Comments on The Pensive Quill: Strip-Search Brutality In Northern Ireland

Alec, the unresolved issue remains a burning one...

2011-11-24T18:53:58.777Z

Alec,

the unresolved issue remains a burning one for some of the people who went through the jails and know what the regime is like. Prison brutality always annoys me. In my experience there was always more violence from prison staff than ever there was from prisoners.

Nuala, but it happens throughout history unfortun...

2011-11-24T18:47:40.374Z

Nuala,

but it happens throughout history unfortunately. Dev let republicans starve and hanged them.

Ardoyne Republican, thanks for that. It is just a...

2011-11-24T18:45:07.202Z

Ardoyne Republican,

thanks for that. It is just a pity that the blog dies not reach more people than it does. These issues seriously need highlighted and you do as much as anyone to get it out there,

AM, Yeah, you are 100% right about the Sticks gras...

2011-11-20T14:03:30.978Z

AM,
Yeah, you are 100% right about the Sticks grassroots. I remember going around collecting money during both Hunger Strikes for posters and leaflets etc. and every grass root Stick was more than happy to contribute, the only person that knocked me back was an SDLP supporter!

This is a welcom piece from Sandy. He rightly poin...

2011-11-19T18:11:37.843Z

This is a welcom piece from Sandy. He rightly points out some major shortcomings in the campaign to build support for the prisoners demands which were agreed by the NIPS back in August 2010.

Our failure to broaden the base is fruastrating and, at times, demoralising for all involved. But there are local dynamics in nationalist/republican areas working against the prisoner support networks. Many of the people who would have supported prisoners in the past have switched off or have become complacent. Others, for reasons of political affilation, are openly hostile and have attempted to prevent the issues being highlighted. Society at large does not see prisons as a pirority, at the best of times, and perfers to turn a blind eye to such issues unless they impact their comfortable lives.

History warns us of the high price of ignoring problems inside the prisons particularly for prisoners and their families. Left to their own devices republicans will leave no stone unturned in order to assert their political idenity. Although the prisoners are small in number they are determined to see the August agreement implemented in full.

Sandy, not all the prisoners are so called 'd...

2011-11-19T15:55:23.242Z

Sandy,
not all the prisoners are so called 'dissidents'. A few of them are former provos who were ordered by Adams and McGuinness to hand themselves in.
One of these prisoners Harry Fitzsimmons has continually been singled out for particularly brutal treatment and yet the organisation who sanctioned the operation remains mute about his treatment.

Mackers, I wonder is it the Stick virus they are ...

2011-11-19T15:44:12.403Z

Mackers,
I wonder is it the Stick virus they are putting in the 'genuine taste of freedom' drinks?
Whatever it is it is working as they all appear to be clones of the Master and whilst they are all cloning around Republican prisoners are being humilated, beaten and degraded.

Nuala, a more instructive leasson from back then ...

2011-11-19T13:20:44.807Z

Nuala,

a more instructive leasson from back then is to be found in the experience of the Sticks. During the blanket protest and the hunger strikes the Sticks were supporting the British stand and doing nothing to improve prison conditions. Many of their individual members could not abide by their leaders and supported the prisoners anyway.

The lesson is that this happens to republicanism once it is infected by the Stick virus. I look at SF today and can see none of the calibre of Sean MacBride who was most certainly prepared to make prison conditions a serious policy issue for his party.

Mackers, who said it is only snakes that shed eve...

2011-11-19T12:59:49.198Z

Mackers,
who said it is only snakes that shed everything?
Could we ever have imagined back then, that a lot of the people who were to the fore during the prison protests are now sitting back quietly wishing this away.

It should also be remembered that most of these th...

2011-11-18T20:20:44.630Z

It should also be remembered that most of these these prisoners are on remand, therefore not convicted under any unjust british law, or interned by proxy(revoking of licences). I hope this protest can end soon with the full implementation of the 12th August 2010 agreement. Until then "Support the pows"

Thankfully there's blogs like yours that are r...

2011-11-18T18:32:07.579Z

Thankfully there's blogs like yours that are read far and wide otherwise most people wouldn't even know about the terrible conditions in Maghaberry Mackers....

More needs to be done but due to censorship and the white-picket fence thoughts of those unwilling to criticise the so-called Peace Process, supporters of the POWs' find it hard to reach out and generate support!

GRMA

Sandy, pieces like this keep the issue under the ...

2011-11-18T08:37:47.046Z

Sandy,

pieces like this keep the issue under the spotlight. Strip searching in today's technological world is primitive, and like the mirror search of the blanket is used with degrading the prisoner firmly in mind.

Grim reading indeed. There is a serious dearth of ...

2011-11-17T23:03:27.734Z

Grim reading indeed. There is a serious dearth of information in relation to what is happening inside the gaol.
People such as Eamon Mc Cann are right, there needs to be a coming together of the different strands, there needs to be one united voice around this issue.
Sinn Fein may have had their hands forced on the Brendan Lillis issue,
however, I doubt they will rock any boats in relation to Republican prisoners.