IRPWA: DIRTY PROTEST NELL’ALA E3 DELLA PRIGIONE DI PORTLAOISE

E’ con grande rammarico che l’IRPWA invita la famiglia repubblicanaa a sostenere ancora una volta i POWs (prisoner of war, ndr) nella loro protesta contro la palese ingiustizia del sistema carcerario in Irlanda.
L’IRPWA è stata incaricata dai POWs repubblicani a precisare come e perché si è verificatoa questa protesta e di chiarirne le ragioni
Una protesta è attualmente in corso nell’ala E3 di Portlaoise Prison a causa della sospensione dei programmi di ‘rilascio temporaneo’ (TR, temporary release ndr) e del ‘rilascio compassionevole’ (CR, compassionate release ndr). E ‘ convinzione dei POW’s che questa sia una ritorsione alle azioni dell’ IRA nelle sei contee occupate, infatti, l’Irish Prison Service ha incaricato alcuni dei suoi portavoce a chiedere all’OC (Officer Commanding, ndr) dell’ala E3 se ‘crede nel frontiera’!
La situazione attuale è la seguente: due prigionieri repubblicani (Vinny Kelly e Justin McCarthy) sono attualmente impegnati in una no wash/dirty protest, non in una blanket protest come inizialmente lasciato trapelare.
Ad intervalli di tempo, tutti i POWs repubblicani aderiranno alla protesta, e in quella fase, vi sarà la sua escalation.
Il rappresentante dell’Irish Prison Service e il governatore hanno chiesto all’OC di riconsiderare la posizione dei POWs in attesa di un colloquio con il Free State Government. L’unica concessione dei POW sè stata di ritardare l’adesione di altri uomini alla protesta per un breve periodo di tempo per dare loro la possibilità di risolvere il problema. E’ impressione dell’IRPWA, che questa finestra di opportunità si chiuderà rapidamente e per questo ci appelliamo a tutti coloro che sono coinvolti nel Free State Government e nell’Irish Prison Service, a compiere notevoli sforzi per risolvere questa situazione intollerabile, non appena possibile.

Seguono il comunicato ufficiale dell’IRPWA e il comunicato ufficiale dei POW dell’ala E3 di Portlaoise Prison all’Irish Prison Service

Protest on E3 Portlaoise Gaol (IRPWA)
It is with great regret that the IRPWA call upon the republican family to once again support POW’s in their protest against the blatant injustice of the Prison system in Ireland.
The IRPWA have been tasked by the republican POW’s to state how and why this protest has occurred and to clarify the facts of this protest.
A protest is currently underway on E3 Portlaoise due to the suspension of the temporary release (TR) and compassionate release (CR) programmes. It is the belief of the POW’s that this has happened due to IRA actions in the occupied six counties, indeed the Irish Prison Service have indicated this much and one of their spokespersons has even asked the OC of E3 if he ‘Believed in the border’!
The situation at present is as follows: Two republicans prisoners (Vinny Kelly and Justin McCarthy) are currently involved in a no wash/dirty protest, NOT on the blanket as some have suggested. At intervals republican POW’s will join this protest until the whole landing is on protest , at this stage the protest will escalate.
The Irish Prison Service representative and the Governor have asked the Officer Commanding to reconsider the POW’s stance pending talks with the Free State government, the only concession the POW’s have been willing to make at this stage is to delay further men joining the protest for a short period to give them a chance to resolve the issue. It is the understanding of the IRPWA that this window of opportunity is fast closing and we would urge all those involved in the Free State government and the Irish Prison Service to make strenuous efforts to resolve this intolerable situation as soon as possible.

Statement from Republican Prisoners E3 to the Irish Prison Service.
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) states in its mission statement that one of its goals is to try to maintain relationships between prisoners and their families. This is one of the reasons for it’s Temporary Release (TR) programme. When a prisoner is released his chances of settling back into normal family relationships are improved. The programme was also to help prisoners to seek housing accommodation and social welfare payments and help further their education upon release.
The process for Political prisoners has always been compassionate on TR. We have always obeyed the rules set out surrounding releases of this nature. We have always maintained the integrity of being Republican prisoners by returning on time and there has never been an issue with this. We recognise the importance of these releases on the grounds that if we are to maintain family ties important events must be attended. In the past the IPS has allowed Republican prisoners to attend funerals of family and loved ones. It has also allowed for important religious events such as Christenings, First Holy Communions and Confirmations.
It has recently stopped all of this without any explanation being given. Examples of this include denials of applications to attend children’s First Holy Communions and funerals of close relatives. One application was submitted when a Republican prisoner’s only aunt passed away and the application came back denied after the funeral had already taken place. Another application was denied for a prisoner to attend the funeral of his twin’s mother and denied again for the twins Confirmation eight months after the death of their mother.
We the Republican prisoners of E3 landing will not tolerate this blatant discrimination and unjust treatment. It is only following recenet events in the six counties that this unfair treatment of our prisoners has intensified. We believe it is directly related and until the IPS and the Governor of Portlaoise Prison are willing to stop this harassment and mistreatment of all Republican prisoners we will commence protest. We will not be used as leverage for the British and Free State governments.