One month ago we printed pictures of the bloodied faces of inmates of Long Kesh after they had been 'pacified' by the British Army during the burning of the camp last October. Below, we print extracts from an eye-witness account of the burning of the camp, and the pacification' which followed, smuggled out of Long Kesh by a Provisional Republican internee, 'Paul".
About a week before the actual fire we warned the authorities that if the Brits invaded the Cages and beat us again, the Kesh would be razed to the ground.
Un the evening or tuesday 1o October we got some news that there was a bit of trouble at the top end of the Camp.
it was a quarter past nine in the evening when the final word reached our Cage.
The Brits had assembled outside Cage 13 for a raid. All the prisoners then set fire LO LACHEs Pieces of bedding and a mattress were thrown up against the fence, followed by a team who quickly sprang over the barbed wire to taste the treedom of rebellion From me ransacked stores we ootained feet. The gas explosions also blew the hut structures apart.
At about 9.50 p.m. we began our journey to the football pitches. On the way up we caught a glimpse of the English Army. They fired gas and rubber bullets but the heat had produced a whirlwind wiich sucked te gas into the sky. for the same reasons they couldn't use the helicopters; the atmosphere above the Camp was unstable.
once at the pren we assembled under our own leaders. I then separated from the men of my own cage and mixed until I found my brother, a sentenced Republican prisoner, with a twelve year sentence LU SCEYC. We shook hands and clasped was ormant and cannot cescape und feeling. The tears ran out of my eyes at Enis reunion During the night men had been assigned to guard gates and give advance warning of the Brits' approach. Around dawn two choppers flew in low. I thought - here they come now. The Brits fired gas and bullets and close range fighting took place In the hand to hand fighting we repeatedly pushed them back. We were able to overcome the fumes of the CS gas in the open, but the CR gas completely paralysed us.
If courage had been the decisive factor in that battle we were easily the winners. 1 fell with the gas and went into asphyxiation. About 1,000 rebelling prisoners were on die buen outumpered ov sor diers, well-equipped with all the paraphernalia of modern riot control. It was hell.
When I woke up my head was bouncing off the ground and my feet were three feet in the air and the same distance apart underneath the arms of two nasty Brits who were trailing me away. At the fence we were made spread-eagle. systematic beaung and abuse began. Dogs everyone was beaten.
Then they began picking out individuals and giving them hidings. One brave man was selected, beaten and subjected to continual interrogation behind our backs. He turned round and I could hear him, dic tion cool and calm: "Fuck you,' he said. *We've burnt Long Kesh and there's fuck all you can do about it!' The shock almost killed me. They laid into this rebel and neariv kuled nim. neard skin de flate under punches and bones crack under blows.
Hours later we were taken back to our burnt-out Cages. We were trailed and dragged down to the lower end or the camp after our identities had been established. I saw my bromer amp back along nis une to serve his twelve years. This march from the top of the Camp to the bottom was brilliant. The destruction was complete The charred shells of the huts symbolised no me ne demise ortne concentration Camp system.
We were out in the open with no covering at all and the weather of October is cold and damp. We hung charred timber over pieces of twisted bed-ends and under neath this we lay down to try and sleep In the rubble I could see my mate Gerard's face as black as a boot and we both started to laugh. The soldiers beyond the fence couldn't understand our laughter The air still smelt of the burning, our mood was still defiant. We had realised power. And as I lay my head down to rest thought to mvselt that would do i all over again for ten times the price.
DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THE PREVENTION OF TERRORISM ACT SATURDAY 5 JULY Assemble 2.30 pm, Kilburn Underground St.
red weekly july 3 1975 teachers _ 11