A chara
It was deeply moving to read your double page coverage about the publication of In the Footsteps of Ann and glimpses into the special hardships suffered by Republican women prisoners.
However it was troubling to see the photograph of a teenage Marian Price smiling from behind the bars of a British prison cell, and know that almost forty years later, she is again being brutally mistreated by the British, under the same IRA charge.
Forty years ago Republicans vowed to “Bring them Home” and beat British intransigence to bring Marian and Dolours back to that “Welcome home” banner in Armagh prison and finally home to Belfast under the pardon since shredded by Owen Paterson.
Today Marian like Martin Corey is held under a policy of Internment by license and denied the right to see or refute any secret information or “closed material” rubber-stamped for Paterson by Ford’s parole commissioners. When a British judge ruled that this star-chamber set-up was a breach of European Law, Paterson overruled him and ordered Martin Corey kept at Maghaberry until the colonial secretary could get a ruling more to his liking.
The British think they can disregard demands made by Sinn Fein and the SDLP for Marian’s release, so long as these parties remain tethered within Stormont and attend constabulary board meetings as visible tokens of assent for British policies.
The British calculate that Sinn Fein is now so tightly anchored by its places at Stormont that the party can no longer break ranks with the crown and walk out, even if it means sitting still for Internment. If Sinn Fein sits still for Internment now, then expect policies like Internment by License or Internment by Remand to be methodically used against more Republicans.
Are Republicans still capable of the type of the bold initiative and political leadership necessary to “bring them home” and end Internment? Were all the years of suffering and struggle about becoming reluctant accomplices in an acceptable level of Internment?
Just about sums it up for SF. They have no other role now than to suffocate republicanism. Mary Lou was on RTE tonight. She looked like one of those east-end gangsters, bling and year round tan.
ReplyDeleteI've been listening to the audiobook of a 'Tale of Two Cities'. The treatment of Marian Price in particular is very reminiscent of those people who were put in the Bastille on the basis of a 'lettre de cachet'. To quote Wikipedia 'The best-known lettres de cachet ... were penal, by which a subject was sentenced without trial and without an opportunity of defense to imprisonment in a state prison or an ordinary jail.' It's shameful that this is still happening in the 21st century.
ReplyDeleteMartin
ReplyDeleteTo give credence to PSF's 'demands' for Marian Prices' release, completely exonerates this grovelling bunch of British lackey sycophants. Their sickening silence on this whole internment issue, takes us to the very core of where PSF branded republicanism has led us: around, in one big fucking 360 degree circle.
Anyone remember that deviant cringing deceptive liar De Valera, who carried out more executions than the Brits ever did, in time periods
as little as 48 hours, after as menial a crime as resisting arrest. Difference is this time PSF have the Brits to do their dirty work for them.
The truth is, PSF need internment without trial. Dissent will always be their greatest enemy, and the parasites who feed off the 'party line' will surely self- destruct themselves, as ambition sucks the lifeblood from their withering corpse.
So lets not confuse PSF 'demands' with 'noble' gestures.
These bastards support Marian Prices' release like the rope that supports the hanging man.
Truerevisionist"these bastards support Marian Price,s release like the rope supports the hanging man" spot on a cara, we have had the spectacle of the suspected informer Martyboy Mc Guinness calling Irishmen/women traitors,and groveling to the head of the British armed forces,qsf are now the new Broy Harriers with Martyboy trying to emulate Dinny O Brien.
ReplyDeleteGerry Adams speaking at the 1998 Ard Fheis
ReplyDelete"In February 1994 I pointed out in my Presidential address to the Ard Fheis that "Irish republicans, by ourselves, simply do not possess the political strength" to bring about Irish unity.".
They do not have any strength to do anything, not even to walk out of that hated and detested British establishment which was always run by unionists, and, they are still running it, PSF are nothing but Puppets, They don't have the power to demand the ending of Internment, the abolishment of diplock courts , the arresting of people without evidence. If you are a dissenter , then you are guilty, that's PSF motto. to faced lying bastards, I'm beginning to wonder who the real touts are. They are being protected by the British. As far as they are concerned, Those Interned can rot inside. That's my view, they will stop at nothing to get the votes.
Itsjustmacker.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct. If we accept that PSF are 'collaborators', then by definition they are 'touts'. Neither position can be mutually exclusive.
I suspect clarity on this issue will be forthcoming in due course, as and when truth emerges.
Many laws yet little justice. It is not that the people are in contempt of court but that the courts are held in contempt by the people. Garnerville delenda est.
ReplyDeletethe royal ulster provos are at best indifferent and at worse complicit in the treatment being metted out to geriatric republicans who refuse to sing off their hymn-sheet.
ReplyDeleteto say either marian or martin is a threat to "national security" is an insult and their continued incarceration is nothing more than a lesson to all that any of us can be next.
appealing to the "republican credentials" of the royal ulsters to remedy this abuse of power is as useless as appealing to the pope to legalise contraception to lessen the risk of aids: the system must always be preserved.
Reminder: Free Marian Price March this sat 15th.
ReplyDelete