PART 1 > SINN FEIN - IRISH NEWS ROUND-UP > http://irlnet.com/rmlist/ > > Monday/Tuesday, 26/27 June, 2000 > > > 1. FEARS GROW IN PORTADOWN > 2. Bloody Sunday torture was not investigated > 3. British helicopter crashes in South Armagh > 4. Reroute march plea following paramilitary display > 5. Sinn Fein TD to support motion of no confidence > 6. Tensions heightened after gun find > 7. Planning tribunal for Galway? > 8. Analysis: Robert's worth too much to let this go > > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > >>>>>> FEARS GROW IN PORTADOWN > > > As the first Orange Drumcree parade, to be held on July 2nd, > draws closer fears of sectarian intimidation and attacks are > growing within the nationalist community in Portadown. > > In a sign of how bad tensions are becoming, the centre of the > town has been plastered with posters issued by the Portadown > Orange District Lodge calling on all Protestants to unite against > what they label "injustice". > > The message is implicit: the Portadown district Lodge and their > loyalist supporters are calling on Protestants to unite against > Catholics, nationalists and anyone defending the right to live > free from sectarian harassment, including liberal Protestants. > > The posters, intimidating to any Catholic who would venture into > town at this tense period of the year are also a clear indication > of how the local district lodge and loyalists from all shades of > thinking have come together and organised a campaign of > intimidation and terror. > > The Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition (GRRC) has welcomed the > ruling of the Parades Commission for the Orange Order/loyalist > parade in Portadown on July 2nd. > > A spokesperson for the group added that "given what the Parades > Commission said in its annual report and its determination, and > in the absence of any political interference, we cannot see how > the Commission can do anything other than re-routing the parade > on July 9th." > > "The determination re-states a key position: any eventual > resolution of the Drumcree dispute must be in accordance with the > principles set out in successive determinations since it's first > consideration of the Drumcree situation". > > In other words, in the absence of any local accommodation, the > Commission cannot allow a parade to proceed because it would have > a detrimental effect on community relations in the area. > > The Commission also recognised that the decision to apply for a > second big parade this year was a clear attempt to raise > tensions. > > Sinn Fein's Assembly member for Upper Bann also welcomed the > decision. Dara O'Hagan said: "for over seven hundred days the > people of the Garvaghy Road have come under sectarian attack and > abuse from loyalists. It must be made clear to the Orange Order > that they cannot resolve this situation through violence." > > "Yesterday's decision was the correct one. It is the only > possible decision which could be made given the Orange Order's > refusal to talk to the representatives of the Garvaghy Road > residents". > > Meanwhile, residents have started to stock food and medical > supplies. Many fear that, as soon as the RUC barricades are > erected on the access routes to the Garvaghy Road, loyalists will > reinforce them, effectively sealing off the area and restricting > all freedom of movement. > > Many also fear that, if the 9th of July parade is re-routed, it > is isolated Catholics across the 6 Counties who will be the > victims of Orange and Loyalist violence. > > "Remember 1996 when nearly 200 Catholics families had to move out > of villages and towns they had lived in for all their lives", > said one resident. > > "The tragedy of the Ballymoney Quinn brothers must also be > remembered as we approach this tense time", she added. > > Fears about widespread disruption, intimidation and violence were > passed onto the Irish government during a meeting between the > Irish Foreign minister and the GRRC last week in Dublin. > > The delegation explicitly asked that these concerns be relayed to > the British government. "Let's make no mistake here, said a > spokesperson for the GRRC. It is up to the British government to > ensure that it lives up to its responsibilities under the > Agreement. > > "The onus is on the British government to ensure that the basic > rights of the residents and isolated nationalist communities in > the North be respected." > > The rights include the provisions about the right to live free > from sectarian harassment, but also the right to life, to freedom > of movement and other such rights. > > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > >>>>>> Bloody Sunday torture was not investigated > > > Civilians arrested on Bloody Sunday were beaten, humiliated and > brutally treated for several hours when they were taken to an > interrogation centre at a British Army base in Derry, according > to numerous statements heard at the inquiry on Monday and > Tuesday. > > Many described being forced to "run a gauntlet" between two lines > of soldiers wielding batons and rifle butts, while Alsatian dogs > held on chains lunged at them. > > One man, Mr William Dillon, said he will always remember hearing > a paratrooper saying loudly to a furiously barking dog: "Don't be > fretting now, boy. There's plenty of fresh meat for you. We shot > nine of these bastards today." > > Most statements from soldiers of the Coldstream Guards Regiment, > who witnessed the arrival of prisoners at the Fort George base, > said they did not notice any mistreatment of civilians. A few > said there was "rough handling". > > Counsel to the tribunal, Mr Christopher Clarke QC, said there was > a considerable body of civilian evidence that those taken in > British Army lorries to Fort George were made run a gauntlet on > their way into the building where they were detained. > > He read part of the statement of Mr James Charles Doherty, who > said he was "grabbed by my hair and clothes by a soldier and was > pulled out of the back of the lorry". > > Mr Doherty continued: "I fell on to hard concrete and when I > looked up I saw that there were two lines of soldiers forming a > corridor between the back of the lorry and the door of the > building. > > "Each line of soldiers was about 30 yards long. The soldiers were > armed with some type of baton and they were banging these against > something which made a loud noise. > > "One of the soldiers told me to `run for the f. . .ing door, you > bastard' and I did so. I ran between the lines of soldiers and > was beaten with batons and kicked and punched several times." > > As he went through the door he saw a soldier with "a massive > Alsatian on a chain". He thought the dog was going to attack him, > but it was pulled sharply back at the last minute. "It was > obvious that the soldier with the dog was doing his best to scare > me." > > Mr Charles Glenn, a uniformed Knights of Malta volunteer, also > described having to run the gauntlet of the soldiers. "As I ran . > . . I was hit with the butts of guns. I was hit in the thigh with > the muzzle of a gun." > > Mr John Gormley, who was also in the lorry, said he was "grabbed > by my hair and literally thrown out backwards". He fell on his > shoulders and "I was kicked the minute I hit the ground". > > He said he and others had to run the gauntlet with their hands on > their heads. "The soldiers battered the daylights out of people. > I was kicked and beaten from both sides. The man in front of me > fell to the ground and someone fell over the top of him. > > "They were beaten up on the floor. I kept my head down and ran as > fast as I could to the building ahead." > > Mr Joseph McColgan said the soldiers were not all paratroopers. > But all had sticks or batons and were "striking people wherever > they could hit them". He added: "The soldiers were laughing and > shouting and seemed to be enjoying themselves. . .I remember that > there were a couple of German Shepherd dogs on chains which were > lunging towards the people running towards the hangar." > > Mr Robert Wallace said when his turn came to dismount from the > lorry, "I slipped and fell and was whacked a few times with > batons. I was badly dazed. The Paras were behaving like animals > and treating the gauntlet as though it was a bit of sport." > > A number of civilian statements described being held in a cage, > or pen, fenced with razor wire, inside the larger building, and > being forced to stand outstretched with only their fingertips > touching the wall. > > Dennis Patrick McLaughlin, then aged 16, said he was positioned > under a large gas heater and he asked a soldier for a drink as he > was thirsty. "The soldier, who was taller than me, said `Open > your mouth'. Not being my full self at that moment due to > everything that had happened that day, I opened my mouth and he > spat into it." > > NO INVESTIGATION > > There appears to have been no investigation by the British Army > into the treatment of civilian prisoners on Bloody Sunday, > despite a written undertaking given to Father Terence O'Keeffe by > the British Army chief in the North, General Tuzo. > > Father O'Keeffe, a lecturer in philosophy and dean of the school > of humanities at the University of Ulster, Coleraine, was among > those arrested. He had written a long formal complaint about the > violence inflicted on civilian prisoners by the soldiers. > > He described in his letter how he and other civilians were forced > to run a gauntlet of soldiers "striking us with rifles and > screaming the most foul abuse". > > He wrote that they were forced alternately to hold barbed wire, > hold their hands above their heads, or to stand in search > positions against the wall over long periods of time. > > ". . . I witnessed conduct that was both sickeningly brutal and a > disgrace to any uniform," he wrote. "Assaults were committed in a > sadistic manner on a number of people, particularly youths aged > from about 15 to 19 years." > > Gen Tuzo's reply to Father O'Keeffe, read to the inquiry > yesterday, said: "You can be sure that the allegations you make > will be very fully investigated. But I certainly do not intend to > make any public announcement until the Widgery tribunal is over > ... I very much hope that I will be able to rely on you and > others to assist in such investigation since my experience in > connection with other accusations of this kind has been that the > complainants refuse to cooperate ... This leads inevitably to the > belief that they are more interested in propaganda than the > redress of grievance." Counsel said he was not aware of details > of any investigation that followed after the conclusion of the > Widgery tribunal. Certainly there had not been any produced to > the inquiry. > > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> British helicopter crashes in South Armagh > > The latest British army helicopter to crash in South Armagh went > down on Saturday evening 24 June at about 6pm. > > The low flying Lynx hit telephone wires near Corliss two miles > outside Crossmaglen and went down, "about 30 yards from the road > where it lay for over an hour and a half", said South Armagh > assembly member Pat McNamee. > > McNamee went on to demand that these aircraft be grounded. > > Six British soldiers in the helicopter suffered slight injuries > and were treated at the scene. > > According to Toni Carragher of the South Armagh Farmers Residents > Committee, the helicopter narrowly missed a house and farm > buildings as it made an emergency landing. > > And last week Sinn Fein's Conor Murphy accused a British army > pilot of flying "dangerously low" when a helicopter followed a > woman as she collected her children from school. > > The woman had just been waved through an crown forces check point > when the aircraft flew in low behind her car. > > In a second incident 75-year-old Charlie McGinnis from Camlough > described how a helicopter hovered over his house before banking > low, "it was so low that the gravel in the lane outside my house > was lifted up. > > "I don't know why they did it", said Maginnis, "whether it was > for thrills or to terrify people on the ground". > > Two months ago the British Ministry of Defence admitted that > there was a problem with it's Lynx and Puma helicopters and said > they would be withdrawing a number of the aircraft from service > due to the fault in the tail rotor shafts. > > On March 2 a British army Lynx crashed just 50 yards from a > farmhouse in Mullaghbawn. The British army claimed at the time > that a number of British soldiers were injured in this crash > although local people suspected that two of those on board died. > > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> Reroute march plea following paramilitary display > > > West Belfast residents have called for an Orange Order march > scheduled for the Twelfth to be rerouted away from nationalist > homes after loyalist paramilitaries, dressed in military style > clothing and carrying UDA and UFF flags was filmed accompanying > Orangemen during a controversial march along the Springfield > Road. > > Amateur video footage captured a number of sinister figures, > their identities obscured by woollen hats and dark glasses, > wearing green combat uniforms, taking part in what appeared to be > a Colour Party representing UDA death squads. One of the figures, > carrying a military baton appeared to be issuing orders. > > In front and behind the paramilitaries, members of the Orange > Order marched in single line. Amongst the bands accompanying the > marchers were at least two loyalist paramilitary bands, the Young > Citizens Volunteers, believed to be the youth wing of the UDA and > a UVF band named after the loyalist Brian Robinson shot dead by > the SAS. > > At no time were members of the UDA Colour Party challenged by the > Orange Order's marshals. Indeed they appeared to be totally > integrated into the main body of the parade. The Orangemen > appeared to experience no difficulty in marching alongside > members of an organisation which only s few days earlier was > threatening to kill Catholics. > > At the side of the road a RUC officer watches with a clear view > of the passing UDA Colour Party. The paramilitary presence was a > clear breach of the terms of the Parades Commission's ruling but > no attempt was made by the RUC to enforce the ruling. > > Another breach was orchestrated by the Orange Order. Tension > mounted when sectarian tunes were played on a speaker system in > breach of the Parades Commission's ruling that music could not be > played near nationalist homes on the Springfield Road. > > Nationalist residents were attacked after RUC officers in full > riot gear were drafted into the area to facilitate the Orange > march. Sinn Fein Assembly member Gerry Kelly was struck across > the back of the head by a baton wielding RUC officer. Kelly had > momentarily turned his back to the line of RUC officers > confronting resident protesters, when he was hit. > > Film footage which showed blood pouring down the Sinn Fein > member's head and neck as he tried to restore calm was later cut > from transmission. During the same incident, Sinn Fein Councillor > Michael Ferguson was hit in the face with a riot shield and > fellow Lisburn councillor Paul Butler was injured when he was hit > on his arm with a baton. > > During the RUC operation Residents' spokesperson Francis McAuley > was injured together with a number of other residents who were > struck by batons. John McGiven of the Springfield Residents' > Action group described local residents as "very dignified in the > face of crazy provocation by loyalists and the RUC." > > On Clifton Park Avenue, the burnt out remains of what was once > the homes of Catholic families, stand as a stark reminder of the > sectarian ethos of the Orange marching season. Catholics living > on this section of the loyalist "Tour of the North' route were > forced to flee after their homes were attacked by sectarian mobs > protesting in support of Drumcree in 1996. Many of the families > rendered homeless, remain four years later on the housing waiting > list. > > Last Saturday's Orange March along the Springfield Road took > place against a backdrop of loyalist intimidation. Nationalist > residents who attended a local cross community meeting a few days > before the march was set to take place, were verbally abused and > threatened by loyalist paramilitaries who hijacked the meeting. > One nationalist resident was called a "fenian bastard" and told > if she opposed the playing of loyalist songs "her head would be > fucking blown off". > > On the Tuesday prior to the march the UDA staged a press > conference. Three armed and masked men dressed in paramilitary > garb announced that the UDA was to renew it's campaign of > sectarian violence against Catholics who they claimed were > involved in "systematic ethnic cleansing" of Protestants. > > Within hours the UDA's claim was totally refuted by the Northern > Ireland Housing Executive who pointed out that all the families > who had been intimidated out of their homes in the last month > were Catholics. Publicly exposed the UDA withdrew it's threat. > > Significantly the UDA press conference had been held within hours > of the screening of a television documentary showing film footage > of queues of people arriving on foot and by car to buy drugs from > a house in Boundary Street in the Lower Shankill area. The same > area where Johnny Adair recently ordered the painting of twelve > new loyalist wall murals. > > The spurious claim of "ethnic cleansing" provided the UDA with a > timely smokescreen to this exposE at the core of their influence. > A classic scenario in which loyalist drug barons could pose as > defenders of their community by evoking the myth of a Catholic > threat. > > Meanwhile during an Orange parade in the County Derry Village of > Bellaghy, rules by the Parades Commission were again flouted by > the Order. Orange marchers ignored restrictions on playing > sectarian songs during a section of the parade. In an act of > further provocation, the Orange marchers paraded four times along > the same route. While the RUC made no attempt to enforce the > law. > > In the nationalist village of Keady, County Armagh, loyalist > bands played until midnight during a 'competition' last Friday. > Sinn Fein Councillor Brian Cunningham described local residents > as "understandably furious that this sectarian display was > allowed to continue until after midnight.The Loyal Orders speak > about residents' lack of respect and tolerance, but here was a > parade which showed nothing but contempt for local people," said > Brian. > > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > c. RM Distribution and others. Articles may be reprinted with credit. > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
