Mála Poist

Remember the Colombia Three

A Chairde,

Christmas is fast approaching and as the town lights are switched on and shops stay open for later hours, the excitement and anticipation of yet another festive holiday grows. But as we get bogged down in our preparations, let's not forget those who are less fortunate than us. It's been three years since the Colombia Three — Jim Monaghan, Martin McCauley and Niall Connolly — have experienced the warmth of an Irish Christmas.

It is said that this is the season of giving, so let's help these men get the greatest present of all, freedom. Right now, the men's top priority is protection, and this is costing a lot. To raise this money, it is important to participate in and support any fundraising events that are organised.

The James Crossan/Kieran Doherty Cumann in Ballyconnell are holding their annual sponsored cross border walk this Christmas on Monday 27 December at 12.30pm, starting at the Mountview, Derrylin, Fermanagh. The walk takes two hours and all proceeds will go to the Colombia Three fund.

When issues like the Colombia Three leave the public domain, it is very easy to forget and move on. This Christmas, make sure you show the men you haven't forgotten.

There are plenty of sponsor sheets available for our walk (contact Gerry on 087 2839457) and we'll be having a function afterwards in Dicey's Fiddle.

Tara Brady,

Secretary of the James Crossan/Kieran Doherty Cumann,

Ballyconnell, County Cavan.

Not jobs at any cost

A Chairde,

While the political establishment in the 26 Counties is publicly dismissive of the republican project to bring about an All-Ireland Republic, there are signs that some of them are prepared to take cynical advantage of wage and other economic differentials for their own benefit.

In the past year there have been a number of examples of businesses based in the 26 Counties moving location to take advantage of lower wages and costs in the north. In one case, an entire highly skilled and well-paid unionised workforce in Dublin was made redundant and were replaced by a non-unionised workforce earning less than a third of their wages in the Six Counties. Lately there was also a situation where a US multinational threatened its Dublin workers that it would shift all of its production to the north for similar reasons.

Sinn Féin ought to make it clear that it will not tolerate such practices. While encouraging the growth of all-Ireland economic and business structures, that cannot be at the cost of forcing workers to accept lower wages and worse conditions. Therefore, all moves towards an all-Ireland economy must be inextricably linked to proper wages and conditions for workers.

Matt Treacy,

Dublin.

The Nazis' other victims

A Chairde,

I was interested to read Gerry Kelly's article (An Phoblacht, 25 November) on his visit to Auschwitz. It helps to give us an insight into the horror of the Nazis' crimes against the Jewish people and other groups. One group, though, that is sadly not often heard about is the 'mentally ill'. It is not well known that many thousands of people regarded as 'mentally ill' were murdered in Nazi Germany by psychiatrists and doctors who were wholly supportive of its ideology of racial purity.

This medical murder was carried out under the T4 programme. Most victims were murdered in six killing facilities established in psychiatric institutions. They were Hadamar, Grafenek, Hartheim, Brandenberg, Bernburg and Sonnenstein. Between 1938 and 1941, it is estimated that 80,000 psychiatric patients were murdered and around 250,000 people between 1938 and 1945, which included those with physical disabilities and learning difficulties. Gassing and lethal injection were used to cause death.

It is also generally not well known that the Nazi ideology was influenced by eugenics practices, which actually originated in the United States of America. Psychiatrists and the medical profession there were actively involved in sterilisation programmes against African Americans, immigrants and others regarded as genetically defective. Indeed, after the war, quite a number of psychiatrists and scientists in Nazi Germany escaped justice for their crimes and were helped to settle and work in America in the areas of psychiatric genetics and scientific research in military matters. Given its reputation, new guises for eugenics were required and one of them was precisely that of psychiatric genetics. This still remains the case and today psychiatry is responsible for a global epidemic of various neurological disorders and diseases caused by their drugs.

Consequently, this also results in a shortened lifespan for many patients. Today, psychiatry's victims are still awaiting an apology from that profession for their crimes against humanity, past and present.

Seán Fleming,

Kilglass, County Sligo,

Tel: 087 2154503.

Belfast Ógra website

A Chairde,

Ógra Shinn Féin — Béal Feirste (ÓSFBF) has just launched a website to bring its campaigns to a wider audience. ÓSFBF has been active for a number of years, working on a wide range of issues, and continues to grow in strength with the rest of Ógra Shinn Féin throughout Ireland.

Ógra Shinn Féin plays an integral part in the republican struggle in Ireland in pursuit of our long-term aim of a 32-county democratic socialist republic. ÓSFBF continues to engage in this process through a strategy of highlighting injustices by way of peaceful public protests, debates and education.

Ógra Shinn Féin — Béal Feirste has campaigned and still campaigns on the politics affecting young people in Belfast today. ÓSF has campaigned to stop racist attacks in Ireland, to demilitarise the British war machine, to ban plastic bullets and has worked on many more relevant issues that urgently need to be tackled.

The site will be updated regularly, with information primarily on the political affairs that affect young people in Belfast. You can access the website at www.osfbf.pro.ie to get info on our work and reports on issues affecting young republicans.

Jimmy Madden,

Ógra Shinn Féin, Béal Feirste.