Part 1 > IRISH NEWS ROUND-UP > http://irlnet.com/rmlist/ > > Thursday/Friday, 13/14 July, 20000 > > > 1. POLICE BILL UNSUPPORTED BY NATIONALISTS > 2. Drumcree talks 'the only option' > 3. Loyalists strike ancient church > 4. Catholics forced out of Randalstown > 5. Observers visit south Armagh > 6. Dublin Coiste officially opened > 7. Feature: Who will control the gene code? > 8. Book review: Unfinished Business.. by Bill Rolston > 9. Analysis: Hell raising in Portadown > 10. Events in Ireland and Britain > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> POLICE BILL UNSUPPORTED BY NATIONALISTS > > > Northern nationalists have presented a united front against the > decimation of the Patten proposals for policing reform in the > Police (Northern Ireland) Bill, currently making its way through > the British parliament. > > Introducing a 100-page analysis document, Policing: A New > Beginning?, which is highly critical of the Bill, Mr Martin > McGuinness of Sinn Fein said that it was vital for the Patten > recommendations to be implemented in full. > > "The problem now is that the British government disingenuously > seeks to locate compromise as being somewhere between their > proposals and the Patten recommendations, when many nationalists > have made clear that, for them, Patten is itself the compromise," > Mr McGuinness said. > > The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, spoke with the British Prime > Minister, Tony Blair, by telephone yesterday. Mr Ahern said the > proposed reform did not go far enough to attract nationalists and > republicans to join the force. > > "We have not reached that position yet and I made that forcibly > clear," Mr Ahern said after the 20-minute conversation. "I did > agree that we would continue the discussions at official level > over the next number of days to see if we can find a satisfactory > way of dealing with this issue, and we are going to try and do > that calmly." > > It was reported that both leaders agreed that the Bill was not > currently acceptable to either side, and indicated that in the > next few days the British government will be looking at further. > > Nationalists do not want the new police service tainted in any > way by the sectarian record and reputation of the 92% Protestant > RUC. > > After a heated debate in the House of Commons this week, there > were claims that both SDLP Deputy leader Seamus Mallon and UUP > leader David Trimble had threatened to resign over the handling > of policing. > > In a move which angered nationalists, the Northern Secretary, Mr > Peter Mandelson, said that the name of the existing RUC would be > retained in the formal title of the new police service. In its > current form, the bill says the police service will be the Police > Service of Northern Ireland "for operational purposes", as yet > undefined. > > This prompted Seamus Mallon to accuse the British government of > being involved in "political chicanery" over the issue. > > The Sinn Fein document published on Thursday, which has been > passed on to both governments as well as the US administration, > concludes that of the 175 Patten recommendations only 11 are > being implemented, while 89 have been subverted and there is > insufficient information to judge the remaining 75. > > According to the party, the main points of departure from Patten > concern the legacy of the RUC, including the name, badge and > symbols, the powers of the Police Board and of the ombudsman, the > oath and issues of local accountability. > > Referring to an interview in yesterday's Irish Times with a > former member of the Patten commission, Dr Gerald W. Lynch, in > which Dr Lynch said the Bill went directly against the wishes of > the commission and would discourage young nationalists from > joining the new force, Mr McGuinness said: > > "This is a touchstone issue not just for republicans but for > nationalists and society as a whole. We are the elected > representatives of a community that wants to be policed. They do > not want to live in a jungle and want to be part of building a > new future for themselves and for their children." > > While the British government had moved the proposals back some > way in the direction of Patten, they still fell far short of the > Patten recommendations, he added. > > "If Mr Blair is genuine and sincere about bringing about a new > beginning in policing, he has to recognise that the nationalist > community has to be on board. If he fails on such a touchstone > issue as policing, history will treat Mr Blair and [the Northern > Secretary] Mr Mandelson very badly." > > Mr McGuinness insisted Sinn Fein was not an "anti-police" party, > saying it was very passionate about creating a new police > service. > > "The issue goes to the heart of the whole process. If the British > government fails to address it, they are making a huge mistake. A > police service which only satisfies rejectionist unionists, who > want to destroy the Belfast Agreement anyway, is useless." > > "Sinn Fein is not running away from the issue but what Peter > Mandelson is proposing is not the new beginning needed." > > If the legislation was returned to Patten, the party would study > it carefully and have a "sensible, reasoned discussion" on > whether it would back the new service, Mr McGuinness added. > > "The sheer volume of complaints from Sinn Fein, the Irish > government, the SDLP, the Catholic bishops and others with regard > to the initial legislation simply cannot be ignored," the > education minister said. > > Mr McGuinness was speaking as the legislation was due to pass to > Britain's House of Lords for consideration. > > A Northern Ireland Office spokesman yesterday rejected Mr > McGuinness's criticism, saying "all those committed to change and > genuinely interested in effective policing will be able to > support the Bill when it completes its passage through > parliament." > > The SDLP Assembly member for west Belfast, Mr Alex Attwood, said > his party remained far from being in a position to recommend > nationalist participation in a future police service. "The Bill > remains deficient, not just on cultural issues of flag, name and > badge but also on structural issues of human rights, independence > of the Policing Board, accountability of the police and on the > pace of policing change," the SDLP policing spokesman said. > > Ulster Unionist MP Mr Jeffrey Donaldson accused the British > government of having "made a mess" of the Bill and said if it > "pandered" much more to nationalists, there could be "enormous > pressure" on unionists to withdraw from the Assembly. "The > [British] government has made a mess of this matter. Bearing in > mind that its aim was to create a police service with widespread > community support, it is clear these proposals do not in either > community," he said. > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> Drumcree talks 'the only option' > > > Garvaghy Road residents spokesman Breandan Mac Cionnaith has > urged Portadown Orangemen to "try the only option left" and > engage in talks to resolve the annual stand-off over the Drumcree > parade. > > Portadown Orangemen had called for a new wave of loyalist > demonstrations against the re-routing of the parade away from the > nationalist Garvaghy Road. > > But the leader of the Orange Order urged an end to almost two > weeks of violent protest across the North. Grand Master Robert > Saulters said: "People have had enough." > > Attacks and sporadic road blockings petered out by early evening > on Thursday. > > As a gulf developed between Portadown Orangemen and the Orange > Order leadership, a small number of loyalists blocked roads in > Belfast, Antrim and Carrickfergus, while in Portadown, a group of > loyalists attempted to make their way down the Garvaghy Road, > from the Park Road end. > > Last night Portadown District spokesman David Jones played down > the apparent flop and did not rule out further protests. > > "There is no disappointment. Those who wanted to support us did," > he said. > > "Our protest will continue until we get to parade down the > Garvaghy Road." > > Mr Jones denied there was a huge rift with the Orange leadership > over the current tactics. > > "There are no divisions. What happened was the grand master added > to confusion over what members should do," he added. > > Residents' spokesman Breandan Mac Cionnaith earlier warned that > recent disturbances had postponed "even further whatever slim > chance there is" for a long-term resolution. > > He said the Orange Order had so far ignored the "road map" set > out by the Parades Commission, which included a moratorium on > protests. > > The residents are insisting talks, now considered inevitable, > must be about more than the Drumcree march - addressing issues of > sectarianism, segregation and division in Portadown. > > Mr Mac Cionnaith said he remained fully committed to working with > South African mediator Brian Currin - but a march should not be > considered the only outcome. > > "This is not about cosmetic exercises or sequencing," he said. > > "It is about ensuring the Catholic and nationalist citizens of > this town are accorded the dignity, respect and equality of > citizenship to which they are entitled." > > He also said opposition to the return leg of the Drumcree Orange > march had been mistakenly portrayed as an attack on civil and > Orange religious liberties. > > "Nothing could be further from the truth," he said. > > "After all, we have consistently argued that the outward route to > Drumcree can form the basis of compromise on this issue, in spite > of the sectarian attacks and intimidation directed against > families and members of this community. > > "We wish to build a future for our children in this town based > upon equality and respect. The Portadown LOL No1 must publicly > state whether or not it wishes to do the same or whether it > wishes to perpetuate the divisions and conflicts which belong to > the past." > > Meanwhile, public disorder charges against Mr Mac Cionnaith > dating from a wrongful arrest on July 1 were withdrawn yesterday > at Craigavon magistrates' court. > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> Loyalists strike ancient church > > > A County Antrim priest has been shaken by an arson attack on his > church -- just days after loyalist protesters hijacked and burned > out his car. > > St Patrick's church in Derriaghy suffered scorch damage when a > tyre was placed against the front door and set on fire. > > The shocked parish priest, Fr Brendan McMullan is still expected > to be able to take Mass in the church -- among the oldest in > Ireland -- on Sunday. > > Fr John McManus, diocesan spokesman, said Fr McMullan was very > distressed by recent events but was attempting to maintain > pastoral care of his parish. > > The attack comes a week after Fr McMullan's car was hijacked in > Belfast during the Drumcree protests which caused mayhem across > the north. > > Loyalists forced him out of his car at Donegall Pass before > setting fire to the vehicle. > > Twelve months ago the church suffered extensive damage when > flammable liquid was poured through the front door. > > Meanwhile, a Limavady cross-community centre has been > petrol-bombed for the second year running. > > The Drumachose Cross Community Development Association building > will be closed for at least a week as a result of the attack on > the night of July 11. > > The building, owned by the local Catholic church, has suffered > extensive scorch and water damage. > > It appears that those responsible removed an upstairs window > grille to the rear of the property before setting fire to the > premises. > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> Catholics forced out of Randalstown > > Catholics are being forced to flee their homes in Randalstown in > Copunty Antrim because of sectarian attacks and threats by > loyalists. > > Sinn Fein councillor Pauline Darvey Kennedy said the situation > had got so bad in the Neilsbrook estate that Catholics were > unable to use public amenities. > > "At one time there were a lot of Catholic families living here - > now there are about 10 left and they are leaving by the day > because they are being abused in the street." > > Mrs Kennedy said two years ago UVF and LVF paramilitaries started > to put flags and murals up around the estate. > > Now the town's community centre, situated in the middle of > Neilsbrook, is "completely out of bounds for Catholics," she > said. > > "UVF flags and the like have been put up around the centre and > the tennis courts outside. Catholics would not dare to go to > there at night in case they were attacked. > > "The Drop-In Centre down the road which is open to all young > people from the area has also now been named Prod Corner because > six loyalist intimidatory plaques have been put up on the gable > wall. > > "Park benches in the town have also been daubed with the letters > 'KAT' meaning Kill All Taigs." > > Catholic patients attending the health centre in the estate are > also being put off going to their appointments by a paramilitary > plaque of a masked gun man. > > "I have received numerous calls from Catholics in the area for > something to be done about this dreadful and intolerable > situation," she said. > > "They feel the police are doing absolutely nothing to help them > out. The sooner community leaders respond positively to this > situation the better." > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> Observers visit south Armagh > > > South Armagh must be demilitarised if it is to benefit from > tourism and economic investment, international observers said > yesterday. > > Influential visitors, who were in Portadown to monitor the > Drumcree dispute, travelled to south Armagh to witness the > deployment of troops and military installations in the area. > > The delegation, which included observers from Europe, Canada and > the United States, spent seven hours inspecting the militarised > zones that have been a source of contention among nationalists. > > Toni Carragher, spokeswoman for the South Armagh Farmers and > Residents Committee, said meetings had been held with the > observers to discuss the effects of militarisation on farming, > tourism and economic investment. > > "We also discussed the possible effects on one's health, given > the radiation that emanates from the surveillance," she said. > > John Fogarty, of the Irish-American Unity Conference, said the > militarised zones in south Armagh had a negative impact on > attracting industry and tourism to the region. He added that the > observers were keen to study the effect of militarisation on > everyday life. > > "It completely precludes any tourism or building of an economy. > There is not a hotel in the entire area," he said. > > Mr Fogarty said that some of the American delegation were > studying the effects of the Drumcree crisis on teenagers in > Portadown and added they would be returning to south Armagh in > the future. > > "Now we see the dire straits the community is left in, several of > us are going to extend our stay. The fear is that when the > observers go, everything will start to happen," he said. > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>> Dublin Coiste officially opened > > > > Former republican prisoner Brian Keenan did the honours in Dublin > city centre on Saturday, 10 July, as the Dublin premises of > Coiste na nIarchimi was officially opened. Also present was > national Coiste director Mike Ritchie, 26-County director Ann > O'Sullivan, Ella O'Dwyer and Eamonn Nolan of Dublin Coiste and > Jim Monaghan of Tar Isteach a related resource for former > republican prisoners located in the same building. > > "The opening of the office for Coiste na n-Iarchimi in Dublin > today is an important part of the search for lasting peace and > justice in Ireland," said Keenan. "It places the question of > republican ex-prisoners in a prominent position and it recognises > that we have rights which need to be addressed. > > "Republican ex-prisoners are educated and highly motivated. They > have much to offer their communities and have a role to play in > building within their communities and in wider society. Many are > already doing so and others have spent their time in prison > preparing for the day when they can participate in this process. > > "Today is a milestone. Coiste is passing a point taking them > closer to their objective of being the representative body for > all former republican prisoners. We recognise the contribution > they have made in the past and will continue to make in the > future." > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > c. RM Distribution and others. Articles may be reprinted with credit. > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
