SAOIRSE32

BBC

A campaign by young people to end interface violence in north Belfast has reached Stormont.

Workers add to the peace wall between Shankhill and Falls roads in Belfast

Junior Ministers Jeffrey Donaldson and Gerry Kelly met the campaigners, who started up a leaflet and poster initiative.

The ministers praised the scheme, which highlights the reality of interface violence which often ends up in serious injury, disfigurement or death.

Mr Donaldson said the young people were sending a “strong and united message”.

“Violence mars the communities reputation, creates and maintains divisions within our society and does no one any good,” he said.

He added that it was “very positive” to see the Tour of the North parade passed off without serious incident at the weekend and said he hoped that would continue throughout the summer.

Mr Kelly said the summer, historically, has been difficult for communities in north Belfast.

“All too often we see the image of young people in conflict across interfaces,” he said.

“This project demonstrates young people acting to stop violence erupting. They are showing real leadership within communities and this should be recognised

By Chris Thornton
Belfast Telegraph
23 June 2008

Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson has signed an agreement with MI5 to access secret intelligence for his investigations into policing — and he is prepared to go to Parliament if the deal is breached.

The agreement with the Security Service is after months of negotiations about the procedures for getting secret material his office used to get automatically.

The memorandum of understanding signed by the policing watchdog, MI5 and the PSNI became necessary when the Security Service took over anti-terrorist intelligence last October.

The shift led to MI5 building a £20m base in Palace Barracks, Holywood, and recruiting agents locally. The building is also a back-up headquarters after London.

Handing MI5 responsibility for national security matters also moved many intelligence documents out of the Ombudsman’s reach. The PSNI had been legally obliged to show the Ombudsman’s investigators any intelligence material relevant to their inquiries into alleged police wrongdoing until the Government refused to extend that obligation to MI5.

Sinn Fein and the SDLP tried and failed during the St Andrews negotiations in 2006 to get legal guarantees from MI5 and Mr Hutchinson’s predecessor, Nuala O’Loan, left office last year without signing a similar agreement.

After signing the memorandum, Mr Hutchinson said he is aware of concerns investigators could be misled or refused access and said MI5 has routinely cooperated with his office and that it would be hard to hide material.

“In practical terms it is very difficult to deny the existence of material. Our published reports show this: often there are supplementary and corroborative materials to indicate existence of documents, etc,” he said.

The Ombudsman said that the vast majority of cases do not require access to MI5 documents.

“Whilst this formal Memorandum of Understanding has only just been signed, we have had informal arrangements in place for several years to get information from the Security Service and my investigators have never encountered any insurmountable problem,” he said, noting the agreement assumed “that cooperation with the Security Services will continue in the positive atmosphere already evidenced”.

“Let me be clear on my position. Although I have no legal authority over the Security Service, it has to date given this Office the utmost cooperation, often providing very extensive and detailed information,” Mr Hutchinson said.

“In the unlikely event that my Office would be refused, there are a number of avenues, including Parliament, where I could challenge such a refusal,” he added.

By Noel McAdam
Belfast Telegraph
Monday 23, June 2008

A former Ulster Defence Regiment soldier has been forced to flee to England after being targeted by dissident republicans, it was confirmed today.

The ex-UDR man, who has been a civilian for almost ten years, was told by the PSNI of a high threat against him from the Continuity IRA.

But after a police guard was put on his Lurgan home overnight, the former sergeant was advised to get out of the province.

The DUP today said it was aware of a “very high threat” in north Armagh which represented an escalation of the campaign by dissident groups in targeting retired security forces personnel.

Jeffrey Donaldson, who as a privy councillor has access to security information, said the threat has also spread to prison staff.

The Lagan Valley MP said a number of people have recently been forced to move under the SPED (Special Purchase of Evacuated Dwellings) scheme.

A PSNI spokeswoman said it could make no comment on the security of individuals, but the incidents follow warnings from Chief Constable Hugh Orde about dissident republican activity.

The latest threats come after the CIRA claimed responsibility for an attack in which two police officers suffered minor injuries from a bomb hidden under a small rural bridge near the border village of Rosslea.

fundraising.co.uk
Submitted by paulartherton on 22 June, 2008

Applications are being invited under Strand 2 of the Peace 111 programme from organisations interested in developing and delivering peace-building and reconciliation projects which “seek to address the barriers to participation in economic and social networks which victims and survivors face” in Northern Ireland and the border counties.

The Community Relations Council in Northern Ireland and Border Action have been appointed by the Special EU Programmes Body as a joint delivery mechanism of Priority 1.2 of the Peace Programme, Acknowledging and Dealing with the Past (Strand 2 – Support for Participation.)

The Priority will be delivered via a three strand approach which will focus on the following areas: Strand 1: Addressing the Past in Public Memory; Strand 2: Support for Participation; Strand 3: Securing the Future.

Indicative Actions for this Strand may include the following:

–Initiatives to provide high quality advice and counselling services for those most directly affected by the legacy of the conflict including support for those who work with the victims and survivors of the conflict.

–Actions to support high quality befriending and networking services to individuals, families and groups directly affected by the legacy of the conflict.

–Actions to provide respite services for individuals, families and groups affected by the legacy of the conflict.

–Actions to support those caring for victims and survivors of violence.

This strand is a rolling programme and a closing date will be announced in due course. The application process requires completion of an online Part A which is available at www.eugrants.org. The Part B and accompanying Guidance Notes will be available in hard copy or electronic format by contacting either Patricia Armstrong, CRC on 028 90 227500 or at parmstrong@nicrc.org.uk or Colette Nulty, Border Action on 0035347 71340 or Colette.nulty@borderaction.ie. Part B can also be downloaded from www.eugrants.org.

www.eugrants.org.uk