PART 1 > IRISH NEWS ROUND-UP > http://irlnet.com/rmlist/ > > Saturday/Sunday, 1/2 July, 2000 > > > 1. DRUMCREE PARADE REROUTED > > * Loyalists riot after Orangeman declares 'war' > * Provocative arrest of Breandan MacCionnaith > * Human rights observers arrive in tense town > > 2. Clashes over Down parade > 3. DUP gain votes for debate on Sinn Fein expulsion > 4. Sligo elects Sinn Fein mayor > 5. Nothing changes for loyalist muralist > 6. Aldi strikers' morale high > 7. Feature: Views from the hill > 8. Book Review: The Deposition of Father McGreevy > 9. Analysis: Time for deep breaths and deeper reflection > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> DRUMCREE PARADE REROUTED > > > > An Orange Order march has been rerouted away from the nationalist > Garvaghy Road in Portadown next Sunday, the Parades Commission > announced this morning [Monday]. > > Orangemen based at Drumcree Church overlooking the Garvaghy Road > have begun laying siege to the nationalist enclave in what one > leading Orangeman ironically described as "Ulster's Alamo". > > Yesterday, the first of a series of attempted Orange Order > marches down Garvaghy Road was blocked by a row of military > vehicles. Protesting Orangemen then shoved and jostled an RUC > riot squad. Amid an air of increasing menace, loyalists attacked > camera crews and several people were injured, including a > 13-year-old boy. > > Tension in Portadown escalated significantly on Saturday > following the wrongful arrest of nationalist spokesman Breandan > MacCionnaith by the RUC. > > MacCionnaith, an elected independent councillor for the area, was > walking down the road to investigate the arrest of several > nationalist youngsters when he was himself suddenly seized and > bundled into an RUC landrover. He was taken to Lurgan RUC station > where he was incredibly charged with assault, disorderly conduct > and behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace. > > > 'WAR BEGINS TODAY' > > In stark contrast, there were no arrests of loyalists last night > as the Orange mob set a British army personnel carrier on fire > and threw hundreds of rocks, petrol bombs and lumps of concrete > over RUC lines. There were also serious loyalist disturbances in > north and east Belfast. > > The outbreak of violence followed an address by Stoneyford > Orangeman Mark Harbison, who told the assembled Orangemen at > Drumcree: "The war begins today". > > Speaking "on behalf of loyalists", he added: "What you have just > witnessed here todaywas a soft approach which can no longer be > tolerated. If we are to achieve our objectives in this beloved > province then we must do it in a position of strength". > > To cheers and applause he said: "This is Ulster's Alamo. It is > said here we stand, we can do no other." > > Hundreds of thousands of loyalists are being urged to come out on > the streets in order to stretch the security forces. > > Portadown district master Harold Gracey told a 1,500-strong crowd > yesterday that the British military and RUC would be hard-pressed > to contain widespread loyalist "protests" across the North. > > He said that it was time for unionists to "get off their > bellies". > > He said: "This battle is not just about Drumcree. This is about > the Orange Order. It is about the Protestant people. They used to > be on their knees, now they are on their bellies. > > "If they don't get up off their bellies before it is too late > this country will be gone." > > Despite the overnight violence and plans for widespread disorder, > Parades Commission chairman Mr Tony Holland said today a > "limited" Orange parade could take place down the Garvaghy Road > in the next three to eight months if Orangemen complied with > their decision and engaged in discussions with Garvaghy > residents. > > Announcing the decision to reroute Sunday's parade, Mr Holland > said the Commission could not envisage circumstances in which > any subsequent Orange Order parade could take place along the > Garvaghy Road "except on the basis of a local agreement". > > Commenting on today's decision by the Parades Commission on > Drumcree, the Sinn Fein Assembly member for Upper Bann, Dr Dara > O'Hagan, said that the Orange Order must allow the people of the > Garvaghy Road to live free from sectarian harassment. She called > on the Orange Order to lift their siege. > > Dr O'Hagan said talk of limited Orange Order marches in the > future was "premature". > > "It is clear from the Parades Commission's determination that four areas > must be addressed by the Orange Order: they must comply with this > determination; there must be a moratorium on all Drumcree-related marches; > they must stop inciting others to break the law; and they must engage with > the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition. > > "In essence, this means that the Orange Order must come down off the hill > and lift their siege of the Garvaghy Road community. The people of the > Garvaghy Road must be allowed to live free from sectarian harassment. > > "The Orange Order cannot absolve themselves of their responsibility for > loyalist violence. They are calling people onto the streets and they must > take responsibility for the ensuing violence and the threat of violence." > > RUC PROVOCATION > > Breandan Mac CIonnaith earlier called on the Orange Order to > accept the ruling and to enter into dialogue with the nationalist > residents. > > But he attacked the RUC for trying to aggravate the situation > with the provocative arrest of several nationalist youngsters, > including himself, on Satuday. > > While the annual Orange arch over the Garvaghy Road was being > erected, the RUC had arrested three teenagers in a park nearby > when MacCionnaith walked down the road to investigate. > > A press photographer who witnessed (and photographed) the arrest > of MacCionnaith said an RUC landrover suddenly came from behind > and pulled right in front of him. "We saw police officers > grabbing him and Breandan just shrugged his shoulders. We thought > they were going to take him back up the road. > > "But they put him into the landrover and drove off. We thought it > was strange as they must have known it was him. Several > nationalists then came down the road shouting and yelling at the > landrover but it drove off with Mac Cionnaith inside it". > > An impromptu protest was held at Lurgan RUC station until Mac > Cionnaith was released after two hours in custody. He was > charged with assault, disorderly conduct and behaviour likely to > cause a breach of the peace -- and also cautioned for obstruction > after refusing to give fingerprints and DNA samples. > > Speaking after his release, he said there was no reason for the > arrest or the others. > > "I was called to the scene because three youths had already been > arrested," he said. "I attempted to speak to the Inspector in > charge who ignored me. I was then walking to speak to local > people to try and calm them when a landrover drew up and blocked > my path and I was arrested and taken away. > > "I have to ask the question. If I was there trying to calm things > down, what was the motivation of the RUC? It seems they were > intent on provoking trouble". > > Padraigin Drinan, lawyer for the Garvaghy Road Residents, said > she believed the charges in Mac Cionnaith's case were malicious > and would never be proceeded with. She also said she had herself > been threatened with arrest at Lurgan RUC station as she > represented others there. > > "I was advising my clients not to give fingerprint evidence > because in my view the charges they face are improper. One of > those arrested had just returned home from a holiday in Greece > and had gone over to Breandan Mac Cionnaith when he saw he was > being arrested. > > She said one of her clients had been told that the RUC would > break his fingers if he didn't give them prints. > > "I asked to see a senior officer and I was told I was being > obstructive and they would deal with me later. > > "I went outside and was taking phone numbers down in a note pad, > which I had rested on the bonnet of a car. An officer approached > me and said they were observing me and would be charging me later > if I caused damage to the car." > > Despite waiting three hours, no senior officer would answer her > questions on the arrests. > > > GUESTS WELCOME AND UNWELCOME > > Meanwhile, the RUC has refused to ban up to 20 members of the > neo-Nazi group Combat 18 from taking part in the siege of the > Garvagy Road this week. > > The English fascists are staying with members of the murderous > Loyalist Volunteer Force. During their last trip to Mid Ulster, > Combat 18 attacked Chinese families in Portadown and called for > an end to all loyalist ceasefires. > > Also arriving in Portadown is the largest and most high-profile > group of international observers to visit the North. > > Over 100 people, including New Jersey Congressman Donald Payne > and (possibly) civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, are making > the journey to monitor possible human rights abuses during the > Drumcree stand-off. > > The US contingent will join dozens of other observers from South > Africa, Canada, England, Scotland, and elsewhere. Human rights > monitors will also travel to other potential parade flashpoints > throughout the North, such as Belfast's Ormeau Road. > > Among the Irish TDs expected in Portadown are the newly elected > deputy for Tipperary South, Sean Healy, Conor Lenihan of Fianna > Fail, and Labour's Tommy Broughan and Senator Joe Costello. > > "The eyes of the world will be on the British army and the Royal > Ulster Constabulary," said Matthew Schneider, a member of the New > York-based Irish Parades Emergency Committee (IPEC) who will be > one of the delegates. > > "How Secretary of State Mandelson, the Parades Commission and the > security forces handle the marches in Portadown, Belfast and > elsewhere will reflect whether or not the British state is truly > committed to real change in the North," he said. > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> Clashes over Down parade > > > A peaceful protest was attacked by the RUC in the County Down > village of Annalong after a loyalist march entered a nationalist > cul-de-sac on Saturday night. > > Residents said they would hold a peaceful protest after the > Parades Commission ruled that the Annalong single star flute band > could enter the predominantly nationalist enclave. > > But the RUC attacked protestors with batons, accusing > nationalists of "standing in the wrong place". > > Mourne Nationalists for Equality spokesman Martin Connolly said > the Parades Commission's decision to allow the parade to proceed > defied belief. > > Sinn Fein and south Down assembly member Mick Murphy said the > parade was simply one in a long line of events designed to > intimidate the local nationalist community. > > Meanwhile a loyalist band parade into the centre of Lurgan on > Saturday night passed off peacefully after a mammoth security > operation was launched by the police and army. > > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> DUP gain votes for debate on Sinn Fein expulsion > > > The North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, has expressed his > disappointment at the behaviour of some of his party's Assembly > members, who are expected to side with Ian Paisley's DUP tomorrow > in supporting an Assembly motion for the expulsion of Sinn Fein > from the power-sharing administration in the North of Ireland. > > Peter Robinson, deputy leader of the DUP, branded the recent > historic IRA initiative -- which saw agreed international > inspectors Martti Ahtisaari and Cyril Ramaphosa inspecting IRA > arms dumps -- as a "gimmick" and a "stunt". > > "It is unfortunate that people elected to the Assembly on a > pro-agreement mandate at the first flicker from the DUP abandoned > their manifesto commitments," Trimble told the BBC. > > "I think that is a situation where people are not reflecting the > obligation they entered into with the electorate." > > So far, Ulster Unionists Pauline Armitage and Peter Weir (who > lost the party whip last year) have signed up in support of the > motion giving the DUP the 30 signatures necessary to table it. > The DUP last night predicted that there would be "more seepage" > from the UUP in support of Sinn Fein's expulsion. > > But the Paisleyites have been accused of hypocrisy after taking > part in 50 debates with Sinn Fein as part of the Assembly, while > sharing 250 committees with the party and co-operating with the > Executive in their ministerial posts. > > The motion is expected to fail as it has no chance of securing > the necessary cross-community vote from both nationalists and > unionists. > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> Sligo elects Sinn Fein mayor > > > Sligo Corporation has become the first local authority in the 26 > Counties in 33 years to elect a Sinn Fein mayor. > > Party President Gerry Adams said that today's election of > Alderman Sean MacManus "is a sign of Sinn Fein's rise as an > active, campaigning alternative in politics in the 26 Counties". > > Mr Adams also extended his best wishes to Sinn Fein Councillors > Michael Colreavy and Brian McKenna who are in line to become > chairpersons of Leitrim County Council and Monaghan County > Council this evening > > Alderman MacManus was elected at lunchtime today [Monday]. It is > the first time that Sinn Fein has held the position of Mayor > anywhere in the 26 Counties since 1967, when the late Cllr > Norbert 'Nobby' Ferguson was elected Mayor of Sligo. > > It follows the recent election of Councillor Cathal Crumley as > Mayor of Derry, the first Sinn Fein mayor in the Six Counties > since partition. > > Alderman MacManus said he will campaign for Sligo to have County > Borough status. He said he would be "working man representing > the ordinary people of Sligo, providing the dynamic for change > and increased openness in local government". > > "This Mayoral term will be distinguished by its republican and > labour character and the fact that it will be a Mayoralty of and > for the ordinary worker and local communities in Sligo. > > "We will use the Mayoralty to spearhead resistance to the > government's efforts to downgrade Sligo Corporation and we shall > fight to secure City Borough status for Sligo. We will give the > people a strong voice to defend and promote their interests and > provide effective and honest leadership at a time when people are > increasingly disillusioned with the establishment parties. > > "Sinn Fein wants to see young people, local communities and > ordinary men and women, workers like myself, having a real input > into Sligo Corporation and the decisions that are made. We will > ensure that the workings and decisions of the Corporation will > become open, accountable and transparent. > > "It is up to all of us to try and rebuild people's confidence in > local government and politics in general through a more open, > transparent and democratically accountable political system that > listens to, consults and works for the people it is supposed to > represent." > > Mayor McManus is to stand for Sinn Fein in the Sligo-Leitrim > constituency in the next general election. A member of Sinn > Fein's ruling Ard Chomhairle and a senior member of the party's > peace process negotiating team, he received 20,457 votes in the > 1999 European elections in the Connaught/Ulster constituency. > > A carpenter by trade, Sean has been a member of Sinn Fein since > 1976. > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > c. RM Distribution and others. Articles may be reprinted with credit. > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
