Issue 206, Saoirse : Irish Freedom (June, 2004)

              saoiRse
THE VOICE OF THE REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT
UIMH206   JUNE
MEITHEAMH   2004 http://saoirse.rr.nu €1 (70p stg, USA $30 p.a.)
THE British authorities
in the Six Counties
"absolutely refused" to
attend or engage in any
way with the 30 years
delayed inquest into the
victims of the 1974
Dublin and Monaghan
bombings, it was revealed
recently.
Specifically, the
RUC/PSNI Chief
Constable Hugh Orde
refused to attend the
inquest, which published
its findings on May 20
last. The families ofthe 34
victims called for a public
inquiry to be instigated
by the Leinster House
administration into the
atrocities.
They said it was a "disgrace"
that the RUC/PSNI had snubbed
the inquest. They said that this
had damaged the investigation of
collusion between loyalists and
the British Crown Forces.
The inquest jury also asked
the Dublin administration to
investigate further and reached
verdicts of unlawful killing by
person or persons unknown in
the-death of all the victims.
The public nature of the
inquest was very valuable in
revealing much information that
was unknown to the public
before. Details emerged of eyewitnesses who has information
which was never followed up by
STOP B
CAMPAIGN
June 25: Parnell Square
Dublin, 7pm
June 26: Dromoland Castle, Co
Clare, 10am
June 26: Picnic for peace,
Phoenix Park, Dublin, 4pm
(near US Ambassador's
residence)
except their name
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5og2
DO X 5=i 30
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• RUC Chief Constable Hugh
Orde snubbed     Dublin
/Monaghan bombings' inquest.
the 26-County police; of a police
witness who placed a suspect in
the bombings as working in the
British army inside in Portadown
barracks.
The crucial fact ofthe refusal
of the RUC/PSNI to have anything to do with the inquest has
been largely buried in the establishment media. The Six-County
forensic scientist who was sent
crucial samples for analysis 11
days after the bombings also
refused to co-operate.
The reason this has been
largely ignored by the Dublin
media is because of its political
implications. The snub to the
inquest by the British authorities
in the Six Counties generally
points^ to a deliberate policy
decision from the top, instruction
those who were contacted to
refuse to co-operate.
UMISSHUifil
BODENSTOWN
13, 2004
Assemble 2pm, Sailins. Co. Kildare
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ORATION: SftRflH MURPHY, SOUTH ARMAGH
!• Bus leaves  Virgin Megasfore, Aston  Quayi
\Dubtin 12.45, TdiUe: €10.
This exposes what republican
Sinn Fein have always maintained: call them by a different
name and change their uniform
but the RUC/PSNI remains the
same — a British colonial police
force with the same attitudes to
the Taigs', north or couth.
Their members were centrally involved in the planning and
execution of the Dublin and
Monaghan bombings of 1974
along with British military intelligence. They have no intention,
30 years later, of going for any
'Paddy-inquest' to be interrogated about their involvement in the
greatest mass-murder of the of
the conflict in Ireland over the
past 35 years.
Their contempt for the relatives, the inquest and Irish people generally shows how nothing
has changed in relation to British
rule in Ireland since the signing
of the Stormont Agreement.
It also reveals the craven attitude of Bertie Ahern in relation
to setting up a public inquiry into
the bombings. He famously
asked what would the point be in
having an inquiry as 'we-would
only be talking to ourselves',
because the British have refused h
to co-operate'. '  %
Whenever establishment
politicians talk about the 'new'
police force in the Six Counties,
ask them about the RUC/PSNI's
attitude to the Dublin/Monaghan
bombings' inquest. Ask them
what Ask them what the
RUC/PSNI have to hide.
Ill-treatment of Maghabeny POWs
RECENT provocative ations in Maghaberry jail, Co
Antrim have raised concerns that the British administration has begun a campaign to divide Republican prisoners
and remove them to jails in England and Scotland. This
policy was revealed by SAOIRSE last January.
The following is a record of
events in Maghaberry prison from
May 10 to May 15:
A meeting took place in
Maghaberry prison between the
administration and screws on
Monday, 10 May last. The reason for
the meeting was not known but the
outcome was clear, a combination of
raids and ill-treatment of Republican
prisoners.
In the days following the meeting screws wearing boiler-suits and
with dogs forced their way into cells,
used foul and obscene language,
called prisoners bad names and challenged them to fights in a clear
attempt to force prisoners into confrontation.
The prisoners showed good
sense and refused to be drawn into
confrontation. Strip-searching of
prisoners was also carried out on a
large scale.
In the raids bedding was pull
onto the floor and was soiled by the
dogs. When prisoners asked for bedding to be replaced the screws
refused to do so leaving prisoners to
lie without bedding for almost a
week.
Prisoners weren't allowed hot
water nor were they allowed to take
meals outside their cells. Meals
brought to cells by the screws were
refused by prisoners, although it
must be stressed there is not a no-eat
ing protest or hunger strike.
Prisoners who had to go to court
were not allowed out of the cells to
have a meal, and weren't allowed hot
water.
The prison was put on lock-down
and prisoners were locked in their
cells.
One reason suggested by one of
the prisoners for this week of ill-
treatment of prisoners was that the
screws may be looking for a reaction
from prisoners to win back overtime
that has been cut. If screws could
force a reaction or protest lost overtime could be reinstated.
It should also be pointed out that
protesting prisoners could be
removed from Maghaberry to prisons in England, Scotland or Wales.
The only clear reason or known
reason lies with those who carried
out the ill-treatment of prisoners ie
the prison regime and screws.