Posted by Jim on February 17, 2017
Brothers,
The green season is upon us and we need every Hibernian to put our best foot forward. This is the time everyone celebrates their Irish Catholic Heritage just a little bit more than they do the rest of the year. This is why we are asking each and every Hibernian to recruit at least one new members by your April division meeting.
Your recruit may be a family member, a friend, or someone you meet at the many St. Patrick Day Celebrations. Your job is to convey to your recruit the importance of celebrating our Irish heritage 365 days of the year. We need you to have a few applications with you at all times, have your new recruit fill out their application, and then present the application at your next meeting. Once your recruit is approved you need to bring them in for installation and mentor your new recruit closely for the next several months.
In the spirit of recruiting and building strong divisions our National Board will be hosting leadership seminars. The first one takes place in New Jersey on February 25, 2017. Once the seminar is fine tuned we will create videos and maybe even a webinar to share throughout the country. Please take a moment and review the flyer from Organizer Tim McSweeney below. Remember, above all recruit one new member between today and March 17.
In our Motto, James F. McKay
Posted by Jim on February 16, 2017
Connla Young. Irish News. Belfast. Thursday, February 16, 2017
THE Ulster Unionist Party has refused to reveal what action has been taken against a party member suspended after he voiced support for the burning of Irish tricolors on loyalist bonfires.
Jim Sands made the remarks after tricolors and nationalist election posters were burned on âEleventh nightâ bonfires across the north last July.
He described the tricolor as âthe flag of a foreign, hostile countryâ and also defended the burning of election material on pyres.
âWhat is the problem burning Republic of Ireland flags? For some the tricolor is seen as the flag of a hostile foreign country,â he said.
âEven today that country still claims jurisdiction over Northern Ireland and interferes in the affairs of Northern Ireland at every opportunity.
âFor my liking you couldnât have enough tricolors on the bonfire.â
Mr. Sands, who stood for election to Antrim council in 2005 and received just 38 votes, also justified the burning of election posters.
âIt is a peaceful way of young people expressing your displeasure at someoneâs politics especially for someone too young to vote,â he said.
Days after he made the comments the UUP confirmed publicly it had suspended Mr. Sands from the party.
However, when asked about the status of Mr. Sands this week a spokesman said: âWe donât comment on individual party businessâ.
Mr. Sands, who had been a board of governors at Antrim Grammar School, which is attended by more than 700 children from both Catholic and Protestant backgrounds and has âInternational Schoolâ status, later resigned the post.
At the time the school said the UUP politicianâs comments did ânot represent their corporate views nor do they reflect the ethos and inclusive nature of the schoolâ.
The controversy came after the areaâs Ulster Unionist MP Danny Kinahan was criticized for tweeting a picture of himself standing in front of a bonfire topped by a tricolor.
He later apologized saying it was an error of judgment.
Posted by Jim on February 15, 2017
Belfast Telegraph. Tuesday, February 14, 2016
Despite gaps in the available documentation, it was argued that the material pointed to the former British Prime Minister, Edward Heath, being involved in the decision making process
Former British Prime Minister Edward Heath was significantly involved in a decision making process surrounding the torture of 14 men interned in Northern Ireland nearly 46 years ago, the High Court heard on Tuesday.
A judge was also told Stormont’s Prime Minister at the time, Brian Faulkner, was personally briefed on the deployment of techniques which had one of those being held saying he “prayed for death”.
As lawyers for the so-called Hooded Men argued that their treatment was sanctioned by the British State, it was further claimed that a government minister visited a training exercise for the interrogation methods in 1971.
Details emerged during a legal bid in Belfast to secure a fully independent and human rights-compliant investigation into what they were subjected to during the Troubles.
Counsel representing all but one of the group contended that the military taught the torture methods to RUC Special Branch officers who sought assurances of immunity from prosecution before carrying them out.
Hugh Southey QC insisted that any criminal behavior must be probed, no matter who was involved.
“The allegation in this case is that the decision to sanction that torture was taken by senior ministers,” he said.
“We would argue that the failure to prosecute government ministers has the potential to undermine the rule of law; it suggests impunity, it suggests ministers are above the law.”
Action is being taken against the Chief Constable, Secretary of State and the Department of Justice over alleged failures to properly probe and order a full inquiry.
Five techniques were said to have been used against the men as part of “deep interrogation” while they were held without trial: being hooded and made to stand in a stress position against a wall and beaten if they fell; being forced to listen to constant loud static noise; and the deprival of sleep, food and water.
In a statement one of the group recalled collapsing and being punched in the stomach to revive him.
He was against the wall for three days, subjected to kicks or beatings every time he dropped to the ground or fell asleep, the court heard.
“The applicant described suffering hallucinations and prayed for death,” Mr Southey revealed.
His treatment was said to have resulted in serious psychiatric and psychological consequences, including treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
The man disclosed that he still wakes in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.
“On one occasion he awoke crouched in his wardrobe in a deeply distressed state,” his barrister added.
The alleged criminality surrounding the torture has never been properly investigated as part of a deliberate decision to prevent the full truth coming out, it was claimed.
But based on the contents of memos and other documents, Mr Southey said it was not in question that the men were subjected to treatment that violated their human rights.
It was not disputed either that authorisation came from senior government ministers, he added.
Papers in the case were said to demonstrate that ministers were aware of what deep interrogation meant.
Mr Justice Maguire was shown references to discussions between the then Defence and Home Secretaries prior to the interrogations starting in August 1971.
“Before the interrogation began the director of intelligence personally explained the techniques to Mr (Brian) Faulkner, who obviously was (Northern Ireland) Prime Minister at the time,” Mr Southey said.
Despite gaps in the available documentation, he argued that the material pointed to the British Prime Minister, Mr Heath, being involved in the decision making process.
He based his claim on details disclosed in papers obtained years later.
The barrister contended: “Civil servants, in around 2000, were clearly concerned that public records would show he played a significant role.”
As the surviving members of the Hooded Men listened in the public gallery, their lawyers went on to claim that a Minister for State for Defence, Lord Balniel, visited a training exercise to see the techniques in September 1971.
Two of the men behind the legal challenge were said to have been subjected to the torture methods a month later.
Part of the case centres on the alleged role played by RUC officers after they were shown the techniques.
Based on further documents, Mr Southey claimed police obtained high-level guarantees they would be protected.
He said: “It’s quite clear the RUC were concerned about what they were being asked to do, they sought assurances… and those assurances were given at a high ministerial level.”
The case continues.
Posted by Jim on February 13, 2017
Greetings colleagues,
Please join us and spread the word about our upcoming program:
“The Irish and the Police Scandal”
On Saturday, March 4, we will have a provocative program about what became labeled as the New York “Police Scandal” of 1892. With powerful results, charges were sensationally leveled against police practice and Tammany Hall activity in the city of New York by one of Gotham’s leading citizens. The centerpiece of this Roundtable program will be a talk by Professor Daniel Czitrom, whose recent book on the Scandal, New York Exposed, has been called a “tour de force of investigation and interpretation.”
The program will be held at 2:00 p.m.in the McCloskey meeting room in the parish house of the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, 263 Mulberry Street, Manhattan. Suggested donation: $5. Refreshments will follow.
We look forward to seeing you.
Kathleen Walker
Publicity Coordinator
NYIHR
