Ógra Shinn Féin support Basque hunger strike protest

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Tuesday October 03, 2006 00:58 by Jo ta ke - Ógra Shinn Féin osfnational at yahoo dot ie

Protest at GPO

On Saturday Ógra Shinn Féin, in conjunction with the Irish Basque Committee, ran a stall at the GPO in Dublin in support of Inaki de Juana Chaos, the Basque political prisoner who has been on hunger strike in a Spanish jail due to the Spanish governments attempts to block his release having served his time.

Information leaflets were distributed by activists to passers by and many were interested in signing the petition in support of Inaki. Many of those who signed the petition were shocked at the lack of coverage the hunger strike was receiving in the mainstream media. The first signature on the petition was that of Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, showing solidarity and support for our Basque comrade.

Speaking at the event, Barry McColgan, Ógra National Organiser, said

“We feel that it is very important to support Inaki on his hunger strike. It is vital that the Irish people realise what is happening to him and other Basque political prisoners in Spanish jails. The history of hunger strike in Ireland gives this protest particular resonance with the Irish people, 25 years after 10 Republican prisoners gave their lives in the H Blocks resisting British attempts to criminalise them. Imperialist governments always try to use prisons as breaking yards against revolutionary movements, but the resilience of political prisoners worldwide ensures that they always fail.”

The many names on the petition will be passed on to the Spanish government to show the strength of feeling that the Irish people have on this issue. There is to be a protest this coming Saturday at the GPO and the Spanish embassy in support of Inaki and his hunger strike.