Posted by Jim on June 22, 2018
22 June 2018
East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has met with the Shadow Secretary of State Tony Lloyd. Mr Campbell was accompanied at the meeting by victims of terrorism from Innocent Victims United (IVU). The DUP MP had previously invited Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn to meet with victims when he visited Northern Ireland recently.
Mr Campbell said,
“This was a useful discussion with the Shadow Secretary of State on some of the current issues within Northern Ireland. Most importantly however I was glad that Tony Lloyd took the opportunity to meet with some victims of IRA terrorism.
It is disappointing that Jeremy Corbyn could not find the time for such a meeting during his recent visit. I hope this can be the first step to greater engagement by the Labour Party with the victims of terrorism.
As we seek to deal with issues on the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland, the voice of victims must be central to that process. There must be a clear distinction between terrorists and those who suffered at their hands. Given Jeremy Corbyn’s past statements and his close association with republicans there is an obvious unease amongst many victims about the Labour Party’s position on terrorism.
Many of those who suffered at the hands of the IRA also lived in border communities. Many of those who now present themselves as experts on the border with the Irish Republic when it comes to Brexit appear less interested in how, even with a so-called ‘hard border’ in the past, terrorists were able to cross it to evade capture and justice.”
Speaking in the aftermath of today’s meeting facilitated by Gregory Campbell MP, Kenny Donaldson, spokesman for Innocent Victims United stated:
“We welcomed the opportunity to meet with Tony Lloyd, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and we are grateful to the offices of Gregory Campbell, MP for facilitating this opportunity.
Today’s meeting is but a first step and the real test of the UK Labour Party’s bona fides towards the legitimate needs and rights of innocent victims and survivors of PIRA’s terrorism will be their leader’s willingness to now meet with such affected individuals. This meeting follows several years of requests made by Innocent Victims United, South East Fermanagh Foundation, Derg Valley Victims Voice, politicians and many others and the person actually sought after – Jeremy Corbyn was of course not the person to come.
Mr Corbyn has felt able to come across and travel to the border to talk about Brexit, to talk about economics, to talk about the need to ensure a frictionless border, to talk about the need to ensure no barriers are put up affecting relationships within and between the people of both jurisdictions on this island, but he has yet to come to the Border to speak to those who bore the price of a porous border which existed for over 30 years and which allowed the Provisional IRA to murder Mr Corbyn’s fellow citizens. That border was not a ‘hard border’ and our neighbouring State – The Republic of Ireland has yet to account for its’ failures in protecting life, failures to prevent attacks from being launched from its’ territory and also failing to extradite terror suspects.”
David Kelly, son of Pte Patrick Kelly, Irish Defence Forces who was murdered by the Provisional IRA alongside a young Garda recruit when attempting to rescue prominent businessman Don Tidey who had been held captive for ransom demands by PIRA terrorists in Leitrim remarked:
“I appreciated the opportunity to advise Mr Lloyd of my family’s story, I am not a citizen of the United Kingdom but my family know too well the impact of Provisional IRA terrorism.”
Meanwhile Shelley Cummings (Castlederg) whose brother Kenneth Smyth and Uncle Lexie Cummings were murdered remarked:
“The victims of Provisional IRA terrorism have been deeply concerned that the leadership of the British Labour Party appears to be heavily influenced by those who have been explainers or apologists for the armed campaign of The Republican Movement. Our loved ones were stolen from us by those who sought to coerce the people into accepting their warped United Ireland, Ourselves Alone utopia. Jeremy Corbyn, John McConnell and others need to come to the border and be educated around the innocent people whose lives were stolen through a campaign of ethnic cleansing and they then need to adapt their policy positioning on these issues.”
Mr Donaldson concluded:
“We call for Mr Corbyn to prioritise a visit to the West of Northern Ireland where victim’s representatives will bring him and colleagues out to the border so that he might be educated as to the ethnic cleansing campaign which threatened to bring about civil war within this Region of the United Kingdom.”
Posted by Jim on
21 June 2018
Following a visit by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to the Republic of Ireland, DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds has said;
“Mr Juncker’s claim that “Ireland is not alone” is false security for the country which would be most severely impacted by a no deal Brexit. If Mr Juncker was really focused on helping Ireland, he would be encouraging the EU to focus on getting a post Brexit trade deal in place.
The Republic of Ireland is being used a bargaining chip by the EU. This is a selfish interest. The United Kingdom is a crucial market for Republic of Ireland companies especially in the agri-food sector.
The plan put forward by Mr Juncker and Mr Barnier which would lead to Northern Ireland being cut off from its main market in Great Britain was disgraceful and offensive to unionism in Northern Ireland. Both the Labour Party and the Prime Minister have ruled out such a step.
Rather than focus on backstop arrangements, Ireland would be better served by a sensible new trade deal which would work for the EU, the United Kingdom and importantly the Republic of Ireland.”
Posted by Jim on June 21, 2018
RADIO FREE EIREANN will broadcast this Saturday July 21st on WBAI Radio 99.5FM or WBAI.ORG at 12 noon-1pm New York time or 5pm-6pm in Ireland or anytime after the program on WBAI.ORG – Archives (scroll back to 12 noon Saturday)
Radio Free Eireann, will interview JOE BARR of Saoradh in Derry about the recent upsurge in violence in Derry and Belfast , Saoradh’s condemnation of last week’s attacks on the homes of former Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and party member Bobby Storey or of any Republicans, and his party’s reaction to requests for dialogue.
On the 215th anniversary, of Robert Emmet’s 1803 rebellion,JAMES MCGLASHIN will talk about a re-dedication of the Emmet family graves on Sunday July 22nd at 3pm in Beechwoods Cemetery New Rochelle,the legacy of Robert Emmet and of the Emmet family in Ireland and America.
John McDonagh and Martin Galvin co-host.
Posted by Jim on June 20, 2018
CAPITOL HILL. Tuesday, June 19, 2018——The leader of the 12.5 million Labor coalition was awarded a top peace prize today in Washington, DC.
The Award, World Peace Prize for Labor Leadership, was presented on Tuesday to the president of the massive AFL-CIO, Richard L. Trumka at his national headquarters in Washington, DC.
President Trumka is the inaugural recipient of this new Award established on February 4, 2018, by the World Peace Prize Awarding Council, a 14-member panel of international and interfaith judges, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Its Washington, DC office is led by Fr. Sean
Mc Manus, Chief Judge, and Barbara Flaherty, Judge and Corporate Manager—both also lead the Irish National Caucus.
The Founder/Leader of the World Peace Prize, Presbyterian Minister, Rev. Dr. Han Min Su explained: “We are pleased that our International and Interfaith Board has unanimously agreed to endorse the proposal of our Washington Office to institute the World Peace Prize for Labor Leadership. We see the worldwide Labor/Union Movement as one of the major pillars of world peace because we deeply believe that if you want peace, you must strive for justice—including the justice of a living wage for working men and women.”
The award ceremony in the AFL-CIO headquarters was chaired by Barbara Flaherty.
Derek Warfield and The Young Wolfe Tones opened the event with two Labor songs, Joe Hill and James Connolly.
The address on behalf of the World Peace Prize Awarding Council was given by Fr. McManus,who said:”When Barbara Flaherty and I joined the Board in 2013, we wanted to make a signature contribution: to prominently, firmly, front and center, establish that peace is the fruit of justice— that working for peace means working for social justice. Without justice, there is no love. You cannot love God or your neighbor without justice.
Let me share with you three quotes on social justice, which some of you will be familiar with:
1.The first is from the American Protestant Biblical scholar, Walter Brueggemann: ” In Biblical faith, the doing of justice is the primary expectation of God.”… “In Biblical faith, the doing of justice is the primary expectation of God.”
2. The second is from the Prophet Micah : ” This is what God asks of you: only this, to do justice,
to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.”
3.The third is by the Bishops of the Catholic Church meeting in Rome in 1971 :
” … Action on behalf of justice [is] a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel…” The word constitutive means : that without which someting will not stand… So, without justice the Gospel of Jesus Christ does not stand… Whithout justice, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the New Testament DO NOT STAND.
Now can anything be more basic and clear than these three quotes? All religions can agree with those three quotes: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, etc. … Not only that, but people of no faith, and no religion, can agree with these three quotes. All people of good will, all fair- minded people, recognize that without justice, civilized society cannot stand.
People of faith can be certain that working for justice is doing God’s work on earth. And people of no faith can be certain that working for justice is doing the decent and loving thing. And all of us can be certain that anything that does injustice —anything that marginalizes, demeans, devalues and disrespects human beings— cannot be God’s work, or cannot be the decent and loving thing to do
… If one looks around America for men and women who are spending their entire lives working for social justice—and justice for working men and women— what group comes to mind immediately? Yes, indeed, the American Labor Movement… And that is why President Trumka was given the World Peace Prize in 2016….And why he is now also receiving the brand-new Prize: the World Peace Prize for Labor Leadership.
Our World Peace Prizes place social justice front and center.Our Peace Prizes encourages members of the Labor Movement to positively think of themselves as not just fighters for justice but as peace builders as well. Our World Peace Prize for Labor Leadership, in particular, makes the connection between Labor and peace. I believe this gives an important dimension to Labor’s self-understanding, self-image and self-identity. And, President Trumka, and the other Labor leaders here, I urge you to claim this identity, embrace it, and promote it among the AFL-CIO. It is a powerful way to advance Labor and promote solidarity.”
When he accepted the World Peace Prize for Labor Leadership, President Trumka greatly welcomed Fr. McManus’ strong linkage of justice and peace and expressed deep appreciation for the Award. He promised the assembled guests that he and his AFL-CIO would continue the struggle for justice and peace, nationally and globally—needed now, as much as ever before.
Dr.Han, who was unable to attend, in his message from Seoul, said:”I want to give my personal and corporate congratulations to President Trumka for being the inaugural and most worthy recipient of the World Peace Prize for Labor leadership. There is no better choice for this award. Fr. McManus and Barbara Flaherty have told me very many wonderful things about His Honor, President Trumka. So, I know that in honoring him, he in turn, honors us by accepting our World Peace Prize for Labor Leadership.”
Posted by Jim on June 19, 2018
A British soldier who shot dead a man as he walked through a British
Army checkpoint in the North of Ireland is to face prosecution.
Aidan McAnespie was aged 23 when he killed at the border in Aughnacloy,
County Tyrone, in February 1988 as he walked towards a Gaelic football
match.
But today, the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has announced its
intention to prosecute a 48-year-old former soldier for gross negligence
manslaughter.
Mr McAnespie was on his way to a local GAA club when he was shot with a
machine gun by the soldier. He had been hounded and harrassed by the
Crown Forces since 1981 and right up until the morning of his death,
when he and his mother Elizabeth were stopped and detained at Aughnacloy
UDR base for two hours on their way back from the wake of a relative.
He had been the target of systematic harrassment since the age of 17. On
the day of his death, his movements would have been routinely noted by
the Crown forces as he passed through the checkpoint. He was killed by a
single bullet.
The soldier claimed his hands were wet and his finger slipped on the
trigger of his heavy military weapon and he was initially charged with
manslaughter only for the charge to later be dropped.
He was later fined for negligently firing his weapon.
The McAnespie family have welcomed the historic decision to prosecute a
soldier. His brother Vincent said the family had faced a “brick wall” in
their 30-year campaign.
“It’s truth and justice we want to get,” he said.
“He was just an ordinary local lad from the community that just wanted
to go about his ordinary everyday life.”
Cousin Brian Gormley said relatives were relieved the circumstances of
the case were going to be examined in a court of law.
“The opportunity of actually getting to the truth of what happened in
this case is still very much alive and we as a family are committed to
pursuing that until we get to the very bottom of what happened that
day,” he said. “This is one further step.”
Michelle Gildernew, Sinn Fein MP for Fermanagh South Tyrone told the
Telegraph: “We have consistently called for transparency in all cases
for families to get the truth they deserve. Every family has the right
to know what happened to their loved ones”.
“We’re not the only ones who have suffered,” she said, “but we’re not
the only ones to have inflicted suffering”.
“The only people not to be held to account were those involved in state
killings.”