‘50 to 60’ inmate-fasts

Press, 28 June 1989, Page 4

‘50 to 60’ inmate-fasts

PA Wellington Hunger strikes by prison inmates are more common than most people realise, says the divisional officer at Mt Crawford prison, Mr Andy Fitzharris. Mr Fitzharris estimated that last year 50 to 60 hunger strikes occurred in prisons throughout New Zealand. Most were “up north,” he said. The reasons for hunger strikes varied and many did not receive much publicity. On remand at Mt Crawford is a hunger striker, Francis Manewha Shaw, aged 24, of Porirua. Shaw began his strike 14 days ago to highlight his demand for marae-based justice. Prison authorities said Shaw was being given fruit juice and tea and appeared to be drinking them. But Shaw’s sister, Jane, said her brother was drinking only water. Early last week two other remand prisoners joined Shaw in support of his demand. Scott Mercer and Horo Rivers. were also monitored daily by a nurse and checked by a doctor who visits three to four times a week. No hunger-striking inmates are known to have died in New Zealand .in recent times as a result of therir hot eating. Mr Fitzharris said the prison was not contemplating force-feeding Shaw. “That’s well down the track,” he said. One of the longest recent strikes was in 1987 when Irwin Babbington, an inmate at Paremoremo maximum security prison, swore that he would die before giving up his campaign to force prison authorities to set up a grievance committee of Maori elders with 24-hour access to the prison and to get better visiting rights. Babbington’s strike lasted more than 60 days.