Monday, October 12, 2009

Hughes Grant Watters Cumann Active in the Community

We thought that the time was now right to outline just some of the work carried out by the Vol Hughes Grant Watters cumann in the Derrybeg area in recent months. There is no doubt that some will try and rubbish the good work done but residents know themselves who is delivering and helping on their behalf. From the outset let us congratulate the Derrybeg Community Association who have been involved in some good work also. Our job as cumann activists is to try and help and represent people from right across this area regardless of their politics or beliefs, but especially those people who continue to vote for Sinn Féin in large numbers. We will outline some of the work that the cumann and the Party were involved with in recent months.
The Old "All Weather Pitch"


This area was beginning to become a gathering point for young drivers and a number of residents contacted the cumann and the local councillor to see if anything could be done to secure this area. Cllr Mathers quickly organised a site meeting and within a short period the council had erected a number of barriers and issued local residents with keys at both the First and Second Avenue access points. After a short time it was discovered that the cars were still gaining entrance to the area via an embankment at Second Avenue. This was pointed out to the council and they quickly blocked this entrance by placing large boulders making it impossible to drive into this area.
Derrybeg Football Pitch


The cumann along with Cllr Mathers discovered that some funding was available from DSD for essential maintainance work to be carried out to Derrybeg Football pitch. Again a site meeting was called and as a result the entire outside of the pitch now has a secure ballstop. Although there is still some improvements that could happen, this was the first time in years that any sort of help was secured for the local football club. The cumann and our elected reps will continue to work on behalf of the football club.
Monuments for Local IRA Volunteers


When the cumann was established several years ago one of the first tasks was to begin fundraising to erect a permanent memorial to IRA Volunteer Michael Hughes at the spot where he was murdered by the Brits at the age of 16 while on active service. Despite the fact that this monument was attacked and badly vandalised, the cumann quickly replaced the monument with a brand new stone which now stands pride of place at the entrance to the estate. Around the same time local republicans decided that a project would be undertaken to rebuild the monument at Second Avenue with a larger and more visible monument. After a lot of hard work this was unveiled in late August by local republicans which involved a successful parade from Newry. The main speaker at this event was south Armagh republican Sean Hughes.
Old Play Park in Third Avenue


What had become a long running problem for residents of Third Avenue was that this area was being used by young people for drinking especially at the weekends resulting in anti social activity. Local people approached the cumann to see if something could be done in regards to this. With the help of councillors Marian Mathers and Brendan Curran a site meeting was called which was also attended by members of the community association, council officials and senior Housing Executive people agreed to have the area cleaned up as a matter of urgency. It is our hope that the agencies who own this piece of land can secure the area in some fashion so that people of Third Avenue don't have to live with the fear of late night drinkers on their doorsteps.
General Clean Up


The cumann have on numerous occasions successfully lobbied to have different parts of the area cleaned up and maintained when neccessary. We continue to make the council or the housing executive aware of issues wherever and whenever they occur.
Welfare Rights Issues


The cumann has been constantly involved with this important issue, one that effects everyone. As a result of the high volume of requests for this work the cumann will be organising another elected reps clinic in the coming weeks. (At the last Derrybeg Community Association AGM, Marian Mathers volunteered her services as a committee member but made it clear that due to work committments and council committments she would be unable to attend every meeting but offered her services in whatever other way she could help the committee. But after a few weeks Marian was informed by letter by the Community Association that her services were no longer required in the Community House. As a result of this decision the cumann has to look for alternative premises to hold the elected reps clinic). Here residents have a chance to meet with the elected reps and discuss problems. So it is clear to see that the local Hughes Grant Watters cumann is as active as ever and we look forward to being of assistance in the coming months for residents in this area.







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Blog From Gerry Adams

Maghaberry PrisonTwo weeks ago a Sinn Fein delegation, including elected representatives Caral Ní Chuilín, John O’Dowd, Paul Maskey and Raymond McCartney visited Maghaberry prison to view conditions and meet with prisoners. Coiste Na nIar Chimí representative Michael Culbert was also part of the delegation. I had already discussed the Maghaberry situation with Minister of Justice David Ford and asked for clearance for the Sinn Fein prison visit. At the start of this week Martin McGuinness and Raymond McCartney MLA also met with him on this situation. In addition Caral Ní Chuilín MLA has also met and had several conversations by phone with the Head of Prisons in the north Robin Masefield.The news on Tuesday evening that Liam Hannaway had ended his hunger strike was therefore welcome news. He had raised a number of issues with the Sinn Féin delegation when they met him two weeks ago. These were discussed directly with the prison administration and the Justice Minister. It was clear from all the conversations that have taken place that with the necessary political will all of the issues relating to Liam Hannaway, and indeed the wider problems in Roe House can be resolved.The fact that another prisoner Harry Fitzsimons, who had been held in the punishment block, had now been moved back into Roe House was also a welcome development.It clear that there are problems with the regime in Maghaberry. Maghaberry has been the focus of a series of critical reports over a number of years.In 2006, an inspection made over 155 recommendations but more than half were never implemented. The most recent inspector’s report made over 200 recommendations and concluded that the current situation in Maghaberry could not be allowed to continue. Last year, the prison governor and his deputy were dismissed and 13 members of staff disciplined following an inquiry into the suicide of a prisoner in August 2008. Subsequent reports were highly critical of the way the prison was being run and disciplinary procedures were taken against prison staff who it was alleged were surfing the net and watching television rather than being on suicide watch.Four prisoners have taken their own lives in the last 4 years in Maghaberry.A new governor, brought in last July to implement reform, faced open hostility from staff. Following his car registration number and name being found in a prisoner's cell the governor resigned amidst fears for his safety. Subsequently the Prisoner Ombudsman Pauline McCabe was asked to carry out an investigation when it was alleged that a member of the prison staff planted the note in order to intimidate the Governor. Earlier this year, increasing tensions between staff and prisoners culminated in protests by a number of segregated prisoners, including a 48-hour lock-in of prisoners during Easter. Recently relatives of some of these prisoners have been in contact with Sinn Féin representatives in relation to the situation in Maghaberry. The Sinn Fein delegation that visited Maghaberry on May 14th had access to the segregated wing and met with ten prisoners representing various groups within Roe House. The delegation also met with the current governor, Alan Craig, and other members of the administration. The prisoners raised a number of issues. They included complaints about a number of punitive actions such as the use of strip-searching as harassment of both prisoners and their visitors and a range of other conditions-related issues that were very familiar to the former prisoners on the delegation. The prisoners cited one clear example of this. Despite the fact that it was obviously unnecessary, prisoners appearing by video link for remand were being subjected to strip-searches. The proximity of dogs in the visit processing area, the presence of the PSNI in the visitors’ area, the public identification of those who are to be strip-searched, and visitors being threatened with arrest if they refuse to be strip-searched, were also raised. The delegation assured them their concerns would be conveyed to the prison administration, the Prison Service and to the Justice Minister – and they have.Republicans have a long experience of prisons and of hostile and antagonistic prison systems. It is our belief that prisoners and their families must be treated with dignity and respect. Prisoners have rights and the prison regime should reflect this. There is currently a review taking place into the prison regime. It is our intention to continue to pursue all the matters involved with the Minister of Justice and the Prison system.
Posted by Gerry Adams at 4:42 PM

The following is a statement from Sinn Féin delegation who recently visited prisoners in Maghaberry

McCartney details Sinn Féin delegation visit and ‘serious concerns’ about Maghaberry situation



Foyle MLA Raymond McCartney was part of a Sinn Féin delegation which entered Maghaberry Gaol last Friday. The delegation included Mr McCartney, Carál Ní Chuilín MLA, Paul Maskey MLA and John O’Dowd MLA. The Sinn Féin team was accompanied by Michael Culbert of Coiste na nIarchimí.

The delegation reported back to the Sinn Féin Assembly Team on Monday morning.

Speaking after the visit Raymond McCartney described the meeting with Roe House prisoners as “a very positive engagement” in which the men had outlined their concerns.

“A range of issues were raised by the prisoners. They included complaints about a number of punitive actions such as the use of strip searching as harassment of both prisoners and their visitors and a range of other conditions-related issues that were very familiar to the former prisoners on the delegation,” said Mr McCartney.

“It was clear that with the right political will that all of these issues could be resolved. The delegation discussed all of this with the ten prisoners we met and assured them their concerns would be conveyed to the prison administration, the Prison service and to the Justice Minister,” said McCartney.

A number of matters concerned with the harassment of visitors were also raised by the delegation. These included the proximity of dogs in the visit processing area, the presence of the PSNI in the visitors-area, the public selecting of who is to be strip searched and visitors being threatened with arrest if they refuse to be strip searched.

Prisoners also raised issues of access, particularly the practice of forcing segregated prisoners to eat their meals in the cells.

“The delegation also met with Liam Hannaway whose health has become a matter of concern. Liam outlined his concerns, all of which centred on prison conditions and procedures. It was the firm belief of the delegation that all of these issues could be satisfactorily dealt with by the governor,” said Raymond.

The delegation had requested to meet with Harry Fitzsimmons, a prisoner being held in isolation, but this did not happen due to a misunderstanding.

“Harry’s lawyer contacted me last Saturday to explain the situation and assure me that his client was not in any way snubbing the delegation. The delegation had sought to visit Harry after his family raised concerns about his health and well being,” said Mr McCartney.



It has also been reported that Harry Fitzsimmons has been subjected to physical assault by members of the prison staff.

“After our 3 hour meeting with the prisoners, the delegation met with the governor again to outline their concerns and suggestions. In the coming period Sinn Fein will meet with the director general of the prison service, with representatives of the prison administration as well as the Minister for Justice, David Ford, regarding our deep concerns about the current situation for prisoners and their families in Maghaberry,” he concluded.

Week of Activities

Week of Activities
Hunger Strike Commemoration