Wide Black Belt Around Waist And Shirt

TO 30 YEARS OF THE DEATH OF BOBBY SANDS

The May 5, 1981 died of starvation in prison Robert George Sands , known as Bobby Sands. Irish Republican Army militant (IRA in its acronym in English) led a long hunger strike to be recognized as a political prisoner. The claim was denied by the British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, known as the "Iron Lady." extracts A political mistake? , note We magazine, n º 242 of May 8, 1981.

"" Mr. Sands was a convicted felon who decided to commit suicide. That made a decision that no political organization never allowed their victims. To be clear, the guerrillas never grant Republicans imprisoned on status of political prisoners on hunger strike for more than they do '. When Margaret Thatcher on Tuesday, 5 was presented to the House of Commons, the districts of Belfast and Londonderry in Ulster, and burned: over twenty injured, dozens of detainees, cars and houses ablaze and erected barricades in the Catholic ghetto had closed the first day after the death of Bobby Sands, the Irish Republican Army guerrilla (IRA, its acronym in English) who died in the Maze Prison after 66 days of hunger strike. The Prime Minister spoke for all the British-democrats and conservatives, radio and newspapers, civil and military, monarchists and republicans who do not accept the integration of the IRA the Irish political spectrum. In ideological firmness, Thatcher added perhaps as never representation. Starvation
Sands, the thirteenth of the Irish Republican so far this century, had been expected since last week, when approaching 60 days without food and 34 kilos in weight, insensitivity of his body and precoma state and heralding the end.
'Through the open door of his cell saw not the man I met 25 years ago 4, but a body still, eyes closed appeared to be 90 years old, "said Hugues Sunday 2 Sinn, brother of one of the other three strikers who accompanied Sands in his protest. Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh and Patsy O'Hara Sands fasted with asking the political status of IRA prisoners.
From the first moment he knew, too, that the British government would not give: no voice was raised in London for the slightest concession or the adoption of a political status' of these guerrillas authors the most heinous crimes' as defined almost unanimously. The whole world watched with amazement how life turned out the Sands. And everyone feared that the enormous emotional burden of the Irish erupted into a revived civil war like the one fought in 1972 in the north, where most of Ireland Protestant. In London he hoped and expected that 30,000 British troops in Ulster will be able to restrain the armed terrorists who have, however, the support of the Catholic population (in April, Sands had been elected by huge majority over the claims of a Protestant candidate.)
John Paul II decided to mediate humanitarian and political reasons , Vatican Radio said. Humanitarian, because although the death of Sands was actually a suicide, "was appalled by news of his poor health '. Policies, because "the Irish peace is more committed than ever."
(...)
Was it a political mistake or not be allowed to die to Bobby Sands and turn it into a martyr? You could (for example) have given serum. Two reasons the British government had to act as he did, not give in to terrorist demands and do not contradict the will of the detainee. What may trigger war? When Margaret Thatcher's government reaffirmed its position not to negotiate also knew that this possibility existed. And took: 30 thousand British soldiers stationed in Ulster may be imposed by the mere presence, said the Conservative and Labour spokespersons in the House of Commons. "

Pictures of Bobby Sands






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