SAOIRSE32

BBC

Protesters played Lambeg drums at police lines in Ballymena

Several hundred loyalists have staged a protest in Ballymena over the first republican parade in the town.

Loyalists played Lambeg drums for several minutes in a symbolic protest at the march which commemorates the introduction of internment in 1971.

There was a stand off with police in riot gear before protesters dispersed peacefully.

The Parades Commission had restricted the march to the nationalist Fisherwick estate in the County Antrim Town.

Some stones were later thrown at the junction of Suffolk and Sommerfield Streets in the town, but no-one was injured.

Earlier, the local police chief said feelings were running high over the parade.

Superintendent Terry Shevlin said: “There has been considerable tensions in respect of this parade.

“The Parades Commission did make a determination restricting the parade to Fisherwick Gardens. That alleviated some of the tensions in the community.

“However, feelings are still running high about this very first republican parade in the town.”

Recent loyalist attacks on pubs and Catholic churches in the area have been linked by police to the parade.

Internment was introduced in 1971 and ended in 1975

The SDLP had called for the parade to be called off, saying both sides of the community are opposed to it.

Sinn Fein said it did not organise the parade and had also urged those behind it to “choose the moral high ground” and call it off.

Police increased patrols in and around Ballymena following a number of attacks by loyalist paramilitaries in the area last month.

Arsonists targeted a bar in Martinstown and the remains of petrol bombs were found at a pub in Rasharkin.

Crebilly Catholic church on the outskirts of Ballymena and All Saints Church on the Broughshane Road were daubed with paint in the attacks.

The remains of a petrol bomb were found at the Glens Way Tavern on the Glenravel Road in Martinstown.

Internment was a policy introduced by the British government.

On 9 August 1971, security forces attempted to arrest more than 400 republicans in a dawn raid.

Three days of serious violence following the raids led to 23 deaths, but internment stayed in place until 1975.

The Parades Commission was set up in 1997 to make decisions on whether or not restrictions should be imposed on controversial parades during Northern Ireland’s marching season.

Derry Journal

Friday 5th August 2005

Dissident Republicans in Derry have claimed that they have been inundated with people requesting help with anti-social elements following last week’s IRA announcement that they are ending all activity. According to the dissident sources, they have had so many appeals from various communities in the city that they simply cannot handle all the requests. It is thought that people are unsure of where to go now to seek help after the IRA statement.

Fears have been expressed by individuals and groups as to who will deal with anti-social elements in the wake of the ending of all IRA activity. One caller to the ‘Journal’ on Wednesday, who was complaining bitterly about a gang of youths drinking and threatening people in the Rosemount area, said: “For years one of the ways that some of these thugs were kept in line was by the threat of the IRA dealing with them. “In most cases the threat was usually enough but what happens now? I have heard that some people have been told by Sinn Fein that there is nothing they can do about this sort of problem so where do we go from here? “We have a police force that most people in our community simply will not turn to in time of need and if the truth be told it appears that the PSNI are simply not interested in dealing with the type of problems we face.” Despite the widespread welcome for last week’s statement many community groups are seriously concerned that they will be unable to deal with anti-social elements in the policing vacuum that now exists.

One community leader said: “We don’t have any confidence that the police will do anything for us and now we haven’t even got the IRA to turn to so what happens now? We need someone who can police our communities and we don’t have that.” It is believed that both the Real IRA and the INLA have stepped up their activities to attempt to fill the gap left by the IRA’s announcement. In one case one republican group has threatened to mount pickets on homes belonging to antisocial elements in an attempt to force them to cease their activity.

Sinn Fein are known to be concerned about the problems associated with antisocial behaviour but in light of last week’s statement feel that they are constrained in the advice they can give to people. One community activist said: “It is all well and good for people to call on the IRA to go away and stop all activity but here on the ground the hard reality is that we very often need someone like the IRA to help us deal with problems. “Much and all as the unionists might complain about the activities of republicans the reality is that sometimes that is all we had to stand by us when we needed them. So now we don’t have a police force and God knows what we will have in the future.”

RTÉ

Just imagine the annoying inconvenience of having to actually travel out of the country in order to kill your child…

09 August 2005 17:04

The Irish Family Planning Association has launched a campaign to introduce legal abortion services in Ireland.

The campaign will involve lobbying political parties to introduce legislation providing for abortion.

It will also include a legal case being taken to the European Court of Human Rights by three Irish women who have had abortions abroad.

The Irish Family Planning Association says that over 6,000 Irish women travelled to Britain last year to have an abortion.

They say other women travelled to countries like the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.

This afternoon the IFPA launched a 13-point campaign aimed at securing abortion services in Ireland.

The campaign will include seeking meetings with the leaders of each political party to lobby them to change the current laws.

Also, the Association is supporting three Irish women who have had abortions abroad and who are now taking a case to the European Court of Human Rights.

The women say their human rights were breached by not being allowed have an abortion in Ireland.

Meanwhile, the Pro Life Campaign has said it is saddened by the call for abortion services.

The Pro Life Campaign said it welcomed further dialogue and said it would welcome a pro-life worded referendum.

The launch of today’s campaign by the Irish Family Planning Association was disrupted by six anti-abortion protestors who tried to gain access to the room where the press conference was being held.

BBC

Last week, a family’s house was attacked by arsonists

Police have issued fire-resistant blankets and smoke alarms to Catholic families in a County Antrim village following fears about petrol bombings.

It follows a series of sectarian attacks in Ahoghill which were carried out by loyalists.

A PSNI spokesman said the action was “unprecedented”. However, it was taken after fresh intelligence suggested more attacks on Catholics were imminent.

Security patrols have also been stepped up in the village.

Police have also visited a number of homes in Brookfield Gardens and Laurel Park estates to warn Catholic families that they are under threat.

The warnings follow several incidents of intimidation in the village.

Last week, a woman and her 25-year-old son were rescued from their home after an attack in Laurel Hill Park.

A window near the front door of their home was broken and petrol was poured in and set alight.

The occupants, who were upstairs at the time, escaped the blaze by climbing onto a porch and were rescued by a neighbour.

Another Catholic woman fled her home in the nearby Brookfield Gardens estate after a campaign of sectarian intimidation.

She had lived in the village for 50 years.

Her brother, Tony Graham, said he did not think a fire blanket would be of any use against attacks.

“I have lived in the village 46 years. I have never done anybody in the village any harm,” he said.

“I never felt threatened in the estate up to now. Police were out giving me two smoke alarms and a fire blanket.

“I don’t know what smoke alarms and fire blankets are going to do. If they are going to burn me out, they will burn me out, it is as simple as that.”

Superintendent Terry Shevlin said police patrols had been increased in the area “quite significantly” and pointed out that two people were arrested last week.

“The people in Ahoghill can be assured of a routine and also an increased police patrolling as a result of this,” he said.

“It is a serious matter and we want to try to prevent these sorts of attacks,” he said.

Help call

He urged people in the community to help police to stop the attacks.

“People who carry out such attacks should have no hiding place. The ordinary decent people in Ahoghill should provide us with any information that they might know about it. We suspect the people who carried this out live in the community.

“We have increased our patrols in Ahoghill but the reality is we can’t be there every minute of the day and that’s why we took these measures.

“This was something tangible to provide people with a bit more reassurance.”

The Mayor of Ballymena, Tommy Nicholl, DUP, said he “completely and wholeheartedly” condemned what was happening in Ahoghill.

He added that he also condemned statements made by some nationalists about band parades in Ballymena.

“The unionist and Protestant people feel ‘betrayed’,” he said.

“I would appeal to these people who are going down this road, to stop and to think ‘This is not the way forward’.”

Mr McNicholl said the vast majority of the people of Ahoghill were law abiding people.

SDLP councillor Declan O’Loan said the police action underlined the seriousness of the attacks and the threat to Catholics in Ahoghill.

“The only real form of protection the nationalist people of Ahoghill need is to stop having their lives and livelihoods threatened on an almost daily basis,” he said.

“In recent weeks we have seen how loyalist thugs around Ahoghill and the wider area have stepped up their campaign of intimidation and hate. It is only a matter of time before this leads to tragic consequences.”

Mr O’Loan called on everyone with influence in the unionist community to work to bring the attacks to an end.

BBC

A republican march to commemorate the introduction of internment in 1971 is due to take place in County Antrim.

The Parades Commission has restricted Tuesday’s march in Ballymena to the town’s nationalist Fisherwick estate.

Recent loyalist attacks on pubs and Catholic churches in the area have been linked by police to the parade.

The SDLP has called for the parade to be called off, saying both sides of the community are opposed to it. It is expected to attract hundreds of people.

A recent statement released by Sean Farren, Declan O’Loan and PJ McAvoy of the SDLP said local residents were “overwhelmingly opposed” to the parade taking place.

Sinn Fein has said it did not organise the parade and also urged those behind it to “choose the moral high ground” and call it off.

Arson attack

Police increased patrols in and around Ballymena following a number of attacks by loyalist paramilitaries in the area last month.

Arsonists targeted a bar in Martinstown and the remains of petrol bombs were found at a pub in Rasharkin.

Crebilly Catholic church on the outskirts of Ballymena and All Saints Church on the Broughshane Road were daubed with paint in the attacks.

The remains of a petrol bomb were found at the Glens Way Tavern on the Glenravel Road in Martinstown.

The bar was badly damaged in the arson attack.

Internment was a policy introduced by the British government.

On 9 August 1971, security forces attempted to arrest more than 400 republicans in a dawn raid.

Three days of serious violence following the raids led to 23 deaths, but internment stayed in place until 1975.

The Parades Commission was set up in 1997 to make decisions on whether or not restrictions should be imposed on controversial parades during Northern Ireland’s marching season.

BBC

Minor scorch damage was caused to the front door

The home of a Sinn Fein councillor in County Down has been damaged in a petrol bomb attack.

A device was thrown at a house in Edenderry Park in Banbridge on Monday night.

Councillor Dessie Ward, who was elected to the district council this year, was there with his mother and younger brother.

Dessie Ward

No-one was hurt in the attack. However, Mr Ward said he and his family were lucky to be alive.

Minor scorch damage was caused to the front door of the house.

The attack took place at about 2345 BST.

Mr Ward said he noticed a flash of light outside his home.

“I made my way to the blinds and saw a masked man with a petrol bomb in his hands,” he said.

He said the man threw the device and then made off down an alleyway.

“My mother and 11-year-old brother were in the house at the time.

“I just alerted the rest of the household - but it was all over so quickly… I was able to put the fire out - nobody was hurt, thank God.

“I think the people behind it are still trying go come to terms with the fact that Banbridge District Council has a sitting Sinn Fein councillor.

“Attacks like these in Banbridge are just part and parcel of sectarian attacks against the nationalist community at this time of year… this is nothing new for Banbridge.”

Sinn Fein assembly member John O’Dowd said the family was “extremely fortunate to have escaped injury in this attack upon their home”.

“Those behind this attack clearly had the intention of causing death or serious injury to members of the Ward family,” he said.

“In recent weeks, there has been an escalation in the numbers of fire-bomb and pipe-bomb attacks carried out by unionist paramilitary factions and directed against nationalists in different parts of the north.”

IRISH RESISTANCE BOOKS

Internment

by John McGuffin (1973)

Anvil Books Ltd., 1973. Paperback, 228 pp. Out of Print.

The complete edition now here available online for the first time.

>>Read the entire book

CAIN

Chapter 6
The After-effects

‘No detainee in Northern Ireland has suffered
permanent lasting injury whatsoever, mental
or physical’ — Reginald Maudling[1]

‘The basic fact is that there was no brutality,
no torture, no brainwashing, no physical
injury, no mental injury’ — Lord Balniel
(as Minister of State for Defense) [1]

**SD refers to sensory deprivation

>>Read it

BBC ON THIS DAY

9 August 1971

Faulkner

The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Brian Faulkner, has introduced a new law giving the authorities the power to indefinitely detain suspected terrorists without trial.

The decision by Stormont, the government in Northern Ireland, to implement the new measures was made in the wake of escalating violence and increased bombings in the province and the threat to Northern Ireland’s economy.

The move has been welcomed by Unionist MPs but has been fiercely condemned by Republicans.

More than 300 suspects have already been detained in a series of dawn raids today.

‘Unacceptable level’

The decision to bring back the internment law for the first time in 10 years, under the Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Act, was made last week following consultation with British prime minister, Ted Heath, but an announcement was delayed to enable the Army to make the arrests.

In a statement made at 1115 BST today, Mr Faulkner said Northern Ireland was “quite simply at war with the terrorist.”

He said: “The terrorists’ campaign continues at an unacceptable level and I have had to conclude that the ordinary law cannot deal comprehensively or quickly enough with such ruthless violence.

“I have therefore decided… to exercise where necessary the powers of detention and internment vested in me as Minister of Home Affairs.”

He said the decision had been made to protect life and property and the main target would be members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

The act has been described as one of the most powerful anti-terrorist measures on the statute books of any Western democracy but Mr Faulkner said he could not give any guarantees it would bring an end to the campaign.

Suspects who are arrested under the new law, and who are not charged or released within 48 hours, will be taken to reception areas where they will be held indefinitely without trial.

They will have a right to appeal to an advisory council - which is yet to be set up.

‘Short-term measure’

The British Opposition has called for Parliament to be recalled so the issue can be debated fully.

James Callaghan, shadow home secretary, said: “Quite obviously the government must act against gunmen shooting in the main streets of Belfast, especially as the shootings are growing.

“Internment, however, is only a short-term measure. And although it worked before in temporarily removing the leadership of the IRA, it proved to be no long-term solution to the problem.

The government has made it clear it has no intention to recall Parliament.

The decision to reactivate the powers goes against the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights of the Council of Europe to which Great Britain signed up in November 1950, although a let-out clause states the measures can be used if a state of war exists.

The power of internment was reactivated during the Northern Ireland troubles of 1956-61.

During that time nearly 200 known or suspected members of the IRA were detained without trial in special internment camps for an average of two years.

In Context

The introduction of the new measures and the secret dawn raids sparked fierce gun battles and protests in Ulster which claimed the lives of 23 people, including two women.

Protestants in the Ardoyne area of Belfast, which is predominantly Catholic, fled after setting fire to their own homes to make sure they were not taken over by Catholics.

In February 1972 after more violence and deaths the British Embassy in Dublin was burnt down.

Ted Heath, the British Prime Minister, now convinced that Stormont was incapable of containing a situation rapidly going out of control, announced on 24th March that control of security and of the Royal Ulster Constabulary would be transferred to Westminster.

Mr Faulkner and his colleagues resigned and addressed an immense crowd of 100,000 in front of Parliament Buildings.

Stormont was suspended for a year, but in effect it was the end of the experiment in devolution under the 1920 Government of Ireland Act.

A Northern Ireland Assembly was elected in June 1973. The British government’s aim was to restore devolved government, but with power shared by both Catholic and Protestant representatives.

This was agreed by party leaders and the Irish and British governments at Sunningdale in Berkshire in December 1973. A power-sharing executive, with Mr Faulkner as Chief Executive and Gerry Fitt as his deputy, began work at the start of 1974.

The Ulster Unionist Council, however, rejected the Sunningdale Agreement, and in the Westminster general election of 28th February 1974, 11 of the 12 MPs elected for Northern Ireland were loyalists opposed to power-sharing.

When the Assembly approved power-sharing, Protestant workers launched a highly-effective strike which paralysed the region for 15 days until Faulkner resigned. Direct rule would continue from Westminster for many years to come.

On 5 December 1975 the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Merlyn Rees announced the end of internment.