41 Afghans to continue hunger strike

The 41 asylum seekers in St Patrick's Cathedral have said they will continue with their action despite a request from Church of Ireland leaders to call off their hunger strike.

All of the Afghan men are taking water, but say that at present they will continue to go without food.

They have denied that any of them are members of the Taliban, and say they are from a mixture of ethnic and political backgrounds.

The group have been living in different parts of Ireland for between one and five years. They are seeking leave to remain in the State, and say their action was precipitated by several of their applications for refugee status being turned down recently.

They have been without food since Sunday. One of the men was taken to hospital yesterday, believed to be suffering from severe dehydration.

A statement issued yesterday on behalf of the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Rev Dr Robin Eames, the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev Dr John Neill, and the Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, the Very Rev Dr Robert McCarthy, called on them to end their hunger strike before matters deteriorate further.

"As Christians, we are deeply moved by the humanitarian plight of this group," it said.

"We had hoped that Tuesday's meeting between representatives of the asylum seekers and the Department of Justice officials or yesterday's meeting with Mr Manuel Jordao, representing the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, would have resulted in the opening of dialogue that could have led to a resolution. However, this was not so."

Samandar Khan (19), who has been acting as a spokesman for the group, said he walked away from the meeting with Mr Jordao because he could do nothing for them. "He talked about the law. We are well aware of the law," he said. "He is a good man but not a man of authority. I said this meeting is finished."

Meanwhile, the Health Service Executive has said it is monitoring the situation, in particular the seven minors involved.

Ahmed Ali Yousefi (17), from western Afghanistan, said the Taliban killed his father and brother and he came to Ireland having previously been deported from Iran. He had been attending Dundrum College and has had three interviews relating to his asylum application so far.

Up to 100 people attended a candle-lit vigil at St John's Catholic Church in Tralee yesterday for the welfare of the Afghan hunger strikers.