Images of Mr Peter Preston on Hunger strike.

by number 6 - legalize freedom campaign Sun Jul 23, 2006 22:10

They could teach the Brits.
Our Politicians that is.
They learned their methods from Thatcher but they could now teach Blair.

What a disgusting senario outside The Dail.

Mc Dowell OUT OUT OUT.
Get this Bilderberger out.

by Merril Norton Mon Jul 24, 2006 00:00

61 days ? without food? sure doesnt look like someone who's gone that long. I'd wager if we could get a Picture of Bobby Sands on day 61 it'd be sickening. I smell a rat here.

by number 6 - legalize freedom campaign Mon Jul 24, 2006 01:20

How bad do you want him to look mr.norton?

by Merril Mon Jul 24, 2006 02:09

By all account Bobby Sands looked like a death camp victim by the 61st day, unable to stand, or walk for more than seconds. Granted Mr. Preston? looks like he's lost a few Kilos but doesnt look to be at deaths Door.

by Fiery S Mon Jul 24, 2006 03:50

Why get McDowell out? It is a Labour TD who has ( allegidly) wronged him. It is that TD that won't go near him. McDowell can't really interfere unless any of the man's allegations are proven true.

by Robbie Mon Jul 24, 2006 07:26

The likely reason that Peter Preston doesn't look like Bobby Sands on Day 61 is that Peter has been taking salts, and apparently, till last week, tea & sugar.

There are grades of hunger strike - ranging from complete absinence (including liquids), to much more drawn out variants.

In public hunger strikes, the object is not to die, but to protest (unto death if needs be) at the ignoring of issues such as institutional injustice.

Voyeurs would likely get better entertainment in computer games. This real situation is not for your delictation - is not time for the popcorn or incidental musings.

by number 6 - legalize freedom campaign Mon Jul 24, 2006 09:19

Mc Dowell and his Dept.work harder than any other Dept.to hide the truth. He should have been gone weeks ago. Refusing to green light an Order to exhume a Baby's Body , high ranking cops involved years ago on this one.

by pat c Mon Jul 24, 2006 11:54

Salts would not help to this extent. Preston has not been on hunger strike for over 60 days. It is dishonouring the memory of Bobby Sands and the other H Block men to mention them in the same breath as Preston. I dont believe that Preston is acting with malice in his conspiracy theory claims nor is he, in his own mind, lieing about being on hunger strike for over 60 days. But he is a deeply disturbed man who believes many strange things.

by Robert Mon Jul 24, 2006 19:41

"In public hunger strikes, the object is not to die, but to protest (unto death if needs be) at the ignoring of issues such as institutional injustice."

I do not wish to see Peter Preston die or suffer any further but when is a hunger strike not a hunger strike? You would have to possess a heart of stone to remain indifferent to Peters suffering but I cannot help wondering about the extent of his abstinence from food. If Peter Preston has truly been on hunger strike for 60 days taking only fluids salts and sugar then we are observing a medical miracle.

If this was the case then I would expect medical teams to be flocking to Dublin from all over the world. Because they would wish to document and analyse this unique case. This isn't happening. I would hazard a guess its not happening because not very many give credence to the assertion that Peter Preston has been on a full sustained hunger strike for the period claimed.

I hope Peter Preston ends his hunger strike (whatever form it consists of). I do not know if anyone can really satisfy a man who thinks so many people are against him. In the abscence of any tangible evidence of wrong doing I cannot see McDowell agreeing to any official enquiry. If Peter Preston were to complain to the Bar Council and the Law Society they might investigate his claims.

Thats where we come to another set of problems. On the information given I believe Mr Preston has not complained to the Bar Council, Law Society, Garda Complaints Authority, President of the High Court. If he had done so and been ignored then he would have evidence to back of his claims of worong doing. A series of complaints to these bodies would help to establish whether or not Peter Preston had a sustainable case.

by Sheepstealer Tue Jul 25, 2006 17:48

I wonder too did Mr. Preston send letters of complaint to the following secret State institutions: the élite Bar Council, élite secret Law Society, Garda Multitude of Complaints Authority, President of the High Court? Did he do so before going on his hunger strike and was he ignored or what sort of response did he get from these institutions? Hunger strike should only be attempted when all options have been exhausted.

I don't question at all that he is on hunger strike for the number of days he states. He looks worryingly painfully thin to me. Could people please stop questioning his hunger strike and comparing it to how Bobby Sands appeared (Mr. Sands' circumstances were extremely different, he was in an enemy prison and refusing all liquids as well as food and would have been given absolutely no comfort by prison authorities). Mr. Preston is taking liquids (you can survive on liquid vitamins and milk) and does not have the mental burden of prison on top of family concerns, he is in total control and has his freedom, so he would look a lot better than Mr. Sands at this stage given all those circumstances (not that the does look well!). It is extremely important that Mr. Preston continues taking liquids.

I hope to God Joe Costelloe or someone in the so-called Department for Justice could initiate an investigation into what happened the correspondence that went missing and who altered the documents and where and why were they altered (it is easy find on computer the name of the person who amended a legal document, that is not hard).

Someone out there knows what happended to Mr. Preston's documents and if they have a conscience at all and wish to save Mr. Preston's life they should come forth and explain what happened and why.

by R. Isible Tue Jul 25, 2006 20:11

don't question at all that he is on hunger strike for the number of days he states. He looks worryingly painfully thin to me. Could people please stop questioning his hunger strike

A lot of people "look thin" without being on hungerstrike. This is a confusing and disturbing story because it's not clear what sort of hungerstrike this is. The reporting of it is supposed to be non-judgemental, a simple retailing of Mr. Preston's story. So, the reporters refuse to judge the veracity of the claim of hungerstrike. If, as some suggest, it's not a bona fide hungerstrike, then the honesty of all the other alleged "facts" are called into doubt. The reporters also don't convey information about these, but instead retail a single viewpoint: Mr. Preston's.

A hungerstrike is an extreme and desperate measure. Claiming that one is on hungerstrike is pretty much a last ditch attempt and if one claims it and it's not true then reliability and believability go out the window about any other claims.

Telling people that question the hungerstrike to shut up doesn't work very well.

It may all be true, or untrue, but the manner of reporting lends itself to doubters. The reporters appear to distance themselves from Mr.Preston's claims on the one hand, and also to back them up on the other by attacking the doubters.

by anon Tue Jul 25, 2006 23:15

Its strange how people treat Mr Preston differently to the Afghans, who like he came to decision to 'hungerstrike' after years of difficulties, not all of a sudden, and their 'hungerstirke' was evidently even more impure.

by dame Edith Tue Jul 25, 2006 23:24

He has admitted to drinking tea - taking salts, vitamins, small quantities of sugar and spring water.

And might I remind all, that Edith Sitwell the English poetess quite famously survived the last 12 years of her life on strong milky tea and cupcakes eaten only once a month. It really depends on what type of tea, how much sugar, what type of milk. From teh age of 70 onwards she was confined to a "bath chair" probably thinking a wheelchair looked to common.

The Afghans in contrast declared complete food and liquid strike at the beginning of their week in saint patrick's and mid week accepted water, and some of them went back to refuse it later that week.

by dame edith Wed Jul 26, 2006 00:32

But there were though who needed to see him chalking up more days than most of the martyrs of Irish republicanism, other sundry agents of history such as Mandela, Gandhi or those in Guantanamo bay and let us not forget he has been not pipe fed like Saddam Hussein.

Yet, a point has been eloquently made. The Guinness book of records stopped recording "the longest hunger strikes" a long time ago. Certain conditions of veracity may really only be satisfied in prison or hospital confinement for all days claimed; with independent observers such as the international red cross, an employee of the UN, or if on a low budget a local licensed minister of public worship.

Peter Preston got an independent TD. who to my mind ( a mind which knows the value of a strong bottle of milky tea ) demonstrated the value still attached to oaths in at least some members of the Irish public. On one side the hunger-striker who once I called General Titus Andronicus who has sworn to someone, somehow, somewhere, some time along the way to his tent on Kildare Street or on the other side an elected public representative, Finian McGrath TD who really did seem to honour his oath.

If peter stops, on these pages of indymedia ireland : his plight and protest, the action and location of more than two of his past months will perhaps offer him advice on alternative forms of carrying on. Therefore some readers and contributors will want him to cast an eye over them in the future.
Some of these pages may hurt him, bemuse him, make him aware that more than those who just hang out on Kildare street with cameras or visit the library were made aware of his case. It must be getting very hot in Dublin. I hope people will show him the solidarity he needs to keep at it - get on with it - fulfill your life & "very very well done!" for you have vindicated the right to civil disobedience and "tented tenure" at our government buildings.

Edith Sitwell, that ugly duckling - 5 years into drinking strong milky tea - 30 years after converting to roman catholicism - a woman with a purpose & decent hotel room.

by Robert Wed Jul 26, 2006 18:40

"I wonder too did Mr. Preston send letters of complaint to the following secret State institutions: the élite Bar Council, élite secret Law Society, Garda Multitude of Complaints Authority, President of the High Court?"

The Bar council is not a State Body, neither is Law Society. You have every right to believe that they would plot against Mr Preston but at least get the details correct.

The Garda Complaints Authority does actually occasionaly find against Gardai. It does have independent people on it. If you are challenging their independence then please say why. Give specific examples of where they deliberately ignored evidence.

The President of the High Court is the appropriate person to complain to if a High Court Judge is mishandling a case. If Mr Preston had complained and submitted evidence to The President of the High Court then he would be in a much better position. We could examine the documents he had submitted and consider as to whether they were believable.

If you dismiss out of hand every avenue of complaint that Mr Preston could have followed then it makes me wonder as to whether Mr Preston really has a sustainable case.

You also say that Bobby Sands was refusing all liquids. Thats not true. Someone would hardly survive a week without water. Mr Preston may or may not be on hunger strike. Your outlandish claims are not helping him.

by Lou Thu Jul 27, 2006 22:16

Due to EXHAUSTION, Peter has had to cancel his planned candle Vigil which was due to take place tomorrow Friday , July 28th.

Peter would like to take this opportunity to thank ALL the people who supported him on his 66 day protest.

by POC Fri Aug 04, 2006 18:37

Non-Accountability pervades and undermines the administration of the Criminal Justice System. Social Injustice, Deprivation, Exclusion, by the Self-Serving Self-Protecting vested interests. Paul O'Mahony 1996 Responsibility 2006. For the 61 day Hunger Strike by Peter Preston and the Death of Gary Douch? After a meeting with Michael McDowell on behalf of Mr Preston, it was assumed Mr Preston's concerns which led to his Hunger Strike would be investigated by the man and his Department. But after reading today's Star comment August 3rd, 2006 which states (i know you can't always believe as fact newspaper stories). Mr McDowell did not know he being the Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform if a report by the Inspector of Prisons had been acted upon as he REQUESTED? I would like to know if Mr Preston's concerns were investigated, and if not WHY NOT. And when will Mr Preston see results of the meeting he had with Mr McDowell and his Department of Justice Staff.

by Michell Faustino Fri Oct 26, 2007 19:35 michell-faustino at hotmail dot com

Thank goodness someone in the country is not afraid to stand up to the government, if all the other people in the country was like this it would be a better place to live. Judging by all the other comments left a lot of them don't even know the reason why he is doing this, but hopefully he'll win his case and a lot of parents out there will be thankful to him. The pub where the incident took place should have been held accountable as the culprits were underaged. If it wasn't Bertie Ahern's local they would've If somebody stuck a glass in my childs face I'd want something done. It shouldn't have to come to this, Nobody wants Bertie anymore when is he going to realise that and step down. I don't know what sort of a government we have, good for him being able to give himself a pay rise a lot of people will be signing on now thanks to them who don't want provisional drivers on the road, and those who don't have places for their children in their local schools and have to travel long distances. Lets see how he'd feel if the plan goes ahead and he finds everyone on provisional licences driving into the city centre and blocking all of O Connel Street right accross College Green up to Leinster House, It's time people of the country wake up and stop letting this government hold us to ransom. Take the Stance of Peter Preston and fight for your RIGHTS.