BY PAMELA HOLMES
LONDON - Some 150 people attended a social evening organized by Saoirse here April 28. Saoirse campaigns for the release of all Irish political prisoners. An interim demand of the campaign is the repatriation of Irish prisoners held in jails in Britain.

Some 30 Irish Republican prisoners are currently held in four prisons in England. Another seven are in Her Majesty's Prison (HMP) Maghaberry in Northern Ireland, but are only on temporary transfer and could be returned to jails in Britain.

One of the campaign organizers, Peter Middleton, explained that conditions for the prisoners have become worse since the cease-fire in Northern Ireland. Nevertheless, he reported two small victories. One is the permanent transfer of Robert Fryer from HMP Full Sutton in the north of England to a prison in Northern Ireland. The other was that Feilim O hAdhmaill has finally won the right to speak with family members in Gaelic during visits. Previously, any conversation in Gaelic meant the visit was summarily ended.

Andy Somers, a retired judge and human rights director of the Irish Unity Conference in the United States, was the guest of honor at the event. He spoke of the "humiliation and horrible conditions" the prisoners have to endure in British jails, and described Belmarsh as a place where "every guard seemed to have a very healthy dog but it's a terrible place for human beings." Somers went on to say that the prisoners are held as hostages and are being used as "bargaining chips" by the British government.

Participants were invited to get more involved in the campaign, including a picket of Downing Street, home of Prime Minister John Major, on May 7. The Saoirse campaigners are also distributing symbolic green ribbons to be worn until all the prisoners are released. Saoirse can be contacted in London at P.O. Box 3923, London NW5 1RA.

Pamela Holmes is a member of Transport and General Workers' Union branch 1/688 in London.  
 
 
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