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1981 Hunger Strike Commemoration in Chicago
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The Irish Freedom Committee • 18 August 2006
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On
Saturday August 12, 2006 the Chicago Hunger Strike
Commemoration Committee, a diverse group of Irish
Republicans from the Midwest and across America,
gathered in Chicago to respectfully commemorate
the 25th anniversary of the 1981 Long Kesh Hunger
Strike; and to remember that today's Irish Republican
Political Prisoners still struggle for the same
rights that Bobby Sands and his nine comrades died
for in a British prison on hunger strike in 1981.
Three
Irish Republican organizations, including the Irish
Freedom Committee, participated in the Chicago Hunger
Strike Commemoration Committee Testimonial Dinner
event as a united front effort to acknowledge the
different political backgrounds that the Long Kesh
Hunger Strikers came from. The other co-sponsoring
organizations were the Concerned Group for Republican
Prisoners, based in Ireland and the United States;
and the Irish Republican Socialist Committee of
North America.
The
Irish Freedom Committee made a very strong showing
at the event with many dedicated and active IFC
Members traveling across the United States including
from Maine, Rhode Island, New York, New Mexico and
Minnesota to participate and to lend support to
the dependants and families of today's Irish Republican
political prisoners. One IFC Member arriving from
New York City brought a stunning display of framed
POW-made framed hankies and artwork to the event–
many of which are now available on the CHSCC website--
with all proceeds to be donated to the dependants
of Irish Republican POWs.
Veteran
Chicago Republican Frank O'Neill, rallying from
a sudden illness, made a surprise appearance at
the dinner and while declining to speak at the podium,
regaled his many well-wishers and long time friends
with his notorious self-deprecating humor and undying
revolutionary spirit. New friends left the event
with the awareness of the major role that Frank
has played in keeping the flame of Irish Republicanism
alive in America.
Seoirse
McLaughlin, founder and chairman of the New York
H-Block/Armagh Committee, gave a powerful and emotional
speech recalling his work as a spokesperson and
prisoners' rights activist during the Blanket protests
and the Hunger Strike. George spoke of the role
of memory and history, and the need to restore immediacy
to collective memories that perhaps no-one is listening
to any more. He spoke about the Five Demands, which
he traveled the United States and Ireland endlessly
repeating and pressuring for, and asked the question
how a man could sacrifice his own life to gain such
basic rights for his comrades. He said that the
ten who died were connected to a history that came
before them, that their identity was Irish and political,
not criminal.
"Today
is a sad day.... a day we talk with the dead and
we cry out to let them know we have not forgotten
them. The short lives they had ended in what now
seems like a rushed dream. A flurry of activity,
and inactivity, failed efforts, and great hopes.
New possibility, and old impossibility, unshakeable
faith, and cynical resignation. The ten men who
died, and their comrades who suffered physically
and mentally in Long Kesh and Armagh jails, had
a rare thing inside of them, a severe and binding
sense of purpose, of intent, of identity, individually
and collectively... Today we celebrate this desire
for freedom and the courage that it spurs, the commitment
it creates, the passion it fuels. For Ireland, many
have died, and many have been exiled, tortured,
abandoned, and defiled. But the desire for Irish
freedom has not gone away." Seoirse's
speech can be downloaded. (MP3 file)
Many
guests praised the beautiful journal pressed for
the event, with testaments and greetings from event
supporters across the United States. Statements
from POWs in Ireland and Britain, reprinted below,
were also included in the journal. An action sheet
was also passed to each person at he event calling
for continued phone calls to US Senators to oppose
the US/UK Extradition Treaty, slated for new hearings
on September 7th.
Leonard
Peltier, an American Lakota Indian POW, also included
a full page message of solidarity, explaining how
he joined the H-Block hunger strikers in 1981, and
went without food for nearly 40 days in his American
prison cell; he did so in support the H-Block Hunger
Strikers.
Well
known Chicago balladeer and long time IFC supporter
Joe Monahan entertained the crowd for several hours
with rebel ballads and tributes to the hunger strikers.
The evening closed with a very successful raffle
for handcrafted POW artwork, made by Irish Republican
POWs for the event in Chicago, with all proceeds
going to the assistance of their families and loved
ones.
The
Irish Freedom Committee would like to thank all
of our members who traveled long distances to support
this event, go raibh mile maith agat. We would also
like to thank the CGRP and the IRSCNA for contributing
their time and energy to make this event such a
success. Check the IFC website soon for photos and
audio of the event.
Please
remember the families of today's Irish Republican
POWs – support the Irish Freedom Committee®.
The National office of the Irish Freedom Committee
is located in Boston, MA, and its corporate offices
are in Chicago.
STATEMENTS
FROM IRISH REPUBLICAN POWs and Leonard Peltier,
an American Lakota Indian POW, for the Chicago Hunger
Strike Commemoration Committee Testimonial Dinner
– Saturday August 12, 2006
STATEMENT
FROM E4 REPUBLICAN POWs
A
chairde agus a chomraidaí,
Revolutionary
greetings to all Irish republicans in North America
from Republican Prisoners Group, E4 landing. We
stand strong in our beliefs and recognise that
you too stand with us with the same determination
and dedication. As has been the case before the
struggle is at a low ebb but unlike others who
have walked away or given up and accepted the
GFA you have remained faithful to the cause of
national liberation and for this we salute you.
Irish America has long been the friend of the
Republican movement and we are comforted by the
fact that so many of you have not forgotten us
here at home.
We
would especially like to thank the Concerned Group
for Republican Prisoners for their work and also
thank other prisoner support groups for their
work for other POWs.
On
this the 25th anniversary of the hunger strikes
it is apparent to all that there is no sign of
a British withdrawal as even the rights won by
the martyrdom of the h-block hunger strikers have
been taken away and conditions in the jails in
the 6 counties are as bad as ever. We ask that
you continue to work for Irish freedom in any
way you see fit and that you continue to support
Irish political prisoners, we ask that you work
especially hard for Aiden Hulme and the other
POWs in England and we can know in confidence
that you will as you are the true Irish in America,
those who refuse to forget your occupied homeland.
We
wish you all the success with the commemoration
and with everything else which lies ahead.
Tiocfaidh
ár lá,
Joe
Mooney
POW
E4 PORTLAOISE GAOL
STATEMENT
FROM OGLÁIGH NÁ hÉIREANN POWs,
MAGHABERRY AND PORTLAOISE PRISONS
The
Republican POW's in Maghaberry and Portloaise
Gaols extend our greetings and thanks to all those
who have attended this evenings commemorative
25th Anniversary Dinner in memory of those Irish
Republican soldiers who died on hunger strike
in 1981 for political status. Bobby Sands stated
the position for republican POW's:
"We refuse to lie here in dishonour! We are
not criminals, but Irishmen! This is the crime
of which we stand accused." This is our position
today.
It
is a tragic epitaph that today in Ireland political
status is once again being fought for, in 1980
the Officer Commanding the Irish republican POW's
in Long Kesh communicated:
"Generations will continue to meet the same
fate unless the perennial oppressor- Britain-is
removed, for she will unashamedly and mercilessly
continue to maintain her occupation and economic
exploitation of Ireland to judgment day, if she
is not halted and ejected."
It
is clear that Britain and its cohorts seek to
mercilessly continue her exploitation, regrettably
former comrades now seek to copper fasten that
agenda, it is in pursuit of that agenda, that
we would see this suffering of POW's again,
We
remember the protest that was held on the outside
of the gaols, in Ireland, England, Europe and
America. It was events similar to the one that
you are supporting tonight that gave hope to those
who were engaging in protest.
We
are aware of the restrictions placed on you all,
including the risk of imprisonment based solely
on your wish to support Irish Republicans, and
their dependants. Your honourable position and
determination remains unbroken.
It
is to that end that we salute your steadfastness
in the face of oppression, without your voice,
America would not have heard of Irelands best
kept secret, people would have believed in the
propaganda that Ireland has a settlement, this
could not be further from the truth. Ireland remains
illegally partitioned, Britain continues to deny
the Irish people a Sovereign state, this strategy
will fail because they, the British Government
and it cohorts have nothing in their whole imperial
arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman
or woman who doesn't want to be broken.
Bobby
Sands expressed his view:
"They
won't break me because the desire for freedom,
and the freedom of the Irish people, is in my
heart. The day will dawn when all the people of
Ireland will have the desire for freedom to show.
It is then that we will see the rising of the
moon."
We
the Irish Republican POW's remain unbroken and
determined.
An
Phoblacht Abu
Ogláigh
ná hÉireann POWs
MAGHABERRY
GAOL
LISBURN, CO. ANTRIM, OCCUPIED IRELAND
PORTLAOISE
PRISON, E3
PORTLAOISE, CO. LAOIS, IRELAND
STATEMENT
FROM IRISH REPUBLICAN POWS in ENGLAND
AUGUST
10 2006
We
the imprisoned Irish political prisoners incarcerated
in Full Sutton Prison, England, extend fraternal
greetings and good wishes to all assembled today
at this testimonial gathering in Chicago in memory
of the Long Kesh hunger-strike martyrs.
Today
as I write you these lines, the republican POWs
in Maghaberry prison are holding a 48 hour fast
to draw attention to their just demands, and plans
for the coming weeks are to step up the campaign
for the restoration of political status - won
by the hunger-strike martyrs - and lost by the
signing of the Belfast/GFA agreement.
Despite
the victory in 1981, the British establishment
continues to try and portray us all as criminals
- not as captured prisoners of war. But we all
know who the real criminals are - and their history
in our country over many centuries.
We
wish you a successful gathering, and good luck
with all you do in the future.
AIDEN
HULME
NOEL MAGUIRE
FINTAN O'FARRELL
HER MAJESTY'S PRISON FULL SUTTON
YORK, ENGLAND.
STATEMENT
FROM LEONARD PELTIER; FEDERAL PENITENTIARY, USA
I
join my Irish Republican brothers and sisters
in solidarity, just like I joined them during
the H-Block Hunger Strike in 1981 when I fasted
with them for 40 days. Know that our struggle
for freedom is not in vain.
“Mitakuye
Oyasin” – We are all Related.
In
solidarity,
Leonard
Peltier, # 89637-132
USP Lewisburg
P.O. Box 1000
Lewisburg, PA 17837
The
IFC urges you to write to Leonard Peltier who is
in his 30th year for a crime he did not commit.
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