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The
IRPWA view with serious concern recent events relating
to Maghaberry gaol. On Monday 10th November republican
prisoner Ciaran Mc Laughlin's father died. A request
for compassionate parole was made to the Northern
Ireland Prison Service so that Ciaran could attend
his father's funeral and be with his family during
this trying time. The NIPS responded by offering Ciaran
just 12 hours to travel to and from Derry, attend
the funeral and burial, and comfort his family. Needless
to say Ciaran refused such an insulting offer as he
felt, rather than alleviate some of the pain, such
a scenario would have added to his family's hardship
and grief. The treatment handed out to Ciaran is in
sharp contrast to others being allowed to vary their
bail conditions to accomodate the celebration of the
eleventh night bonfire and another Loyalist prisoner
being given parole to "help his granny move house".
Also
on Monday this week three people appeared in court
in Derry charged with arms offences. The conduct of
the PSNI/RUC outside the court to the families and
friends of those inside was totally unacceptable.
People were manhandled and forcible pushed aside without
cause for such heavy-handed action. The brother and
partner of one of the people before the court were
both forced to the ground and could have sustained
injury had friends not come to their aid. It appears
the 'new' PSNI again let their 'veil' slip and the
good old bigoted RUC was there for all to see.
To
further compound these problems one of the women charged
has now been victimised by the governor of Maghaberry
Women's Gaol-- (Mourne House). This woman appeared
before the court as Mary Burns. Although she declined
to either confirm or deny this, she has been remanded
into custody in Mourne House under this name. Likewise
she has been allocated a prison number under this
name and the prison have accepted her clothes and
money under this name, but today the Governor has
decided that she will not be allowed visits in the
foreseeable future until she speaks to him to confirm
her identity. It would appear that the Governor is
making up the rules as he goes along. We have heard
of breaches of prison rules by prisoners saying the
wrong thing but now punishment is being handed out
for saying nothing at all.
We
in the IRPWA insist that this woman is treated with
human dignity and demand that her right to be visited
by family and friends is respected. Nowhere in prison
rules does it state that a prisoner must speak!!!
We further demand that all Republican prisoners are
guaranteed adequate time to spend with their families
at times of bereavement and that they are not denied
such a basic right at the whim of whoever happens
to be on duty on a particular day. Decency and common-sense
should prevail at such traumatic times. Those working
to their own selfish agendas need to realise that
it is human beings who are suffering and bearing the
brunt of their actions.
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