Derry Visitors Held in London Swoop

["Danielle Ni Dhighe" <danielle@xxxxxxxx>]

Derry Journal
17 December 2002

Derry Visitors Held in London Swoop
December 17, 2002

Two campaigners for the cause of left-wing Turkish hungerstrikers,
former visitors to Derry, have been charged in London under anti-
terror legislation.

The pair, Rory O'Driscoll, 29, from London and Gurkan Gur, 39, from
Hyde in Cheshire are among six captives who have been charged with
offences relating to membership of a banned Turkish guerrilla group.

Both delivered speeches in May last year at a special solidarity
event in a Derry public house.

Local IRSP activists had invited them to the city to highlight the
plight of Turkish DHKP-C 'deathfasters', members of the largest anti-
government terror group in the country.

It is believed that the charges they face relate to financial
matters.

Turkish authorities blame the DHKP-C for organising the hungerstrike
which has claimed 57 lives since it began two years ago.

Derryman Terry Harkin, who heads the IRSP's International Department
and who has led delegations to Turkey said:

"This is another example of how this war on terror is being used to
tighten the control of America over the world.

"There is a direct correlation between Tony Blair's meeting with the
Turkish premier and George Bush's pressure on Britain. The people of
Derry are well aware of the tactics employed by the British against
legitimate resistance movements. This harassment is due to the high
profile of Rory and Gurkhan, who both visited the city to raise funds
and publicise the plight of the Turkish deathfasters.

"Derry knows more than anywhere else of the resilience of socialist
deathfasters, as she produced two of those who died during the 1981
hungerstrike, Patsy O'Hara and Michael Devine."


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