EXTENSIONS of REMARKS 14271 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS a UNITED EUROPE CAN NO the Wreck to Make It Burn Faster
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June 11,, 1990 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 14271 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS A UNITED EUROPE CAN NO the wreck to make it burn faster. He was op John plays drums in a Republican band, LONGER IGNORE INJUSTICE IN erating in strict accordance with I.R.A. the only legal way for kids in Belfast to NORTHERN IRELAND guidelines, but his smile betrays his outra flaunt their defiance. Like almost all Catho geous good fortune. "They let ya burn it." lic ghetto kids, he's been in and out of trou Blessed with a sweetly impudent face, ble with the law since he was a child, but he HON. BRIAN J. DONNELLY Chuckie looks like the kind of kid a home has been extra careful since his last arrest OF MASSACHUSETTS room teacher would put in charge of the two years ago. He wears his brown hair IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES class when she had to leave the room. But short, but no punk short, and he has no tat the I.R.A. is never far from his mind and toos or earrings. He wears a blue Wind Thursday, June 14, 1990 suffuses nearly everything he does. Chuckie breaker and jeans. He is earnest, painstak Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. Speaker, following is delivers the pro-I.R.A. Republican News on ingly sincere and a walking encyclopedia of an excerpt from Time magazine that outlines his paper route and twirls a baton at the the I.R.A. party line-he has carefully shed in explicit detail the seemingly endless war head of an Irish Republican marching band. any trace of the sly, irreverent wit common being fought in Northern Ireland. Not one I.R.A. men in the neighborhood all know to his neighbors. John has been trained in him. Chuckie comes from a long line of firearms, explosives and withstanding police person or family is exempt from the violence I.R.A. fighters, from his grandfather, who interrogation, and admits that he has assist and terror that continues in that troubled fought the British in the 1930s, to four of ed a few "operations." He won't say a word region. his five uncles. He is entrusted with small about what or when or how. In the mid-1980's, the Governments of the errands-delivering a message, watching Even in his pro-I.R.A. neighborhood, John Republic of Ireland and Great Britain resolved police and British army patrols in the is an exception. Most kids linger on the pe to work collectively to bring peace and justice neighborhood, watching the neighbors. riphery of war, bystanders steeped in inher to Northern Ireland. This article from Time, Lowering his voice, he admits he wants to ited hate, armed mainly with taunts and however, paints a different picture; that war is join the I.R.A. Would he be willing to rocks, whipped into street violence when the a way of life, and that despite vows of recon commit murder? "Kill Orangemen and I.R.A. feels the need. In Republican fami Brits, aye," he says with relish. He pauses, lies, loyalty to the cause is instilled by ciliation and peace, little has changed. then once again lowers his voice. "But I grandparents, fathers, aunts; family scrap From my perspective, one of the few re wouldn't kill one of my own." One of his books are filled with snapshots of funerals maining hopes for true peace will be in 1992 I.R.A. uncles was killed by one of his own, and marches, and fading newspaper clip when Europe unites and members of the shot through the head for acting as an in pings of killings and arrests, not weddings united European Community will be in a posi formant. Chuckie is always mindful of that. and school recitals. But kids take to the tion to force both communities to end this vio The I.R.A. claims it no longer uses chil streets primarily because it's "good crack" lence and begin the process of reconciliation. dren in the war against Britain, and in a Irish slang for fun. To the kids, throwing I, along with other Americans, will demand sense that is true. The war in Northern Ire stones and bottles is a game, an illegal act land has changed since the early 1970s, the sanctioned by adults, and the best release the European Community to take direct and days and nights of street fighting that any from boredom. Six-year-olds will scoop up a forceful action to end this nightmare. A civil child could join. The bomb attacks and as stone and hurl it at a passing police van as ized European Community cannot allow this to sassinations that the I.R.A. carries out re smoothly as a beachcomber skips stones continue within its borders. quire only a few specialists and a degree of across the waves. Northern Ireland is a virtual police state. It is secrecy that kids could only jeopardize. In the Belfast neighborhoods of Ardoyne, inconceivable that the ongoing bloodshed and When "the Troubles" flared anew in 1969, a brick wall separates the Protestant and injustice can be tolerated by Europeans who children who were under 16 and too young Catholic working-class neighborhoods, con have continually fought to eliminate police for the I.R.A. rushed to join the NaFianna cealing the fact that the terraces of narrow Eirann, a group created in the early 1900s as houses are the same on each side. There is a states throughout Eastern Europe. No longer an Irish patriot's answer to Baden-Powell's small door in the wall, but the children will they be able to ignore the abuse of human John Bullish boy Scouts. Members did a lot never pass through it. Ciaran, 12, who was rights in Northern Ireland. more than sing folk songs and hike; they all swaggering belligerence around the Brit When Great Britain and the Republic of Ire fought, and the authorities made no distinc ish troops, mimicking an English upper land join with the the rest of Europe as the tion between Fianna and I.R.A. suspects. class accent to shout "Bloody buggers" as "United States" of Europe, the rest of the Fianna members had their own uniform, they passed, goes within 5 yds. of the door, world will be watching closely as the new Eu and the black shirts, berets and sunglasses then stops. He won't say why; he just knows ropean Community collectively responds to gave even small children a scary paramili that behind it lies danger. tary look. The youngsters became a maca In fact, there is nothing but stillness this deplorable situation. bre part of the pageantry in every I.R.A. fu behind the wall. The streets are empty save The highest priority for "Europe '92" must neral cortege. for two Protestant boys, Robert, 13, and be a quick and equitable resolution to end the The I.R.A. broke up the formal structure Frankie, 15, sitting on a stoop, doing noth violence and its root causes. of the Fianna after the Royal Ulster Con ing. Neither one has ever gone within 10 Mr. Speaker, I ask that the article from Time stabulary <RUC) and British intelligence yds. of the wall. Even at 20 yds., the slight magazine from June 18 be inserted in the forces had too often managed to squeeze in est sound from the other side prompts them RECORD at this time. formation out of its members. The numbers to run like startled deer. of Fianna children who were killed, not just They are bored. Protestant neighborhoods [From the Time magazine, June 18, 19901 in riots or military operations, but in acci are not patrolled by the British army or the NORTHERN IRELAND: DEATH AFTER SCHOOL dents as well, were also bad for public rela RUC; there is little street life and to the Every war has rules of engagement. Even tions. residents, the enemy is an invisible force that random bursts of street violence in Bel The I.R.A. still has a youth wing to in behind a wall. Robert, younger but more fast follow a certain code. Chuckie, 11, ex struct the sons and daughters of Republican spirited, wants out of Belfast. He hopes to plains how it works. When instructed to families in Irish history, teach them the immigrate to Australia someday. Frankie is blockade a street, it is O.K. to steal public shadowy rules of urban guerrilla warfare less of a schemer, more of a follower. His vans and buses but not private cars, because and screen them for paramilitary service. father is a member of the U.D.F., the Ulster those, he says, "could belong to one of your John, 16, joined the youth wing when he Defense Force, one of the Protestant para own." The summer he turned ten, Chuckie was 13, and his early years mainly consisted military groups. He doesn't know what he came upon three teenagers in ski masks hi of reading books, learning Gaelic and, to his will do when he grows up, except perhaps jacking a plumber's van. He impulsively frustration, painting posters and marching. end up like his father. "I dunno," he says flung himself into the back of the truck; "We've been protesting for 20 years against listlessly, "maybe I'll join something." after the hijackers crashed the van and set the Brits, and they've never taken any There are Protestant paramilitary groups, it on fire, Chuckie helped pour gasoline on heed," he says.