pieces of toilet paper, was smuggled out of the H-Blocks in March. Socialist Action received it from the Manchester Women and Ireland Group. It has been abridged for reasons of space.
"...I address this to your organisation as my comrades and I are well aware of vour work tot treedom ano mustice.
Firstly, I will briefly outline the history of our prison struggle so that you mav be abe to look at une situanon objectively and judge for yourselves the merits of our cause.
In June 1972, after a prolonged hunger strike by Republican prisoners, the British government was forced to concede to their demand to be treated as political prisoners. This was the status they held until March 1976 when the Brits, who at that time were trying to depict the Republican Movement as criminals, decided to once more break their promises and to withold political status from any future political prisoners.
But as you know, we refused to be "criminalised" and since 1976 my comlades and i nave been kept in sontary confinement, naked but for a blanket..
FAST Last year, having explored and exhausted every possible alternative, we, the Blanketmen and women decided to hunger strike to the death in a desperate effort to regain political status and to bring an end to our miserable existence in these jails.
So, on the 27th of October last, seven comrades within these Blocks commenced a last and were soon joined by three women in Armagh and finally by another thirty prisoners...
As the fast progressed, support for our cause snowballed and pressure on Britain increased - so much so that Thatcher, after her meeting with Haughey, stated that she believed the situation could be resolved without loss of life. This could only mean one thing (since) there had been no weakening in the resolve of the prisoners on hunger strike: an offer was imminent.
SCABBED On the 53rd day of the hunger strike, when Sean McKenna was only hours away from death, a document was presented to the original seven men on hunger strike. This document, prepared by the colonial Northern Ireland Office, contained detailed proposals from the government concerning changes in the prison regime.
On detailed examination of the document, the hunger strikers found that it satisfied our demands for political status and, with time running out for Sean, an end was called to the hunger strlke...
As a gesture of good will, we de-escalated our protest which would also facilitate the transition; but there was no transition - we waited, and waited and waited. As time went on, anticipation turned to suspicion and finally to anger. We had been conned, and at the root of violence against women though it is hard to admit, outmanoeuvred by the treacherous British double-dealing and backtracking...
PROTEST the Brits had reneged, we discussed the situation and what to do about it. We decided that there were only two alternatives open to us.
as it was before the hunger strike, in the faint hope that Britain might finally find it in her heart to treat us fairly, or we could once more commence CLASS JUSTICE La hunger strike.
politicians who are renowned for their When we were absolutely sure that FREEDOM We could either continue our protest To have opted for the former would fence. have, we believe, shown weakness on our behalf, so we unanimously elected for another hunger strike.
On March 1st, the fifth anniversary of the withdrawal of political status, Bobby Sands, a personal friend of mine, began a hunger strike to the death.
Bobby, like the vast majority of his 500 or so comrades in these blocks and Armagh jail (on the blanket), was only a teenager when he first came into jail.
He has spent the last nine Christturn sociery into a ruling class paradise. mases inside this camp, four with and five without political status. When he was outside, Bobby was a tireless worker for freedom. He fought for the freedom of all oppressed people of Ireland..
SUPPORT The British government believes that, having defused the last hunger strike, they are now in a stronger position and can now much more easily afford to let prisoners die.
Bobby Sands and those who will shortly join him on hunger strike are under no illusions about the compassion of the enemy. They are prepared to die and very likely will die unless that massive pressure directed at Britain aurig une last nunger surike 1. once more applied..
You too are involved in a struggle and you know that at times of crisis. those who are not for you are against you. There can be no sitting on the It is hard for me not to become emotional when the lives of our friends are hanging in the balance, but I ask for your support, not as a friend of the comrades in question, but as a brother of yours in struggle. Our struggle is your struggle, our victory is your victory..."
Struggle and Solidarity Jackie McCullan H-Block 5, Long Kesh