Posted by Jim on September 21, 2017
Claire Simpson. Irish News. Belfast. Wednesday, September 20, 2017
SINN Féin has accused the British government of “duplicity” amid a row over funding for Police Ombudsman probes into Troubles-era cases.
Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire has warned that some inquiries may take up to two decades to complete due to pressure on resources.
He told the BBC’s Spotlight programme he has written to 130 families this year, telling them he does not know when investigations into their loved ones’ deaths will be finished.
Sinn Féin North Belfast MLA Gerry Kelly said the ombudsman’s comments showed that legacy bodies agreed in 2014 as part of the Stormont House Agreement must be established and properly funded.
“The ombudsman has warned that the current system isn’t fit for purpose and strongly criticized the failure to adequately investigate, among others, the activities of the Glenanne Gang which was responsible for more than 100 murders, mostly of nationalist civilians, in Armagh and Tyrone, as well as being involved in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings,” he said.
“Unfortunately, this is just the latest example of the ongoing efforts to cover up the British state’s involvement in the conflict here and particularly their deep-seated collusion with loyalist death squads,” he said.
“That is why the British government is still blocking the implementation of the legacy bodies agreed at Stormont House and refusing to fund outstanding conflict-related inquests despite repeated requests from the lord chief justice.”
Posted by Jim on September 20, 2017
Optimism is beyond northern Unionists and has been for perhaps centuries
“Some used to balk at equating Catholics with Nationalists, Protestants with Unionists. What about the Catholics who vote Unionist, they niggled, Protestants who don’t think of themselves as Unionist?
What we now have is what wishful thinkers lament as ‘increased polarization’ and the rest of us recognize as the truth of ages.”
Fionnuala O’ Connor. Irish News. Belfast. Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Curious, but not all that surprising.
Since Catholics/nationalists are turned off Stormont and feel cheated by the Tory-DUP deal, Protestants/Unionists should surely be in cheerful mood, moderately optimistic?
But optimism is beyond northern Protestant Unionists and has been for perhaps centuries. This community may be past cheering up.
Perhaps this is the point to get rid of a quibble, though these days only sticklers raise it.
Some used to balk at equating Catholics with Nationalists, Protestants with Unionists. What about the Catholics who vote Unionist, they niggled, Protestants who don’t think of themselves as Unionist?
What we now have is what wishful thinkers lament as ‘increased polarization’ and the rest of us recognize as the truth of ages.
Stickle how you like; mavericks fail to make an impact, too few for this place’s good. Most Unionists are Protestant, most Nationalists[are[ Catholic.
And here we are, well into a changed demographic situation that one section refuses to acknowledge.
Catholic schoolchildren outnumber Protestant children, the bigger number of the most elderly is Protestant. Only one outcome ahead, but Protestant unionists cannot say it outside their own homes, church halls, Orange lodges, perhaps pubs and clubs, anywhere ‘the others’ might hear.
The growing Catholic share of the population is to be talked down, ignored.
The evaporating majority is felt as brutal fact, but denied. That denial underlies and perhaps excuses, certainly accounts for much in Unionist politics, lack of leadership and state of mind.
The Assembly election was a big frightener. The Westminster turn-up for the books was not a famous victory. Instead of voicing satisfaction at the DUP’s king-making, Unionists fret, primarily that Theresa May is a broken reed.
Criticism of the DUP’s ‘bung’ —as the London media mocked it with creationist and homophobic quotes for light relief —produced Protestant ‘hurt’ and ‘dismay’.
Under the headline “PM didn’t deserve vicious abuse… and we in NI shouldn’t be sneered at either” the Belfast Telegraph’s religious correspondent and former Queen’s University public affairs officer Alf McCreary wrote that he had never been a DUP supporter. ‘But I believe they – and the rest of us – have been sneered at dreadfully by London commentators who depict us as country bumpkins and political crackpots.’
Some who imagine their mindset is not predictable much less tribal were as hurt as the others, the openly-Unionist wounded.
Far from enjoying a moment in the sun, anxious Protestants saw May’s vulnerability and returned morosely to their Stormont dilemma.
Unionists appeared to like being back on the hill more than Nationalists, Republicans. But its lure seemed to gradually fade as Irish became the big sticking point. Now the Orange Order and Jim Allister are in full cry; defensiveness and bad temper rule.
There is half-spoken admission that Unionists have come badly out of this shared Stormont, from the start seen as a reward for terrorists, a non-British arrangement, now also an incubator of social liberalism. Direct rule is becoming a preferred option. Mightn’t it hook “the province “ back into the consciousness of “the mainland?”
A middle-class Unionist , reluctantly but solidly on board for the early peace process, marveled that Catholics made so much of Arlene’s crocodiles.
RHI and previous scandals had passed him by. ‘A nationalist song-and-dance’, he said angrily.
Another thought the Assembly’s possible inbuilt corruption on top of the Executive’s stalemate had diminished an efficient Foster, made her look unimpressive.
The fault, in other words, is not in Unionism but in the structure. In which the Unionist majority is no longer safe.
The overall verdict is that we are off to hell – or a united Ireland – in a handcart.
As if the unspeakable demographics aren’t scary enough Brexit is looming, its outcome unreadable. The conclusion is near-despair. Which republicans, it seems many believe, have engineered — or rather which has been designed, plotted and choreographed by the all-knowing, terrifying Gerry Adams.
Today’s mood is more like whistling past the graveyard. “It’s classic profound unionist insecurity, all shark-infested waters,” says a long-time Unionist specialist. “Theresa probably won’t last, Brexit — and Corbyn -—are out there, while Adams, the biggest shark of all, is cruising ever closer to the shore, with his Border poll, Irish unity etc. And nobody really knows what the next census will bring.
How Adams personifies the nightmares is what strikes another chronicler. ‘When he goes, what on earth will they do?’ Well, who knows. Not Unionists. But they won’t relax
Posted by Jim on September 19, 2017
- September 19th
WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Jim on September 18, 2017
Greetings members of AOH Division 35 & Kings County. I am canceling the Division 35 meeting for tomorrow night Tuesday September 19th as a precaution due to a pending storm with high winds and heavy rain that is only way.
I hope to see you all at the AOH Kings County Board meeting on Monday September 25th 7:30 PM at the Baile N nGael 2750 Gerritsen Avenue.
Please pass on this notice, as i do not have everyone’s contact info.
Please be safe.
Eddie V.
President
Division 35
Posted by Jim on
To All,
Obviously I have a lot to say with regard to the Red Hand Commandoes wanting to legitimize themselves.
Like many this sounds ludicrous given the despicable acts of terror they committed against innocent Catholics during the troubles.
Many families whom lost love ones at the hands of this evil group would understandably never accept there new found position or for that matter any sort of an apology.
The Red Hand Commandoes in “Collusion” with a British intelligent agent Brain Nelson was responsible for the assassination attempt on my family in 1988.
Although no one was seriously injured in the attack I would ague that I also lost a loved one to this group albeit 16 years later.
The attack by the Red Hand Commandoes on my young family forced us to flee our homeland to seek asylum. Our struggles continue today but the unrelenting stress and threat of deportation back into the hands of our perpetrators was too much for my beloved wife Bernadette.
Brian Nelson colluded and provided the information and weapons to Red Hand Commandoes to carry out the attempted assassination and the British Government turned a blind eye. ”They stood by and watched as there agent conspired to murder there citizens”.
Nearly thirty years on I don’t think there is a judge or jury in NI that could possibly bring a sense of justice to the families who suffered at the hands of the Red Hand Commandoes.
In my case even if the courts find one of there former leaders “Winstone Winkie Rea guilty of the murder of two Catholics he is charged with and my attempted murder it won’t bring any form of justice to our respective families but the truth may bring some closure.
In light of the recent omissions made by the Red Hand Commandoes I would suggest that there leadership do what is required of murderers in the US when they come before a parole board….prove how remorseful they are, formally admit and take responsibility for the murders and the atrocities they committed during the ‘Troubles” Prove to the families that they are sincere and help bring closure and an end to the suffering of many afflicted by there actions.
Show me that they really care and ask my family for forgiveness.
It takes courage to build peace and if we are to obtain an everlasting peace for our children and our grandchildren its time for both sides to admit responsibility for there actions and that includes the British Government..!!
Malachy McAllister