End the Internment of Irish Republicans
Last month Veteran Republican, Marian Price was arrested by the RUC/PSNI and later appeared in a Lisburn Court to face a ridiculous charge of ‘glorifying terrorism’. The Belfast woman’s Solicitor immediately applied for bail given that she is not a threat to anyone and is 57 years-old. The Magistrate agreed and ordered she be released.
Before Marian could be freed by the Court, British Direct Ruler, Owen Patterson ‘revoked’ her Life Sentence ordering her back finish her sentence. She had been given the prison term for her involvement in a Provisional IRA bombing Campaign in England with her sister, Dolores and Gerry Kelly amongst others. During their time inside, they endured lengthy hunger-strikes to be recognised as Political Prisoners and to serve their time in Irish gaols. How ironic for Marian that Mr. Kelly is now one of three Provisional Sinn Fein members who represent the Party on the British Policing Board. While Marian is isolated, the only woman held in an all-male prison in Maghaberry.
Unsurprisingly, Marian Price is not the only Irish Republican to be returned to prison under siminlar circumstance. Like Marian, Martin Corey (19) from the County Armagh town was sentenced to Life Imprisonment in December 1973 for Provisional IRA activities. He was to spend the next 19 years inside Long Kesh and was released in June 1992.
Since returning to his hometown, he did his upmost to rebuild relationships with his family and friends. Like the majority of former POWs’, Martin found it difficult to find employment although, he remained committed to the Republican objective of a free Ireland. However, without warning Martin’s home was raided by the RUC/PSNI in April, 2010. He was immediately arrested by the Political Police and notified his sentence was being revoked. Martin was driven at high speed and placed into Maghaberry Gaol in County Down.
Since then, Martin has been held without any official reason given by the British and/or Stormont Governments as to why he had his sentence revoked. Like Marian Price, Martin is a principled Irish Republican and is being held as a political hostage because of their political beliefs.
The Internment of West Belfast man, Brendan Lillis is a little different from that of Marian and Martin. In that, Brendan or BL as he is popularly known, was arrested in connection with an attempted robbery unconnected to Irish Republicanism in 2009. Despite the charges having absolutly nothing to do with republican activities, BL’s Life Sentence was revoked and he was ordered to remain within prison.
Like many of his peers, Brendan became involved in the Provisional IRA back in 1971. He served over 16 years in Long Kesh and later in the H-Blocks, four of them on the Blanket Protest. BL was released in 1994 and returned to his native West Belfast, where he lived until his re-arrest. Earlier this year, all charges against BL were dismissed because according to a number of Doctors, he was ‘not fit enough to stand trial’.
Since his re-arrest, BL has been held the prison hospital in Maghaberry Gaol because he suffers from a chronic medical condition called ankylosing spondylitis; a painful and incurable condition which cause the spine to fuse. On entering Gaol in 2009, Brendan weighed some 175 lbs, but now only weighs, wasted to 82 lbs. He is bed ridden and cannot leave his bed at all. Like Marian Price, BL is held in isolation and has no contact with others. His friends and family are concerned about his health and feel he is being denied proper medical treatment.
The mainstream media wish to portray that all is well in the British occupied Six Counties. They refuse to broadcast or print anything that exposes the flaws inherent with the continued occupation and/or Partition. However, it is clear to anyone who reads the above facts, that the continued British presence remains as corrupt and vindictive as it has always been!
Ardoyne Republican calls on all Irish Republicans, Socialists and Democrats to highlight the Internment of Marian, Martin and Brendan as one of many issues connected with Britains continued denial of national Irish sovereignty.
