© The Irish Freedom Committee NewsList - IFC Updates

Hunger Strike: A Follow-Up

Wednesday January 31, 2001

Concerns for lingering affects on Irish Republican POW Danny McAlister's health, following a nearly 3-week Hunger Strike at Portlaoise Prison, appear to be abating as reports today from Portlaoise indicate that Danny is making a good recovery, with no signs of any adverse affects.   The Hunger Strike appears at this stage to have been a success for all

POWs at Portlaoise; with Independent Labour TD Joe Costello promising to "do his utmost", to see that the deal which he brokered between Danny and the Dublin Justice Minister is upheld in coming weeks.

The statement below from the IRPWA is dated January 20, 2001; yet we are posting it again as many of you may not have seen it due to Microsoft and e-List technical difficulties over the weekend that saw the end to Danny's Hunger Strike.

Thank you for your continued support to Irish Republican POWs now being criminalized under the new British agenda in Ireland.

Irish Freedom Committee

www.irishfreedomcommittee.net

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The Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association Welcomes End to Hungerstrike

January 20, 2001

After nineteen days on hunger strike the Department of Justice has conceded to Danny McAlister's just demand for an end to its Discrimination policy. This came about after intervention by a third party from a humanitarian N.G.O. who initiated negotiations between the Republican Prisoners in Portlaoise and officials from the Department of Justice.

The Agreement reached, as a result of these negotiations, was witnessed by Joe Costello of the Labour party. As the "honest broker" in these negotiations Joe Costello promised the prisoners in Portlaoise that he will do his utmost to ensure the agreement reached will be fully implemented. On the basis of this guarantee Danny ended his fast.

We congratulate Danny and his comrades on their victory, and with them, we sincerely hope that we have seen the end of the discrimination policy.

Danny sends his gratitude to all who supported him and a special thanks to those who sent letters and cards. Your support is the prisoners strength and your continued support will help to ensure that the Department of Justice cannot renege on their part of the agreement.

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© The Irish Freedom Committee NewsList - IFC Updates

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Please join us in cautious celebration at the ending of Danny's heroic twenty-day Hunger strike. Past history has shown that the Dublin Government does not keep its promises.

Danny McAlister Ends Hunger Strike

Monday January 22, 2001

The Irish Freedom Committee is happy to relay that the Hunger Strike in Portlaoise Prison was ended on Saturday morning; the 20th of January. This was the 20th day of Danny McAlister’s hunger strike. We are still awaiting details on what transpired between POW McAlister and the Dublin Government. It is expected that some concession has been granted to McAlister and to other POWs in the area of compassionate or humanitarian leave.

We join many others in our concern for the lingering effects of such an ordeal on Danny’s health.

We would like to extend grateful thanks to the many who called and wrote the Dublin Government on Danny’s behalf. We can only assume that the sheer volume of the response we received over the effort in Portlaoise was greatly influential to the Dublin Government. We would like to also thank as well the several among you who contacted media representatives in order to encourage an end to the media blackout, which led to a supportive response from some members of the media.

The Irish Freedom Committee would particularly like to thank POW Representative Maria Todd for her many efforts on behalf of Danny and his family. As subscribers to this list already know, Maria was able to visit with Danny and his family last week, and considerably encouraged him during this critical time.

Thanks are also most gratefully extended to those who wrote supportive cards and letters to Danny during this difficult time. He drew much encouragement from these efforts, and will continue to appreciate your cards as he recovers from this massive personal sacrifice on behalf of all POWs who have been denied compassionate leave to visit ill or dying loved ones.

The orchestrated criminalization by the Irish and British Governments of Republican POWs in Portlaoise and Maghaberry prison must end. The continued revocation of Political status in Maghaberry Prison in the Occupied Six Counties has a grave potential for further emergency.

Please join the Irish Freedom Committee in calling for an immediate “parity of esteem” for Republican POWs who do not support the Stormont Sell-Out. It is telling that throughout Danny McAlister’s 20-day hunger strike, former Republicans now seated in British Government fully complied with the Dublin and British Government position; and assisted, with their silence, in the media blackout.

Thank you;

The Irish Freedom Committee

www.irishfreedomcommittee.net

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© The Irish Freedom Committee NewsList - IFC Updates

Hunger Strike Update - DAY SIXTEEN

Tuesday January 16, 2001

As Justice Minister John O'Donoghue was speaking in Cork today, announcing a £100 million investment in prison refurbishment; Irish Freedom Committee POW Representative Maria Todd sat in a freezing Visitor's box in Portlaoise with POW Danny McAlister, today on his sixteenth day of hunger strike.

The visit was limited to one hour, which comprises the total amount of time Danny is allowed out of his cell in one 24-hour period. The remaining 23 hours are spent in total lock-down, as they have every day since his hunger strike began. Danny has lost 2 stone; or 28 pounds. 

Despite the massive weight loss on a medium-build frame, Danny's spirits are surprisingly good. He is alert, fully cognizant, and wholly aware of the reality of his situation.

Danny spends much of his day in bed, trying to conserve energy. He wears several layers of clothing and a knit cap to retain valuable heat. He takes plenty of fluids, salt tablets, and an occasional coffee or tea.

He spends his long days of confinement in virtual darkness, out of his concern that the light will eventually begin to blind him as the hunger strike wears on. He is kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day.

Danny is on hunger strike in order to receive the same humanitarian benefits which have been extended in the past to other POWs; most recently to Provisional POWs in Castlereagh Barracks. He had requested a compassionate leave last year from the Justice Minister, in order to see his father before he died. This request was approved and denied a total of eight times, with Danny getting as far as the prison gate with train ticket in hand, before his father finally died alone. He was eventually granted his leave in order to attend the funeral.

Over the Christmas holidays Danny again applied for compassionate leave; this time to visit his ailing elderly mother, and a brother who is ill with leukemia. A three-day compassionate leave was originally granted, but when Danny arrived at the gate with his packed bags, he was bluntly told that the Dublin Government had revoked the decision. He was told that the Dublin Government "thought he was a Provo". 

Danny's decision is entirely his own, but other prisoners in the wing have undertaken solidarity measures in tandem. Other Portlaoise POWs have refused kitchen and canteen privileges, stopped their education privileges, and have said that they support his decision 100%.

Danny is determined to go through with the hunger strike. As the days go by this decision becomes more and more critical. The sole responsibility for Danny's hunger strike lies with the Dublin Government, most specifically with Justice Minister John O'Donoghue (please see address below). Danny is anxious to convey that his protest is not directed at the prison Governor, whom he feels is sympathetic; but is wholly directed at the Dublin Government's policy of criminalization toward political prisoners; and the discriminatory decision to allow some prisoners humanitarian leave, and not others.

Danny has been told that the Dublin Government will not negotiate until he comes off of his hunger strike. This is wholly unacceptable to Danny.

There have been reports of negotiators being denied access to the prison, but apparently he has been visited recently by an intermediary who is communicating with the Department of Justice. There are unconfirmed reports that an Independent TD is to visit with Danny later this week.

Throughout his ordeal, Danny has been much uplifted and encouraged by the many cards and letters he has been receiving. He extends through us a very grateful "thank you", as he is unable to return each correspondence.

Please continue to write to Danny at the address below; the support he gains from your cards and letters is immeasurable.

Please write, call, or fax Dublin Minister for Justice Mr. John O'Donoghue today. Please call or fax your area Free State Consulate (addresses below). Demand to know why the Irish Government is allowing a 46-year-old grandfather and father of five to starve to death in one of its prisons, in the midst of a £100 million prison expansion programme.

Thank you;

The Irish Freedom Committee

www.irishfreedomcommittee.net

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Please write to:

Mr. John O'Donoghue, T.D.

Dublin Department of Justice

72-76, St. Stephens Green,

Dublin 2, Ireland.

Telephone: +353 - 1 – 602-8202

Minister O'Donoghue Office - +353 - 1 - 602-8202

Fax: +353 - 1 – 661-5461

Email the Minister of Justice: minister@justice.ie

Please continue to register your outrage on the inhuman denial of compassionate leave to POW Danny McAlister, who has already been through the ordeal before; and was denied his dying father's wish to see him as a result.

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Free State Consulate Addresses: 

(Washington DC, New York NY,  San Francisco CA, Boston MA, Chicago IL):

Free State Consulate General - Washington DC

2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW

Washington DC 20008

Phone: (202) 462-3939

Fax: (202) 232-5993

Free State Consulate General - New York NY

345 Park Avenue, 17th Flr.

New York, NY 10154-0037

Phone: (212) 319-2555

Fax: (212) 980-9475

Free State Consulate General - San Francisco CA

44 Montgomery St., Ste. 3830

San Francisco CA 94104

Phone: (415) 392-4214

Fax: (415) 392-0885

Free State Consulate General - Boston MA

535 Boylston St.

Boston MA 02116

Phone: (617) 267-9330

Fax: (617) 267-6375

Free State Consulate General - Chicago IL

400 North Michigan Ave.

Chicago IL 60611

Phone: (312) 337-1868

Fax: (312) 337-1954

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Please send your cards and letters to Vol. Danny McAlister:

Danny McAlister, Republican Prisoner

Portlaoise Prison

Portlaoise, Co. Laoise

Ireland

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For a complete list of all POWs currently being criminalized by the

British Government, as well as several who are also being denied Political

Status; please see our National website at: www.irishfreedomcommittee.net

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© The Irish Freedom Committee NewsList - IFC Updates

Hunger Strike Update - DAY FOURTEEN

Monday January 14, 2001

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Mr. John O'Donoghue, T.D.

Dublin Department of Justice

72-76, St. Stephens Green,

Dublin 2, Ireland.

Telephone: +353 - 1 – 602-8202

Minister O'Donoghue Office - 066-72413 and 066-72631

Fax: +353 - 1 – 6615461

Email the Minister of Justice: minister@justice.ie

Please continue to register your outrage on the inhuman denial of compassionate leave to POW Danny McAlister, who has already been through the ordeal before; and was denied his dying father's wish to see him as a result.

Thank you;

The Irish Freedom Committee

www.irishfreedomcommittee.net

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DAY FOURTEEN

Today marks the fourteenth day on Hunger Strike by Irish Republican POW Danny McAlister, at Portlaoise Prison in the Irish Free State. He has now entered his third week without food. Family members are reporting that his spirits are quite good, although he has lost a great deal of weight.

Updates on Vol. McAlister's health, as well as any news of possible action by the Dublin Government, to follow shortly.

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Please send your cards and letters to Vol. Danny McAlister:

Danny McAlister, Republican Prisoner

Portlaoise Prison

Portlaoise, Co. Laoise

Ireland

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© The Irish Freedom Committee NewsList - IFC Updates

Hunger Strike enters Third Week

Saturday January 13, 2001

Vol. Danny McAlister, 46, will tomorrow enter his third week on hunger strike in Portlaoise Prison, Ireland.

Family members who have visited Vol. McAlister report that his spirits are good, although he has lost quite a bit of weight and is weak. He is due today for a scheduled weigh-in.

Vol. McAlister has been refused compassionate leave by the Dublin Government to visit his ailing elderly mother, and a brother who is seriously ill with leukemia. Vol. McAlister had his compassionate parole requests to visit his dying father denied eight times by the Dublin Government in 1999, and was only eventually allowed to attend the funeral after a legal effort. During his battle to see his father, the Dublin Government quite maliciously toyed with McAlister; allowing him at one point to the front gate of Portlaoise Prison to receive his train ticket; only to be told 15 minutes later that the leave was refused. Shortly thereafter his father passed away. Additionally, two of his three children were hospitalized at different times during this ordeal; he was denied compassionate leave to visit them also.

Vol. McAlister, originally from Ballymurphy, West Belfast; was arrested in a shoot-to-kill operation by 26-County police Emergency Response Unit (ERU) in 1998, which left Vol. Rónán Mac Lochlainn dead. The ambush by the Free State ERU took place in broad daylight in the vicinity of many rush-hour civilians, following a surveillance operation against the Oglaigh na hÉireann planned robbery of a Securcor van. Amnesty International has subsequently taken up the case of the assassinated Volunteer, citing the Free State excessive force as being in direct violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.

There has been a virtual news blackout on Danny's hunger strike, most noticeably from new British Ministers in Stormont, and from Irish American groups in the U.S. once actively involved in campaigns for Political Status and the ensuing Hunger Strikes. 

Please take the time today to demand that the Dublin Government allow compassionate leave to Danny McAlister. Please write to Justice Minister John O'Donoghue at the address published below. Please send your cards and letters to Danny McAlister at:

Danny McAlister, Republican Prisoner

Portlaoise Prison

Portlaoise, Co. Loaise

Ireland

The Irish Freedom Committee

www.irishfreedomcommittee.net

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Write to:

Mr. John O'Donoghue, T.D.

Dublin Department of Justice

72-76, St. Stephens Green,

Dublin 2, Ireland.

Telephone: +353 - 1 – 602-8202

Minister O'Donoghue Office - 066-72413 and 066-72631

Fax: +353 - 1 – 6615461

Email the Minister of Justice: minister@justice.ie

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© The Irish Freedom Committee NewsList - IFC Updates

Irish POW on 5th Day of Hunger Strike

January 5, 2001

Irish POW Danny McAlister, 45, is today on his 5th day of Hunger Strike in Portlaoise Prison in the Irish Free State.

Danny, a father of five and a grandfather, has been refused compassionate leave to visit his ailing mother and brother. He has resorted to drastic measures owing to his prior experience with obtaining compassionate leave from the Dublin Government. Last year, as his father was dying in hospital, Danny was continuously denied compassionate leave to visit him; and was only allowed to attend the funeral after a legal effort on his behalf.

There will be a protest outside the Irish Embassy in London tomorrow, held by the London 32 County Sovereignty Movement, to highlight the Dublin Government's continuing refusal of compassionate leave to Hunger Strike POW Danny McAlister. Details follow below.

Please write, email or fax the Dublin Government today and register your outrage at the refusal of compassionate leave to a man who has already been denied his leave to see his dying father.

The Irish Freedom Committee

www.irishfreedomcommittee.net

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Write to:

Mr. John O'Donoghue, T.D.

Dublin Department of Justice

72-76, St. Stephens Green,

Dublin 2, Ireland.

Telephone: +353 - 1 – 602-8202

Minister O'Donoghue Office - 066-72413 and 066-72631

Fax: +353 - 1 – 6615461

Email the Minister of Justice: minister@justice.ie

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Notice from the London offices of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement:

January 5, 2001

"We (London 32 CSM) are holding a protest picket outside the Irish embassy in London tomorrow (Sat) commencing midday until 4.3O - to highlight the hunger-strike in Portlaoise Prison. We are calling on all other political groups (and republican groups) to join us in this protest.

We shall hand in a letter at the embassy - written personally to the Irish ambassador Ted Barrington - deploring the treatment of the Irish POW Danny McAllister and demand he be given compassionate leave to visit his elderly mother and seriously -ill brother.

Anyone interested in supporting our protest picket tomorrow should join us outside the Irish Embassy - I7 Grosvenor Place, London SWIX - 7HR at I2 Noon.

We are also organising a ''phone-in'' - where people can phone the embassy to make their feelings felt. The embassy phone number is - O2O7 245 9O33. We are asking people to phone on the hour - every hour - thereby jamming all other calls to the embassy."

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The Irish Times

Friday, January 5, 2001

Prisoner starts hunger strike for parole

By Suzanne Breen, in Belfast

A "Real IRA" prisoner has gone on hunger strike in Portlaoise prison in protest at a decision not to grant him compassionate parole. Danny McAlister (46) from Belfast began refusing food on New Year's Day.

He claimed this was because of the authorities' continuing refusal to grant him compassionate parole to visit his sick mother and his brother, who is suffering from leukaemia. McAlister is serving eight years for an attempted robbery near Ashford, Co Wicklow, in May 1998, when a "Real IRA" member, Ronán Mac Lochlainn, was shot dead.

The 32 County Sovereignty Movement, which security sources say is the "Real IRA's" political wing, said it was supporting his protest and called on the Government to end its "discrimination policy" against "Real IRA" prisoners.

A Department of Justice spokesman said: "Each individual application for temporary release is decided on its own merits. It would be misleading to say no `Real IRA' prisoner has been granted temporary release."

The Sovereignty Movement said the Minister, Mr O'Donoghue, was refusing to state the criteria for compassionate parole and his reasons for refusing McAlister's requests.

A spokesman for the movement said: "This extreme action by Danny McAlister has been forced by the Dublin Government's discrimination policy. There has been a long tradition of granting compassionate parole down through the decades."

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Irish Freedom Committee News List - N/A

Irish POW on Hunger Strike

January 4, 2001

The Irish Freedom Committee has learned that Irish Republican POW Danny Mc Alister, 40, has entered into Hunger Strike as of New Years' Day, 2001.

He has been serving an eight-year sentence in Portlaoise Prison.

Danny has made repeated requests to the Dublin Government for compassionate leave to visit his ailing mother and brother. The requests have consistently been denied. In the past year Danny was refused each of his repeated requests to visit his dying father. The petition was finally approved by the Dublin Government only after his father had died, allowing

Danny to be present at his father's funeral.

The Irish Freedom Committee loudly condemns the Dublin Government's refusal to allow compassionate leave to Republican POWs incarcerated in Portlaoise Prison.

The Irish Freedom Committee calls upon all Irish activists and human rights advocates to make your voice heard, and let the Dublin Government know that you are watching this grave situation closely. Please write or email the address below today, and demand that POW Danny Mc Alister be allowed compassionate leave to visit his ailing family members.

The Irish Freedom Committee

www.irishfreedomcommittee.net

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(Irish) 32 County Sovereignty Movement

IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 4, 2001

PRESS CONTACT: Joe Dillon

TELEPHONE/FAX: 00353 1 8492264

“32 County Sovereignty Movement Supports Republican Hunger Striker and Calls on Dublin Government to End Discrimination Policy”

The following statement is issued by the National Executive of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement:

“Following representation from the family of Belfast Republican POW Danny McAlister incarcerated in Portlaoise Gaol, we have learned of his Hunger Strike protest started on January 1, 2001.

This extreme action taken by Danny Mc Alister has been forced by the continuing discrimination policy implemented by the Dublin Government by refusing compassionate parole to Republican prisoners to visit sick and dying relatives.

Danny has applied repeatedly to and been refused consistently by the Minister of Justice to visit his elderly, ailing Mother and his seriously ill brother who is suffering from Leukaemia.

Despite repeated attempts by his legal representative to ascertain the criteria and reasons for the refusals, to date the Minister of Justice John O’Donaghue has ignored these requests as he has ignored the requests of other Republican prisoners in Portlaoise Gaol in similar circumstances.

Danny Mc Alister’s actions are understandable bearing in mind the torturous treatment he was subjected to during the weeks leading up to the death of his father last year. At that time the government engaged in “Cat and Mouse” tactics before ultimately refusing him to visit his dying father. He was allowed to attend his father’s funeral only as a consequence of initiating legal action.

The 32 County Sovereignty Movement demand an end to the current discrimination policy against Republican POW’s in Portlaoise Gaol and the immediate full implementation of Political status to all Republican prisoners held in Gaols throughout Ireland. 

We call on all human rights organisations and individuals to support the restoration of political status and exert pressure on the Dublin Government to cease this practise forthwith in order to avert another tragedy in an Irish Gaol.

ENDS

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Write to:

Mr. John O'Donoghue, T.D.

Dublin Department of Justice

72-76, St. Stephens Green,

Dublin 2, Ireland.

Telephone: +353 - 1 – 602-8202

Minister O'Donoghue Office - 066-72413 and 066-72631

Fax: +353 - 1 – 6615461

Email the Minister of Justice: minister@justice.ie

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For a complete list of Irish Republican POWs currently being criminalized

under the Stormont Treaty, please visit www.irishfreedomcommittee.net

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