41 Afghan men pleed for Canadian assistance. Day 7 of Hunger Strike. Police crackdown.

Afghani hunger strikers who have occupied St. Patrick's Cathedral, in Dublin, for the past 7 days, are desperately trying to contact the Canadian embassy to provide mediation with the Irish government. The 41 men inside have demanded asylum and an end to deportations to war-torn Afghanistan where they fear for their lives. Talks have repeatedly broken-down and the Irish governement has now turned over control of the situation to the Gardi - the Irish police force. Images have emerged of the men perched in the rafters of the cathedral with ropes around their necks as they desperately try to stave off forcible removal from the cathedral. The situation is now dire. Spokesmen for the group have repeatedly said that they would sooner die now in Ireland than face deportation. The Canadian embassy has been contacted by both the hunger strikers and concerned Canadian medical students who are studying in Ireland. To date, there has been no official response from the embassy or the Department of Foreign Affairs. PLEASE CONTACT DFAIT ASAP! PLEASE CONTACT ALL CANADIAN MEDIA! PLEASE HELP CANADA! For more info: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76174