Duffy hits out a prison policy

Paul Duffy told those gathered: "Irish history is littered with attempts by the British state in Ireland to break the will and resolve of those Irish republicans who found themselves in British gaols. The most epic of all those prison struggles commenced in March 1976 and culminated in the hunger-strike of 1981 during which ten Republican prisoners died in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh.

"That prison struggle in the H-Blocks and Armagh Prison came about as a direct result of Britain’s three phase strategy of “Ulsterisation”, “normalisation” and “criminalisation”. Ultimately, that strategy lay in tatters in 1981, but at a very high price, and in the aftermath of the hunger-strike, Britain quietly conceded to all five of the prisoners’ demands."

He said Britain believed it had now achieved the first two phases and added: "That leaves one element of Britain’s strategy still to be achieved – that of “criminalisation”. Of criminalising any republican who refuses to accept that Britain has any right to interfere in Ireland.

"Today, Republican prisoners are again subjected to an unjust, oppressive and violent regime. Republican prisoners are again locked up around the clock in their cells, surrounded by their own bodily wastes. That situation has not arisen by accident. It has came about as a direct result of a deliberate policy embarked upon by the British state and the prison authorities with one simple outcome in mind – to treat those men in Maghaberry as common criminals rather than acknowledge that they are in prison because of their political beliefs."

He concluded: "Endorsing the prisoners’ demands is about taking a stand for justice and for basic rights. That is something that many people can agree upon.

"So let’s start to enlist that support from today onwards. That way, the Republican prisoners can, and will be, victorious. "