The Daily GRRR! Feb 4, 2015 - International Solidarity News
Welcome, I am your host Julian Ichim and you are listening to The Daily GRRR! International Solidarity News on 100.3fm, CKMS in Waterloo, Ontario. Soundfm.ca on the web, today is Feb. 4th, 2014.
We are broadcasting from the centre of the Haldimand Tract, the occupied Grand River Territory of the Six Nations (Haudenosaunee).
The Daily GRRR! is a project of the Grand River Media Collective; and is supported by the Community Radio Fund of Canada and CKMS.
Today’s feature is a speech of Francis Makey of the 32CSM via skype in Kitchener April 2013
We will begin today with headlines:
The Daily GRRR! HEADLINES for Feb.4th, 2014
1. Statement from Maghaberry 30/01/15th
2. Timeline Of Maghberry events
3. Statement of Republican POWS PortLaoise 04/02/15
4. Republican POW protest PortLaoise
1. Statement from Maghaberry 30/01/15th Republican Political Prisoners recently released a statement regarding plans made by the Jail Administration to further entrench conflict through regressive structural changes to our landings. These changes have been made and have as predicted further reduced our already limited space and further impeded our movement within our wing. Corridors and doorways leading from our landings into areas such as the canteen and yard have been replaced with obstacle courses of multiple turnstiles and steel doors. Furthermore, steel birdcages have been erected to cage us like animals in certain areas of the landing. Following protestations from RPPs the Jail Administration responded belligerently by covering the bird cages with darkened Perspex and sheets of wood. This set up would be hard to imagine for those who have not experienced Roe House. The purpose of these developments however is clear; to debase and disempower Republican Political Prisoners. Governors on Roe House were challenged regarding these latest repressive measures. Governor Malcolm Swarbrick responded to these challenges by directing jail staff to continuously use an alarm system which effectively closes down the wing as occurred on 3 occasions on 29-01-15. Other Governors present were Alan Longwell, Colin Ward, Thomas Ferguson, David Savage and the notorious Security Governor Brian Armour. The irony is not lost on RPPs when it was Armour’s cousin Brian (the red rat) Armour who directed terrible beatings and acts of degradation against Blanket Men in the H Blocks and who was executed by the IRA for such acts. These structures like other measures before them will fail to deter RPPs from pursuing our objectives. Those overseeing and implementing these policies would do well to use history as their guide to see where their actions will lead. Republican Political Prisoners and our supporters are determined and confident that we will overcome all obstacles and achieve all our aims regardless of the time or consequences. Republican Political Prisoners Roe House Maghaberry 30-01-15
2. Timeline Of Maghberry eventsTimeline of events leading up to and following the assault on Republican Political Prisoners Timeline of events leading up to and following the assault on Republican Political Prisoners UPDATE: 10.21 AM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 Roe House remains in turmoil today with reports to IRPWA that an unprecedented number of prison officers were drafted on to the wings yesterday. These screws are hell bent on creating conflict and began by verbally abusing Republican Prisoners; shouting vile degrading comments to individual prisoners about their wives and family members until eventually they began their predicted violence against RPPs. IRPWA have been informed that a number of RPPs have sustained injuries after being assaulted; one Roe 4 prisoner was isolated and forced into a cell where he was viciously assaulted. The presence of these well known notorious bully boy screws on Roe indicates to IRPWA that the Maghaberry Administration are once again demonstrating that they have no desire for a conflict free environment but are instead intent on creating conflict and indeed encouraging violence to be used against Republican Political Prisoners in Roe House. UPDATE: 10.32 AM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 IRPWA have just had another phone call from the Gaol stating that the Riot Squad have descended onto Roe and are currently beating Republican Prisoners and trailing them of the landings. The IRPWA representative could hear the violence being inflicted on RPPS in the background and it was sickening and horrific. UPDATE: 11.32 AM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 Republican Political Prisoners, Roe House, have asked that we change our planned protest to MAGHABERRY GAOL. The IRPWA are happy to accommodate the Prisoners so the planned protest in Belfast is now cancelled and instead we will be holding a protest at Maghaberry Gaol tonight at 7.00 pm. We are calling for everyone to make the effort to attend and show Maghaberry that we will not stand idly by while Republican Political prisoners are beaten in Maghaberry. Let us all answer the call of the Republican Prisoners and show them our support by being at the gates of Maghaberry tonight UPDATE: 12.09 PM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 Belfast Roe 4 prisoner Martin Kelly has a suspected broken arm after a severe beating by the Riot Squad and is currently lying in a cell in agony and has not received medical treatment. Prisoners who have been locked down in various areas of the Gaol have been told to return to their cells but are refusing to put themselves behind cell doors and indeed will be refusing any contact with screws which will result in food not being delivered at meal times today. Show your support by being at the Maghaberry Gaol tonight at 7.00 pm. UPDATE: 12.47 PM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 It has just been confirmed to IRPWA that Martin Kelly has indeed a broken arm and severe trauma injuries to his face and lacerations on his body after his beating this morning by the Riot Squad in Maghaberry. After his beating Martin collapsed and was trailed into his cell where he was left for an hour and half before he was seen by a nurse who gave him paracetamol. Martin is still lying alone in his cell with no indication of when he is being transported to hospital for treatment. When they eventually get round to bringing Martin to hospital he will be forcibly strip searched despite his appalling injuries. Show your support for Martin and his family and the RPPs by being at the Gaol tonight at 7.00pm. UPDATE: 13.00 PM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 Republican Political Prisoners are currently locked down in all different areas of Roe house since early morning. We have men locked down in the showers, the yard, the kitchen, the classroom etc some have no access to toilets and no prisoner has received meals today. UPDATE: 14.26 PM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 14.26 UPDATE: 14.50 PM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 RPP Martin Kelly has just been brought out of his cell to see the doctor and this is the first time his comrades have seen him since he received the beating at the hands of the Riot Squad. RPPs have told IRPWA that he is in a shocking bad way and his face is badly beaten and bleeding profusely. Martin told his comrades that the Riot Squad danced on his head UPDATE: 15.20 PM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 15.20 UPDATE: 15.33 – MONDAY 02/02/2015 RPP Martin Kelly has been returned to the wing and has received 5 temporary paper stitches to a wound on his cheek which the doctor has confirmed was inflicted by the heel of a boot. Martin is awaiting transport to hospital to have his broken arm set in plaster and have the temporary stitches replaced. He is in good spirits despite his injuries and expressed gratitude to the Republican Community when the RPPs informed him that a protest had been organised tonight at the Gaol in response to the Riot Squad acting with impunity today on Roe. UPDATE: 15.54 PM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 Finlay Spratt would need to check his facts before he gives statements to the media especially given that a doctor has confirmed that Martin Kelly’s injuries to his cheek were inflicted by the heel of a Riot Squad member’s boot. 15.54 UPDATE: 16.38 PM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 A RPP who was assaulted last night by screws on the wing has been in severe pain since last night and has been refused medical attention due to the ongoing situation. This mans condition has deteriorated throughout the day and IRPWA have been informed that he is now passing a serious amount of blood in his urine and is still being refused medical attention. Martin Kelly has now left the wing to be transported to hospital and will face a brutal forced strip search while already in excruciating pain from his injuries at the hands of the Riot Squad. IRPWA have been overwhelmed by the support which has been shown for Maghaberry RPPs today and in turn so have the Republican Prisoners when we relay back to them the mood of the Republican Community. With this in mind it is important that every effort is made to attend this protest at the Gaol tonight. UPDATE: 19.00 PM – 20.00 PM – MONDAY 02/02/2015 What a fantastic turnout tonight at the protest at Maghaberry. The response from Republicans was amazing and given the short notice the IRPWA never dreamed we would get as many people as we did at them gates in support of Republican Prisoners tonight. Well done to each and every one of you. We certainly made our presence felt tonight.
3. Statement of Republican POWS PortLaoise 04/02/15Statement From Republican Prisoners PortLaoise 04/02/15 Statement From Republican Prisoners PortLaoise 04/02/15 The Republican Prisoners on E3/E4 Portlaoise Jail, send solidarity greeting to our comrades in Roe House, Maghaberry jail. We salute your fortitude and restraint in the face of an ongoing attempt to break your spirit of resistance The agreement of August 2010 sought to put an end to the barbaric and degrading practice of strip searches, to allow greater freedom of movement within the republican landings and to create a conflict free environment. It is now abundantly clear that despite signing up to the 2010 August Agreement the jail administration have no intention of honouring their promises. This regressive regime seeks instead to break our comrades through brutality and intimidation. They have learned nothing from past conflicts within the prison system. Their actions fully expose the failures of successive attempts to govern a people who refuse to bend the knee to direct British rule or that of a proxy administration in Stormont. The Media’s one sided coverage makes a mockery of the self-styled democrats throughout our 32 counties. The silence of those who are quick to champion human rights violations in any other country but Ireland is deafening. Recent events in Maghaberry expose fully the British psyche that craves not only the capture but the degradation of those who refuse to submit to its will. Taking a Rebel prisoner is never enough, being captor will not suffice. David Ford the so called justice minister in the puppet regime plays the role of Pontius Pilate, washing his hands of any wrong doing while giving his full support to the sectarian bigots who brutalize political prisoners. Ireland has a long history of resistance to British imperialism and those who sacrifice their freedom for doing so must not and will not be left without a voice. Support the Republican Prisoners. Everyone can play a part. Republican Prisoners, E3/E4 Landings, Portlaoise Jail. 04/02/2015
4. Republican POW protest PortLaoiseStatement From Republican Prisoners PortLaoise – Solidarity Protest Statement From Republican Prisoners PortLaoise – Solidarity Protest Portlaoise Republican Political Prisoners on E3/E4 landings are currently this evening refusing to obey “Lock Up” in solidarity with our comrades in Maghaberry jail. This protest is designed not to cause conflict or confrontation in Portlaoise jail but to draw attention to the deplorable conditions and brutality endured by our comrades in Maghaberry jail and specifically the continuing refusal to allow injured prisoners medical treatment and access to their legal representatives. We call upon TD’s, Councillors and Senators in the 26 counties to raise these issues publicly within their respective chambers, with Stormont’s justice minister David Ford and the British government. We call for the immediate full implementation of the August 2010 agreement as a means towards a conflict free environment and whilst our protest tonight is but a token show of solidarity with our comrades, should this issue escalate we are prepared to step up our campaign accordingly. Republican Prisoners, E3/E4 Landings, Portlaoise Jail.
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You are listening to the International Solidarity News edition of The Daily GRRR! Today is Feb.4th2014 and my name is Julian Ichim and we are now moving into the feature portion of our broadcast.
Feature: talk that Francis Makey of the 32CSM gave via Skype in Kitchener in 2013