LA POLEMICA SUGLI HUNGER STRIKERS E’ UN ATTACCO AL SINN FEIN
Martin McGuinness considera la polemica nata attorno all’hunger strike del 1981 come un bieco attacco al suo partito
Il vice Primo Ministro dell’Irlanda del Nord considera l’accusa che sei hunger strikers avrebbero potuto essere salvati, come un attacco al Sinn Fein.
“Nel 1981 avevamo a che fare con un nemico spietato e ipocrita, impersonato da Margaret Thatcher. Trovo paradossale che nel loro desiderio di arrivare al Sinn Féin i nostri avversari stiano tentando di ritrarre la Thatcher come qualcuno ansioso di giungere alla risoluzione dello sciopero della fame. Nulla potrebbe essere più lontano dalla verità “, ha dichiarato McGuinness.
Come sostenuto da Richard O’Rawe nel suo libro “The Blanketmen”, il governo Thatcher aveva proposto un accordo accettato inizialmente dai prigionieri, ma respinto dalla leadership del Sinn Fein al di fuori del carcere.
Hunger strike claims ‘attack on SF’ – McGuinness (Derry Journal)
Sinn Féin leader Martin McGuinness has said claims that the lives of six of the 1981 hunger strikers could have been saved are motivated by a desire to attack his party.
The Deputy First Minister said he finds ironic the attempt to present former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher as someone who wanted to resolve the prison dispute.
“In 1981 we were dealing with a ruthless, hypocritical enemy, personified by Margaret Thatcher. I find it quite ironic that in their desire to get at Sinn Féin our opponents are attempting to portray Thatcher as someone who was anxious to resolve the hunger strike. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said.
The controversy over the hunger strike began when former blanketman Richard O’Rawe claimed in a book that a deal which would have ended the hunger strike was accepted by the prisoners but rejected by the IRA leadership outside the prison. Sinn Féin have continually denied that any such deal was made.
Earlier this year, the relatives of the Derry hunger strikers Patsy O’Hara and Michael Devine called for an independent inquiry to be held into the events of the hunger strike.
The Five Demands 