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Maghaberry
POW's wish to draw public attention to our concerns
regarding future conditions at the gaol. Following
recent protests the prison authorities agreed reluctantly
for a Republican Wing set apart from those occupied
by criminals and pro-British paramilitaries. This
decision was made in line with the government sponsored
Steele Report. Subsequently the 'Northern Ireland
Prison Service' has announced its intentions to launch
a new regime for the Republican Wing entitled "Compact
for Separated Prisoners".
Bearing
in mind the tendency of the British authorities to
act in bad faith when dealing with Republican prison
protests, the POW's felt the need to look upon the
proposed regime with caution. On closer inspection
it appears our concerns were well-founded. At the
heart of the compact document lies the prison authorities
intention to deny normal everyday activities such
as education, recreation, exercise, regular association,
canteen facilities and even religious practice to
prisoners on Republican wings. The denial of these
rights is to be accompanied by daily cell and full
body searches. It is our opinion that these proposals
amount to no less than punitive sanctions against
those Republicans who choose to live in safety on
their own wing.
Of
equal concern is the prison service intention to enforce
upon Republican prisoners a rehabilitation scheme
under the title "The Home-Leave Resettlement
Boards" as a pre-condition to successful parole
applications.
The
system will require prisoners to undergo formal risk
assessment which will rely upon input from the PSNI,
Probation service and clinical psychologists and will
look for evidence that the prisoner has been "addressing
his offending behaviour while in gaol". This
programme is mandatory for criminals and sex offenders
and to impose it on Republicans is no less than a
calculated insult to political prisoners who know
full well they do not need to be rehabilitated from
anything.
In
keeping with our integrity as Irish Republicans, the
well-being of future POW's, not to mention the sacrifices
of past POW's on our behalf, we reject the "Compact
for Separated Prisoners" document.
Our
men have been instructed not to sign any document
in relation to it. The onus will now be on the prison
service to produce arrangements which will not attempt
to criminalise us by the back door, the intention
of the compact proposal.
Any
such attempt will as always be resisted.
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