UIMH 135 JULY — IUIL 1998 50p (USA $1) Drumcree 4 standoff: Nationalists will AS we went to press the Drumcree standoff was climbdown by the British in its fifth day and the Orange Order and loyalists government. were steadily increasing their campaign of The co-ordinated and intimidation and pressure against the nationalist synchronised attack on ten Catholic churches on the night residents in Portadown and throughout the Six of July 1-2 shows that there is Counties. a guiding hand behind the For the fourth year the brought to a standstill in four loyalist protests. Mo Mowlam British government looks set to days and the Major government is fooling nobody when she acts back down in the face of Orange caved in. the innocent and seeks threats as the Tories did in 1995, The ease with which "evidence" of any loyalist death 1996 and Tony Blair and Mo Orangemen are allowed travel squad involvement. Mowlam did (even quicker) in into Drurncree from all over the Six Counties shows the The role of the 1997. constitutional nationalist complicity of the British army Once again the parties sitting in Stormont is consequences of British and RUC in the standoff. worth examining. The SDLP capitulation to Orange thuggery Similarly the Orangemen sought to convince the will have to be paid by the can man roadblocks, intimidate Garvaghy residents to allow a nationalist communities. They motorists and prevent 'token' march through their will be beaten up by British nationalists going to work or to area. This was the 1995 Crown Forces outside their the shops without interference "compromise" which resulted own homes if they protest from British policemen for in Ian Paisley and David against the forcing of Orange several hours. The Orangemen Trimble hand-in-hand dancing parades through their areas. are eventually "pushed back". triumphantly in the streets of They will be imprisoned within However, in the event of Portadown. Trimble won the their homes for lengthy periods nationalist protests at yet UUP leadership contest as a to show them who is in charge. another British capitulation to result of these antics. Seamus Mallon, the 'Deputy Minister' The issues of the Garvaghy the Orange card the kid gloves at Stormont was jostled and • Loyalist riots in Belfast's Sandy Row on July 6 — the Stormont Agreement cannot Road and all the other come off. Nationalists are baton-charged, plastic bullets jeered by Garvaghy residents bring a permanent peace. nationalist areas where Orange after trying to sell them another stay off the streets as "the are put into place - be it will draw the obvious parades are not welcome is one are aimed to kill them and armoured vehicles are driven at such "compromise" on July 7. British army and RUC can deal Sunningdale 1973 or the conclusion that all they have to of power and control. The The Provisionals proved with it". Stormont Agreement 1998 - it do is keep the squeeze on the Orange Order seeks to remind speed at crowds of people on the streets. themselves a throwback to their The nationalists are paying is still not going to bring a nationalists and they will win residents that their power permanent peace.It is still a more concessions. Also similar to the 1996 predecessors in the Officials the price of the sectarian state extends into the Garvaghy once again and all Tony Blair's sectarian statelet built on a standoff is the arrival of 1,800 who insisted in April 1969 that Road. they would "put it up to" the talk of equality will be exposed sectarian headcount and the This is the very rotten The same build-up of extra British troops (to a total if and when he backs down. Orangemen know that the foundation on which the of 18,000) with the intention British Crown Forces to defend pressure as July 12 approaches the nationalist population. In Drumcree 1998 proves that numbers always add up in their Stormont Agreement is built. of dealing with nationalist is evident as happened in 1996 July 1998 the Provisionals are it does not matter what favour. With Orangemen The sooner it collapses the when the Six Counties were protests against the fourth likewise telling nationalists to rearrangements of British rule winning once again in 1998 they better for all of us. SlDD Jj&D draid: Sean 6 Bradaigh i7Q8CommemoRAtiop Acre. Dublin SATURDAY, (opp national Museum, JULY 18 Heuston Bridge) beside Robert Emmet Pub SAOIRSE — Iuil/July 1998 Catholic churches burned Gearrs cealta in wave of attacks Harryville pickets recommence in THE oppressed people of occupied Ireland have Ballymena been allowed the choice of voting their overseas, THE 'Spirit of Drumcree' group which has subjected Mass-goers who are looking on while pro-British death squads in Harryville, Ballymena, Co Antrim to a torrent of verbal and embark on the old divide and conquer campaign. physical abuse for 20 months is back on its intimidation track. The group, which called off its picket in May, following a decision The long-suffering Orange march away from the to allow the Apprentice Boys march through Dunloy, have elected nationalist population were Nationalist Garvaghy Road. to resume their protest outside Our Lady's church in Harryville once more put to the test when While Orange boot boys until the British Parades Commission rescind their decision to re- Catholic churches were attacked were allowed to camp in the route the Drumcree march. The 'Spirit of Drumcree' mouth-piece, in the early hours of July 2. Of grounds of Drumcree, they Joel Patton said the decision was reached at an emergency meeting the most seriously damaged could use themselves as a of the group on May 30. were St James, Aldergrove, near decoy while their fascist allies Belfast, which was reduced to in the pro-British death squads a blackened shell after a could embark on real damage. 1,800 more British troops midnight attack; St Joseph's In this burning hatred instigated church at Kilcorig near Lisburn, by British Military intelligence, sent to the Six Counties Co Antrim and the Church of St Colmcille's on the Upper the Immaculate Conception at Newtownards Road received •St Joseph's Church, Kilcorig, near Lisburn, Co Antrim, BRITAIN'S imperial government decided in Leitrim near Castlewellan, Co scorch and smoke damage; one of ten churches burned in a co-ordinated series of early June to draft 1,800 extra British troops into Down, which were completely Mary Queen of Peace, arson attacks by loyalists. Occupied Ireland in order to back up her colonial gutted. Blackscull, Dromore received Co Tyrone suffered smoke and damage. police (RUC) in their job of coralling and It is understood the north minor smoke damage ; the roof water damage, Glen Church, Intruders who broke into suppressing any nationalist protest during the Antrim LVF formulated a "tour of the church at Mullavilly Glen Road, Banbridge, Co Our Lady of Lourdes church, Orange inarching season. of destruction" policy to be put Tandragee, Co Tyrone was Down had minor damage, while Grange near Kilkeel, Co Down, The Occupation Forces "have taken a number of prudent and into effect if Britain's Parades burned; St Columba's, Killyman Church, Dungannon, are believed to have run off after responsible measures in order to ensure that we remain capable of Commission should re-route the Clanmore Road, Dungannon, Co Tyrone received scorch triggering the alarm system. providing the support required to the RUC during the marching season," the spokesman said. Meanwhile the spectre of Orange The Irish 'On the bridge ofToome.. fascism lurks happily in the shadow of Britain's gunmen in Ireland. Lurgan youths stone RUC Nation still THE nationalist Kilwilkie estate in Lurgan, Co Armagh erupted into a tense battle scene between local youths and the British colonial police (RUC) on June 28-29. Crown Forces A VERY successful launch of Dilseacht by Ruairi moved into the estate at night in what they 6 Bradaigh was held in Dundalk, Co Louth on described as an ongoing police operation in the June 9. Co Armagh area. Doors were kicked in as the combined British army/RUC More than 100 people Irish people to give service stormtroopers dragged residents from their beds and threatened packed the venue for the to the same cause. them. Throughout the day two helicopters hovered menacingly launch of the book which "The high standards set overhead while the Occupation Forces swamped the Lough Road deals with Comdt-General and maintained by people end of the estate. Searches revealed four pounds of high-powered Tom Maguire and the like Tom Maguire, Mary Semtex in a coal bunker at the rear of a house in Ennis Close. Second (All-Ireland ) Dail. MacSwiney, Count Plunkett, Later in the morning the British army recovered nine coffee- Thanking those in Brian O'Higgins and JJ jar devices containing explosives with six-inch nails and an attendance for their interest O'Kelly ('Sceilg'), Deputy improvised grenade warhead fully primed at a location in the Victoria and for buying the book, the for Louth in the First and Street area. By midday as the raiding operation continued, a number Republican Sinn Fein Second (All-Ireland) Dail of youths responded by throwing stones at the RUC. As their President then spoke about have been debased by those protest grew in number to about 50, the youths engaged the Crown the situation after the with access to power in the Forces in a sustained attack. referendums on the 26 Counties. Approximately 60 petrol bombs were launched at the British Stormont deal: "These remarkable men army/RUC force and their vehicles which continued until after "The historic Irish nation and women and those 6pm when the Occupation Forces began to withdraw.