<HTML><PRE>Subj:	 RMD980224 Irish news for Tuesday 24 February
Date:	98-02-24 08:54:38 EST
From:	rmlist-reply@irlnet.com (RM_Distribution)
To:	rmlist-reply@irlnet.com (Multiple recipients of RM_Distribution - Sent by)

    IRISH NEWS ROUND-UP
    http://irlnet.com/rmlist/
       
    Tuesday, 24 February, 1998
   
   
1.  Sinn Fein meets Taoiseach for crisis talks
2.  Loyalists for Parades body
3.  Protest at Derry courthouse 'facelift'
4.  Black Watch, 'taken by stealth'
5.  Analysis: Dear Mr. Ambassador
   
_________________________________________________________
   
   
>>> Sinn Fein meets Taoiseach for crisis talks
   
   
   As the Irish peace process comes under growing pressure
   following three car bomb attacks since Friday, Sinn
   Fein today meets Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern in
   Dublin to try to restore faith in a process damaged
   last week by Sinn Fein's exclusion from talks.
   
   Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams, who also has
   engagements in Dublin today linked to campaigning for a
   by-election next month, said of his appointment with Mr
   Ahern:  "We are pleased to have this meeting so
   speedily.
   
   "And we hope that the British Prime Minister Tony Blair
   emulates the Taoiseach and responds to our request for
   a meeting."
   
   Sinn Fein was fully prepared to ensure that the current
   opportunity for peace was not squandered, he said,
   adding: "There is an onus on the other parties to do
   the same."
   
   A bomb in Edward Street in Portadown, County Armagh
   yesterday caused widespread structural damage to dozens
   of commercial properties, and followed a similar attack
   in Moira, County Down.
   
   Speculation has continued that a new dissident
   Republican group, the Continuity Army Council opposed
   to the current talks, has carried out these two
   bombings but has not claimed responsibility for them in
   order to maximise pressure on the peace process.
   
   In a brief statement earlier today to an Irish
   newsroom, the IRA said its ceasefire still held. Using
   a recognised codeword, a spokesman said: "We reiterate
   that the complete cessation of military operations,
   which began at midday on Sunday, July 20, last year,
   remains intact." The statement was made in the name of
   P. O'Neill.
   
   Meanwhile, the Loyalist Volunteer Force has claimed
   responsibility for a car bomb left outside a Garda
   police station in Dromod, north County Louth on the
   southern side of the border. It is thought the bomb
   would have killed Gardai officers in the station and
   passing pedestrians or motorists on the main Dublin to
   Belfast road. The device was capable of causing a huge
   fireball, combined with a shrapnel-effect. The bomb
   contained over 2 kg of commercial explosive, petrol and
   bullets, but did not explode.
   
   Loyalist spokesman Billy Hutchison warned of the
   possibility of further violence from the larger
   loyalist paramilitary organisations. He appealed for
   loyalists to remain calm, but said the peace process
   was "going down the tubes".
   
   And yesterday Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble
   insisted the bombings of Portadown and Moira had been
   carried out by the IRA.  Mr Trimble was joined by
   several loyalist representatives in calling for Sinn
   Fein to be permanently expelled from the talks.
   
   Responding to questions from the media before a rally
   in Belfast, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams repeated
   his belief that the IRA ceasefire still held.   "I know
   how the people in Moira and Portadown must feel," he
   said. "But I have nothing to suggest to me that the IRA
   have breached their cessation."  If the IRA was ending
   its cessation, it would say so.
   
   "Sinn Fein has no more control over this current
   situation than any other political party.  We have used
   our influence, and will continue to use our influence,
   to try and stabilise the situation," added Mr Adams.
   
   Over a thousand people attended a typically boisterous
   rally in the Europa Hotel in Belfast last night.  Under
   a banner proclaiming "No equality - no peace", Sinn
   Fein's Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness said: "We
   meet at a time of great crisis, no doubt about that.
   The peace process ... is under great pressure."
   
   "Sinn Fein is interested in going back to talks that
   are effectively going to deal with all the issues. But
   before a decision is taken, we feel it is essential
   that we meet with the Taoiseach and British Prime
   Minister as a matter of urgency."
   
   "We are not prepared to accept insults from the British
   government. We are not prepared to accept a refusal by
   the unionist leadership to negotiate with us. We are
   not prepared to accept their attempts to treat us as
   second-class citizens. We are not prepared to accept a
   condition that we go back to the talks where the power
   to throw us out remains in the hands of the Chief
   Constable of the RUC, Ronnie Flanagan," said Mr
   McGuinness.
   
   Sinn Fein has made it clear that what they hear from
   the two heads of government could affect their
   scheduled return to the multi-party talks next month,
   after recent events raised serious doubts over the
   negotiations' credibility.
   
   Party chairman Mitchel McLaughlin insisted his
   Sinn Fein would go back into talks only when the British
   government proved in 'word and deed' that real
   negotiations would take place.
   
   "We will go back in when there is a viable negotiating
   process and we will go in on our own terms. We will
   address that question to Tony Blair and quote the
   government's own words back at them and see if they can
   prove by 'word and deed' that there is a viable
   negotiating process."
   
   
_________________________________________________________
   
   
>>> Loyalists for parades body
   
   Top ex-loyalist paramilitary figure Glen Barr from
   Derry has been given a place on the Parades Commission,
   set up by the British government to adjudicate on
   contentious parades this summer.
   
   The decision is likely to infuriate nationalist groups
   which has expressed no confidence in the body. Barr,
   Chairman of the Ulster Workers' Council, which ran the
   1974 Loyalist strike to end power-sharing in the north,
   was a member of the notorious Vanguard Party.
   
   In another announcement likely to spark anger, he has
   been joined on the commission by Tommy Cheevers of the
   hardline Ballynafeigh Apprentice Boys.  The
   Ballynafeigh Lodge holds a number of sectarian parades
   through the nationalist the Lower Ormeau Road in south
   Belfast every year.
   
   Meanwhile, Berna McIvor, a close aide to nationalist
   SDLP leader John Hume, announced her resignation from
   the body. Mrs McIvor refused to comment on the reason
   for her resignation. Rumours that a member of the Pat
   Finucane Centre would be invited to join the Commission
   to "balance" it were denied by the humans rights group.
   
   It was also announced today that two lawyers, Rose-Ann
   McCormick and Aiden Canavan, are also to join Chairman
   Alastair Graham, Derry businessman Frank Guckian, and
   lawyer David Hewitt on the body.


_________________________________________________________
   
   
>>> Protest at Derry Courthouse 'facelift'
   
   
   A protest at Derry Courthouse has coincided with the
   re-opening of the 180 year old Crown installation after
   two IRA bombs inside the high-security area seven years
   ago left it requiring a #7M 'facelift.'
   
   Nearly 100 Sinn Fein members staged a protest when top
   British judicial figure, their Lord Chancellor, Lord
   Irvine,  visited the city to re-open the building.
   Other notorious figures including Lord Carswell and Sir
   Alastair Frazer, the Director of Public Prosecutions,
   were in Derry while Councillor Mary Nelis told
   protestors that "while the facade of the building may
   have improved, the corrupt nature of the Six County
   judicial system remains unaltered  a bedrock of bigotry
   and injustice for 75 years."
   
   Derry traders hit out at the "security measures" which
   resulted in the loss of a full day's trade for the
   second time in one week due to events surrounding the
   re-opening .
   
   
   * An unfortunate accident took place after a week of
   street protests in Derry, which included white line
   pickets in Shipquay Street, rallies in Waterloo Square,
   a protest at the city Courthouse, and the blocking of
   the Expressway.
   
   Protests in Derry every day last week against the
   expulsion of Sinn Fein from the talks resulted in near
   tragedy when a car went out of control next to
   demonstrators on Saturday afternoon. It ploughed into
   six or seven protestors, leaving three in hospital,
   including Councillor Mary Nelis. One woman was actually
   dragged under by the car, although fortunately not
   under the wheels. Another woman suffered facial
   injuries. Councillor Nelis spent was kept three days in
   hospital with leg injuries and has not yet been allowed
   home. The driver of the car, an older woman, was
   extremely upset and required treatment for shock.
   
   
_________________________________________________________
 
   
>>>> Black Watch, 'taken by stealth'
   
   by Christy Ward (from the Irish People)
   
   Proving that a small group of dedicated men and women
   with a little bit of time and some ingenuity can take
   on the might of the British Army, members of the
   Diarmuid O'Neill unit of Irish Northern Aid in
   Columbus, Ohio, mounted a highly successful attack on
   the Black Watch Regimental bagpipe band as it continued
   it's tour of the mid-West states in North America.
   
   "We took them by stealth," said David Fanning,
   chairperson of the Columbus unit. "We had limited time
   and limited resources, but a lot of dedication. We used
   that to outsmart them at their own game," he said.
   
   An eight-person assault team from the unit mounted
   their attack on Friday, Feb. 20, at the Veterans
   Memorial Auditorium, just blocks from the Ohio state
   capitol.
   
   The team arrived about one hour prior to the 8 p.m.
   performance and broke into groups. Two female members
   were dressed in dark plaid skirts, white shirts
   buttoned at the collar, topped with dark blue sweaters.
   On their heads they wore black ribboned hats with red
   and white checks similar to those worn in Ireland by
   Black Watch soldiers in combat against the nationalist
   community, completing the deception.
   
   In about 45 minutes, the two women and a support team
   of a half dozen men, some dressed in suits and ties,
   greeted the unsuspecting customers as they entered the
   auditorium to attend the show. Each was handed a
   "Provisional Black Watch Information Guide," which was
   designed by a member of the Columbus unit.
   
   The guide was printed in black and white, and while not
   flashy, was good enough to pass as an "official"
   brochure in the dark of the night.
   
   The back cover of the four-page guide included a Black
   Watch schedule for the  remainder of its tour, with a
   warning: This provisional guide is not affiliated with
   Black Watch, The Scots Guard or  The Veterans Memorial
   Auditorium.
   
   Inside was an edited reprint of a  Feb. 14 article
   taken from The Irish People that explained the true
   nature of the Black Watch , accompanied by a photo of
   Black Watch soldiers on tour in Ireland beating a
   civilian with a club. There was also a list of the
   innocent civilians killed by the Black Watch.
   
   Fanning said the look on the manager's face when he
   realized the unit was plastering the area with guides,
   was priceless.
   
   "He came out after we were working for about half an
   hour. We had all the entrances covered and I could see
   literally hundreds of people waiting in line inside the
   lobby of the auditorium and they all had the guide in
   their hands and they were all reading it. People were
   coming out and asking us for copies. The manager's face
   was as white as his rumpled shirt," said Fanning.
   
   "We were standing there in the rain and he asked one of
   our members what he was doing and he replied that he
   was exercising his First Amendment Rights to free
   speech. The manager said it was private property and
   that we needed to move to the street, so we did,"
   Fanning said.
   
   "It was raining, but we kept at it for another 40
   minutes or so. In less than an hour we had handed out
   more than 900 guides. The capacity of the hall was only
   about 2,000, so we hit a pretty big number of them.,"
   he said.
   
   Fanning thanked those members of Irish Northern Aid who
   traveled from Youngstown, Ohio, to attend the protest.
   
   "I was very pleased to see the support from the
   northern part of the state. Irish Northern Aid is
   growing stronger in Ohio by the week and it's our plan
   to mount such attacks when opportunities arise. We hope
   we can challenge the reputations of some larger, more
   established units, like Kansas City, St. Louis and San
   Francisco, who we know are very active and innovative,"
   Fanning said. "We have a lot of work ahead of us," he
   said.
   
   
   Scores on 'Guards' in Washington
   
   Seattle, WA - Nearly 60 members and friends of the
   Washington State unit of Irish Northern Aid protested
   the presence of the Scots Guard and the Black Watch in
   Seattle on Saturday, Jan.31.
   
   "These regiments of the British Army may have had the
   audacity to masquerade as musicians in our city, but
   ticket holders who stood waiting in line outside Mercer
   Arena now know better," said one of the INA  members at
   the protest.
   
   The would-be music lovers' eyes were assailed with
   placards bearing the names of Irish people who were
   murdered by the marching bagpipers during tours of duty
   in the Six Counties. Idle chatter was likely
   impossible, what with the roaring chants and the
   rattling binlids.
   
   INA members distributed information sheets including
   details of the mutilation of the corpse of Polish
   journalist Zbigniew Uglik by the Black Watch in 1970,
   and the recent request by a British MP for early
   release from prison of the Scots Guards convicted of
   murdering Peter McBride in 1992.
   
   Several people requested information, including a
   retired U.S. Navy officer who told chair Mary
   Kelley-Brooks, "I served with members of the British
   Armed Forces who seemed to be decent enough. I had no
   idea this was going on--why don't we ever hear about
   this?" he asked, providing the perfect opportunity to
   invite the gentleman to our upcoming video series
   detailing the reality of life in British occupied
   Ireland.
   
   The picket was shown on one of the Seattle television
   stations. The segment included comments by publicity
   chair, Jenna Stevens, who stated that this performance
   added insult to injury coming as it did the day after
   the anniversary of Bloody Sunday.
   
   
   Cops hobble Nebraska protest
   
   Lincoln, Neb. - Members of the Omaha Fergal O'Hanlon
   unit of Irish Northern Aid were prevented from
   demonstrating against a scheduled appearance of the
   British Army Regimental Black Watch bagpipe band in
   Lincoln, on Saturday, Feb. 7, after some drove more
   than 60 miles to stage an informational picket at the
   University of Nebraska.
   
   According to Larry Doyle, chairperson of the unit,
   "Shortly after taking up positions outside the
   entrances of the Leid Center on what we thought was a
   public sidewalk, one of our members was approached by a
   member of the staff. He asked for a copy of the
   information we were handing out and shortly after that,
   a guy in a tuxedo, a senior member of the staff, told
   us we could not hold a picket."
   
   The University of Nebraska police were called, said
   Doyle, and informed the unit members that they were
   disturbing the peace and trespassing.
   
   "I told them we were on a public sidewalk and passing
   out information to people willing to accept it, but the
   police said it was university property, not public
   property," said Doyle.
   
   One member wondered out loud how a tax supported
   institution couldn't be public property, but the
   University of Nebraska police persisted and ordered
   them to move on.
   
   Doyle said the members of the O'Hanlon unit would move
   across the street to hand out their literature, but the
   police said they would arrest them if they continued
   their peaceful protest.
   
   "Here you have a tax supported institution dedicated to
   'academic freedom' and the dissemination of knowledge
   stifling the presentation of information that they find
   politically inconvenient, " said Doyle.
   
   Doyle urged other members of Irish Northern Aid to
   express their support of the Omaha unit by writing the
   University of Nebraska Chancellor, James Moeser, at
   Admin 201, Lincoln, NE 68588-0491.
   
   Kilts ruffled in the Windy City
   
   Chicago, IL - On Thursday, Feb. 12,  Chicago Irish
   Northern Aid sponsored a picket to protest the Black
   Watch's regimental pipe band playing at the Rosemont
   Horizon Arena in Rosemont, IL, a Chicago suburb.
   
   "Even though it was a cold Chicago evening, we had an
   impressive turnout with people coming from as far as
   Milwaukee, Wis., and Rockford, Ill.," said unit
   chairperson, Davy Rasmussen.
   
   "For over an hour we stood directly across from the
   main entrance with posters acclaiming the atrocities
   committed by the Black Watch. We flew the Irish and
   American flags, and yelled anti-Black Watch chants. We
   even got to wave hello to the Mayor of Rosemont, who
   attended the function, obviously misinformed about the
   true nature of this military unit's past history," he
   said.
   

_________________________________________________________

   
>>> Analysis: Dear Mr. Ambassador
   
   --------------------------------------------------
   The following is an open letter from Irish POW Terry
   Kirby (currently facing extradition to Ireland from Federal
   Prison in California) to the Irish Ambassador in 
   Washington DC.
   --------------------------------------------------
   
   
   21 February 
   
   Dear Mr. Ambassador,
   
   It was with great sadness that I learned of the Irish
   Republic's decision to agree to the exclusion of Sinn
   Fein from the peace talks.  For the Irish Government to
   believe the findings of the RUC, a police force that
   has been thoroughly discredited by nearly every other
   major law enforcement agency in the world, and
   subsequently use those findings to jeopardize the
   ongoing peace process is disgraceful.
   
   Based on no verbal and no written evidence and stating
   only that there is "ongoing forensic evidence being
   tested for" the RUC announced that the four individuals
   arrested for two shooting deaths were in fact Irish
   Republican Army Members.  As further proof of this, the
   RUC stated that the four had requested placement in a
   Republican wing of the jail in which they were to be
   held.
   
   I find it disturbing that within forty-eight hours, the
   RUC can positively identify, arrest, and find these
   people guilty, and declare the IRA has broken its
   ceasefire, while it took the killings of thirteen
   catholics (over a year and half in time) by loyalist
   paramilitaries to declare the same of these groups.
   
   It is time for the governments of Britain, Ireland and
   the United States to deal honestly and openly with the
   people of Ireland.
   
   President Clinton has stated that his goal is to see
   peace for the people of Ireland.
   
   Tony Blair recently recalled the old proverb 'Those who
   don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.'
   
   If both are to be believed they must be willing to take
   the steps to win the trust of the Irish people.
   
   I have lived in the United States for many years, and
   have developed a great love for its people and for the
   principles upon which this nation was founded.
   
   The American Bill of Rights states that it is comprised
   of a government of the people, by the people and most
   importantly for the people.
   
   Why are the people of Ireland expected to accept any
   less?
   
   Why is it right that a select few dictate the rights of
   so many? Where the god-given rights of freedom of
   speech, religion and freedom from tyranny are only
   allowed in measured doses by a foreign power that
   invaded our country?
   
   If the governments of Britain, Ireland and the U.S. are
   sincerely interested in achieving a lasting peace, then
   the foundation for any agreement must begin with the
   building blocks of truth.
   
   The collective voices of the Irish people who long for
   a free and united Ireland must be allowed their
   mandate.
   
   Mr. Ambassador, where do we go from here?  Do we
   retreat backwards into time where the people of Ireland
   are forever partitioned by the barriers of racism and
   bigotry?  Or do we summon the courage to make the
   island whole again, one island, where people are not
   judged on their religious beliefs, their political
   beliefs, nor where they live or what their names are?
   
   My purpose in writing to you is not to make a plea for
   my own case, which unfortunately has never been about
   the search for justice but only the politics of some.
   
   My plea is for the people of Ireland.
   
   I will accept whatever fate is dealt me.  I do have
   concerns for the safety of my family living in Ireland,
   and that of my wife and daughter who will be forced to
   live there in the event of my being extradited.
   
   Who will protect them? The RUC?  Who will ensure that
   their basic human rights will be protected?  The
   British Government?  The United States Government?
   
   I could go on to ask many more such questions as could
   every political prisoner, republican and loyalist
   alike.
   
   For their part, Sinn Fein has honestly sought to bring
   justice and equality to the nationalist people, who
   throughout the long history of British rule have been
   denied these rights.
   
   To your government, the British Government and the
   United States Government, I ask only that you listen to
   the collective voice of the Irish people and obey their
   mandate of a free and united Ireland.
   
   It is time for all parties involved to honestly broker
   for a solution that will bring peace to the Irish
   people.
   
   In closing, let us remember the words of Padraig Pearse
   who stated, "Ireland unfree will never be at peace."
   
   When will the need to keep repeating this quotation
   cease?
   
   Sincerely,
   
   Terence Kirby 
   c/o Federal Detention Center 
   Dublin, CA



                 --------------------------------
                 --                            --
                 --    From RM_Distribution    --
                 --  an Irish Republican news  --
                 --  and information service.  --
                 --                            --
                 --  http://irlnet.com/rmlist/ --
                 --                            --
                 --------------------------------
                 
      
                 


RMD980224083654p8
<FONT  COLOR="#0f0f0f" BACK="#fffffe" SIZE=3>

----------------------- Headers --------------------------------
Return-Path: <irlnet@omicron.pair.com>
Received: from  relay26.mail.aol.com (relay26.mail.aol.com [172.31.109.26]) by air17.mail.aol.com (v39.9) with SMTP; Tue, 24 Feb 1998 08:54:38 -0500
Received: from omicron.pair.com (omicron.pair.com [209.68.1.27])
	  by relay26.mail.aol.com (8.8.5/8.8.5/AOL-4.0.0)
	  with ESMTP id IAA06011;
	  Tue, 24 Feb 1998 08:54:31 -0500 (EST)
Received: (from irlnet@localhost) by omicron.pair.com (8.8.8/8.6.12) id IAA04416; Tue, 24 Feb 1998 08:50:16 -0500 (EST)
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 1998 08:50:16 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <199802241350.IAA04416@omicron.pair.com>
X-Envelope-To: woodbar@aol.com
To: Multiple recipients of RM_Distribution - Sent by <rmlist-reply@irlnet.com>
From: RM_Distribution <rmlist-reply@irlnet.com>
Subject: RMD980224 Irish news for Tuesday 24 February

</PRE></HTML>
