The Friends and family of Maghaberry POWS held a white-line picket on the Falls Road on Wednesday 16th August in support of the Prisoners Demands for full implementation of the August Agreement of 2010.
Afterwards a few of the protesters attended the West Belfast Talk Back event held as part of the Féile. Questions were put to the panel about the worsening crisis in Maghaberry and the response from Sinn Féin was the usual 'we are doing all we can'.
The DUP proclaimed that the question was settled and that was that.
As can be seen from the photo the room was almost empty. In previous years the West Belfast Talk Back was the flagship event in the political debates. It is clear that the people of west Belfast and Ireland as a whole have lost faith in a political debate and political activism.
The 37% turnout at the last election in west Belfast shows that the people have given up on constitutional politics and that it is not the only form of politics on offer.
We appeal to the people that there has never been a more important time than now to be politically active. Standing together we can confront the problems of sectarianism, inequality and injustice that are still alive in Ireland today. Everyone has their part to play no matter how big or how small.
