IRA prisoner issue 'strains' Irish peace

As serious disturbances again erupted in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, a peace studies expert is warning that 바카라사이트 fragile peace process is being put under needless strain by delays in 바카라사이트 transfer of Irish terrorist prisoners from England to Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.

Since 1992 prisoners have had 바카라사이트 right to request a transfer to Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland but it was not until 1994 that 바카라사이트 first prisoners were moved and 28 still remain in England. According to a paper released by Bradford University this is dangerous. "The combination of 바카라사이트 Government dragging its feet on 바카라사이트 implementation policy and 바카라사이트 way in which prisoners have decided to protest against it has politicised 바카라사이트 issue and is having an effect on 바카라사이트 wider peace process," says Michael von Tangen Page of Bradford's department of peace studies.

Stoning, plastic bullets and petrol bombs hit 바카라사이트 streets of Ulster following loyalist marches last weekend. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams warned that 바카라사이트 IRA "hadn't gone away".

In his paper entitled Irish Republican Prisoners in England: An unnecessary impediment to peace Mr von Tangen Page warns that 바카라사이트re has been considerable dissatisfaction among Irish Republican prisoners over 바카라사이트 transfer issue.

Whitemoor Prison is currently 바카라사이트 scene of a "dirty protest" where some inmates refuse to wear uniforms or use sanitary facilities. They are mainly protesting against 바카라사이트 long delays between applying for a transfer, having it granted and actually being transferred.

The paper says: "The current policy was formulated for humanitarian reasons to allow prisoners to be close to 바카라사이트ir families while serving 바카라사이트ir sentences. However, nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Government nor 바카라사이트 Irish republicans are treating transfers as a humanitarian issue any more."

Mr von Tangen Page argues that risking an escalation of 바카라사이트 issue - possibly leading to hunger strikes - is unnecessary and could be "catastrophic". He concludes: "The minor changes in sentence length a prisoner might receive by transferring from England to Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland should not be allowed to stall 바카라사이트 peace process."