By Mitch Mitchell @ CWU Conference 2013
At the CWU conference in Bournemouth yesterday, there was a meeting to discuss justice. The CWU has been very supportive of DtRtP and backs us nationally. Tony Kearns, CWU Deputy General Secretary, spoke first and very effusively about DtRtP and the need to continue to support the work of the campaign.
This is vitally important, because, as can be seen from the others’ contributions, justice, or the lack of it, is something which affects us all and will continue to be a focus as government cuts get deeper and more savage against ordinary working class people.
Norman Strike, ex-miner and member of the NUM spoke next on what happened to him and how he was sentenced to a short stay in prison because of his picketing in the 1984/85 strike. He also recounted how that made him feel at the time and how he feels about it today, citing the total injustice of his case as a good reason for us to keep campaigning.
Kevin & Eileen then spoke about the Shrewsbury 24 campaign, in the absence of Ricky Tomlinson who was unwell. They talked about the various government cover-ups, both at the time of the arrest, despite the police chief on the day thanking them for their behaviour. The fact that Des Warren, who was jailed for 3 years was given the liquid cosh (largactyl) whilst inside and has subsequently died from drug induced Parkinson’s. And also the fact that subsequent governments have refused to release the papers surrounding the affair, despite promises to the contrary.
He also mentioned that he is now unable to visit America because of his record and has had confirmation from the US Embassy that granting him a visa, even for a short holiday, would be extremely unlikely.
Eileen also mentioned that there has been interference with the campaign’s e-petition and so now they are running a traditional paper petition along side which they plan to hand in at Downing Street when 100,000 signatures have been obtained.
Gloria Morrison and Jan Wilson JENGbA the Joint Enterprise campaign spoke very movingly about the experience of Jan’s s son (registered blind) was convicted and sentenced to 12 years for an offence of which he is patently not guilty and unable to have committed due to his being unsighted.
I then spoke about DtRtP and why we are continuing to fight on behalf of people and families who have suffered gross injustice.
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