News – Be Shocked, But Not Surprised – Prisoners Abused By the State
Two quotes sum up stories which should shock :
Over the last year, political prisoners in Maghaberry have faced a range of abuses of their human rights. More recently, Marian Price has been effectively interned, her licence revoked after 30 years of freedom. Worse, she is the only woman prisoner in Maghaberry, which means she is very isolated.
This public meeting has been organised by a broad-based group of women, many of whom do not agree with the political views of the prisoners whose rights they want to defend. But it is the case all over the world that, if we don’t stand up for the rights of all, whatever their political views, all of us will suffer in the end. Speakers at the meeting are families of the prisoners, including Marian Price’s sister. The meeting will be chaired by Bernadette McAliskey.
More Details Here :
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=237249876294398
Here is Quote Number 2 :
A report which could end the protest by republican prisoners at Maghaberry jail has gathered dust on the desk of Justice Minister, David Ford, for eight months.
The secret document – drawn up by respected individuals hand-picked by Mr Ford – lays out a clear way of ending the bitter confrontation between dissident inmates and the prison authorities.
…….
the main recommendation of the report – given to Mr Ford last October – indicates the confrontation could be swiftly resolved. New technology – whereby prisoners are searched with scanners and then sit in an x-ray-type machine called a BOSS chair – could bring peace to the jail, the authors suggest.
………
The report was compiled by former NIO political director, Chris McCabe; Peter Bunting, assistant general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions; and two experienced conflict resolution negotiators – Dutch woman Fleur Ravensbergen and Conal McFeely from Derry.
Full Report here :
Congratulations to Goretti Horgan and Bernadette McAliskey – Their example should be followed.
Tomás Ó Flatharta 