1 To: His Excellency Hojjatoleslam Sayed Mohammad Khatami, President of Iran BOBBY SANDS STREET, Tehran, Iran. THE name Bobby Sands is known throughout the world, symbolising the heroism of an Irish prisoner and his comrades who died on hunger strike in their unequal fight against their British jailors. Over the course of the past two years British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has been lobbying Iran’s Foreign Minister to change the name of Bobby Sands Street, where the British Embassy is situated, in the capital Tehran. (It was formerly known as Winston Churchill Street.) Bobby Sands was an Irish patriot and martyr, who died on 5 May 1981, after 66 days on hunger strike. Whilst in prison he was elected as a Member of Parliament [MP]. One hundred thousand people attended his funeral, including the Iranian ambassador to Sweden. The British government has no right to be in Ireland, just as it has no right to be interfering in the affairs of any other nation. We appeal to the Iranian government and its people not to bow to requests from the British government to rename Bobby Sands Street. Sincerely, Danny Morrison Michele Neylon [email protected] Kathleen Collins [email protected]. In the Name of Allah the Compassionate and the Merciful....please leave the street named for Bobby Sands Sinn Fein elected representatives: Gerry Adams MP Pat Doherty Martin McGuinness Mitchell McLaughlin Bairbre de Brun Mary Lou McDonald Martin P Meehan Martin McManus Mrs Cathy Rafferty Paul Corrigan Pat Ó Rawe Patrick MacNamee Philip Mc Guigan Paul Maskey Joseph O'Donnell Margaret Mc Clenaghan Maire Cush Danny Lavery 2 Alex Maskey Tom Hartley Gerard O'Neill Michael Brown Marie Moore Fra Mc Cann Chrissie Mc Auley Billy Leonard Michael Henry Mc Ivor Seamus Campbell Oliver P Molloy Desmond Grimes John Fitzgerald McNamee Patrick Pearse McAleer Maurice Magill Brian Gerald Mc Keown Francie Murray John O'Dowd Gerry Mac Lochlainn Barney O'Hagan Maeve Mc Laughlin Paul Fleming Peter Anderson Tony Hassan Cathal Crumley Gearóid Ó hÉara Lynn Fleming Billy Page Éamonn Mac Con Midhe Francis G Branniff Francis Mc Dowell Barry Monteith Larry Mc Larnon Pheilim Gildernew Mickey Gillespie Desie Donnelly Sean Mc Guigan Francie Molloy Seamus Flannagan Stephen Huggett Paddy Gilgunn Pat Cox Joe Cassidy Thomas O'Reilly Robin Martin Gerry Mc Hugh Brian Mc Caffrey Ruth Lynch Marion Donaghy Francis Brolly 3 Ann Brolly Martin Mc Guigan Veronica Willis Michael Ferguson Paul Butler Sue Ramsey Oliver Thomas Hughes Hugh Edward Mullan Sean Kerr Seamus O'Neill Seamus O'Brien Sean McPeak Patrick Grogan Monica Digney Oliver Mc Mullan Coley Burns Terry Hearty Elena Martin Pat McGinn Charlie Casey Michael Ruane Davy Hyland Brendan Curran Jimmy Mc Creesh Mick Murphy Brendan Lewis Packie Mc Donald Breige Meehan Pat Watters Barry McElduff Peter Kelly Barney Mc Aleer Damien Curran Michael McAnespie Sean B Clarke Sean Begley Eamon Mc Garvey Brian Mc Mahon Clare McGill Daniel Breslin Jarlath Mc Nulty Ivan Barr Charlie McHugh Councillor Gerry MacLochlainn Arthur Morgan T.D. Gerry Loughran Mark Daly Freedom is the ability to choose what is right over what is expedient at the time. 4 Chris MacManus Vol. Bobby Sands has inspired a generation of not only Irish Republicans but all those across the world who cherish freedom and justice Sean MacManus, Mayor of Sligo. Please do not assent to British attempts to rewrite history. Larry O’Toole Nicky Kehoe Dessie Ellis Christy Burke Mark Daly Tony Smithers Ray Corcoran Robert Sargent Killian Forde Daithi Doolan Andrew O’Connell Cathal King Shane O’Connor Martin Christie Paddy McDonald Willie O’Regan Roisin O’Sullivan John Desmond Paul Hayes Donnacha O’Se Sandra McLellan Gina Hennessy Annette Spillane Patrick Bramley Darren Lawlor Gerry McMonagle Pearse Doherty Daniel Callinan Dermot Connolly Jason Devlin Toireasa Ferris Robert Beasley Maisie Houlihan Paddy Wright Jimmy McDonald Pearse McGeough Peter Clarke Noel Campbell Daithi Ceitinn Ann Gibney Caroline Ni Laoinsigh Michael Gallagher Barry Cunningham Eamon Conlon Mariea Kelly 5 Niall Quigley Sean Conlon Donal Sherry Michael Mulligan Seamus Morris Michael Browne Dave Doran David Cullinane Joe Kelly Brendan Mansfield Paul Hogan Maurice Roche Eamonn Long John Brady David Rees Dr Robbie McVeigh Daithí Forde Ní bhrisfidh siad mé mar tá an fonn saoirse, agus saoirse mhuintir na hEireann i mo chroí. Ronan Bennett Mary E. Collins Iran showed the courage of a lion to stand against Britain-do not cower now or yield to an occupier. Andrew Michael Thomas Forde Charlotte Derenne Britain, You killed him, but you’ll never kill his fame! Dominic Doherty Chris First they take his life, now they're taking his street. Claire Delisle Elisa Espinosa [email protected]. You should not erase a name that is part of the History, the History will not forget your act, anyway. Barney O'Hagan Derenne Véronique To the Brits : Move the embassy if you're not happy with the street name! Linda Coleman Michael Kerry Natalie Rose [email protected] Joe McKenna [email protected]. It’s a good thing that the French are strong enough to deny America free world reign, or we might have lost the street in Paris as a reminder of Bobby’s dedication to his and our rights . Show solidarity for the free, please FRED MCNEILL Gregor MacEwan How dare they! Robert Clarkin Dr Laurence McKeown [email protected] Colm R Ciara r Barbara A. Collins Stay with Allah and keep the name-Bobby Sands Street. D Hughes 6 Joe McVeigh Trisha Ziff Tony Cantwell Ciarán Scallan Megan Kelly Máire A Kelly Gearóid O’Bearáin Solidarity to the people of Iran from the people of Ireland Kelli K Lawler [email protected] Danny Simpson [email protected] Bobby Sands and friends you are with us forever Mick Beyers Gréagoire Ó Muilleoir Fuair sé bás ar son saoirse na hÉireann! Maryanne Mooney Fergus O'Dea Scott Sands Jay Dooling Bobby Sands Deserves to be remembered! Don’t give into the Brits! Sandra Tews Wendy Lyon Noel Bradley [email protected]. Brits - Hands off! Louise Dean New Labour, old conservatives Sheila Pettigrew Scot MacCreamhain Saor Èirinn 's Alba Dave Anderson Stephen McCloskey Please keep the sign! Timothy O’Grady I remember very well first hearing that a street in Tehran was named after Bobby Sands. It seemed a great thing that this anguish and heroism taking place in Ireland was being acknowledged so far away in Iran. The British government probably thinks it merely an insult to them that the street was so named, but Bobby Sands is one of the great figures of Irish history, whose election could be said to have brought the Republican movement into electoral politics, thus leading eventually to peace and more representative government. To change the name of the street would be merely to award or exculpate Britain for centuries of colonial repression in Ireland, and, by extension, elsewhere in the world, including the Middle East. Jane Cadwallader Gavin Lynch Maire O'Hare British Hands off Bobby Sands Street Angie Murphy Liam Mailey [email protected]. Don’t bow to British and American imperialist pressure Neil An Iaráin abú! Maire OHare British Hands Off Bobby Sands Street Mike Ritchie Cormac Deasy [email protected]. Typical Brits.....can’t live with their evil past 7 Una Gillespie [email protected] Oglach As Derenne Véronique said, if they don’t like it move the embassy! Marc Conaghan Mark Thompson Thomas Mooney David McKenna Oh dear, mighty Britain trying to hide from its own sordid history? Now now, Mr Straw, “denial” is not a river in Egypt! Micheal Hennessy The English have too much belonging to us Eunan McAteer Brian Campbell Dónal Ó Dálaigh Do not bow to any imperialist pressure Gerry Munroe Bobby Sands: Anti Imperialist and Freedom Fighter Paul O’Neill [email protected] Niall O'Connor [email protected]. As An Irish man currently in Iran, it’s better to be friends with Ireland than untrusty, American ally, Britain Barry Gleeson Caoimhin Mac Giolla Mhín The Brits would love to remove Bobby Sands from world history. This will never happen. Cathy Nelis Peadar McCann Alastair McAteer Sheena Dermot Sands [email protected]. The British cannot even allow our heroes to rest in peace. We appeal to the Iranian people to stick by their Revolutionary principles and allow Bobby Sands Street to remain named as it is. Pól Ó Dulcaointaigh Patrick Fogarty Declan O' Kane Garry Purcell [email protected] Patsy Lagan Pat McCabe Dominic O’Kane Aideen Gilmore Sean McGlinchey Caroline White Linda Ni Ghormain Clíona O' Kane Triona Burke Conor Deane Maura Brown Kevin Johnston Thomas Quigley [email protected]. No appeasement of imperialism Noel Quigley Emma Quinn [email protected] Peadar O’Griobhtha They have no right to interfere in your country Diarmaid 8 Mac Aogáin Remember ’81 Choca [email protected]. Please do not bow to British Imperialism - Bobby Sands is a hero, his name is honoured in your country for which all who support a United Ireland are thankful. Sandra Griffiths Charles Fisher [email protected] Ciaran Deane If the Strawman succeeds where the Thatcher failed, there’s a few street names in London’s A-Z directory that I’d like to bring to his attention Nicola Stanfield [email protected] Toireasa Ni Fhearaiosa Brian McNamee Eoghan O'Conghaile “I scratched my name and not for fame Upon the whitened wall; ‘Bobby Sands was here,’ I wrote with fear In awful shaky scrawl. I wrote it low where eyes don’t go ’Twas but to testify, That I was sane and not to blame Should I come here to die.” [From ‘The Crime of Castlereagh’, Prison Poems by Bobby Sands] Tony Doherty Gerard Henry Hands off Christina Neylon J Baker Caireann m.