The Plough Vol 01 No 19

The Plough #19
19 December 2003

E-mail Newsletter of the Irish Republican Socialist Party

1. Racist Attacks
2. Save a Life This Christmas, Don't Buy Coca Cola
3. IRSP Speech to the International Symposium
4. Planned IRSP Speech to the International Symposium
5. Irish Anti War Movement Bulletin
6. What's On?

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Message from the Plough

We hope all our readers have a peaceful and relaxing holiday period.

The next Plough will be on January 2nd, 2004

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

*******

Racist Attacks

In the true spirit of sectarian hatred two pregnant women have been
assaulted by a group of men during what police believe were a series
of racially-motivated attacks in South Belfast. Two Chinese families
and one of African descent have since fled their homes following the
attacks in the Lower Donegal Road area of Sandy Row late on Saturday.
In one of the incidents, the gang broke into a house and assaulted
two pregnant Chinese women and broke a man's nose by smashing him in
the face with a brick. Windows were broken in two other houses in the
area shortly afterwards. A Chinese family with week-old twins were in
one of these houses. The area concerned has recently seen a number of
such attacks as well as graffiti praising Combat 18 a neo-fascist
British group based on ex-British army squaddies. There is no doubt
that elements of the UDA are also involved in these attacks. Those
who have seen progressive elements within the UVF's political wing
should be aware that in the Donegal Pass area of South Belfast, which
is dominated by the UVF, the local Chinese have been told that they
will not be allowed to move anymore Chinese families into the area.
Anymore who dare move in will be driven out by the UVF.

*******

COCA COLA & SINALTRAINAL: FIRST TIME IN PUBLIC DEBATE

In the context of the "ANOTHER ECONOMY" event organised by Rome's
Mayor and others, the Colombian trade union SINALTRAINAL and COCA
COLA COMPANY met each other for the first time, so that the
multinational could respond publicly to its alleged crimes in the
South America country that have given rise to a Worldwide Campaign
against the US corporation's policies. After four years of
campaigning, with strong pressure in different cities of the world
from social organisations, as well as human rights, religious and
black groups, Coca Cola has finally responded to the charges of human
rights violations of its workers by participating in an event whose
theme was "Corporate Social Responsibility".

Coke was asked to respond [account] for the 9 assassinations, the
kidnappings, the tortures and the permanent persecution carried out
by the paramilitary organisation Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia
against the workers and their family members; a situation which has
led to the serious weakening of the union to the benefit of the
corporation.

In the face of these accusations the multinational corporation,
represented by Mr. Nicola Raffa, Director of External Relations for
Coca Cola Italia Ltd., evaded the charges against it and the
relations between the leadership of Coca Cola in Colombia with the
paramilitary groups; a fact that was denounced by Cambio magazine
(No. 296 of December 1996) and by the international magazine of the
Swedish unions.

The multinational based its defence on press communiques by the
International Union of Foodworkers and by Sinaltrainbec (a Colombian
union that was destroyed recently by the same corporation). Coca Cola
hid behind the impunity of the Colombian justice system which, as
stated in reports by the UN High Commissioner and NGOs, provides
guarantees for perpetrators of human rights violations. This show us
that the corporation is not using its own elements of defence but on
the contrary, as was said in this important event, it refers to those
others who contribute to keeping its crimes under impunity.

The corporation affirmed that it has a code of conduct that should be
implemented by all the entities that in one way or another use its
brand. This confirms that Coca Cola is indeed responsible for all the
acts committed against its workers in whatever part of the world.

The corporation's representative did not know how to justify the
multinational's permanent violation of the workers rights, the
contamination of the environment and the robbing of water that was
exposed by the other speaker at the event.

This clear demonstration of culpability allows us to continue
protesting Coke's crimes and fighting for truth and justice for our
peoples.

SINALTRAINAL-Colombia

Save a Life This Christmas, Don't Buy Coca Cola

The Belfast Colombian Workers Solidarity Committee has called on
people not to buy Coca Cola this Christmas in protest at Coca
Cola's failure to protect its workers in its bottling plants in Colombia.
The Colombian Workers Solidarity Committee is urging people to
support the world wide boycott called by Colombian Trades Unionists
against Coca Cola products. To date eight trade unionists in the
plants bottling Coca Cola in Colombia have been murdered and many
more injured. As people stock up for the Christmas celebrations there
is something very simple that we can all do that will help save lives
in Colombia. Make sure that there is no Coca Cola in your fridge.
Don't buy Coca Cola products when you are out for a drink. By this
small gesture we can make Coca Cola aware that the world wide
community will not accept its failure to protect workers in its
bottling plants in Colombia

*******

THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AGAINST ISOLATION - CONFERENCE ON
POLITICAL PRISONERS: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS
was held on Dec. 19th, 20th and 21st.

Below we give the actual speech as delivered by Ard Comhairle member
Willie Gallagher. Then below it we give the full text of the speech
he had intended to deliver but could not because of time constraints.

IRSP Speech to the International Symposium on the Isolation of
Prisoners

20-12-2003

Firstly as an ex-political prisoner who has served a total of 18
years in prison from 1975 until 1993 I would like to express my
solidarity to all political prisoners throughout the world,
particularly those who are enduring isolation and torture and
especially to the political prisoners in Turkey whose courage and
dedication are an inspiration to all of us. As someone who has
experienced every aspect of prison life during the present conflict
in Ireland which included physical and psychological brutality, long
and regular periods of solitary confinement, forced starvation diets
and various protests including a 50 day hunger-strike in 1978 when I
20 years of age I will always feel a great affinity with all
political prisoners throughout the world. Therefore I would like to
thank the organisers of this Symposium for giving me the opportunity
to speak here today and express my personal solidarity and the
solidarity of the Irish Republican Socialist Party and of Irish
National Liberation prisoners currently imprisoned in Ireland.

The isolation of political prisoners is nothing new to people who
know what it is like to live under political oppression. In Ireland
the British have used this tactic for over 200 years with the sole
purpose of not just breaking the spirit of captured freedom fighters
and their families but of the overall struggle for freedom itself.

Prison struggles have been part and parcel of Republican resistance
since the imprisonment and death of Wolfe Tone in 1798. Republican
political prisoners have a long and honourable history of fighting
back against British brutality within the prisons which was clearly
demonstrated in 1981 when ten Republican prisoners died on hunger-
strike. Their deaths eventually smashed Britain's criminalisation
policy.

The signing of the so called Good Friday Agreement did bring about
the release of the majority of political prisoners in Ireland in
1998. However it also brought about the ending of political status
for any further political prisoners captured after the signing of the
GFA. The British, with the endorsement of all political parties who
supported the GFA, including Provisional Sinn Fein, felt free to
deny anti-GFA Republican prisoners the rights that our comrades
battled hard for and died for. Once again Republican prisoners
embarked on protests as outlined by Marion (Marion Price ex-political
prisoner from the IRPWA) in her speech yesterday and the prisoners
did indeed win a victory of separation from pro-British death squad
loyalist prisoners. Their victory this year, against all odds, is a
reflection of their resilience and commitment to the cause of
national liberation in Ireland. The fact that political status was
traded away as part of the empty promises known as the Good Friday
Agreement is nothing short of criminal.

The IRSP are opposed to the GFA and we fully and actively supported
the prisoners in Maghaberry. It was our own experiences with prisoner
isolation and our response to it that led us to support the prisoners
of the DHKC on hunger-strike in Turkey. In all there were hundreds of
prisoners on hunger-strike in Turkey seeking the same rights that
Irish revolutionaries gave their lives for in 1981. We salute the
courage and dedication of our Turkish comrades and wish them a speedy
victory.

In like manner the IRSP and INLA prisoners wish to extend our
solidarity to Basque political prisoners, to political prisoners in
Chile, Puerto Rico, the United States, Palestinian political
prisoners and all political prisoners throughout the world. And that
is why we join you today, each of us, who have had experiences of
prison isolation, criminalisation, torture, abuse and dehumanisation
through the prison system in our own nations, cannot look upon the
struggles of others elsewhere in the world against similar evils and
remain unmoved.

As someone who has went through prison isolation and a hunger-strike
I know the importance of International solidarity therefore I would
encourage all here today to join forces in exposing and combating the
torture of political prisoners and prisoners of war throughout the
world. What we need is a strong unified international response. So in
conclusion we in the IRSP join with you all today in demanding an end
to prison isolation and torture of political prisoners.

In unity let us find strength. Through that strength let us find
victory. Long live the solidarity of those who struggle for justice.

Willie Gallagher

*******

Planned IRSP STATEMENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AGAINST
ISOLATION

Firstly, as an ex-political prisoner who has served a total of 18
years in prison from 1975 until 1993, I would like to thank the
organisers of this symposium for the privilege to address this forum
where there are so many delegates throughout the world representing
anti-fascist political prisoners. As someone who has experienced
every aspect of prison life during the present conflict in Ireland
which included physical and psychological torture, long and regular
periods of solitary confinement, forced starvation diets and various
protests including a 50 day hunger strike when I was 20 years of age
I feel a great affinity with all political prisoners throughout the
world. But I am not here to speak of my personal account of
imprisonment as my experiences were just typical of what so many
others went through.

The isolation of political prisoners is nothing new to people who
know what it is like to live under political oppression. In Ireland
the British have used this tactic for hundreds of years with the sole
purpose of not just breaking the spirits of captured freedom fighters
and their families but to break the spirit of the overall struggle
itself.

Prison struggles have been part and parcel of republicanism since the
imprisonment and death of Wolfe Tone in 1798. It was in his prison
cell 200 years ago that Robert Emmett composed one of the finest
speeches ever culminating in his rallying call that "until Ireland
takes her place among the nations of the world then and only then let
my epitaph be written." The members of the Irish Republican
Brotherhood, imprisoned in England during the latter part of the 19th
century, were treated dreadfully by the British, they were
systematically tortured both physically and psychologically and
endured years of solitary confinement, hunger strikes, forced
starvation diets and complete isolation from their families and
indeed from the outside world resulting in some of the prisoners
going insane from their treatment. Irish political prisoners never
flinched from the struggle for political recognition of their cause
over the centuries. However Britain, too, has never flinched from
using prison isolation and torture over the centuries until the
present day in order to break the spirit of the prisoners and the
struggle itself.

The struggle against criminalisation waged by Irish republican and
republican socialist prisoners of war is among the most heroic
battles in the course of the recent national liberation struggle in
Ireland. For many years, republican and republican socialist
prisoners fought for their identity as prisoners of war against
Britain's criminalisation policy. This policy was not just an attempt
to criminalize the prisoners themselves but an attempt to criminalize
the struggle for national liberation in Ireland. Republican prisoners
have a long and honourable history of fighting back against the
British within the prisons for centuries. During this phase of the
national liberation struggle they embarked on the blanket protest,
which led to the no-wash protest and eventually the hunger strike
itself. The hunger strikers sacrifice smashed the British
criminalisation policy and convinced the world of the legitimacy of
our struggle. When we speak of isolation, we in Ireland recall that
for much of the early years of this protracted campaign, the
prisoners fought this battle without the knowledge of the outside
world. In all these prison protests the Republican Socialist
prisoners participated fully and three of our volunteers, Patsy
O'Hara, Kevin Lynch and Mickey Devine, gave their lives on hunger
strike.

Living in the most horrendous conditions imaginable, they were forced
to rely initially on themselves alone. The policy of isolation within
the prison system in Ireland did not last long due to the swelling
upsurge of captured freedom fighters. Protesting prisoners were
confined to separate Blocks yet were forced to remain in their cell
24 hours a day every day for years without clothes, reading
materials, no exercise and no washing facilities forcing prisoners to
smear their cells with their own excrement and urine. Some prisoners
never received family visits for five years. Prisoner's relatives
were galvanised into action, laying the foundation for the National H-
Block/Armagh Committee. The RSM recognised the importance of this
fight early on, becoming active participants in the Relatives Action
Committees and then the National H-Block/Armagh Committee at a time
when other republicans were still perceiving this campaign as largely
a distraction. With all other options having been exhausted, the
volunteers of the Irish National Liberation Army and Irish Republican
Army were forced, in 1980 to turn to last option of hunger strike as
a means of carrying the struggle for justice forward. When the
prisoners embarked upon that course, their struggle burst into the
awareness of the broader society of Ireland and it became impossible
to miss the reality that the struggle against criminalisation was, in
fact, the most basic defence of the fight for national liberation.
From the near isolation of the blanket protest and dirty protest, the
issue of criminalisation was taken up by people throughout Ireland's
32-counties, convinced of the righteousness of the prisoners struggle
by the unmistakably compelling evidence created by the prisoners own
bodies. Their bodies were transformed both into graphic argument in
support of their cause, as well as into weapons of the long war, and
with them they brought the masses onto the streets in protest and
refocused the eyes of all Ireland, and what is more, of the whole
world, on the partition of Ireland and continued occupation of six
Irish counties by British Imperialism.

The hunger strikers were kept isolated from the rest of the prison
population and the British used the Catholic Church in an attempt to
isolate the families of the prisoners from the hunger strike protest
and their cause. The hunger strike and the deaths that accompanied it
again riveted the eyes of the world on Ireland. So eloquent was the
statement of the hunger strikers protest, it easily translated itself
into the many languages of the globe. The hunger strikers, armed only
with their naked bodies defeated the might of the British Empires
criminalisation policy.

Meanwhile it was a different matter in England where Irish political
prisoners, due to the fact that their numbers were small in
comparison to the overall English prison population, were kept
totally isolated. Britain ignored both their own legislation and
International legislation stating that prisoners should be kept in a
prison as close as possible to their families. They ignored their own
legislation in order to isolate, demean, demoralise and indeed
torture political prisoners. This treatment was intended to act as a
deterrent to other freedom fighters from attacking England itself.
Not only did Britain attack our prisoners but they also attacked our
families through a variety of means. When the families of prisoners
held in England went on the long distance trips to visit their loved
ones they were often told that the prisoner was moved to another
prison several hundred miles away. And often as not when arriving at
the other prison they were informed that the prisoner had once again
been moved.

However the prisoners in England did overcome many of the Draconian
measures used against them but only after decades of protests, riots,
years of solitary confinement and hunger strikes to the death. The
prison guards used the ordinary criminal prisoners to also brutalise
political prisoners in the early to mid seventies. However the
willingness of Irish political prisoners to fight the prison system
in England against all odds with great dedication and courage so
impressed the ordinary criminal prisoners that many of them joined
forces with republicans in protests, riots, years of solitary
confinement and hunger strikes. To this day Britain continues to
isolate Irish political prisoners from each other by dispersing them
throughout various English jails. The British at present are now
rushing new legislation through the English House of Lords which will
enable them to disperse political prisoners captured in the North of
Ireland to prisons in England isolating them from their families and
friends.

Despite the victory achieved by the deaths of three INLA prisoners
and seven IRA prisoners when political status was granted in
everything but name the INLA were forced once again to fight for
their political identity. The Provisional Republican Movement in the
mid eighties embarked upon a campaign of undermining and
criminalizing our prisoners with a view of absorbing our members into
their own ranks. They also attempted to totally demoralise republican
socialist prisoners who refused to succumb to their campaign of
criminalisation. They refused to recognise our structures, refused to
allow us any say in the prison, refused transport to our families and
barely tolerated our presence in the Blocks despite some of our
prisoners having died to achieve what we had. The sole purpose of
this strategy was to force RSM prisoners to give up their political
identity and come under the authority of the IRA. The IRA were now
doing what the British government had attempted to do with all
republicans, criminalize, demonise, undermine, demoralise and isolate
the RSM.

Towards the end of 1988, the Republican Socialist prisoners took the
decision to leave the provisional republican blocks and fight for
their own block. This decision was not taken lightly nor was it taken
alone but together with non-aligned political prisoners and the
League for Communist Republicans.

After much discussion amongst themselves and with other prisoners who
were experiencing the same hostility they decided that they had no
alternative but to leave the provisional republican wings. All the
prisoners for transfer were put into one wing of H6. It was decided
not to make this public at the time, as we did not want opportunistic
elements on the outside, particularly the British, to use this as a
means of undermining the struggle as a whole. Leaving the blocks was
not done in order to undermine the republican structure nor to
undermine the struggle, but to assert the right of political
prisoners to their own political identity. This development completed
a long battle waged against isolation of our prisoners within the
general prison population and it transformed the experience of
republican socialist POWs. Until recently that is. Now we face that
battle all over again in the prisons of the six county statelet of
occupied Ireland.

The signing of the so called Good Friday Agreement brought about the
release of the majority of political prisoners. It also brought about
the ending of political recognition of any further political
prisoners charged with any offense committed after May 1998. The
British felt free to deny anti-Good Friday Agreement republican
prisoners the rights that the hunger strikers had achieved and once
again republican prisoners embarked on protests which led to the use
of widespread isolation and solitary confinement. Despite the small
victory of separation/segregation from members of pro-British death
squad prisoners the struggle for political recognition and a
restoration of political rights that they once enjoyed continues. The
prisoner's small victory this year against all odds is a reflection
of their courage, resilience and commitment to the cause of national
liberation.

The RSM fully supported the struggle that was waged for the right of
the republican prisoners in Maghaberry to segregation. We clearly
recognised that they are political prisoners involved in a legitimate
form of protest within the jail. Those of us who have been prisoners
of war ourselves understand the frustrations that have driven the
prisoners to undertake a dirty protest. While segregation has been
granted, political status remains to be won. It is all the more
bitter, therefore, that having commemorated the struggle and
sacrifice of the 1980 and 1981 hunger strikers just two years ago, we
do so with the recognition that the political status they suffered
and died to win are gone. That this hard won objective was traded
away as part of the empty promises known as the Good Friday Agreement
is nothing short of criminal.

It was this experience with prisoner isolation and their struggle in
response to it that led the IRSP to support the prisoners of the DHKC
and other Turkish and Kurdish revolutionaries in the prisons of
Turkey. In all, there were hundreds of prisoners on hunger strike in
the prisons of Turkey, seeking the same freedom of assembly that
Irish revolutionaries gave their lives for in 1981. We salute the
courage and dedication of our Turkish comrades and wish them a speedy
victory. Let today's republican prisoners take inspiration from our
comrades in Turkey.

Moving on to another contemporary prison struggle in Ireland. To
date Dessie O'Hare an INLA prisoner has spent over 23 years in gaol.
He and his family have suffered greatly at the hands of the Lackeys
in government in the so called Irish Republic. However, under strand
three of the 'Good Friday Agreement' its states that all prisoners
whose organisations are on ceasefire will benefit from the early
release scheme. Dessie is a recognised Irish National Liberation Army
(INLA) prisoner of war. Therefore, as the INLA is an organisation
that is currently on ceasefire, Dessie O'Hare should benefit from the
early release scheme, a scheme that is afforded to all other
political prisoners who qualify. Dessie O'Hare, the sole prisoner
entitled to release under the terms of the GFA is still being
incarcerated. The Irish Republican Socialist Party call upon the 26-
County administration to immediately release Dessie O'Hare from
incarceration as outlined under the Good Friday Agreement.

Last year, a spokesperson for the RSM said of the incarcerated PFLP
leader:

"Ahmad Saadat is the Dessie O'Hare of Palestine. The Palestinian
Supreme Court has found Saadat guilty of no crime and ordered his
release. In both cases, the courts have ruled that they should be
released and in both cases a government disregards its own courts and
manufactures excuses for continuing to incarcerate someone on purely
political grounds, displaying absolute disregard for human rights and
justice."

Once again, our own experience with the prison struggle laid the
foundation for our solidarity. We in the Irish Republican Socialist
Party joined in demanding the immediate release of Ahmad Saadat and
called upon the Palestinian Authority to demonstrate their respect
for the independence of their judiciary by abiding by its ruling to
release Saadat. Saadat's only crime is his continued opposition to
the Zionist state, much as Dessie O'Hare is being unfairly treated
because of the RSMs continued opposition to the Good Friday
Agreement.

In like manner, the RSM has extended its solidarity to Chilean
prisoners of war, Puerto Rican POWs, Basque political prisoners,
Breton political prisoners, political prisoners in Peru, in the
United States, and around the globe. And, that is why we join you
here today. Each of us here, if we have had the experience of
isolation, criminalisation, torture, abuse, and dehumanisation
through the prison systems in our own nations, cannot look upon the
struggles of others elsewhere in the world against similar evils and
remain unmoved. And so, in conclusion, we in the Irish Republican
Socialist Party join with you all in demanding an end to the
isolation of political prisoners and prisoners of war.

In unity, let us find strength. Through that strength, let us find
victory! Long live the solidarity of those who struggle for justice!

*******

Irish Anti War Movement Bulletin

Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 17:51:35 -0000
IAWM Bulletin 17 December 2003 Capture of Saddam Hussein

'One criminal captures another' is an appropriate way to sum up the
reaction of anti-war activists to the news that Saddam was captured
by US forces. Now that he has been caught the only ones that have a
right to try him are Iraqi people – the main victims of his
tyranny.

Any fair assessment of Saddam's career as a despot should also
put the US and Britain on trial – for supporting him through the
worst of his war crimes, and for their own vicious attacks on the
Iraqi people.

We should all remember the thousands of innocent civilians have died
and the lies that the US and Britain used to justify the war. The US
supported Saddam while he was using chemical warfare on the Kurds and
continues to support vicious dictators who co-operate with US
economic and military interests.

Appalling crimes against civilians continue: the 15 children killed
in Afghanistan earlier this month were slaughtered by an American A-
10 attack aircraft – a type of craft that has been photographed
on the ground in Shannon Airport. More than 14,000 US troops passed
through Shannon last month alone, on their way to wage war on Iraqis,
or on their way home with shattering injuries.

Bertie claims that he was anti-war all along!

These grim facts outlined above put Bertie Ahern's claims to be a
longstanding peace activist in some perspective. However, they also
show the effect that the anti-war movements are having. Even the bold
Bertie realises that it is deeply unpopular to be seen to be
supporting the US war machine. Of course, his actions tell a
different story! Can we expect him on the Anti-War demo in Dublin on
20 March 2004 to mark the first anniversary of the invasion of Iraq?
We doubt it!

Steering Committee Report

The SC met on Sunday, 14 December and decided that priority for the
next couple of months will be to build for a huge demonstration in
Dublin on 20 March (details see below). The first anniversary of the
invasion or Iraq has been proposed by the US anti-war organisation
ANSWER and endorsed by the ESF as a world-wide day of mobilisation
against all occupations. The IAWM has chosen the slogan 'End the
Occupations – U.S. Military out of Shannon'. All IAWM groups
are encouraged to build for this by organising local meeting, stalls
etc. We are also organising large meetings with top-name anti-war
speakers leading up to the 20 March.

It was also decided that until after 20 March that the IAWM will not
be organising any further protests at Shannon. This decision is
purely tactical. It is believed that the best way to get large
numbers of people at later Shannon protests is through a huge
mobilisation on 20 March when we will be protesting against the use
of Shannon at the seat of political power in Ireland. It was decided
that in future that SC meetings will not be open to observers but
that the SC will proactively invite members and others to speak at SC
meetings about specific topics when required.

It was agreed to mobilise around the upcoming trials of Mary Kelly
and the Pitstop Ploughshares (aka Catholic Workers). Mary's next
court appearance will be on 19 February. Details will follow. In
accordance with a resolution passed at the AGM it was decided to hold
a National Steering Committee Meeting on Saturday, 31 January 2004.
All affiliated local groups should send a representative. Note that
each affiliate should have paid its sub for 2003/04 by then! The sub
is €50 (local groups) and €100 (national/regional
organisations).

Fintan Lane – Temporary Release for Christmas

Fintan will be granted temporary release for three days over
Christmas. We still say he should be released immediately and
permanently and all the charges against other anti-war protesters
should be dropped. Free Fintan Lane posters are available from
clonakiltyagainstthewar@eircom.net and irishantiwar@utvinternet.com.

Website is Down!

Due to a catastrophic crash at our server providers the IAWM website
and the e-mail are down. We are working to get them back up. In the
meantime please use irishantiwar@utvinternet.com as a temporary e-
mail address!

Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year in a world without war to
all!

Up-coming IAWM events

Wednesday, 24 December
Christmas Eve Peace Vigil
Organised by Tralee Anti-War Group Anti-War Group.
2.30 – 4.30 pm, Outside Penny's, The Mall, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Contact Kieran at 087 671 6009 for more details or e-mail
traleeantiwar@yahoo.com

Thursday, 15 January 2004
Picket of Bertie Ahern's Constituency Office
Organised by Drumcondra and Phibsborough Anti-War Groups.
5.00 – 6.00 pm, Outside St. Luke's, Lwr. Drumcondra
Road, Dublin 9
Contact Colm at 087 294 7100 for more details or e-mail
irishantiwar@utvinternet.com

Thursday, 31 January 2004
National Steering Committee Meeting
Details will follow. Affiliated local groups and organisations please
send a representative!

Saturday, 20 March 2004
End the Occupations – U.S. Military out of Shannon
National demonstration on day of world-wide mobilisation to mark 1st
anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

Assemble 3 pm, Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Posters and leaflets will be available in January.

Other events Until 08 Feb. 04 The House of Osama Bin Laden at IMMA
An exhibition featuring an interactive digital model allowing a
virtual exploration of the former home of Osama bin Laden opens to
the public at the Irish Museum of Modern Art on Wednesday 10 December
2003. Further information on http://www.modernart.ie/News/WhatsOn.asp?id=1095

Open daily at Irish Museum of Modern Art, Royal Hospital, Kilmainham,
Dublin 8

The bulletin would like to hear people's reaction to this exhibition.
Please send your comments to our temporary e-mail
irishantiwar@utvinternet.com

*******

Republican Socialist Prisoners of War

Castlerea Prison
----------------
Declan Duffy [9 years-20 August 1973-Armagh/Dublin-April 2008]
Dessie O'Hare [Life-N/A-South Armagh-No Fixed Date]

Number 2, The Grove
Castlerea Prison
Harristown
Castlrea, Co. Roscommon
Ireland

Portlaoise Prison
-----------------
Gerry Burns [5 years-7 October 1962-Dublin-May 2005]
Cathal Gartland [4 years-N/A-Dundalk-May 2007]
Kevin McLaughlin [4 years-13 November 1965-Belfast-August 2004]

Portlaoise Prison
Dublin Road
Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Ireland

Letters, cards, birthday greetings, and so forth are welcome.

http://www.irsm.org/irspows/

*******

What's On?

The Men's Health Forum in Ireland will launch its new report, Men's
Health in Ireland, on 15 January 2004 in Buswell's Hotel, Molesworth
Street, Dublin. Registration will begin at 10.30 am. The launch
will begin at 11.00 am. This report provides the most comprehensive
overview of statistics on men's health on the island of Ireland ever
collated. It also highlights key issues on men's health men die, on
average, six years younger than women do; poorer men have poorer
health; men are four times more likely than women to die from
suicide; men take more risks with their health; men are reluctant
users of Primary Care Services and often present too late for
effective treatments to be delivered; men's health is under-
researched - both clinically and in terms of health promotion.
Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children in the
Republic of Ireland, Mr Ivor Callely, will launch the report. The
event will include an overview of the main issues and recommendations
within the report, as well as a keynote address from prominent
broadcaster and journalist Tommie Gorman.

All attendees will receive a hard copy of the report. Further copies
will be available for free downloading from the internet at
www.mhfi.org from 16 January 2004. Please RSVP to Kay Houlihan by 5
January 2004 on tel: 00 353 1 462 5364 or email: launch@mhfi.org.

*******

A new 2004 full colour glossy calendar is available now on the RSM
online shop.

It celebrates the brilliant work undertaken by the Teach Na Failte
Memorial Committees this past year throughout the six counties with
full colour photographs on each page.

Just in time for Christmas and the New Year this calendar can be
viewed online by clicking the link below

http://www.cafeshops.com/rsmshop.8844526

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The new Republican Socialist Forum from Derry IRSP:
http://rsmforum.proboards23.com/

*******

Republican Socialist Online Merchandise - New Website

A new website that offers a central place to go on the Internet to
find good quality items with a distinct Republican Socialist theme.
Proceeds from sales from this effort go towards the IRSM and it's
various projects.

http://www.angelfire.com/folk/irishshop/