Statement from the group of 6 Non-conforming prisoners, Maghaberry. 

We, the group of 6 non-conforming POWs, take this opportunity to welcome the statement on 4.3.11 from RSF and RNU regarding the prisoners aligned to them no longer accepting the policy of strip searching republican prisoners.

Although the main focus of our protest was the immediate ending of inhumane and degrading strip searches and the ending of controlled movement; at the core of our argument was the need for political status to be reinstated.  In our view, to do this we have to resist at every turn all continuing attempts by the gaol admin to criminalise us.  

Therefore, it follows on from this that we have to be vigilant and ready to take steps to repel any such attempts, and thus further our objectives.  In order to do this and use our strengths to the optimum, unity of both purpose and numbers should be seen as our greatest weapons.

We, as a group recognise this and would hope all other republicans on the wing recognise this also.

We believe that all republican prisoners on the wing have to be prepared to play their part in order to help create conditions conducive to our status as political prisoners.

Our enemies (gaol admin) will exploit at every opportunity the “perceived disunity” on the republican wing.  Every able bodied republican has to be prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder for the greater good of our republican community on this wing.

We as a group are ready to immediately dialogue with all other republicans on the republican wing in relation to all of this in a genuine and progressive way.

Signed:

Colin Duffy                   Brendan Conway

Gerard McManus         Harry Fitzsimons

Damien McLaughlin     Kevin Barry Nolan