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Irish Language Andself- Determination the 'Rights'

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Irish Language Andself- Determination the 'Rights' 27 MAY 1997 May/June 1997 Connolly Association: campaigning for a united and independent Ireland The 'rights' way Irish language Peter Berresfbrd forward for andself- Tory Sound Ellis: the sinking peace In Ireland determination Jiiishb&fin, of HMSWasp Page 7 Connolly Column: Page 6 Page 12 .jpsR ' . * • "i7?'.' | he dramatic landslide victory of as the potential pitfalls, are many. °EACE PROCESS respond to the new Labour govern- Moves on all of these key areas, Tony Blair and the Labour The electoral success of Sinn Fein ment in the coming months, will be along with a much hoped-for renewal Party has changed the political in West Belfast and Mid Ulster con- their response to Orange Order of the IRA ceasefire, and an end to all landscape of Britain and opened firmed beyond any doubt the party's marches in full, was indeed welcome. attempts to orchestrate a repeat of the forms of political and sectarian up a new opportunity for reviv- claim to have a mandate to speak on However, it is essential that the new the previous showdowns at violence, are essential for creating the ing the Irish peace process. behalf of a significant part of the commission is given powers immedi- Drumcree. It is essential that they do right conditions for progress. 1Labour's 179 seat majority in the nationalist population in die North. ately to ban and reroute contentious not allow some of the worst examples Labour has both an opportunity House of Commons ensures that the Their success increases both the marches where local agreements are of un mist triumphalism to win out and the ability to act decisively over British government is no longer at the need and desirability of their indu- not reached. yet again. the coming months, in creating of beck and call of unionism and their sion in all-party talks when they To date, the only additional mea- Early moves on a range of other key conditions out of which a new backward-looking and anti-democrat- resume in June, although the chances sures announced by the new Secretary issues are crucial, including: reform of accommodation in the North, based ic agenda. - of this happening, irraojKthw of of State have beeen the introduction of the RUC, the setting-up of a new on fundamental democratic rights and Whatever his intentions, John whether or not a new IR^S&ppfire is a21 day notice period and the banning enquiry into the events of Bloody the principles of'parity of esteem' and Major was heavily constrained by the announced in the coriffljTweeks, of alcohol on marches. Sunday, ending the use of plastic bul- ^eqwlity of opportunity1 can emerge. arithmethic of the last Westminster remains remote. Oak of the most critical tests facing lets, scrapping no-jury Diplock courts, b is an opportunity which Tony parliament f Mo Mowlam's announcemnet prior Labour in the early days of their new the suspension of emergency legisla- Blair and the new Secretary of State The Blair government is blissfully to the general election that Labour in administration, and one which is like- tion, and improvements in the condi- Mo Mowlam must not let slip through relieved of any such constraints, office would implement the recom- ly to have a significant influence on tions of republican prisoners held in their hands. although the challenges ahead, as well mendations of the North report on how nationalists and republicans English jails. Now is the time for talks Irish Democrat May/June 1997 Irish Democrat May/June 1997 Page 3 News ____ IRISH Oemoctuc NEWS IN BRIEF Founded 1W Volume 52, No.2 Boost for McNamee campaign Reports condemn abuse of human Arrests complaint Despite disappointment that the case Crawford of the Criminal Cases The European Committee for the of miscarriage of justice prisoner Review Commission asking the new Prevention of Torture has agreed to Danny McNamee was not referred body to be prioritise the Danny's case. rights in Special Security Units consider a complaint submitted by the directly back to the Court of Appeal Criminal Cases Review Commission, Celtic League following the beating of literally prisons within prisons); the both visitor and prisoner endure before March 31 and will now go Alpha Tower, Suffolk Street, Birmingham The publication of two a number of civilians arrested in South numerous searches despite being before the Criminal Cases Review B1 ITT. The Danny McNamee cam- lack of adequate exercise, sport, educa- Armagh on April 10. Three of those denied any physical contact during Commission, the new body to deal paign can be contacted at BM Box The vicious beating meted out to Robert Hamill by a 30-strong reports into the operation tional and work facilities; the absence arrested have since been charged with the visit, is strongly criticised. The with alleged miscarriages of justice, Innocent, London WC1N 3XX. of natural daylight and long-distance terrorist offences and IRA member- gang of loyalist thugs in Portadown, which resulted in his death of Special Security Units majority of SSU prisoners refuse to support for the campaign has contin- vision; the lack of adequate medical ship. twelve days later, is deeply disturbing, not least because of treatment; and the regular use of accept visits because of the effect ued to grow. in English jails has The League says that there is no •fcThe head of the Criminal Cases allegations made by the man's family that an RUC patrol failed to stripsearching and other 'security' 'closed visits' have on their families. In Ireland, the Oireachtas Joint doubt that the security forces used Review Commission has expressed highlighted human rights measures such as 'closed' visits. Although the Woodcock Report, Foreign Aflairs Committee recently intervene. The news that a number of the attackers have been excessive force in carrying out the concern that the new body set up to The effect on remand prisoners is published in the wake of the gave its unanimous support to a reso- abuses against Irish arrests. Some of those arrested investigate alleged miscarriages of jus- arrested and charged in connection with the incident is welcome, Whitemoor escape, refused to endorse lution calling for Danny McNamee's also criticised. According to the required hospital treatment. tice will be unable to cope with an but few will have any confidence that the Independent closed visits on humanitarian case to be referred to the Court of political prisoners. report, the SSU regime restricts pris- Eyewitnesses after the event have expected 'avalanche' of applications. grounds, stressing that they effectively Appeal. A recent delegation of Irish Commission for Police, which has been called in to investigate the oners' ability to conduct a proper described the scene of the arrests as Speaking at a press conference at Enda Finlay reports. deprived prisoners of any physical politicians also condemned Danny's incident, will uncover the full role of the RUC. defence, thus jeopardising their right resembling 'a butchers yard'. the end of the commission's first week, to a lair trial. contact with family and children, this ten year incarceration as an SSU pris- commission chairman, senior freema- The incident, and an increasing number like it in recent onditions in Special Security The findings of the Amnesty inves- did not prevent former Home oner. son Sir Fredrick Crawford, announced months, is also disturbing because it demonstrates, in the starkest Units constitute "cruel, inhu- tigation are reinforced by another Secretary Michael Howard immedi- NIO lodges with the spooks In Britain, Channel 4 has also final- that the new body had received 251 terms, the consequences of increasing levels of loyalist violence man and degrading treatment" independent report published jointly ately implementing the recommenda- Further evidence of the intimate ly announced that a long awaited Trial cases and was expecting new ones to and openly contravene tions of Sir John Learmont nature of the relationship between the and Error documentary about Danny's arrive at the rate of six per day. against catholics. Spurred on by the bigotry of extremist groups by British Irish Rights Watch, the European and international Committee on the Administration of Learmont went on to recommend Northern Ireland Office and the case will be broadcast at 9pm on The Commission, which employs such as the Spirit of Drumcree, the tensions of the triumphalist standards on human rights, Justice and the Irish Commission for the use of'closed visits' for Category A British security establishment was Tuesday June 24. 65 staff including 13 commissioners marching season, and the armed actions of the so-called Loyalist according to a report by Amnesty Prisoners Overseas. exceptional-risk prisoners. revealed recemly with the revelation Campaigners are now asking for and 25 case workers, claims to have I that the former is 'live over the brush' Volunteer Force, sections of the loyalist community remain intent International. The effect of the regime The Situation of Irish Republican It now remains to be seen whether supporters and concerned groups and received inadequate funding from the has led to "serious physical and psy- Prisoners in the UK concludes that the incoming Secretary of State, Jack with its spook friends in MI5. individuals to write to Sir Fredrick Home Office. on singing their traditional song of hatred, "croppy lie down". chological disorders in prisoners", prisoners in SSUs suffer greatly from Straw, will be prepared to act on the According to a report published in Sectarianism, and its close twins, racism and fascism, are to be Amnesty concludes. the arbitrary nature of the regime, the major human rights abuses highlight- the Daily Telegraph in March, the abhorred wherever they arise. But, only when loyalists are Among the main concerns raised lack of sentence planning and the ed by these two important reports, or Northern Ireland Office has taken out Independence and a ten-year lease on part of MI5's new prepared to accept the justness of change based on the principles by the report, which to be submitted absence of information as to why they whether a desire to be seen to be tough to the European Committee for the are being held there or when they will on 'crime' and 'terrorism' will lead Millbank headquarters.
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