Irish prisoners plea

This Sunday has been declared "Prisoners Sunday" as a response to Pope Paul's appeal for prisoners which he made at the start of the recent Holy Year.
Thousands of leaflets suggesting practical ways of showing Christian concern both for prisoners of conscience and fur those convicted of crimes have already gone out from this office to parishes and schools in the name of the joint committee on which many organisations are represented. Could I make a personal appeal on behalf of what is probably the most unpopular section of our prison community? 1 refer to the Irish prisoners convicted, of terrorist offences. The adjective is enough. Many of these prisoners see themselves rather as heroes in a nationalistic struggle in which violence is legitimate in the cause of "freedom".
We in the Churches have our responsibility both for helping to make such attitudes possible and for the years of lack of interest in the discrimination which fuelled this militancy. But whatever their attitudes, there are at the moment more than 80 of these prisoners. So far three have died — one in unexplained circumstances and the others as a consequence of hunger strikes. Large numbers have been placed in solitary confinement for long
perihoedrse
T has been a history of injury
suffered by these men both at the hands of prisoners and of prison officers. Arms, legs and noses have been broken and teeth smashed out. These episodes have taken place in several different prisons and the facts are not in dispute.
The systematic brutality Mflicted on the Birmingham bombers, before trial, by prison officers at Winston Green remains un• punished.
At the same time 27 British soldiers convicted of crimes, some Of violence, in Northern Ireland, have been returned to serve their sentences in this country.
1 would like to male two suggestions. The first is that the ('hunches might launch an independent and open inquiry about what is now seen as deliberate victimisation, Perhaps the Justice and Peace Commission and the Howard League for Penal Reform might jointly look at the evidence and decide whether there is a case hich our prison administrators ought to answer.
The second is that these prisoners might surely now be transferred to prisons where it would he possible for their relatives to visit theta without extreme difficulty and economic hardship. For some prisoners this would certainly mean transfer tu prisons in Northern Ireland. This would be normal and nol exceptional treatment.
IF these prisoners are the most unpopular in our prisons then they are perhaps also the most deserving of our Christian concern. True peace — and one day it must come — can only be built on justice for all, and that includes these prisoners and their families who have to suffer so much with them.
(Mgr) Brute Kent }'ax Christi Centre, 13Iackfriars Hall, Southampton Road, London, NW5,