PART 1
IRISH NEWS ROUND-UP
http://irlnet.com/rmlist/
Thursday-Saturday, 3-5 August, 2000
1. LOWER ORMEAU RESIDENTS SAY NO TO MARCH
2. Loyalists attack anti-discrimination protest
3. Choppers to replace spy tower in Crossmaglen
4. Cash windfall follows promotions for Clegg
5. Contrasting experiences of North's Ministers
6. Serial harasser threatens nationalists
7. Make sure you're registered - McLaughlin
8. Book Review: The Price of Peace
9. Analysis: Felons and Fellonis
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>>>>>> LOWER ORMEAU RESIDENTS SAY NO TO MARCH
The Lower Ormeau Concerned Community (LOCC) has welcomed the
result of Thursday's vote by residents as the "overwhelming and
democratic expression of our community's desire to live free from
sectarian harassment".
The vote showed 96 per cent of residents calling for the
re-routing of loyal order parades away from the nationalist area,
including the parade scheduled for August 12.
Agreement over next Saturday's main march in Derry by the
Protestant Apprentice Boys organisation largely hinges on the
controversial 'feeder' parade through the lower Ormeau Road in
Belfast.
LOCC spokesman Gerard Rice said last night: "The biggest
difficulty we have had is absolute denial that there is a
problem," he said, adding that the marching orders "will now have
to recognise there is a problem."
The ballot, which had a turnout of over 600 residents, has
renewed calls for dialogue on marches in the Ormeau area.
"This was carried out in an open, transparent way," said Mr Rice.
"Now no one can complain that they don't know the views of lower
Ormeau residents."
Mr Dawson Baillie, the leader of the Belfast Orangemen,
complained the vote did not include the loyalist Ballynafeigh
district above the Ormeau Bridge.
"We believe that it's our right and everyone's right to walk down
a main thoroughfare. We're not going into side streets," he said.
South Belfast Sinn Fein councillor Sean Hayes said the poll
results presented a challenge to the leadership of the loyal
orders and politicians.
"For years we have listened to the lie from the Orange Order and
their political allies that there is no real opposition to
parades going through the lower Ormeau area," he said.
"These parades are opposed because they are sectarian and
designed to intimidate."
The Parades Commission delivers its determination on the lower
Ormeau march on Monday morning.
GARVAGHY PICKETS
Meanwhile, Portadown Orangemen have threatened to escalate
protests over Drumcree following disturbances on Wednesday night.
David Jones, spokesman for Portadown District, warned last night:
"If they think they were protests, they haven't seen anything
yet."
Nationalists believe the protests mark a resumption in the Orange
Order campaign to force a sectarian march down the Garvaghy Road.
But Mr Jones claims loyalist demonstrations had never been
discontinued.
"People thought we would stop protesting after July, but let
everyone be aware we will continue our protests until we get our
parade down Garvaghy Road," he said.
Mr Jones denied that flying pickets in nationalist areas of
Portadown on Wednesday night were a new departure.
Garvaghy Road residents' spokesman Breandan Mac Cionnaith said:
"We have not had flying pickets in so many locations and
involving so many people for a long time."
A crowd of around 50 loyalist demonstrators, gathered in the
lower Garvaghy Road, Craigwell Avenue and Drumcree.
Two people were injured by missiles, including a 15-year-old
Catholic who was rushed to Craigavon hospital by ambulance.
The residents' coalition said last night: "There can be no other
reason for the Orange Order in Portadown to continue with these
protests except to continue perpetuating the fear and
intimidation to which Nationalist residents of this town are
exposed."
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>>>>>> Loyalist attack on anti-discrimination protest
A nationalist demonstration at Newtownabbey borough council on
Thursday to protest a discriminatory employment system was set
upon by a cudgel-wielding loyalist gang.
South Antrim Sinn Fein representative Martin Meehan said: "We
gathered outside Newtownabbey council offices to protest at the
disgraceful employment record of the council with only 15 per
cent of council staff Catholic.
"But as the protest got under way we were confronted by an
ever-growing number of loyalists, some of whom were carrying
cudgels, wearing UVF hats and shouting for us to get off their
council property.
Meehan said the attack was "an orchestrated attempt by loyalist
thugs to intimidate Catholics away from Newtownabbey council."
Meehan, Sinn Fein's candidate for the forthcoming South Antrim
by-election, has called for an investigation by the Fair
Employment Agency into the working practices of Borough Council.
He has also requested a meeting with the council's own senior
officers to discuss the matter.
His call comes a few weeks after Paul Butler, Sinn Fein Lisburn
Councillor, demanded an investigation by the new Equality
Commission into ongoing discrimination against Catholics in
almost all unionist-controlled local authorities.
Unionist-dominated Newtownabbey Council is just one of several
others in the Six Counties - Lisburn, Castlereagh, Ballymoney and
Carrickfergus included - where Catholics are severely
under-represented in the workforce, particularly in relation to
the religious makeup of the local population. In some twelve
local authorities in the Six Counties, Catholics make up less
than 25% of the workforce.
One element of the Newtownabbey Council's discriminatory
practices, says Martin Meehan, is the permanent presence of a
union flag outside the council building, a sight which has
consistently discouraged many Catholics from even applying for
employment within the council in the first place. "From
canvassing the borough, I know that there are serious concerns
with the council's insistence on flying the Union Jack from every
available flag pole on its properties. Nationalists have been
complaining for a very long time, but still the council refuses
to address these very real concerns."
This disregard of nationalists' views is, he says, also reflected
in the makeup of the workforce; "The employment figures would now
appear to show that the council's Union Jack policy is actually
part of an overall agenda to actively discourage Catholics from
applying for jobs."
Meehan will be asking the Fair Employment Agency to provide him
with details of discrimination cases brought against Newtownabbey
Borough Council until now and, if necessary, for the Agency to
take legal action against it in an attempt to bring the practice
of discrimination to an end. "Newtownabbey councillors have got
to realise that the days of gerrymandering are over," he said,
"and if they will not do this voluntarily, then the full rigours
of the law will have to be used."
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>>>>>> Choppers to replace spy tower in Crossmaglen
The British army is gearing up for an increase in helicopter
activity in south Armagh despite apparent moves towards
demilitarisation, it has been reported.
The decision has sparked fury among nationalist and republican
politicians who earlier this week welcomed the news that a
spy-post in Crossmaglen would be dismantled.
Gazelle, Lynx and Puma helicopters are now to be used to carry
out the surveillance previously accomplished by the sangar in the
village centre, according to reports.
Apart from the noise and disruption caused by low-flying
helicopters, many have a poor safety record and there are new
concerns at the risks posed to people on the ground.
Sinn Fein assembly member for Newry and Armagh Conor Murphy said
the level of resentment toward troop levels and helicopters
had been building steadily.
"The removal of the sangar in Crossmaglen was a long overdue move
in the commitment towards demilitarisation.
"If helicopter activity is increased any further it will have
serious implications for the whole process," he said.
SDLP assembly member John Fee accused the army of failing to
account for helicopter activity in south Armagh.
"Helicopter activity is already at a scandalously high level. No
one is accounting for it.
"We do not know what flights are surveillance operations and what
flights are domestic.
"Any increase in helicopter activity will antagonise people on
the ground enormously," he said.
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>>>>>> Cash windfall follows promotions for Clegg
The decision to award #25,000 backpay to a British soldier
convicted but later cleared of charges related to the shooting
death of two Belfast teenagers has been condemned.
Paratrooper Lee Clegg was released from prison on licence in 1995
after serving two years behind bars for the murder of 18-year-old
Karen Reilly. Reilly and 17-year-old Martin Peake had driven
through an army checkpoint in West Belfast when their car was
riddled with bullets by Clegg's patrol, killing them both.
In a lengthy legal process dismissed as a whitewash by
nationalists, Clegg was cleared of Reilly's murder and also the
wounding of Peake. No-one has been succcessfuklly convicted of
either murder.
Since the killings, Clegg has been restored to the British Army
and promoted twice, prompting outrage among nationalists. News
that he is to receive a #25,500 cash lump sum has added to the
anger.
A British army spokesman said that Clegg is entitled to full
reinstatement of lost pay and pension contributions.
"He was successful in his appeal and technically has no
convictions against him," the spokesman said.
"Therefore, he will receive outstanding salary and pension
contributions from when he was in prison."
Karen Reilly's parents declined to comment on the latest
development.
West Belfast Sinn Fein assembly member Alex Maskey described it
as "another slap in the face for both families".
Mr Maskey said: "It's deeply insensitive to the families
concerned and another example of bad faith by the British
government."
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>>>>>> Contrasting experiences of North's Ministers
Health minister and Sinn Fein MLA Bairbre de Brun was heckled by
loyalists for the second time this week.
Loyalists gathered outside her department on Friday, venting
their fury at her refusal to fly the union flag from her office
to mark the 100th birthday of the queen of England's mother. Sinn
Fein has said that the Irish and British flags should be flown
together, or not at all.
Angry loyalists carrying British flags also clambered over the
offices of the Education Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness MP, in
Bangor, County Down, where the Union Jack was also absent.
Earlier in the week demonstrators pelted eggs at Ms de Brun and
vandalised her ministerial car outside a hospital in Lisburn, Co
Antrim.
"Incidents like today's can only lead to division," Sinn Fein's
Alex Maskey said fo the protests, which he described as
"sectarian by nature and clearly designed to intimidate."
He added: "Symbols and emblems used in public must be used in a
manner which promotes mutual respect rather than division. Sinn
Fein's position on the flying of flags is designed to offend
nobody."
But in stark contrast to the attacks on nationalist ministers by
loyalists, unionist ministers have been welcomed by the
nationalist community.
Enterprise, Trade and Development minister Reg Empey had
breakfast with Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams on Friday in the
Republican heartland of the Falls Road. Residents greeted Empey
as he toured an Irish language economic project in Mr Adams's
constituency.
Mr Adams summed up the feeling of the community: "You can see the
minister was well received, there was a very mighty 'cead mile
failte' for him"'.
The Ulster Unionist Party negotiator had practised part of his
speech in Irish, but said he "got cold feet" at the last minute.
"It would have been a bit corny, because I knew I hadn't got it
right, so I'd rather wait until I can do it properly. I find it
is a very difficult language", he admitted.
Mr Adams said he was "not at all disappointed" that Empey had not
ventured into bilingual territory. "That will come", he comforted
the Minister.
"I do like to think that a visit like this, where people can
quietly get on with their business, where there can be a bit of
craic, as well as the active business of trying to get employment
and an economic dividend into areas which have suffered - that is
very important."
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>>>>>> Serial harasser threatens nationalists
An RUC sergeant who has a reputation for harassing nationalists
has recently attempted to coerce a father into informing on his
own son.
On Tuesday, 25 July, the RUC man, based in Castlewellan in South
Down, arrested the man for a traffic offence and brought him to
Newcastle RUC barracks
While there, the RUC member told the man that his, (the man's)
son, "is a member of the IRA". The RUC sergeant then warned the
man, who wishes to remain anonymous, that his son was "going to
get into a lot of trouble if he does not stop". It was at this
point that the RUC man gave the man a blue card with the name of
a 'handler' on it and told to make contact if he had any
information on his son.
Sinn Fein councillor for Castlewellan, Frank McDowell, accused
this RUC sergeant of involvement in, "a catalogue of sectarian
harassment including stopping mothers bringing children to
school. This man is also monitoring the every day activities of
Sinn Fein members using surveillance equipment".
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>>>>>> Make sure you're registered - McLaughlin
Republicans and nationalists need to make sure they are on the
electoral register for the next elections, says Sinn Fein's
Mitchel McLaughlin.
In the next couple of weeks, voter registration forms will be
delivered across the North and it is important that people fill
them in and return them, He said. "The driving momentum of the
peace process which continues to alter and shape the political
landscape has reflected to a large degree the demographic changes
which are taking place within our society," said McLaughlin. "The
growth in the nationalist and republican vote has placed us on a
course of irreversible change which I believe will bring
equality, justice and peace on this island."
He added that "when the registration forms are delivered people
should make sure that those who are eligible to vote are properly
registered. This includes people who may be working or studying
away from home but who would be entitled to register for a proxy
or postal vote". He assured people that "the information given
for the purposes of registration cannot be used for any other
official reason".
If people have any difficulty in obtaining or completing a
registration form they should contact their nearest Sinn Fein
constituency office for advice.
McLaughlin also addressed speculation that next year's Six-County
local government elections may be postponed.
"There is speculation that under the pretext of local government
reform next year's local government elections will be postponed,"
he said. "Sinn Fein will vehemently oppose such a postponement
which - in all likelihood - would only serve the immediate
interests of one or two political parties.
"Decisions on whether the democratic rights of the electorate can
be interfered with should not be taken lightly and cannot - under
any circumstances - be based on what may or may not be beneficial
for particular parties".
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