Workers Solidarity Movement

The partner of Brendan Lillis along with ex-blanket men and supporters still continue on solidarity hungerstrike to demand the release of Brendan on humanitarian grounds.  Last Friday, David Ford Minister of Justice released a statement refusing to release Brendan Lillis and claimed who was receiving adequate medical attention in Maghaberry prison hospital. Once again exposing the brutal and callous prison regime which remains unchanged since the 1980/81 hunger strikes.

 Ankylosing Spondylitis, the condition that Mr Lillis suffers from is an intensely painful condition that begins witha curvature of the spine and it has now got to the stage where he is in extreme pain 24 hours a day, with little relief and grossly sub-standard medical care.

 Roisin Lynch, Mr Lillis' partner, is understandably beside herself with anxiety and is desperately looking for help with her fledgling campaign to have Brendan treated with dignity. Roisin said this before the camp:

"I am trying my best to highlight this but sadly I'm working alone and don't have much experience this area but I'm trying my best......For the 1st 10 weeks he had no visits because he couldn't get into a wheelchair and they wouldn't let me into the jail, after a lot of debates with the jail i was eventually allowed to visit him in his cell which i have done since then. as you all no Brendan is now in a precarious situation and if he doesn't get released from jail i am in no doubts he will die soon. "

 A WSM member also took part in a 24 hour hungerstrike in solidarity at the camp, along with many other supporters from a wider spectrum of political organisations and individuals such as the Independent Workers Union. This groundswell of popular support has forced his case onto the media agenda and is putting pressure on the political parties to take action.

 Determination and spirits in the camp at the old Andersonstown Barracks site still remain strong despite constant low level police harassment and political indifference from sections of the establishment. Prisoner dependent clubs aligned to Sinn Fein which include many members who served time in jail with Brendan have rejected collections inside their premises.

 The WSM calls for the immediate release of Brendan on a humanitarian bias.