News about the Irish & Irish American culture, music, news, sports. This is hosted by the Irish Aires radio show on KPFT-FM 90.1 in Houston, Texas (a Pacifica community radio station)

September 22, 2005

Orange Order Group Gets £250K From Fund For Ireland

To Index of Monthly Archives
To September 2005 Index
To receive this news via email, click HERE.
No Message is necessary.
----

News about Ireland & the Irish

DI 09/22/05 Group Linked To Orange Order To Get £250K
DI 09/22/05 Opin: Wrong Message Is Sent To Orangeism
UR 09/22/05 Kurt Nimmo, Another Day In The Empire
SF 09/22/05 Adams Speech - SF Seek Progress In Time Ahead
IO 09/22/05 Adams Calls For A United Front
DI 09/22/05 Adams Criticises Hain
BT 09/22/05 'Bloodthirsty' UVF Censured
BB 09/22/05 Paisley Warns Of IRA Witness Deal
BT 09/22/05 Viewpoint: Hain's Big Agenda For The Future
DI 09/22/05 Opin: Shame On Leaders Who Show Moral Cowardice
DI 09/22/05 Irishman Killed In America
UT 09/22/05 Man To Marry Mother-In-Law

******************************************

http://dailyireland.televisual.co.uk/home.tvt?_scope=DailyIreland/Content/News&id=10525&opp=1

Violence pays

Jarlath Kearney

Group Linked To Orange Order To Get £250K

Daily Ireland can reveal that, in June 2005, the
International Fund for Ireland approved a major grant of
£250,000 for an organisation closely associated with the
Orange Order.

Crucially, the money will be confined to funding various
organisations which use Orange halls across the North –
including loyalist bands. The IFI claimed last night that
the grant is "designed to foster community reconciliation".

The organisation which received grant approval is called
the Orange Community Network. OCN is a not-for-profit
limited company that includes loyal order members acting in
personal capacities. OCN claims to have no formal linkage
with the Orange Order.

Democratic Unionist Party councillor William Humphrey is
vice-chairperson of OCN. Contacted by Daily Ireland last
night, the North Belfast representative confirmed that he
is also chairperson of the West Belfast Orange Hall.
Councillor Humphrey has served as a member of the DUP's
ruling executive and as chairperson of the party in north
Belfast.

Councillor Humphrey said that OCN has still not "worked
out" criteria for the dispersal of the grant funding which
has been approved. Councillor Humphrey added: "It will be
used to promote community organisation, empowerment and
capacity building… about groups that work from or are
connected to Orange halls, and will include bands connected
with Orange halls but also other organisations."

A spokesperson for the IFI told Daily Ireland: "I can
confirm that at it's meeting in June 2005, the Board of the
International Fund for Ireland approved financial
assistance of up to a maximum of £250,000 to the Orange
Community Network towards a three year community capacity
building project, the objectives of which include promoting
and developing embryonic community groups, the engagement
of young people in constructive activities, the fostering
of co-operation and interaction with the wider community,
and support for the creation of a number of new community
groups over the next three years."

News of the IFI's major grant funding emerged as secretary
of state Peter Hain announced measures to specifically
address the "particular needs of loyalist communities". Mr
Hain's intervention yesterday following sustained sectarian
violence by sections of the unionist community in recent
weeks.

"I am conscious of the criticism that our own efforts as a
government could be better co-ordinated, and services more
closely connected to disadvantaged communities, and I do
acknowledge the particular needs of loyalist communities.

"To tackle this I want to embark upon a process of
intensive engagement with elected representatives and civil
leaders from the Protestant community," Mr Hain said.

However despite Mr Hain's announcement yesterday, Daily
Ireland can reveal that an organisation called the Loyalism
Working Group – including senior civil servants – has
already been meeting regularly since at least April 2005.

All of the North's senior civil servants and departmental
permanent secretaries have been formally appraised of the
Loyalism Working Group's activities.

Yesterday Daily Ireland revealed that the Department of
Finance and Personnel played a central role in recent moves
to ensure the Orange Order receives special European Peace
II funding.

DFP approved a memo by the Special EU Programmes Body
(SEUPB) that consideration of funding applications by the
Orange Order, should not take into account "who has made
the application".

The Orange Order formally excludes Catholics and bars women
from full membership of the organisation.

Following sustained political pressure by the DUP, the memo
was issued to various funding implementation bodies on
September 7 – just days ahead of the vicious sectarian
onslaught by sections of the unionist community in tandem
with the Orange Order's re-routed Whiterock march on
September 10.

Sinn Fein yesterday announced that the party shall be
writing to the DFP and the SEUPB to voice concern about the
development.

In a joint statement Councillors Billy Leonard and Angela
Nelson said: "The implications of this intervention by
civil servants are immense. This has compromised the
integrity of the SEUPB.

"Transparency, openness and the basic principles behind the
partnership model have been compromised.

"We will seek explanations from both organisations and
demand they clarify their position publicly.

******************************************

http://dailyireland.televisual.co.uk/home.tvt?_scope=DailyIreland/Content/Comment&id=10548&opp=1

EDITORIAL: Wrong Message Is Sent To Orangeism

News that the International Fund for Ireland has approved a
major grant to a group closely associated with the Orange
Order is not only ethically questionable – it also sends
out entirely the wrong message to the Order and its
satellite groups at a time when hard messages require to be
driven home.

In June the IFI rubberstamped a payment of £250,000 to the
Orange Community Network.

The money, we're told, is for the promotion and development
of community groups and young people, but it would be much
more accurate to say that the money will be spent on the
promotion and development of Protesant community groups and
Protestant young people.

Nothing wrong with that, of course, funding is routinely
handed out by a wide variety of agencies to many worthy
groups in the full knowledge that they are exclusively
Protestant or Catholic, but incredibly, the IFI itself says
that the money which it is about to hand over to the OCN is
"designed to foster community reconciliation."

Given that the OCN organises the vast bulk of its
activities in Orange halls, and given the fact that Orange
halls are for Protestants and Protestants alone, it is hard
to see any scope for "community reconciliation" in any
event or project that might be based in an Orange hall.

The simple fact of the matter, of course, is that Catholics
will be driven off by the very word 'Orange', particularly
given events of recent days when, as Chief Constable Hugh
Orde pointed out, appalling acts of violence and
intimidation took place for which the Orange Order must
bear a large amount of responsibility.

News of the grant comes hot on the heels of our revelation
that the Department of Finance and Personnel has been
proactive in its efforts to ensure that the Orange Order
itself receives special European Peace II funding.

Let's not dwell on the bitter irony of peace money being
handed over directly to an organisation which the North's
leading copper has accused of being largely responsible for
wrecking the place, let's consider instead the implications
of a key government department intervening on behalf of a
sectarian organisation which exists to promote Protestant
supremacy.

It's clearly the case that the disgraceful actions of the
Orange Order in the recent past have received no sanction
from political unionism. Is it also to be the case that
funding bodies – be they government, European or whatever –
will similarly refuse to sanction the Orange Order, and
reward them instead?

If that is the message that is to be sent out, then very
dangerous times lie ahead.

The Orange Order should today be chastened and apologetic;
instead, with money being thrown at it and government
departments intervening on its behalf, it is much more
likely to be emboldened.

******************************************

http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m16017&l=i&size=1&hd=0

British "Pond Life" Intel Ops Unmentioned In The Corporate
Media

Kurt Nimmo, Another Day In The Empire

September 22, 2005

Jarlath Kearney, writing for the Daily Ireland, draws a
crucial comparison that will of course be completely
ignored by the larger corporate media. The incident in
Basra, where two SAS undercover operatives were captured,
dressed as Arabs and driving a car loaded with weapons and
explosives, is similar to an earlier incident in Northern
Ireland, where the SAS operated for years. "The incident
drew parallels with the March 1988 attack on the funeral of
IRA volunteer Caoimhghin Mac Bradaigh," writes Kearney.
"During that incident, two armed and undercover army
intelligence operatives drove directly at the cortege in
west Belfast. After firing a shot, both soldiers were
subsequently captured, beaten and shot dead by the IRA."
Lucky for the British intelligence operatives in Basra,
they were not murdered, although apparently beaten.

Kearney also mentions that Brigadier (in the Intelligence
Corps) Gordon Kerr, who "played a key role in the
activities of covert British activities in the North [of
Ireland]," is "now stationed with British forces in Iraq."
Neil Mackay, Home Affairs Editor of the Sunday Herald,
characterizes Kerr as "the archetypal spy; a spook's spook
and a master of dirty tricks and dirty wars," on the same
level "as pond life" (according to "regular squaddies and
military brass"), "[h]ighly effective, immensely powerful
and very dangerous pond life, but pond life nevertheless."
Kerr and his Force Research Unit (FRU) not only "handed
packages of photographs and military reports detailing the
movements and addresses of potential targets, which in turn
were passed to loyalist murder gangs" in Northern Ireland
(essentially organizing targeted assassinations), but also
"carried out more 'flag tours'—secret intelligence missions
[in Berlin, circa 1983-85]—than the French and US military
intelligence put together" and were thus described by an
"officer who served with Kerr in Berlin" as "pointlessly
aggressive and confrontational." An intelligence officer
who knew Kerr portrayed him as "the perfect advocate of the
ends justifying the means."

In Britain, as in America, criminals and terrorists are
rewarded for their murderous behavior. In February, 2003,
Kerr was "sent to the Gulf to head up British spying
activities in the Middle East as part of preparations for
action in Iraq," Mackay reported for the Sunday Herald.
"The move has been described as a 'get out of jail free
card' for Kerr." Prior to this assignment, Kerr was
rewarded with a military attache position in Beijing. "The
fact that Kerr seems to be playing a key role in the coming
war suggests that all the activities that he was involved
in were sanctioned at the highest level," remarked Jane
Winter, the director of British Irish Rights Watch.

A FRU source told Mackay in 2000 that what "was happening
[in Northern Ireland] may have been occurring outside the
law but the establishment [at the time, Secretary of State
for Defense, George Younger, Ulster Secretary, Tom King, PM
Margaret Thatcher, and General Sir John Waters, the general
officer commanding in Northern Ireland] knew what was
happening." Likewise the "establishment" knows what is
happening in Iraq—no doubt the sort of "dirty war" launched
by the likes of Gordon Kerr and FRU is confirmed British
policy (a collaborative effort with American intelligence
and Rumsfeld's Pentagon), well "outside the law."

Naturally, all of this is simply irrelevant because the
corporate media will not report it—instead, in the wake of
the embarrassing revelations of SAS undercover agents
posing as Arabs, the media has turned its attention toward
Iran, accused (as usual) of organizing and funding the
murder of British and American occupation soldiers in Iraq.
In the period of a day or so, all reference to the SAS and
its "dirty tricks and dirty wars," more alluded to than
actually investigated, have disappeared down the memory
hole, replaced by archetypal terrorists of the Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi sort.

******************************************

http://www.sinnfein.ie/news/detail/11234

Adams Speech - Sinn Féin Seek Progress In Time Ahead

Published: 22 September, 2005

In the course of a wide ranging speech to party members in
South Armagh this evening Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams
addressed tomorrows meeting between the party and the Irish
Government.

Mr Adams said:

" Sinn Féin's meeting with the government tomorrow, is at
our request and has been arranged to address a range of
issues particularly initiatives from the Irish government
following the IRAs decision to formally end its armed
campaign.

" We will also be raising the recent unionist violence and
attacks on nationalists across the North.

" Contrary to some reports this is not the first official
meeting with the Irish government since the start of the
year. Martin McGuinness and I have been meeting with the
Irish and British governments continuously over recent
months in our on-going efforts to break the log-jam in the
peace process.

" Tomorrows meeting is a continuation of this work. I
welcome the fact that Dermot Ahern and Michael McDowell
will be in attendance at this engagement as we are anxious
to raise a number of issues with them, which are their
specific responsibility and to listen to their proposals to
inject momentum into the peace process. We have a lot of
work ahead of us if the peace process is to be revived.

" I welcome the fact that after so many months the Minister
for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern is in the North meeting
privately with some of those nationalists who have had to
bear the brunt of unionist paramilitary attacks.

" I hope that he will also take on board their concerns
particularly around the failure of the Irish government to
take action to assist isolated nationalist communities over
the summer months.

" I hope he will also listen to concerns about his comments
that unionist communities are now more disadvantaged than
nationalist communities. It is worrying that such an
inaccurate comment could be made by an Irish Cabinet
Minister especially when discrimination against
nationalists is one of the key issues to be resolved in the
time ahead." ENDS

Full text of speech by Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP

Check against Delivery

I want to begin by commending all of you for your hard work
and outstanding efforts in advancing the republican agenda,
particularly in the face in recent times of a ferocious
anti-republican campaign by our opponents. The Assembly
group, our Councillors and party activists in the north
have achieved remarkable results in successive elections
and we should be proud of the fact that this party is now
the largest nationalist party in the six counties and the
third largest on this island.

Of course all our efforts, all of our endeavours, have been
about advancing the republican goals. What are these?

Simply stated Sinn Féin is an Irish republican party. This
year marks our 100th birthday, our Céad, and on Saturday as
part of our celebrations republicans from all over Ireland
will converge on Dublin for a national rally to promote
Irish unity. Our primary political objectives are; an end
to partition, an end to the union, the construction of a
new national democracy - a new republic - on the island of
Ireland, and reconciliation between orange and green.

But we are not prepared to wait until we have achieved
these goals for people to have their rights to a decent
home, to a job and a decent wage, to decent public services
like health and education, and a safer cleaner environment.

We also want change in the here and now.

Irish republicanism has a vision of a new society that is
democratic.

That is economic as well as political. A society which is
inclusive of all citizens, in which there is a
redistribution of wealth for the well being of the aged,
for the advancement of youth, for the liberation of women
and the protection of our children.

It foresees a new relationship between these islands
resting upon our mutual independence and mutual respect.

Our republicanism is about change - fundamental, deep-
rooted change.

It's about empowering people to make that change.

That means we have to be agents of change.

This is an enormous responsibility. It is a huge challenge.

The last 15 years of the peace process, and especially the
last 7 years, have been a political and emotional
rollercoaster ride for republicans.

Republicans have been through a lot together.

We have been faced with enormous challenges.

We have confronted those challenges.

Each year, and sometimes more than once in a year, we have
reached what some have described as another 'crossroads' in
our struggle.

Some years ago I compared all this to a journey.

For us the destination is an Irish republic.

Completing the journey means having a political strategy to
get us there.

It means engaging with and putting our case to our
opponents.

It means taking the political offensive, taking
initiatives, and engaging in the battle of ideas.

But being an Irish republican means more than paying lip
service to the 1916 Proclamation or to the ideal of 'The
Republic.'

It means refusing to stand still.

It means taking risks.

It means moving forward.

And through our collective efforts we have made significant
progress and we have for the first time in the history of
our struggle created the opportunity to achieve our
republican objectives through purely peaceful and
democratic methods.

This is the context in which I made my appeal to the IRA in
April. This is the context in which the IRA took its
historic and courageous initiative at the end of July.

I want to commend the commitment of all of those who took
that decision and I want to appeal to every republican, the
length and breadth of this island and beyond, to carry the
struggle forward with new energy and enthusiasm.

The IRA initiative in July to formally end its armed
campaign has changed the political context utterly. Our
enemies can no longer use the IRA as an excuse for
intransigence, and a refusal to engage with the peace
process and the Good Friday Agreement.

I believe the delivery by the IRA of commitments made in
that statement will dramatically change the political
conditions on this island, but especially here in the
north.

It will present Irish republicans and nationalists with an
unparalleled opportunity to make even greater political
advances, and to make Irish freedom a reality.

For republicans, nationalists, socialists, trade unionists
and all strands of progressive opinion in Ireland this
means grasping the opportunity which now exists to take
ownership of the peace process, to push ahead with its
progressive agenda and to take on the task of shaping the
future direction of this island for the decades ahead.
Central to that effort has to be nation building - planning
in a very strategic way the steps towards Irish unity. Part
of this has to be about eliminating sectarianism and racism
from our society.

And for Sinn Féin that means opening up the party to a
wider membership and participation, particularly to women
and young people who will bring their own life experiences
and values, and it means setting new goals for the growth
and development of the party in this area.

The potential for significant growth throughout the island
is substantial. Why can't we have a Sinn Féin cumann in
every townland or parish?

The fact is that republicans are now in a new area of
struggle.

We have moved from a culture of resistance into a culture
of change and through this to building political strength
so that we can democratically take political power and
exercise it in pursuance of our goals.

It is through building political strength across Ireland
that we can advance our goals.

By building political strength we can build the capacity to
move both the British government and the unionists and
influence directly the political agenda in the 26 counties.

Of course, none of this will be easy. Our enemies within
the British system and in Dublin will still seek to defeat
us.

In recent months unionist paramilitaries have killed five
people and have been involved in a systematic campaign of
terror against nationalists, especially in county Antrim
and Belfast. The unionist political leadership by
abdicating responsibility and moral and political
leadership encourages the continuation of this behaviour.

The excuse which some have sought to use is the deprivation
experienced by unionist working class areas.

Let me make several points in respect of this.

First of all the riots in recent weeks were not about
deprivation but about unionism and orangeism demanding to
walk through a nationalist area on the Springfield Road.

Deprivation, or more accurately the playing of the orange
card and the violence and threats of violence accompanying
all of this, have been about forcing the British government
into acquiescing to the demand for orange parades to march
through nationalist areas.

On the bigger political stage it's about unionism advancing
its objective of stopping or at least delaying the process
of change inherent in the peace process and promised by the
Good Friday Agreement.

Of course unionist working class areas on the Shankill and
elsewhere suffer deprivation. The deprivations there are
exasperated by the influence of paramilitaries and in
particular the impact of their drug enterprises. Much of
the blame for that can be laid at the door of the bad and
inadequate political representation they have had for
decades.

But resolving this problem will not be advanced by unionist
politicians either blaming Catholics for this or by
claiming that unionist deprivation is greater than that
suffered by Catholics. Why? Because neither claim is true -
but more importantly if these issues of unemployment and
social deprivation are to be properly tackled it requires a
partnership between unionists and nationalists to achieve
it.

Unionism has tried to distract attention from its
responsibility to show positive leadership.

I say it with no sense of irony - the people of the
Shankill would be better served in achieving their economic
and social rights if they voted Sinn Fein.

With some notable exceptions they have been poorly served
by their political leaders because, and let us not forget
this, some have had political power and influence since the
foundation of the northern state.

No one believes that British government Direct Rule
Ministers can do this job.

Only locally elected representatives, accountable to people
in the north, and working together with institutions in the
south, can hope to end deprivation.

The time ahead therefore is going to be enormously
challenging.

We will be challenged as we seek to open up an engagement
with unionism on the logic and benefits of Irish unity - in
short to become persuaders for Irish unity. And of course
we have a responsibility also to listen intently to their
counter arguments, to take these issues on board and to
respond intelligently to them.

We will be challenged as we seek to persuade unionists that
they have an important and valuable role to play in a free
and united Ireland and to convince those who feel
threatened that they have nothing to fear in a United
Ireland.

We will be challenged as we seek through all of the above
to persuade the governments and others to develop a
strategy and programme for national reconciliation.

Our Assembly team today at this meeting and at others which
will take place in the time ahead, is planning new
strategies, new campaigns to promote republican goals and
in particular to advance the all-Ireland agenda inside and
outside the political institutions.

That means the Irish government facing up to its
responsibilities. It has failed to do so on a range of
issues within its jurisdiction. Despite the economic boom
there is a widening gap between rich and poor, ongoing
attempts to sell off public services, overcrowding in our
schools, health services in crisis and tax breaks for the
rich. That's the Fianna Fáil/PD agenda.

Sinn Féin's meeting with the government tomorrow, is at our
request and has been arranged to address a range of issues
particularly initiatives from the Irish government
following the IRAs decision to formally end its armed
campaign.

We will also be raising the recent unionist violence and
attacks on nationalists across the North.

Contrary to some reports this is not the first official
meeting with the Irish government since the start of the
year. Martin McGuinness and I have been meeting with the
Irish and British governments continuously over recent
months in our on-going efforts to break the log-jam in the
peace process.

Tomorrows meeting is a continuation of this work. I welcome
the fact that Dermot Ahern and Michael McDowell will be in
attendance at this engagement as we are anxious to raise a
number of issues with them, which are their specific
responsibility and to listen to their proposals to inject
momentum into the peace process. We have a lot of work
ahead of us if the peace process is to be revived.

I welcome the fact that after so many months the Minister
for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern is in the North meeting
privately with some of those nationalists who have had to
bear the brunt of unionist paramilitary attacks.

I hope that he will also take on board their concerns
particularly around the failure of the Irish government to
take action to assist isolated nationalist communities over
the summer months.

I hope he will also listen to concerns about his comments
that unionist communities are now more disadvantaged than
nationalist communities. It is worrying that such an
inaccurate comment could be made by an Irish Cabinet
Minister especially when discrimination against
nationalists is one of the key issues to be resolved in the
time ahead.

Central to this is the equality agenda and Sinn Féin is
determined to accelerate its implementation.

Not equality for Catholics. Not equality for Protestants.
But equality for every citizen.

There have been many high points over the years since the
first IRA cessation in 1994. But there have been many low
points also.

There is a major job in the coming months for political
representatives, in particular the DUP, to rebuild the
political institutions in the north and advance the many
elements of the Good Friday Agreement which are
outstanding.

As political activists none of this should worry us.
Republicans have displayed time and again our ability to
take the necessary hard decisions to move the process
forward.

But in the upcoming phase of this process the onus and
focus will fall principally onto the two governments.

The political process needs momentum. Republicans will
again play our part. But others must now step up to the
plate also." END

******************************************

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=156791304&p=y5679zxyx

Adams Calls For A United Front

22/09/2005 - 19:33:31

Gerry Adams tonight urged republicans to stay united in the
aftermath of imminent IRA disarmament.

With the destruction of all remaining Provo weapons dumps
set to be confirmed, possibly within days, the Sinn Féin
President accepted that some at grass roots level may still
oppose the decommissioning strategy.

But as a row over witnesses to the process intensified, Mr
Adams called for supporters to stand firm.

He said: "I would simply appeal for unity and for people to
continue to show the type of discipline and commitment they
have shown thus far.

"We believe, and I think its part of what we have been able
to achieve as a leadership, in validating dissent.

"Republicanism has to be tolerant. Some people have
fundamental disagreement with the way we are pursuing this
strategy, and I think that's okay.

"We are not leading sheep, we are leading proud activists
who have been through an awful lot over the last 30 years
or so."

The Sinn Féin chief tonight addressed supporters in south
Armagh ahead of a rally in the centre of Dublin on
Saturday.

In between, Mr Adams will meet Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in
Dublin tomorrow, heightening the growing belief that the
IRA is on the verge of delivering on its July 28 pledge to
dump all arms after declaring an end to its campaign.

At tonight's gathering in Mullaghbawn, he told around 70
party members that republicans and nationalists will have
an unparalleled opportunity for major political advances
once the IRA delivers on its peace pledges.

But Ian Paisley, leader of the Democratic Unionists, has
accused the government of striking a clandestine deal to
exclude his party's demand for an independent Protestant
clergyman to verify any disarmament.

Unconvinced by John de Chastelain, the retired Canadian
general who will scrutinise decommissioning, Mr Paisley
claimed the process was in disarray with the IRA making the
rules.

After meeting new Political Development Minister David
Hanson, he declared: "I believe they have entered into
their secret agreement with the IRA.

"We warned the minister, don't come afterwards and say:
'Why is Ian Paisley raising this?' We're raising it now."

Mr Adams hit back at the DUP complaints, claiming they
never raised concerns earlier.

"It would be very, very difficult at any time to get the
IRA to take on board DUP nominees," he said.

"But we would do our best in all of that if the DUP were
saying well if the IRA does this we'll do something in
return."

He added: "Let's have a bit of confidence in the de
Chastelain Commission and whoever the witnesses are.

"I have every confidence in the IRA delivering on their
commitments and let's see how we can move all of this
forward.

"It's a bit rich when unionist paramilitaries are using
heavy calibre shoulder weapons to shoot at British troops
and PSNI officers – and profess to be loyalists – that the
DUP should be concerned about IRA weapons which are
silenced and which are going to be, we all hope and pray,
put beyond use in the period ahead."

During tomorrow's talks in Dublin Mr Adams is due to renew
his demands for the IRA killers of Garda Jerry McCabe to be
freed.

Four republicans are serving jail sentences for the
officer's manslaughter during a robbery in Co Limerick in
1996.

Mr Adams said: "I'm mindful of the trauma for the McCabe
family but the Supreme Court upheld the fact they were
qualifying prisoners (under the Good Friday Agreement) and
we will continue to campaign for their release."

******************************************

http://dailyireland.televisual.co.uk/home.tvt?_scope=DailyIreland/Content/News&id=10529&opp=1

Adams Criticises Hain

Zoe Tunney

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has criticised remarks
made by the British Secretary of State Peter Hain about the
economic and social future of the North.

In a keynote address in Belfast yesterday, Mr Hain said:
"Violence and rioting must be left behind if we are to
create a strong and prosperous Northern Ireland".

Referring to claims by unionists that most of the recent
loyalist violence was due to social and economic
deprivation in loyalist areas, Mr Hain said he accepted
unionist frustrations.

He also said loyalists and nationalists in deprived areas
of Belfast had the right to ask the question, "where is our
Laganside development?"

Afterwards, Gerry Adams spoke at a conference given by the
Employment Services Board in west Belfast.

"I listened to Mr Hain's comments very closely today and
not once did I hear the words regeneration, or
development," he said. He pointed out that 16 projects in
west Belfast and the greater Shankill are "still waiting on
funds promised to them by the British government".

"These are very difficult times for the people in west
Belfast and the greater Shankill," he said. "I think it is
crucial that we are not mealy-mouthed. We must fight for
funding for our projects.

"This is our Laganside right here. It is in this project
and yet we have only secured funding until 2006. The
British and Irish governments must realise that there has
to be funding and investment in the future. They must
implement policies of investment."

Based in the greater Shankill and west Belfast, the
Employment Services Board aims to improve access to jobs
for people in the area.

"Mr Hain talks about the links between conflict, social
deprivation and violence... You cannot combat deprivation
by comparing with the other community, by trying to prove
who is more deprived. What you have to do is build
partnerships and establish equality. Not equality for
nationalists or equality for the greater Shankill but,
equality for everybody," Mr Adams said.

"We need joined-up thinking. We must get people to work
together."

******************************************

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=662608

'Bloodthirsty' UVF Censured

150 lives still under threat in loyalist feud

By Noel McAdam
22 September 2005

Almost 150 people have been warned by police their lives
may be under threat as a result of the ongoing UVF-LVF
feud, Northern Ireland's paramilitary watchdog revealed
today.

The Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) firmly pinned
the blame for the ongoing loyalist internecine warfare -
which has cost four lives - on the UVF.

It said while the "bloodthirsty thuggery" may have
escalated because of local animosities it believed the UVF
had decided the time was right to "finish off" the LVF.

The feud had festered since the murder of LVF member Brian
Stewart last year, but LVF violence had been "more by way
of response".

Some owed their lives to prompt, pre-emptive action by the
PSNI, although the "spur of the moment" nature of the
attacks had meant police often had missed out on any
advance warning.

The Commission's latest report - its sixth - also said the
UVF-linked Progressive Unionist Party had failed to
emphasise its opposition to the UVF violence in particular.

While it was aware of the view that the PUP is not strong
enough to influence the UVF, which tended to take the lead,
the IMC said the party could not "have it both ways".

PUP leader David Ervine had said no-one in the party
leadership was in the leadership of the UVF, and it was
contrary to natural justice to punish people who had not
broken the law.

But the IMC said the PUP had to decide whether to
dissociate itself from the paramilitary organisation or
accept the consequences of the link - and the feud made
that "all the more important".

East Belfast Assembly member Mr Ervine said today he had no
further comment to make.

The report, sent to the Government weeks ago, led to
Secretary of State Peter Hain withdrawing Government
recognition of the UVF ceasefire and renewing financial
penalties against the PUP.

The IMC said the feud had led to the murders in July and
August of Jameson Lockhart, Craig McCausland, Stephen Paul
and Michael Green among a total of 49 incidents, which
included:

17 attempted murders

shootings and the use of petrol bombs or explosives;

forced departure of families from Garnerville, and arson
and other attacks on taxis on the Crumlin Road;

criminal damage including a vehicle ramming.

But neither organisation was named in relation to the
killings of 25-year-old Lisa Dorrian, who vanished after a
caravan site party in Ballyhalbert in February, and
schoolboy Thomas Devlin (15), stabbed to death near his
north Belfast home in August.

Recognising they were expected to refer to both, the IMC
said: "We have no reason to believe that either murder was
carried out on behalf of a paramilitary organisation."

Ahead of its next full report next month, the IMC said:
"Paramilitaries must stop putting their own interests . . .
above those for whom they deceitfully claim to speak."

******************************************

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/4269920.stm

Paisley Warns Of IRA Witness Deal

The government has made a secret deal with the IRA to
exclude the need for an arms witness acceptable to
unionists, DUP leader Ian Paisley has claimed.

He was speaking after meeting Political Development
Minister David Hanson about DUP concerns over IRA
decommissioning.

Mr Paisley said the process was a mess, that the IRA made
the rules, appointed the referee and was doing as it
wanted.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said if the DUP wanted to
nominate a witness it should have talked to his party.

"It's a bit rich when unionist paramilitaries are using
heavy calibre shoulder weapons to shoot at British troops
and PSNI officers, and profess to be loyalists, that the
DUP would be concerned about IRA weapons which are silenced
and, which we all hope and pray, are going to be put beyond
use in the period ahead," he said.

Concerns

Mr Adams also said that whilst the IRA killers of Garda
Jerry McCabe had taken themselves out of any political
deal, Sinn Fein still regarded them as prisoners who should
qualify for early release.

Mr Paisley said the DUP had sought the meeting with Mr
Hanson now so they could not be accused of raising their
concerns too late.

"We warned the minister, don't come afterwards and say,
'Why is Ian Paisley raising this?' We're raising it now,"
he said.

The DUP meeting with Mr Hanson came as the minister told
the BBC's Hearts and Minds programme that the IRA was
beginning to make moves related to decommissioning.

The minister said it would be up to unionists to take up
the challenge if the IRA's actions were verified.

"I think the IRA are beginning, following the statement, to
make those moves," said Mr Hanson.

"We have obviously to have that verified. We have to look
at the decommissioning.

"A range of individuals have to look at it - the monitoring
commission and a whole range of people.

"If we come back to the situation whereby early in the new
year we verify that, we monitor it, we see that the deeds
they have said are actually monitored and undertaken with
actions on the ground, then I think the challenge is there
for the unionist community to say whether they trust that
process."

Mr Hanson's new role was announced by Northern Ireland
Secretary Peter Hain on Wednesday.

He is to take charge of a new plan to co-ordinate efforts
in loyalist areas, involving intensive talks with elected
representatives and civil leaders from the Protestant
community.

Mr Hanson said he would tackle deprivation in loyalist
working class areas without rewarding recent violence.

His other portfolios cover political affairs and social
development.

In his television interview, Mr Hanson confirmed that the
government was considering holding another economic
conference to address the need for investment in Northern
Ireland.

He also discussed the "opportunity" created by the IRA
initiative in late July, when it formally ordered an end to
its armed campaign.

'Personal commitment'

BBC NI political editor Mark Devenport said: "Government
ministers have been trying to sidestep this and just saying
they hope this will happen.

"Peter Hain's terminology was 'sooner rather than later'.
At the same time there have been lots of rumours that John
de Chastelain's decommissioning body is at its work, even
though it has not been giving a running commentary.

"That means the destruction of weapons is under way or some
sort of preparatory move - the movement of weapons towards
dumps where they will be destroyed.

"The whole political process is contingent on this
happening."

Before becoming a NIO minister, Mr Hanson was Tony Blair's
Parliamentary Private Secretary, effectively the prime
minister's link man with Commons backbenchers.

He insisted that Mr Blair's "personal commitment" to
sorting out the deadlock remained "undimmed" despite the
latest difficulties.

Several days of rioting erupted in Belfast after the Orange
Order was prevented from marching down a nationalist
section of the Springfield Road.

Police were attacked with petrol bombs, blast bombs and
other missiles during the violence. Dozens of vehicles were
also hijacked and set on fire.

Last week, loyalists blocked roads in Belfast causing
severe traffic disruption during rush hour.

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2005/09/22 16:33:11 GMT
© BBC MMV

******************************************

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/opinion/story.jsp?story=662544

Viewpoint: Hain's Big Agenda For The Future

STORMONT IN-TRAY: Key decisions are on the horizon

22 September 2005

In a prime ministerial speech covering every aspect of
government, Peter Hain has spelt his vision for a new
Northern Ireland, capable of competing on the world stage.
It is an ambitious project - too ambitious, pessimists
would say - but one that poses a realistic challenge to
unionist and nationalist alike.

Although his emphasis was on the economy, he also
confronted the problem of the moment - the alienation of
many unionists from the peace process. His answer, to
appoint David Hanson to embark on "intensive engagement" in
loyalist areas must only be a supplement to high-level
political talks, but at least it demonstrates an awakening
to the need for even-handedness.

Most importantly, there must be no question of the rioters
claiming that violence pays. Any government support and
funding will only be provided through proven channels,
bypassing the paramilitaries, and there must be a
commitment to cross-community partnership. If that limits
the uptake, so be it.

Mr Hain's problem, as always, is that there are doubts
whether a politically-divided society can unite
sufficiently to exploit the economic and social reforms
that the government promises. But the Secretary of State
has provided a reasoned analysis of where things have gone
wrong and what is needed, often involving considerable
pain, to put them right.

The government has already waited three years since the
Assembly was suspended and two years since the last
Stormont election, but clearly it has decided that enough
is enough. Although an IRA delivery on decommissioning
would open the door, theoretically, to negotiations on
devolution, big decisions on Northern Ireland's future will
not be delayed.

If the politicians cannot agree, then direct rule ministers
will decide for them, on local government, hospitals,
schools, water charges and much more. While Mr Hain's
message was resolutely upbeat, the gaps between standards
here and in Britain were starkly presented, with the clear
implication that we must accept both reform and a higher
scale of payments.

The aim is to make Northern Ireland more competitive, but
the imbalance in the economy is a major handicap. Public
spending here accounts for 60pc, a third higher than the UK
average, and a third of employment is in the public sector,
compared to 20pc nationally. GDP is 19pc lower than the
average and the numbers on incapacity benefit are 74pc
higher.

The problems are so great and fixing them will require such
changes of mindset that only an optimist would regard them
as feasible. Yet local, rather than national, politicians
should be taking such big decisions. Can the province's
political leaders rise to the challenge?

******************************************

http://dailyireland.televisual.co.uk/home.tvt?_scope=DailyIreland/Content/Comment&id=10550&opp=1

Opin: Shame On Leaders Who Show Moral Cowardice

Jude Collins

I'd like to say that my reaction to the sight of unionist
hooligans hurling bricks and bottles and petrol bombs and
anything they could lay their hands on at the members of
the PSNI recently filled me with bewilderment and disgust.

I'd like to say that, but I can't. If I were a young
unionist living in the Shankill, say, with behind me an
education career marked F for Failure, living in an
environment marked N for Neglect and looking forward to job
prospects labelled L for Lousy, I'd welcome the excitement
of stoning the peelers. If people around me told me that my
marauding was a blow in the defence of my community and my
culture, well hey, my throwing arm would have found renewed
energy and accuracy.

Mindless violence? Don't be daft. The young rioters in west
and east and north Belfast had their heads stuffed with
approval and excitement.

I'd like to say the Orange Order has been unfairly blamed
for the recent rioting, when all they did was protest
against the cowardly rerouting of a traditional march.

What's more, if people wearing Orange collarettes were
shown attacking the police, these were in fact thugs who
had infiltrated the Orange Order, are not wanted by the
Order, and are in every way the opposite of the decent,
God-fearing men who form the backbone of the Order. I'd
like to say that, but I can't.

Whatever about the innate decency of the average Orangeman,
the truth is he belongs to an organisation that is anti-
Catholic in its origins, its history and its present rules
and actions. The organisation values highly a set of
traditions, some of which are colourful, some comic and
more triumphalist.

All are justified on the grounds that they are traditions.
Daft or what? To justify a march in terms of tradition is
no more convincing than a London mountebank protesting he's
always used ten-year-old boys for chimney-sweeping, or a
Yorkshire coal miner growling that beating the wife was a
time-honoured practice in his village, or a Ku Klux Klan
member saying that hanging blacks was a core tradition of
the Klan.

I'd like to say the churches have played a valuable role in
addressing the recent "social unrest" as it's been quaintly
described in some quarters. I'd like to say we are lucky to
have eminent churchmen to call us back to the values of our
particular faith, when the temptation to surrender to
savagery is strong. I'd like to say that but I can't.

The trouble with the church leaders here is that the kind
of Christian leadership they offer on such occasions as
these isn't worth a damn.

A leader, especially a moral leader, addresses the core
issues of a problem and speaks out honestly, regardless of
who it might offend. Did we hear the voice of honesty ring
out from the hierarchical heights in recent days? Don't be
daft.

There were muted murmurs from the Catholic church's Bishop
Patrick Walsh, saying the violence and hatred shown in the
street rioting was bad. In harmony with him, the usual
sounds of sadness came from Lord Archbishop Eames, weary at
the thought of young loyalists hell-bent on wrecking their
own communities.

Did Bishop Walsh point to the Orange Order as a major
contributory factor in the mayhem?

Did he declare that sectarian triumphalism stokes conflict
and division and, in this case, violence, and should not
happen? Um, no. Because that would have been seen as
undiplomatic.

If it's a problem coming from the Protestant side, then
maybe better maintain a discreet silence.

If an occasional Catholic priest should become critical of
the Protestant side, should speak of Protestant churchmen
more impressive as theologians than Christians, well, no
point in adding fuel to the fire, continue the diplomatic
sealed lips syndrome. Maybe you thought that church leaders
should guide their speech by what is right and wrong rather
than diplomatic and undiplomatic? Hey brother, get real.

As for the response of Protestant clergymen, some have been
outstanding. The Protestant ministers who took off their
collars and coats to help clean the sectarian slogans from
an Antrim Catholic church showed Christianity in action.

What about the Protestant church leaders? Um, more
diplomacy, I'm afraid. The Presbyterian church's moderator
Harry Uprichard, given several opportunities to speak out
against the part played by the Orange Order in stoking the
flames, just couldn't find the words.

As for the Church of Ireland's Lord Archbishop Eames, since
Drumcree and earlier we've become so used to his refusal to
confront the unholy alliance between his church and the
sectarian fault-line that runs through the Orange Order,
we'd have been in shock if he had brought himself to utter
even the gentlest reproof to the bigots in Orange.

It's a safe bet none of those involved in rioting on the
streets of Belfast and elsewhere over the last couple of
weeks felt shame when the pictures of flame and destruction
were flashed round the world. Why should they? They more
likely felt pride.

Shame belongs, not with the rioters, but with the moral
cowardice of the Christian leaders who condemned them.

Jude Collins is an academic, writer and broadcaster. His
latest novel is Leave of Absence (Townhouse, £6.99)

******************************************

http://dailyireland.televisual.co.uk/home.tvt?_scope=DailyIreland/Content/News&id=10526&opp=1

Irishman Killed In America

Connla Young

A shadow has been cast on all-Ireland final preparations in
a close-knit Co Tyrone community after a local man was
tragically killed while working in America earlier this
week.

Residents of Beragh, near Omagh, Co Tyrone were stunned to
learn of the death of local man Barry Hagan after an
accident in Chicago on Monday. It is understood the the 26-
year-old construction worker died after falling off the
roof of a building he was working on.

Mr Hagan had lived and worked in the United States since
leaving Queen's University four years ago.

The dead man comes from a well known GAA family in Co
Tyrone and several generations of his family have turned
out for Beragh Red Knights over the years. Mr Hagan was
himself a former youth player with the well known Tyrone
club.

Mr Hagan is survived by his mother Rose, sister Aisling,
father Dermot and girlfriend Hannah, a native of Co Kerry.

Mr Hagan's sister Aisling played a starring role with the
Co Tyrone women's team up until last year and also played
for Beragh Red Knights ladies' team.

Beragh parish priest, Father Arthur McAnerney, says the
entire local community are deeply saddened by Mr Hagan's
untimely death.

"It is a big shock to everybody in this community. This
young man was well liked and highly regarded in the area.
He come from family are well known and has been in the area
for a long time."

Mr Hagan's remains are being flownto Dublin for burial in
his native town.

******************************************

http://www.utvinternet.com/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=65222&pt=n

Man To Marry Mother-In-Law

A man revealed his plans today to marry his mother-in-law
following a landmark legal ruling.

Clive Blunden, 51, is hoping to wed his partner Brenda, 63,
both from Warrington, Cheshire, after European judges
outlawed a ban on marriage between parents-in-law and
children-in-law.

The ruling came last week in a case brought by a couple
coincidentally also from Warrington who were refused the
right to marry in Britain because they were father-in-law
and daughter-in-law.

Mr Blunden says he now hopes to marry Brenda, who is the
mother of his former wife, and grandmother to his two
children aged 22 and 27.

He revealed that he was arrested after the couple, who have
been together for 17 years, tried to set a wedding date 12
years ago.

Speaking to the Warrington Guardian, Mr Blunden said: "It
was the most humiliating experience of my life. We were
treated like outcasts.

"During the interview I told them I didn`t understand why
it wasn`t right, we aren`t blood related."

Brenda, who changed her name to Blunden by deed poll, said:
"It`s only a piece of paper, but it`s the principle."

Last week judges sitting at the European Court of Human
Rights in Strasbourg said the British bar on in-law
marriages, although pursuing a legitimate aim of protecting
"the integrity of the family", did not prevent such
relationships occurring.

----
To receive this news via email, click HERE.
No Message is necessary.
To September 2005 Index
To Index of Monthly Archives
Posted by: Unknown / 5:05 PM
Comments: Post a Comment

<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?