Rule 7 Bans Easter in Maghaberry

TPQ with a statement from Cogus prisoners in Maghaberry.

Maghaberry Cogus POWs Easter statement 2013.

We the Cogus POWs would like to take this opportunity to extend fraternal greetings to our comrades and friends who have shown immense loyalty to imprisoned republican prisoners. Your support during the eighteen month protest was inspirational. This Easter Sunday while many republicans will be honouring Ireland's dead, republican prisoners in Maghaberry shall be denied this right.

We have been informed that we shall be placed under Rule 7, which effectively means a 24 hour lockdown period. To avoid this we would be required to remove our Easter lilies. We would never agree either in prison or anywhere else not to pay our respects to Ireland's fallen. We note that some ministers in Stormont who this week wore an Easter Lily to give television interviews don't have any concern that the lily as a symbol is not held in the same stature as the poppy in workplaces.

Today four months after the ending of the "dirty protest", David Ford and the prison administration continue to renege on the 12th August agreement 2010. We continue to endure long periods of lock down. Throughout the day controlled movement still exists with prison admin not permitting more than one or two prisoners out of their cells at any one time. We have no access to the classroom or any formal education at all. Access to telephones, a vital contact point with our children during these long lockups is ad-hoc and irregular.

It is clear to Cogus POWs that the prison administration has torn up the 12th August agreement.  Sadly it is inevitable to us that many prison struggles lie ahead between Cogus POWs and the Prison service. We intend to ensure that Ford and the prison admin are held to the agreement. We now ask you again regrettably to again support us in the months ahead in our fight for justice, dignity and human rights.

Our plight will need highlighted. We need you to keep alive our message and plight in our communities. We urge ALL to reserve any differences we may have over strategy or tactics and ensure all in Roe House and outside finally hold this corrupt and sectarian prison service to account.

On behalf of all POWs we thank you for your continued support and at a time and place of our choosing we shall ensure we play our role in commemorating Ireland's dead inside Maghaberry Prison.


Signed be representative of Cogus POWs

10 comments:

  1. Your message is well alive and working.

    What everyone is up against is the British Establishment, A fact of life is, the British Government can only say a few things regarding security, This is run by MI5, In Fact, MI5 runs the British Government.
    Cogus prisoners in Maghaberry. should not be surprised at this lockdown, how many times has the system tried this. Wear your Ester Lillys with pride. You have not been forgotten. Let them stick rule 7 up, you know were. You will all prevail.

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  2. Thanks for highlighting again the ongoing problems for Maghaberry's POWs' chara. Your help is greatly appreciated. I would also remind readers that the same groups of prisoners have also been forced to resume their Dirty Protest because of the failure of Stormont to implement the 2010 August Agreement.

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  3. AR,

    you are welcome. While this statement does not focus on it it never ceases to annoy me that screws are still beating republicans or any prisoners after all the suffering endured to push them back.

    There should be no closed institutions in modern society where people with the power to abuse others are shielded from public scrutiny. The state has the public area=na well covered with CCTV. I can't see why they cannot be all over the jail and with no blind spots so that the screws can be monitored at all times.

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  4. AR,
    The issue about R4 going back on protest is unclear I'm told - indeed a family member of one of the lads I know was told they are not on protest despite things being posted on fb..

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  5. TR, Not all POWs' on Roe 3 are Cogus Prisoners, the statement above and my subsequent post only concern Cogus POWs' chara! Therefore, the POW you speak of may well not be a Cogus POW after all? Like everyone, I'd prefer no-one was on protest but sadly the NIO, Stormont and Brits still want to punish Republican POWs' in anyway they can but they cannot beat the lad's resolve!

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  6. In Fridays Derry Journal Adamsite Derry Chairperson Andrew McCartney called for a massive turn out for their so called commemoration in the city: Wrong person to ask Republicans for anything.

    In an act of desperation Derry Adamsites visited the homes of Republicans and old supporters they thought might still be sympathetic to sell out as a route to a United Ireland. They handed out invites to the march and asked those they visited for confirmation that they would attend.

    They also advertised free buses which would be laid on to bring people from Shantallow and the Waterside.

    Needless to say they failed miserably to attract more than 200 people - I and others saw this ourselves - Now bad enough that this is, you must realise that PSF in Derry has to have about that number of paid members plus politicians in the city plus their family and friends. So where were they?

    Oh and a former Blanket I know watched the PSF commemoration from the INLA monument and he later spoke to a photographer tasked with taking photos of the Adamsites. He said he couldn't believe how small it was. In fact he said by the time he took his camera out at the top of the New Road the March had passed by.

    They have only those they bought with British funding left...And not even half of them or their families turned up.

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  7. Dixie:

    What else would anyone expect from the Adamsite and PSF. They are on a downer, and continue so.

    The people are now realising what they are about. "Fooling People".

    I honestly believe they have told that many lies, "THEY BELIEVE IT THEMSELVES".

    Sad, But, True.

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  8. Quick question, are poppies allowed to be worn by prisoners in Maghaberry ?

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