11 September 1997 Edition
Downing Street picket goes ahead
Within hours of British Prime Minister Tony Blair urging the British people to make ``Princess Diana's legacy a better, more compassionate Britain'', a picket calling for the immediate release of all Irish Political Prisoners was held in Downing Street organised by Fuascailt, a campaign group based in London.
Demanding the immediate transfer of Irish prisoners to jails closer to their families, Fuascailt said ``the treatment and continued detention of Irish Political Prisoners in jails in England is an issue which calls for an immediate compassionate response from the British authorities.'' The release of Irish POWs would, the group said, provide a confidence building measure to underpin the IRA ceasefire. Fuascailt continued, ``in any resolution to a conflict the first issue to be dealt with is the release of prisoners. There should be phased release of Irish Political Prisoners both here in England and in the occupied Six Counties to show that the British government is fully behind this peace process and is interested in a lasting peace settlement.''
Demanding the immediate transfer of Irish prisoners to jails closer to their families, Fuascailt said ``the treatment and continued detention of Irish Political Prisoners in jails in England is an issue which calls for an immediate compassionate response from the British authorities.'' The release of Irish POWs would, the group said, provide a confidence building measure to underpin the IRA ceasefire. Fuascailt continued, ``in any resolution to a conflict the first issue to be dealt with is the release of prisoners. There should be phased release of Irish Political Prisoners both here in England and in the occupied Six Counties to show that the British government is fully behind this peace process and is interested in a lasting peace settlement.''