Posted by Jim on January 23, 2013
ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS
BREHON LAW SOCIETY
IRISH AMERICAN UNITY CONFERENCE
IRISH AMERICAN GROUPS SEEK VOICE OF B. C. PRESIDENT
IN OPPOSING HOLDER SUBPOENAS; CITE
JESUIT ASSASSINATIONS IN EL SALVADOR
Denver, CO & NY, NY & Wash. D. C. January 23th The largest Irish American activist groups in the nation including the oldest Irish Catholic organization in America, the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) , have appealed to Boston College President William P. Leahy S. J. to voice his misgivings about Attorney General Holder’s subpoenas to Secretary of State Clinton and members of Congress. The college is fighting Holder in the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals but it is the political arena where President Leahy’s voice is being sought.
“We believe,” stated Thomas J. Burke Jr., President of the Irish American Unity Conference, ” that the request for these subpoenas are part of a broader effort to destabilize the Irish peace process by ‘deep State British security forces.’ These forces are like those in El Salvador that in 1989 killed Jesuit priests and staff at Universidad Centroamericana in El Salvador. What’s the connection? Prime Minister Cameron admitted in Parliament last month that he was “shocked” and “appalled” by the collusion of security and intelligence forces in the murder in 1989 of Irish civil rights attorney Pat Finucane. Like the government in El Savador in 1989, the British government today holds no one accountable.”
“President Leahy’s predecessor, the Reverend J. Donald Monan S. J.” stated AOH National President Brendan Moore, “became an advocate for justice in the El Salvador murders. Speaking truth to power he pressed Members of Congress and in particular Representative Joe Moakley to fight for justice for the victims. The chosen method to get at the truth for the El Salvador killings was to withold aid from and not cooperate with the government. We believe President Leahy’s voice could transform the Holder subpoena issue in the same way. Why should Holder cooperate until Finucane’s killers are brought to justice?”
Rob Dunne, President of the Brehon Law Society explained : “Britain’s decision to re-hire retired Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers without vetting them was the key to getting some back inside who may even have been involved in Finucane’s murder. To what end? Certain of these returned retirees have worked to cover up the security forces collusion in the killing of hundreds of innocent Catholics, to interfere in the Irish political process and to literally shred the justice provisions of the 1998 Irish peace pact i. e. the Dublin-Monaghan bombing inquiry, the Pat Finucane public inquiry and the Historical Enquiries Team (HET).”
The leaders pointed out that the murky origins of the British subpoena request can be traced to the return of these retirees some of whom served in the lawless and corrupt special RUC unit that has been so cited in the Stevens and Stalker Reports and now the de Silva Review. They pointed out that no college in the nation has a longer association with Ireland and Irish Americans than Boston College and President Leahy’s voice would cause many to reconsider the wisdom of turning over any records to the British at this time.
For more info contact Thomas J. Burke at 303-478-8473, Brendan Moore at 845-712-5463 or Jim Cullen at 914-907-5480 os Mike Cummings at saoirse64@hotmail.com.
January 16, 2013
William P. Leahy S. J.
President
Boston College
Botolph House
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467
Dear President Leahy:
In August of last year we sent a letter to you regarding the attempt by the British government to secure records from the Irish Archives of the Burns Library (see attached). Indeed the College and, seperately, the researchers who compiled those records, have fought Attorney General Holder’s subpoenas and this misuse of the U.S.-U.K Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). We welcomed the move by the College.
We had hoped that, in addition to the litigation, the College would express its views to Members of Congress regarding the threat to academic independence and constitutional freedoms. The Writ of Certiorari currently being considered by the Supreme Court in that litigation was accompanied by amicus briefs from respected national and international journalist advocacy groups and social scientist researchers. If Boston College were to share
its concerns with other Jesuit academic institutions like St Joseph’s in Philadelphi, PA, Fordham, Loyola, MD and St Peter’s in Jersey City, perhaps the Attorney General would reconsider his action. Over 20 Members of Congress from the states where those schools are located have followed the leadership of Senator Kerry in opposing these subpoenas not only for their threats to academic inquiry but for their flawed issuance pursuit to the MLAT. Your voice in a meeting with State congressional leaders could complement the litigation which may or may not address the core issues.
As you may know, we filed one of the amicus briefs and focused our arguments on why the Attorney General should cooperate with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) whose record of lawlessness and human and civil rights violations is well documented. Prime Minister Cameron recently released a report which admits the forces of law and order there conspired with loyalist terrorists to kill attorney Patrick Finucane. Not one PSNI officer was held accountable. It is difficult to grasp why the Attorney General of the U. S, the nations chief law enforcement officer would, in this instance, issue subpoenas for records sought by the PSNI. It is a travesty of justice, a misuse of America’s treaty and a threat to the Irish peace process. Your voice is reflected in the court battle. We ask that you also join this political struggle to defend the rule of law and seek justice. This is not unprecedented . Boston College, with the aid of the Representative Joe Moakley, helped expose tyranny in El Salvador and fought for justice for the victims of the Jesuit assassinations there in 1989.
Sincerely,
Brendan Moore Natl President A.O.H. 845-712-5463
Robert Dunne Esq. President Brehon Law Society 212-278-1565
Thomas J. Burke Jr. Esq. Pres. Irish Amer. Unity Confernce 303-478-8473
Cc: Ms. Kathleen McGillycuddy, Chair
Board of Trustees
Boston College
Posted by Jim on January 21, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013 AM GARC have issued the following statement regarding the PSNI handling of protests.
For the past six week Loyalists, led by the UVF and various factions of the UDA, assisted by the Loyal Orders and Unionist politicians have been engaged in illegal roadblocks across the Six Counties with the vast majority taking place in the Greater Belfast area.
These roadblocks have been deemed as “peaceful” despite the presence of armed masked men, including paramilitaries, who have denied members of all communities access to their homes and essential services, while in one shameful episode an elderly man was denied entry through a Loyalist roadblock in order to visit his dying wife and jeered as he was forced to turn back, in full view of the PSNI.
In addition to these roadblocks, Loyalism has again demonstrated its willingness to attack vulnerable Nationalist and Republican Communities, with the Short Strand, as it has for generations, facing the brunt of these incidents with unprovoked incursions and attacks on the homes and residents of that area. In effect the Short Strand is once more under siege from the UVF in East Belfast, and as before it is with the passive approval of both the Ulster Unionists and the DUP. The Greater Ardoyne Residents’ Collective fully supports the residents of the Short Strand in their plight and their right to defend their homes, Church and Community.
From the outset of these series of events there seems to be confusion around what Loyalism is actually protesting about. Are they protesting against a vote by Belfast City Council to fly the Union Flag on certain days a year? Against social deprivation in Loyalist areas? Against supposed equality for Nationalists/Republicans in the Six Counties? Against Inquiries into State Collusion and Murder? Against the use of Gary Haggerty as a supergrass in a trial implicating most, if not all, the UVF leadership? To unite Loyalism and Unionism, interestingly by having two politically exclusive forums?
Unfortunately it seems that the spokespeople for those organising these protests don’t know themselves, as clearly demonstrated in the media and most shambolically on a recent edition of the Nolan Show on BBC television. However where there can be no confusion is around the role of the PSNI in Loyalist protests, with the authority of the State. First Minister Peter Robinson stated in relation to paramilitary led protests that,
nobody but a tyrant would suggest that there should be an end to peaceful protest in public. Who on earth would suggest that it is appropriate that people cannot peacefully and publicly protest about decisions that they do not agree with?
Additionally, in recent days PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott stated that:
There is speculation about why doesn’t the PSNI do this [sweep protesters off the road]. The reality is we put safety first and make sure that people’s rights for peaceful protest are upheld wherever possible.
It is important to note these comments when comparing the actions of the State, propped up by Robinson’s OFMDFM, and their armed militia, the PSNI, when nationalist Residents have exercised their right to peaceful protest. In Ardoyne in 2010 GARC staged a sit down protest on the Crumlin Road to prevent an unwanted sectarian march from passing through our community. A sit down protest that took place on a road already blocked by the PSNI to facilitate this march, and as such was causing no further hindrance to the already disrupted lives of local residents. The PSNI response was not to “sweep” Residents away, but to use dogs, armed men’s fists and batons to remove people. 29 Residents and supporters were subsequently charged, taken to court and prosecuted, with many going to jail and others currently being pursued under live arrest warrants to be taken to Maghaberry. Compare that to the complete inaction of the PSNI when it comes to facilitating a handful of Loyalists blocking main and secondary arterial routes in Belfast and elsewhere and ask has there really been a new beginning to policing in the Six Counties.
Unbelievably, while Loyalist paramiltaries and elected Unionist representatives laugh and chat with officers from Tennent Street PSNI Barracks as they block roads surrounding Ardoyne, at Hesketh, Twaddell and Cambrai. Officers from the same Barracks have for the last month been calling to Residents homes in Ardoyne and cautioning them for “illegally protesting” against an Apprentice Boys parade on 1st December 2012. This is despite the fact that no GARC protest was called. All of those cautioned were standing on an open footpath beside a functioning bus stop and outside shops that were open for business. None were holding placards or banners, none made any noise or gestures as the parade passed, none obstructed the parade or road and none were masked. Four Residents were actually cautioned prior to the Parade passing after local “community reps” were witnessed pointing them out falsely as “organisers” to a police officer they attend local Interagency meetings with, while others have been cautioned as the PSNI called to their home. As a result, one Resident has already instructed his solicitor to initiate legal proceedings to have his caution withdrew, with a judicial review to follow if this is refused and the other Residents are in the process of starting the same legal proceedings.
The actions of the PSNI, both in terms of facilitating Loyalists in their protests that have caused huge distress to their own and neighbouring communities, massive disruption to the local economy at a time of recession and directly led to the violent life threatening attacks on the Short Strand, and in terms of persecuting Residents opposed to sectarian parades while refusing them the same right to peaceful protest, clearly demonstrates that they are a sectarian force with the same sectarian mentality of their RUC forerunners.
It is time for people in Ardoyne, and other communities that are victims of their harassment and persecution, to make a stand and demonstrate that they are not welcome or acceptable as a politically unionist police force. Apologists for this armed militia within our community should also cease and withdraw their support for the PSNI, and instead show support for their neighbours, and in some cases friends and family, who are constant victims of PSNI intimidation and harassment.
Posted by Jim on
In late 2012 leaders of Irish American groups spoke of getting together to organize and prioritize our objectives for 2013. It has taken longer than expected to set up this initial meeting but with 2013 firmly upon us let us dive in.
On Monday January 28th Rita O’Hare will be in NYC Dan Dennehy and I thought this would be a good opportunity to have our initial meeting.
We have reserved the 2nd floor of the
Black Sheep @ 583 3rd Avenue (at 38th Street)Manhattan for 6pm.
Rita can give us an update from Ireland and we can start our discussions about 2013. For those that can not make it, we will set up a conference call number to call in.
Posted by Jim on January 19, 2013
The Short Strand, a small working class nationalist/republican enclave of less than 3,000 men, women and children, has come under a renewed siege in the past week by violent loyalists.
The scenes have recalled some of the worst days of the conflict and have brought an international focus on recent events in east Belfast.
Although situated on the east bank of the River Lagan and completely dwarfed by its 60,000 strong unionist neighbours, who surround it on the other three sides, unionists and loyalists have always attempted to portray the minority community as the aggressors.
For a brief period on Saturday, there was hand-to-hand fighting as nationalist residents and home-owners bravely defended their district following a loyalist ‘protest’.
Rumours of ‘one last big riot’ planned by the unionist paramilitary UVF were borne out last Saturday, when elements of the PSNI appeared to be acting in support of a malign agenda. By mysteriously blocking the usual return route by protestors from the city centre, riot-ready loyalist youths were encouraged to return to east Belfast via the overwhelmingly nationalist Albertbridge Road, where trouble was guaranteed.
On Sunday, debris was still visible as Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams walked around the Short Strand and spoke with residents whose homes were damaged.
He pointed out that it was the 15th time that an illegal loyalist procession had passed the neighbourhood since the flag protests began.
He warned that someone could be killed if loyalist protests continued, and accused the PSNI of “facilitating” the illegal loyalist protests.
“The people of the Short Strand were let down by the PSNI and let’s be very clear about this, the people in the Short Strand would not have an awful lot of confidence in the PSNI to start with,” he said.
Despite his concerns, there were subsequent attacks on both Monday and Tuesday, with little protection from the PSNI.
A Catholic pensioner whose house was attacked by petrol-bombers has told how he fought the flames with a garden hose as bottles and paint bombs rained down.
Tommy McNulty’s Strand Walk home, which he shares with his 80-year-old wife Kathleen, was caught in a hail of petrol bombs, causing scorch damage and setting fire to the roof of a garden shed.
The retired dockworker said at least four or five petrol bombs had landed in the back garden of his two-storey home, near the loyalist Newtownards Road.
Bricks, broken bottles and paint bombs pelted his home and neighbouring homes.
Mr McNulty, who is forced to keep fire extinguishers in the garden in case of attack, used a garden hose to fight the flames on Monday night.
“We were sitting in the house and we heard the crash of the bottles and then we heard the war cry,” he said.
“We were attacked last Monday, Thursday and Friday by paint bombs and bottles as well as the latest incident.
“We were lucky last night was cold and damp which helped put the petrol bombs out and I was out with the hose as well while there was still stuff coming down.
“When something like that happens it is scary, especially when you are pensioners.
“When you see something like that you do panic.”
And on Tuesday, under cover of dark and away from the cameras, a masked loyalist mob attacked children and adults with Special Needs at St Matthew’s, the local parish church.
As petrol bombs, paint bombs and other missiles were landing within feet, the group was led away from St Matthew’s church by courageous workers.
Uneaten toast and tea abandoned by the children as they fled were still visible in the parochial hall the following morning.
Pilib O Ruanai said his Down’s Syndrome daughter and the others attending the Special Needs club had been badly distressed by the terrifying situation.
It was “a wee haven for them, some-where to go and meet their peers and it gives parents a bit of a break,” he said.
Parochial hall worker William Ward said when he arrived, over 100 loyalists were involved in the attack.
“We made a judgment it was time for the people to be taken away,” he said. “They were frightened and knew something was wrong and we tried not to exaggerate what was happening. They were just sitting there eating their tea and toast and then people came in to take them away.
“It upset them and frightened them and it frightened a lot of adults there as well.”
Des Dalton of Republican Sinn Fein said the continuing loyalist sectarian attacks on the people of the Short Strand illustrates the “unchanging reality” of life for large sections of the nationalist community in Belfast and throughout occupied Six Counties.
“Once again it is the nationalist people who must bear the brunt of loyalist mobs who have unleashed havoc in order to further the political agenda of the unionist political establishment.”
He said that the unionist establishment traditionally used armed loyalism “as a weapon in its arsenal”.
“The events in Belfast and other areas of the Six Counties over the past number of weeks underline the abnormality of the Six-County state. As Republican Sinn Fein warned in 1998, the Stormont Agreement has simply reinforced and institutionalised sectarianism in the Six Counties.
“Over the past 15 years it has served only to deepen the sectarian divide, thus condemning the people of the Six Counties to an ongoing cycle of sectarian conflict.
“This cycle of sectarianism can only be broken by the dismantling of the two partitionist states and the creation of a New Ireland.”
Posted by Jim on January 13, 2013
.Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson has urged loyalists to back the Good Friday agreement after another night of violence in East Belfast.
Flag protest riots left 29 police officers injured as Robinson appealed for calm.
First Minister Robinson has warned that the present unrest is costing the North’s economy millions of dollars and seriously damaging the tourism industry.
He has also stated that the only way to end violence in Northern Ireland is through the political process.
Robinson condemned those responsible for injuring dozens of police officers but claimed the protesters have become alienated.
Speaking to the BBC, Stormont leader Robinson said: “There are political issues and people that feel disengaged and people that feel if we are trying to build a shared future they are not getting their share.
“We took some difficult decisions, some might say historic decisions to build a shared society in Northern Ireland.
“I think it is important to tell the wider community in Northern Ireland and our friends in the rest of the United Kingdom that we are not giving up on that.
“We are very much of the view that we are determined that we build the kind of society where everybody can have a peaceful and stable existence.”
Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness are due to meet with the British and Irish governments this week.
He added: “We will make it very clear to both governments the condemnation that exists in the wider Northern Ireland community for the violence.”
Northern Ireland police chief Matt Baggott has praised the courage of his officers injured in another night of violence as riots broke out in east Belfast between republicans and loyalists returning from a protest at Belfast City Hall.
Chief constable Baggott said: “This was a difficult operation dealing with a large number of people determined to cause disorder and violence.
“My colleagues brought the situation under control with exceptional courage and professionalism.
“The vast majority of people are grateful for their efforts as fireworks, bricks and other missiles rained down on officers on duty last night.”
A spokesman for one of the groups behind the protests has said people should avoid demonstrations, if they need to visit places like hospitals.
His statement follows an incident in Rathcoole when a pensioner was blocked from getting to a hospital to visit his seriously ill wife.
Wayne Gilmore from the United Protestant Voice said: “Disruption is inevitable during the street protests and people should bear this in mind.”