IT WAS THE FIRST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL HUNGER STRIKE ON THE ISLAND. AS A FORM OF PROTEST, THIS KIND OF STRIKE DID NOT OFTEN SUCCEED AND WHAT ANIMATED THEM SEEMED A LITTLE DONQUICHOTTESQUE TO ME (…). FOR ME, THIS KIND OF DEMONSTRATION WAS FAR TOO PASSIVE. WE WHO WERE ALREADY SUFFERING WERE PUTTING OUR HEALTH AT RISK AND EVEN RISKING OUR LIVES. I HAVE ALWAYS PREFERRED A MUCH MORE ACTIVE MODE OF PROTEST, SUCH AS WORK STOPPAGES, SLOW STRIKES, OR REFUSAL TO CLEAN UP; ACTIONS THAT PENALIZED THE AUTHORITIES AND NOT OURSELVES. THEY WANTED GRAVEL, WE DIDN’T PRODUCE IT. THEY WANTED THE PRISON YARD TO BE CLEAN, IT WAS DIRTY. THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOUR SADDENED AND EXASPERATED THEM, BUT I THOUGHT THEY WERE NOT UNHAPPY TO SEE US STARVING.