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.
Comments (8 of 8)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8The Basque and Catalan national football selection lobbies have so far failed to bring their sporting national identity aspirations as far as they wish. Certainly the Basque handball sport and the Catalan "castellers" human castle building are known worldwide and clearly associated with the countries where such sports began - but soccer football, the single most universal competitive sport has so far seen both Basques and Catalans subsumed into "national" Spanish selections. Some argue that the host stadium for this Sunday's match (camp nou barcelona) already boasts some of the finest players in the world game and no other selections are needed. But those finest players return to their "patria" for World Cup and European cup leagues be that "patria" Brazil or some other hot place. The Catalan selection (for only catalan people born to only catalan parents) facing off a Basque selection (for only basque people born to only basque parents) have won approval by FIFA & face their second innings in international football . Their last such game against Argentina ended with them miserably losing but feeling proud all the same.
If it is your intention to place on-line bets on the outcome of Euskadi / Euskal Herria playing the game of english Soccer against Catalúnya / Paisos Catalanes this Sunday at 18h30 CET make sure you're not using a US bank account.
;-) Catalan & Basque selections are also available to play international Rugby (another english game) The last time the katalalalanders played such a game it was in Landsdowne Road against the oppressed nation of Munster, a country whose historic tongue (gaeilge) as well as historic capital (Cork) has long fought the yoke of imperialist arrogance & oppression of both the British Empire and latterly the "Irish nation-state" (based in Dublin). gora gora laothreaid lluire terra
It's nice to see the Provos support a militant micro group, heavily infiltrated with touts, with no mandate or strategy.
Over 600 prisoners and their last kill was a 6 year old girl 4 years ago, but still invited to the Ard Fheis.
Whilst Darkie Hughes, Marion Price, and Brendan Mc Laughlin are isolated and shunned.
I wonder why some people waste their time supporting a terrorist group (ETA) who claims to be the representative of the Basque people, when its political party, HB, in their best ever electoral result (coincidentally happening with one of their temporal ceasefires, back in 1998), only got 17.8% of the votes in the Basque elections. In the last election, in 2001, when they were back in their full killing mode, they barely got a 10.12%. Less than 1 in 10 of the Basques give a damn about De Juana & Co. (results freely available at the Basque Government website). Why do they back a group that even the Basques themselves don’t support?. Do they know better what’s good for them?
I've just been reading up on this hunger striker and am disappointed by the 2 comments I've seen. This guy has served his time (18 years)and now the Spanish Authorities effectively want to sentence him again. He has taken the only option he can see to resolve his situation.The authorities are now force feeding him. This man certainly has my support. The Spanish govt are at present implementing the most harshest of measures against Basque prisoners. The "International Community" should be ashamed of their silence as Human Rights are being trampled underfoot in a supposed Western Democracy.
I fully support this Hunger Striker as all right thinking people should. But why isn't Ogra campaigning for those Republicans in Maghaberry? Isn't it amazing that during the Gerry Adams live at Casement Park show that Adams was preaching about reaching out to Unionists while shunning the families of those in Maghaberry.
I suppose it's all about pleasing Paisley.
Those are fine, admirable and inspiring words, Barry, highlighting the plight of Basque political prisoners and I congratulate you on your efforts highlighting their plight and bringing it to the Irish people's attention. Maith thú!
Closer to home, it's a great pity and astounding that ÓSF do not care at all about the plight of Irish Republican political prisoners in Maghaberry Gaol. The Republicans imprisoned in Maghaberry are fighting for basic rights and political status (which has been disappeared by your parent company). For 'republicans', ye sure act strange, why does ÓSF feel that it is okay to ignore the on-going plight of the Maghaberry Republican political prisoners?
I'm not expecting any answers, indeed, I expect nothing but silence or a landslide of abuse from ÓSF.
Oíche mhaith.
at long last it has happened, and the turn around is complete the provos have joined up to the police ruc /psni and people still support them god help us all, as a united ireland is as far away as ever what a sell out of republican ideology did the hunger strikers die forthis i think not the only true republican party now is rsf who will never sell out and take the queeens shilling. big gerry will be heading to his holiday home in donegal for the summer asrepulicans in maghaberry jail see out there sentences long livethe real and continuity ira
"rsf who will never sell out and take the queen's shilling", was a popular chant among the Provos, Frank, during the dark old days when they used to attack the SDLP for doing what they are now doing themselves.
The sad irony is that the Hunger Strikers deaths were the catalyst that set the $hinners on the road to partition in elections and ultimately part of a Government that will ensure that their aspirations will remain a pipe dream.
The blind admiration of leaders has always been our downfall, Frank, so set your mind to the bigger picture, how can we achieve what the Hunger Strikers really died for without a further waste of lives?
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