In a column in last nights Belfast Telegraph–Thursday 11th April-Gerry Adams–IRA man–former Sinn Fein president and current TD for County Louth, gives an opinion on how governments have failed to honour obligations on crucial issues. His take on the GFA 15 years on is that we have “stable power sharing arrangements and political institutions that are working and continue to enjoy popular support”.  Arrangements being the operative word here.  What we have all these years later is certainly an arrangement–one between the $inners–who beforehand were totally opposed to administering British rule, but obviously dont have a problem now after they have discovered how lucrative it can be–and The Dupe$-who collectivelly would sell their souls to the devil–or highest bidder-an arrangement that is very cosy and will see both sets of lovers tucked up in that King sized bed that is Stormont for the forseeable future.
Adams continues in a similar vein where basically he copper fastens the old tenet”Dont let the truth get in the way of a good yarn”.  On this occasion he would have us believe that the Good Friday Agreement and the subsequent events since have given us ” an example of how deep rooted conflicts can be resolved”.  You’re having a laugh Gerry?  What the GFA and its aftermath has delivered to the already beleagured working class areas throughout Northern Ireland is more of the same and in many cases worse doses of it.  Can we honestly say that post GFA that we are less sectarian than we were?  That we are less suspicious of the “other side”?  Flags issues–the perennial parading issues–accusations of discriminatory tactics by ” both sides”–acute polarisation within the working classes–and particularly from protestant/unionist working class claims of being misled by elected representatives and of feeling disenfranchised.  Working class areas throughout Northern Ireland and Belfast in particular are most assuredly no better off than they were a decade and a half ago–despite what Mr. Adams says.  Perhaps if we are told something often enough then we will believe it.  Gerry argues that since the agreement Unionist leadership has sought to minimise the implementation of the agreement whilst republicans have argued for maximum implementation. When it suits Gerry.  He blaims failures of both British and Irish governments to implement certain issues–a Bill of Rights for instance.  For the north of Ireland he says..not Northern Ireland where his party help administer British rule.  And pointedly he also asks that issues such as an independent inquiry into Pat Finucanes death should be addressed along with the abuse of human rights–quoting examples like martin Corey and Marion Price–nut unashamedly leaving out clerical abuse–I wonder why–or the ongoing witch hunt by the HET inpursuit of elderly loyalist ex combatants.  But as always in good stories the best is left to last.  The punch line if you like.  I quote…” But it is in respect of a victim centered truth and reconciliation process that much work still needs to be done”.  Yes..he wants an Independent International Truth Commission set up where governments and ex combatants need to be part of the process.  Their can be no heriarchy of victims he says.  And you know what Gerry?  Virtually every reader would agree with all of these sentiments.  That is if they thought you were genuine and not lying through your bushy beard.  Lead by example on this  Gerry….start telling the truth on matters such as membership of the IRA—your continuing role as a senior figure in the Army Council long after the ceasefires and GFA—your involvement in atrocities like La Mon and Bloody Sunday–your role as chief judge/jury/executioner in the saga of the so called disappeared.  Hold your hands up to the McConville family and tell the TRUTH around the disappearence of their mother over 40 years ago.  Until you do it is highly unlikely that anyone in this country could give any credibility to you even uttering the word.

I was reading some poetry this morning and John Baileys poem The Volunteer urged me to write this little ode and it’s fitting due to the 100^th Anniversary of the Formation of the UVF.

UVF & RHC Volunteers

Its been 100 years since the first falling in

And the call for volunteers did begin

Since then things have changed and conflicts have gone by

Yet still if we’re called we would still prepare to die

Years later the call for support came again

And new volunteers gave their lives without asking for gain

We secretly hope that none of us will fall

And our comrades don’t read our names on a wall

The damned politicians they don’t truly know

About the hurt they have caused in their “Ulster Says NO”

And for our family who can only just sit and pray

Please don’t volunteer please don’t leave us today

They don’t blame us for going as well they might

As the wardens lead us away they promise to write

Comrades reassure family that we will be well

But we all know our family will travel through hell

We never asked for richness for the service we give

Just a nice peaceful Ulster where we all could live

But if this time around Im the one that should fall

Just head round the corner and read my name from the wall

Anonymous

Column: Not enough has been done to uphold the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement

It’s true Northern Ireland has come a long way over the last fifteen years, but we cannot afford to hang the ‘mission accomplished’ banner over the peace process, writes David McCann.

                                        David McCann

WE ARE FAST  approaching the fifteenth anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. When the deal was eventually agreed there was a palpable sense of hope that after thirty years of violence and 3,529 deaths that the Northern Ireland problem had been solved for good. Ever since then despite all the challenges the agreements basic principles of power-sharing and inclusion are still intact. At the last election just one MLA was elected on a platform to dismantle current institutions in Northern Ireland.

So we have a durable form of government with broad popular support what on earth could possibly be wrong with that?  Scratch the surface and there is quite a bit. In any debate about political life in the North we tend to get hypnotised by this argument that we should simply be grateful that the province has a functioning government. Yet more than a decade after the signing of the agreement I think it is now time that we started asking what exactly the current executive in Northern Ireland is doing to help heal our divided society.

 

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This post first appeared on the South Belfast ACT blog

sbact@wordpress.com 

A Oneness of Humanity?

by sbact

Gareth Mulvenna, a native of North Belfast and a young man in his early thirties, completed a PhD in Queens University in 2009.  The Doctorate was in Contemporary Irish Politics and the bulk of his research was focused on the Protestant/Loyalist/Unionist community in Belfast.  He is currently at the forefront of raising awareness of the Protestant working class experience in Belfast from pre Troubles to post conflict.  Gareth has written extensively recently on the subject and we are honoured to reproduce some of his articles on longkeshindeout.

A Terrorist Shrine? Who Decides?

A venue in Mid Ulster will be the setting for a meeting of those persons opposed to the development of a peace and reconciliation centre on the old site of Long Kesh / Maze Prison. This project has also wrongly been dubbed ‘the Terrorists Shrine’. Tom Elliot (UUP) is the main opposition and wants to undermine the project so much that it will be scrapped. The DUP feel the project should reflect all sides and aspects of the Troubles. Mr Elliott said: “A vast swathe of the people affected simply don’t want this shrine. The paramilitaries might want it as a tribute to their murder campaign, but the families of security personnel, prison officers and politicians who know the score just don’t want to be part of it.”  (News Letter 25 March 2013) When is Unionist politicians going to accept that Loyalist ex-prisoners and families of these ex-prisoners have a right to be at this meeting? I read the list that Mr Elliot expects and I never noticed EPIC on that list. Have organisations like EPIC been consulted? Has there been any research done with Loyalist ex-prisoners? How do these prisoners feel about this centre? Is it a ‘Terrorists Shrine’? The DUP are seemingly driving this project and it makes me concerned as to their motivation. Those who spent years incarcerated in Long Kesh / Maze Prison could respond to this giving their opinion and perhaps we could take it forward?

South Belfast

Photos show Deputy Mayor Beth Adger and William Parkhill of the PUP   with ACT members and PSNI.

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Can we afford the HET?

Back in April this year we all saw Dr Patricia Lundys’ report on the impartial procedures and investigations of the Historical Enquiry Team. Although rejected by the HET there still will be an independent review of how the HET investigates killings by soldiers during the troubles. Chief Constable Matt Baggott to whom the HET are directly accountable, has requested the review through Her Majestys Inspector of Constabulary. “In a statement rejecting the criticism, the HET said there had been a number of cases where families of victims of Army shootings welcomed apologies from the government and Ministry of Defence after the HET dismissed the original military version of events.” (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17619308)

This new concept (The HET) was established to review over 3200 deaths that occurred in the troubles prior to 1998. During the first 6 years the HET received £34m to do the work. In the next 2 years the Dept of Justice in Stormont funded the HET to the tune of £13m. Strangely enough the same Executive and Dept have refused a further request of £10m from the HET. Given that the HET are directly accountable to the PSNI the HET were informed that their application should be paid from PSNI reserves. Apparently the HET have still 950 deaths to investigate and if the funds are not available then hundreds of deaths will go un-investigated. I was wondering if those deaths could be the the ones under review in Dr Patricia Lundys research? So you can see that an investment of £47m isn’t enough and many of the victims are not satisfied then I ask why we need these investigations. Could £47m have been spent on a different format? A format that would take Northern Irelands’ shared future document forward and bring our people closer together. This format would end the useless internment of old ex-combatants and take the working class communities forward. The Dept of Justice has responded by stating that the HETs work is priority and they intend to see a continuation of the HET. Is it safe to assume that £10m will be found to fund a further 2 years work? Such a pity given the fact that our Health system fails us, our education system fails young people, many primary schools are to be closed and the unemployment rate grows. However, the continuation of a format that creates other victims i.e. the loved ones of incarcerated ex-combatants could possibly bring about a serious deterioration of the already unstable peace process. I refer to an article by David Whiteside published in Belfast Telegraph and www.longkeshinsideout.com where he states;

“Of course my point surrounds the actions of the Historical Enquiries Team (H.E.T), never mentioned in a referendum voted by the people of this country and brought onto the scene in 2005 after the St Andrews agreement between the four largest political parties.  The majority of those arrested have already served long prison sentences for other offences, which leads me to the question – What are we achieving by locking these old men away for a token gesture of two years? Hardly closure for loved ones.   If this is allowed to continue, where will it end?  A futile, destabilising and costly process for all communities who voted unanimously to move forward in the name of peace and prosperity after so many troubled years.”

I also listened to Jude Whites’ interview with Stephen Nolan and as a victim who lost his mother he supports a different format and one that will be focused more upon the truth than apologies that may never be meant. Worth listening too.

We as a Northern Irish community need to find a different way to address the issues of closure and justice or we may end up in the depths of despair once more.

South Belfast