Prisoner on hunger strike

Wolfe Tone · 02-02-2011 02:12AM #1

Co Louth man who was convicted of IRA membership is on hunger strike in Portlaoise Prison, the Special Criminal Court was told today.

Barry O'Brien (aged 38), a father of three from Mountainview Court, was convicted last December of membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on April 6, 2004.

The court had been due to sentence O'Brien today, but prosecuting counsel Mr Gerard Clarke SC told the court that he was not present in court.

Mr Clarke said that he had been furnished with a medical report that said that O'Brien was not fit to attend court.

"I am told he is apparently, on hunger strike," he added.

Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding, remarked that at a recent court appearance O'Brien "looked very poorly".

The court remanded O’ Brien until February 15 for sentencing.

During a three-day trial last year, chief superintendent Patrick Magee said in evidence it was his "strong belief" that O'Brien was an IRA member.

Superintendent Magee also said he had known O'Brien for many years on a personal basis, and was very familiar with his activities "and of his involvement with the IRA".

Garda forensic witnesses told the court they were "satisfied" O'Brien's fingerprints were found on items seized from a car in Dublin in 2003, in which firearms were discovered.

The driver was subsequently convicted of IRA membership, while two other men arrested during the operation pleaded guilty to possession of firearms.

The court was also told that books of raffle tickets for “POWs”, walkie-talkies and €6,000 in cash was discovered when gardaí searched O'Brien's house in April 2004. O'Brien denied these were for IRA
fund-raising purposes.

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/ira-man-on-hunger-strike-in-portlaoise-prison-491709.html#ixzz1Cl8lPWgW

Read this today..... Apparently the man in question is a right scumbag even among republican circles(he was thrown off of the republican wing by republicans, as far as I can tell for being a scumbag and a criminal in their eyes), but it got me thinking, what should be done with people on hunger strikes?

Its certainly an emotive issue.....

orourkeda · 02-02-2011 02:17AM

They should be handcuffed to the radiator in the kitchen. Their hunger strike wont last a day.

Alternatively, bombard them with extremely tasty foodstuffs.

Senna · 02-02-2011 02:23AM

Let him starve, its his choice.

Wolfe Tone · 02-02-2011 02:26AM

Senna wrote: »

Let him starve, its his choice.

Ah, is that a blanket statement for all hungerstikes or does it depend on their motives?

Senna · 02-02-2011 02:30AM

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Ah, is that a blanket statement for all hungerstikes or does it depend on their motives?

His motives? couldn't care less. Scumbag = let him starve

humberklog · 02-02-2011 02:35AM

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Ah, is that a blanket statement for all hungerstikes or does it depend on their motives?

Surely the only other route other than the hungerstriker's starvation is capitulation to the hungerstriker's demands?

starbelgrade · 02-02-2011 02:35AM

They should set up a little kitchenette outside his cell & have a top chef cook some cordon blue meals right beside the cell door window.

The smell of roast tenderloin in jus, fillet mignon steaks & creme brulee would soon have him change his mind.

LondonIrish90 · 02-02-2011 02:37AM

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Ah, is that a blanket statement for all hungerstikes or does it depend on their motives?

regardless of motive, if a person on hunger strike is being offered food, there isnt much more you can do.

Rodin · 02-02-2011 02:41AM

Let him rot

No big loss

TeddyTedson · 02-02-2011 02:43AM

Surround him with fast food in a cell with nothing else and see if he can resist.
A social experiment if nothing else.

starbelgrade · 02-02-2011 02:43AM

Why is it called a hunger strike anyway?

It's not like they were working in the first place. Surely it should be called a hunger protest?

Einhard · 02-02-2011 02:43AM

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Ah, is that a blanket statement for all hungerstikes or does it depend on their motives?

To hunger strike is to attempt to blackmail the state.

No government worthy of that name should succumb to blackmail. Especially when the only person physically endangered through the act is the blackmailer himself.

Therefore, no government should negotiate with hunger strikers.

He has a choice. Eat or die.

Wolfe Tone · 02-02-2011 02:43AM

humberklog wrote: »

Surely the only other route other than the hungerstriker's starvation is capitulation to the hungerstriker's demands?

You could force-feed them, not a pleasant experience by all accounts, Gerry Kelly was force-fed when he was on hunger strike in the 70s for example.

Wolfe Tone · 02-02-2011 02:45AM

Einhard wrote: »

To hunger strike is to attempt to blackmail the state.

No government worthy of that name should succumb to blackmail. Especially when the only person physically endangered through the act is the blackmailer himself.

Therefore, no government should negotiate with hunger strikers.

He has a choice. Eat or die.

Does it not depend on the context? Say someone like Gandhi?

TeddyTedson · 02-02-2011 02:48AM

Give a man a fish, you feed him once.
Teach a man how to fish...you...you won't teach the man again.

humberklog · 02-02-2011 02:49AM

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Does it not depend on the context? Say someone like Gandhi?

Gandhi O Brien?

Einhard · 02-02-2011 02:54AM

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Does it not depend on the context? Say someone like Gandhi?

Context can play a part, but doesn't really come into it in liberal democracies, governed by the rule of law.

Hunger strikes are not an effective tool in truly oppressive countries, for the simple fact that the regime doesn't care whether you live or die, and likely or not, would kill you themselves.

RobHill · 02-02-2011 03:03AM

Einhard wrote: »

He has a choice. Eat or die.

Cake or Death!

StupidLikeAFox · 02-02-2011 03:33AM

starbelgrade wrote: »

They should set up a little kitchenette outside his cell & have a top chef cook some cordon blue meals right beside the cell door window.

The smell of roast tenderloin in jus, fillet mignon steaks & creme brulee would soon have him change his mind.

I would prob go on hunger strike for that too

TeddyTedson · 02-02-2011 03:35AM

RobHill wrote: »

Cake or Death!

Cake

macquarie · 02-02-2011 03:38AM

He must be starvin..

Sergeant · 02-02-2011 04:15AM

It's not an emotive issue for me. I couldn't give a fúck.

mickydoomsux · 02-02-2011 08:15AM

Meh.

Let the waste of space die. It'll save us money in the long term. Not the states job to babysit him and forcefeed him like a fussy child.

02-02-2011 10:03AM

Hunger striking is an insult to starving people everywhere. Let him die and give his meals to the homeless.

02-02-2011 11:12AM

Let him die or hook him up to an IV

david75 · 02-02-2011 11:14AM

He's trying to wrap the green flag around himself and evoke Bobby Sands and those lads who actually did starve themselves to death for a higher aim. Theirs was a truly noble cause, to point out British maltreatment of Catholics in Prisons in NI and in NI generally. That worked 'cos it got the worlds media onto it. This is just a knob jockey. Leave him to it. He won't go all the way.

sensibleken · 02-02-2011 11:15AM

Why is he especially a scumbag? What is he protesting about?

Totaly depends on context. I think hunger striking is always more admirable than taking someone elses life but unfortunetely they are not always mutually exclusive. Ghandi and the sufreagettes are examples of how it can be used to great effect for honourable causes

Guy:Incognito · 02-02-2011 11:51AM

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Read this today..... Apparently the man in question is a right scumbag even among republican circles(he was thrown off of the republican wing by republicans, as far as I can tell for being a scumbag and a criminal in their eyes), but it got me thinking, what should be done with people on hunger strikes?

Its certainly an emotive issue.....

Are these the same guys that you say should be treated like all other prisoners? Their own wing and choosing who gets to be on it eh? I hope your not going to tell us about any other privelidges they get over the normal prisoners they should be treated the same as.

flyton5 · 02-02-2011 12:02PM

They should just put some KFC "chicken dippas" in front of him. Ali G didn't last 10mins...

dolphin city · 02-02-2011 12:09PM

never mind the chicken dippa's - that stuff'll kill im.

Look, if he's gonna eat a meal, he'll eat an IRISH meal, so I vote for throwin him in a bit of irish stew or a bit a bacon and cabbage.

AnonoBoy · 02-02-2011 12:10PM

Maybe he's just a really really fussy eater?

Prisoner on hunger strike

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