Posted by Jim on July 18, 2015
Relatives of those killed in the Ballymurphy massacre were present for
an emotional debate in the Dublin parliament in which Sinn Fein leader
Gerry Adams vividly described being in the area on the night of the
killings when internment without trial was introduced by the British
government in 1971.
Thousands of British soldiers supported by the RUC police “smashed their way
into hundreds of homes”, he said. He watched his own home being smashed
into and male members of his family being dragged off. “The house was
occupied for days by the Parachute regiment. They destroyed everything,”
he said.
“They shit on beds. They urinated on wardrobes. They broke up family and
religious memorabilia. They dragged away over 300 men and boys into the
night, many of them later to be tortured.”
Ten people were shot dead, including a mother of eight. Mr Adams named
them: Fr Hugh Mullen, Francis Quinn, Daniel Teggart, Joan Connolly,
Joseph Murphy, Noel Phillips, Edward Doherty, John Laverty, Joseph Corr
and John McKerr.
An 11th man, local community worker Paddy McCarthy, died from a heart
attack after a British army patrol subjected him to a mock execution.
This week’s debate stemmed from the British government’s refusal to a
request in 2014 by the Ballymurphy families for a review of the events
that led to the deaths of their loved ones. Following that, the
Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, volunteered to introduce an all-party motion of
support for the families.
Mr Kenny reiterated his government’s disappointment with the decision
not to establish independent reviews. During the debate, he called on
the authorities in the North and Britain to deal with such incidents “in
a manner and a timescale that meets international human rights
standards”.
The suffering of the bereaved “has been compounded by the anguish caused
by the failure, to date, to establish the truth about the tragic events
which occurred almost 44 years ago”.
Mr Adams said the full resources” of the 26 County state must be
employed to challenge the actions of a neighbouring state in the killing
of Irish citizens.
He urged the coalition to put in place a strategic approach “which sees
the British government challenged on this issue at every meeting and in
every international forum.
“Unless we do this, the British government will continue to refuse to
give the Ballymurphy and other families what they deserve.”
He said the families had campaigned with great dignity for four decades.
“I have accompanied them to meet successive British Secretaries of State
and shadow Secretaries of State. None of them did anything of
consequence. We have also briefed successive Taoisigh and Ministers for
Foreign Affairs. Are we also going to let them down?
“The tenacity and resolve of the families has seen them compile
significant evidence which shows that all who died were killed
unlawfully and in breach of Article 2 of the European Convention on
Human Rights (ECHR).
“They have proposed the appointment of an Independent Panel to examine
all documents relating to the context, circumstances and aftermath of
the deaths of their loved ones. The British Secretary of State has
rejected this proposal.
“For that reason, the families are looking to the Irish government and
to Oireachtas members to demand that the British government stop
blocking and hiding the truth and agree to an Independent Review. This
motion is an important step on the road to achieving this.
“Let no one think that voting for this is enough. As this Dail knows
only too well from the British government response to the Dublin and
Monaghan bombings, motions on their own will not make a difference.”
Posted by Jim on
Sinn Féin Leader Gerry Adams TD has called for political and legal action to end what he called “displays of sectarian hate” that accompany 12th July events in the North.
Gerry Adams said:
“The open displays of sectarian hatred and intimidation which we witnessed around this year’s Twelfth celebrations are, regrettably, an increasing occurrence.
“These hate crimes are completely unacceptable in any modern democratic society.
“The public burning of the Irish national flag, the burning of the effigies of nationalist and republican representatives and candidates’ election posters are hate crimes pure and simple.
“We have also witnessed major public safety issues around some of these bonfires with people and property at genuine risk.
“It is time that this madness was confronted head-on both legally and politically.
“The organizers of bonfires where these crimes are committed need to be rigorously investigated by the PSNI and the perpetrators prosecuted.
“Police action to date has been derisory but it is no longer acceptable for the PSNI to stand back while an entire community is demonized and subjected to an annual campaign of sectarian hatred.
“I do not believe that the disgraceful scenes we witnessed around some Twelfth bonfires represents genuine Orangeism, but we need to see more leadership from unionist political parties and from the Orange Order to call out unacceptable behavior and to confront this issue.”
Posted by Jim on July 15, 2015
PHOEBE CLAWSON FAMILY STATEMENT
My name is Tricia McAuley and I am the aunt of Phoebe Clawson. Phoebe is 16 years old and last night she was the victim of a deliberate attack when an orange order member drove his car at her and other residents on thw front of the Crumlin road.
Phoebe was trapped underneath the car and has suffered a broken collarbone, broken ankle and a shattered pelvis. She is in extreme pain and is unable to have any surgery until next week. While her physical injuries are severe, the physiological scars may never heal.
Our family would like to thank the people of Ardoyne, and those from across Ireland and beyond, who have sent their best wishes to Phoebe and those who have thought and prayed for her well being. We would like to thank local residents who assisted Phoebe in the immediate aftermath of this attack, and GARC for ensuring the young people were kept fully informed on the ground. I also want to thank all the young people of he area for their restraint while Phoebe waited on an ambulance.
This would not have happened if there was no demand to march through our area. This would not have happened if the PSNI had did what GARC asked them to do prior to the attempted murder of Phoebe and closed the road to prevent sectarian abuse from passing cars. It is time for an end to parades in the morning and evening if the result is a teenage girl lying in hospital with bones shattered by a bigot that tried to kill her.
It is our family’s opinion that this was attempted murder. Not an accident or the result of a man panicking. He wasn’t trying to save himself, he was trying to kill people and very nearly succeeded. His refusal to get out of the car so Phoebe could be freed from underneath shows what type of bigot he is.
This community watched as loyalists threw everything at school girls going to Holy Cross. This included members of our family. Now we have had to watch Phoebe ran over by a loyalist in his car. Enough is enough. The parades through this area have to stop,and the violence that accompanies them has to stop too.
Once more thank you to everyone.
Posted by Jim on July 14, 2015
Loyalists rioted on Monday night in north Belfast and drove a vehicle
into nationalists residents, seriously injuring a teenage girl, after
their march was preventing from passing through the Catholic Ardoyne
area.
In line with previous years, the anti-Catholic Orange Order was barred
from walking along the nationalist Crumlin Road due to a determination
of the Parades Commission. The body has been tasked with adjudicating
on contentious parade routes since 1998.
Within minutes of the annual ‘Twelfth’ parade reaching the police lines,
bottles, bricks and metal bolts were thrown at PSNI police, who
responded with water cannon. Shortly afterwards, a vehicle driven by a
parade organiser appeared to suddenly reverse into nationalist
residents, striking three people and running over a 15-year-old girl.
The girl was trapped under the car and sustained grave injuries to her
head and neck. “It’s miraculous that she’s still alive,” said Fr Gary
Donegan, of Holy Cross Catholic Church.
The driver, who was wearing a band uniform and understood to be a member
of the North and West parading organisation, was arrested.
Sinn Fein and PSNI officials appealed for calm, claiming the girl in
question was not badly hurt. PSNI Chief George Hamilton took to social
media to declare that the girl’s injuries were not serious. “She’s in
our thoughts,” he said. He said eight PSNI men were injured in the
clashes, including one senior member.
Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly also insisted the injured girl’s condition was
not life-threatening. “She was very lucky,” he said. “This young
teenager is safe and that’s the main thing.”
Earlier, several loyalist bands breached a Parades Commission ruling by
playing music while passing St Patrick’s Catholic Church in northwest
Belfast. The bands played sectarian tunes such as the ‘Famine Song’
near the church, a site of numerous sectarian displays by loyalist
marchers in recent years. One bandsman was seen to spit towards the
church as he passed.
The British Labour’s party spokesperson on the North of Ireland, Ivan
Lewis, condemned the scenes as a “serious step backwards for stability
in Northern Ireland”, while Alliance Party Justice spokesman Stewart
Dickson said “the image of Northern Ireland” would suffer.
“Clearly the use of bolts and other objects as missiles shows there was
premeditated intent to cause trouble. I would call on everyone with
influence at a political or community level to work together to restore
peace to our streets.”
The Greater Ardoyne Resident Coalitions, which opposes sectarian parades
through the community, said the critically injured girl had been denied
immediate help from the nearby Ambulance Station, which had been closed
“due to the demands of Loyal Orders to impose sectarianism on our
community”.
“This young girl could have been killed by a sectarian bigot who sees
her as a second class citizen,” they said.
“The question needs to be asked of Loyal Orders, unionist parties and
loyalist paramilitaries – would this young girl’s life have been worth
the demand to trample over residents’ right to live free from sectarian
harassment and intimidation?”
The violence followed almost unprecedented displays of sectarianism at
loyalist bonfires this weekend, with a record profusion of Irish flags,
nationalist election posters, figures in effigy and other sectarian and
political threats.
The most controversial of these was the advertised ‘execution’ of Sinn
Fein election candidate, Michelle Gildernew, who was depicted in effigy
on a gallows on a bonfire in Moygashel, County Fermanagh.
Posted by Jim on
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly has called for leadership from political unionism to deal with the outstanding issues around parading.
Speaking after last night’s loyalist violence which followed an Orange Order march in north Belfast, Mr Kelly said;
“The disgraceful scenes of violence witnessed last night in north Belfast must be condemned by all.
“But condemnation is not enough. Those in positions of responsibility within political unionism must show leadership to address the entire issue surrounding parading as well as the disturbances seen last night.
“That leadership has been lacking. In the run up to the 12th we had the withdrawal of marshals and public statements warning of violence, the burning of flags, symbols and effigies and pictures threatening Catholics with crucifixion.
“In order to deal with the remaining issues around parading there needs to be a process of genuine local dialogue with no predetermined outcomes.
“Last nights scenes and those in the run up to the 12th cannot be repeated. Work needs to be pushed forward to address these issues. Complacency is not a solution.”
Gerry Kelly added:
“In terms of the incident last night when a young girl and others were hit by a car the quick actions by local residents and the PSNI need to be commended in saving this girl.
“Our thoughts are with her and her family and we hope for a speedy recovery.”