The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.59/No.34           September 18, 1995 
 
 
Letters  

Million gallon hog spill
Here's an update to the informative article you ran recently on the 25 million gallon hog waste spill in eastern North Carolina. Last week the state Division of Environmental Management fined Oceanview Farms, site of the spill, $110,000. DEM spokesman Don Reuter said, "We found that most of Oeanview's actions in the immediate wake of the spill were to keep their operations going. We found their reaction to our directions to clean up waste on adjacent lands and nearby creeks to be unsatisfactory."

Although the DEM called this a "severe" penalty, it's barely a slap on the wrist against the giant Purina Corporation, which backs Oceanview. Who'll actually pay the penalty is less clear. A recent article in the Greensboro News and Record explained that Oceanview is managed by Coastal Ag-Development, Inc. which owns 1 percent of Oceanview. The newspaper quoted Bill Johnson, vice president of Coastal, "The other owners are individual people located in various locations within the U.S. They're just individual investors in the project, 11 other investors." He added that he "didn't wish" to release the names of these other investors, who are also not listed with the North Carolina secretary of state.

But the secretary of state does list the principal officers of Coastal Ag-Development - three individuals with the same address in St. Louis, Missouri. The address is that of Purina Mills and the three individuals are the president and CEO, executive vice president, and legal counsel for Purina. Given their track record, it's no surprise these capitalist owners would rather working people be kept in the dark about their identity.

Jane Roland

Greensboro, North Carolina

Irish political prisoner
Behind the brick walls and triple razor wire fencing of the federal prison in Fairton, New Jersey, an Irish political prisoner is being held. Gerry McGeough joined the Republican movement in 1975 at age 16 and since that time has lived a life of activism broken by periods of imprisonment, torture, and exile. In 1988 Gerry was arrested on frame-up bombing charges in Germany. After four years of pretrial imprisonment, Gerry was acquitted and extradited to the U.S.A. on a warrant dating back to the "Freedom Five" case of the early 1980's.

While out on bail, McGeough toured as a speaker, organizer, and fund raiser for Republican causes in North America. In 1994 he was sentenced to three years in prison and will face deportation when he is released in 1996. Like the other 26 imprisoned Irish activists in the U.S.A., Gerry is very much a victim of collusion between the British secret police and the FBI. When British and American imperialism are getting along well, indictments, provocations, and frame-ups rain down on Irish activists in the U.S.A. However, when U.S. - British relations cool, Gerry Adams gets invited to the White House.

Taking advantage of the political situation, Brian McElduff, Sinn Fein's Justice spokesperson, visited Gerry McGeough as part of his East Coast tour. The Sinn Fein representative and Gerry O'Hare of the New Jersey Irish Unity Coalition were passed through the gun towers, electric gates, and walls to meet with their imprisoned comrade.

The visitors told McGeough of the unfolding campaign of mass street actions in Ireland to press the British to begin peace talks. The various advances in the Saorise (Irish for freedom) campaign for the release of Irish political prisoners in England, Ireland, and the U.S.A. were reported and discussed.

Like other political prisoners, Gerry would appreciate letters and political discussion with other fighters on the outside. His address is: Gerry McGeough, # 37768-053, unit CR, F.C.I., Fairton, PO# 420 Fairton, NJ, 08320.

Roy Inglee

Wilmington, Delaware

The letters column is an open forum for all viewpoints on subjects of general interest to our readers. Please keep your letters brief. Where necessary they will be abridged. Please indicate if you prefer that your initials be used rather than your full name.

 
 
 
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