<HTML><PRE>Subj:	 RMD980211 Irish news for Wednesday 11 February
Date:	98-02-11 08:24:20 EST
From:	rmlist-reply@irlnet.com (RM_Distribution)
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     IRISH NEWS ROUND-UP
     http://irlnet.com/rmlist/
         
     Wednesday, 11 February, 1998


1.   Leading loyalist killed in wave of shootings
2.   PR campaign for killers of Peter McBride intensifies 
3.   Bail for victim arrested for possessing self-defence gun 
4.   Industry must not crush recyling - SF
5.   Analysis: Mowlam, Wishing On a Star 
6.   Action alert for US Congress resolution
7.   AOH peace award
8.   Valentine cards for Roisin McAliskey
     
___________________________________________________________
     
>>>> Leading loyalist killed in wave of shootings
     
     
     A series of gun attacks has again raised tension in the
     north of Ireland. Robert Dougan, a prominent member of
     a loyalist murder gang, was shot yesterday in one of
     three gun attacks within the space of 24 hours.
     
     And this morning a body has been found on the border in 
     County Fermanagh.  A joint RUC/Garda police operation is 
     continuing in the area.
     
     Dougan was shot several times at lunchtime as he waited
     in his car in Dunmurry in south Belfast.   A frequent
     target, Dougan was an associate of Jim Guiney, murdered
     last month in retaliation for a series of
     indiscriminate murders of Catholics by the UDA (Ulster
     Defence Association).
     
     Last month the British and Irish governments ordered
     the ejection from the talks of the Ulster Democratic
     Party because of the admission by the Ulster Freedom
     Fighters - a cover name for the UDA - that they had
     been responsible for three recent murders.
     
     No organisation has claimed responsibility for the
     murder of Robert Dougan.  Suspicion immediately fell on
     the Republican INLA (Irish National Liberation Army),
     which murdered Jim Guiney.  But last night the INLA
     said it had not been involved in either yesterday's
     murder or the killing on Monday night of drug dealer
     Brendan 'Bap' Campbell.
     
     And last night, a friend of murdered Loyalist Volunteer
     Force boss Billy Wright survived a murder bid uninjured
     in Portadown, County Armagh. Mark Fulton blamed the
     Ulster Volunteer Force, from which the LVF broke away
     in opposition to loyalist support for the peace
     process.  The UVF is believed to be trying to close
     down the splinter group following the assassination of
     Wright by the INLA inside Long Kesh prison.
     
     Mr Fulton said he escaped by slamming a security door
     on the gunman. "Everything happened that quickly, I
     just turned sideways on and saw somebody. I ran in and
     slammed the security door. It was close, if I hadn't
     got the security door closed I would be dead probably,"
     he said.
     
     And this morning, a priest received a call to say that a 
     body had been left on Lackey Bridge between Clones in County 
     Monaghan and Roslea in County Fermanagh.  Unconfirmed media
     reports suggest the body may be of a man who disappeared 
     in west Belfast last night.  The area has been sealed off
     by the RUC and Irish police and no further details are
     available.
     
     
     OPPORTUNIST
     
     At the talks at Stormont Castle in Belfast,
     unionists were blaming the recent spate of gun attacks
     on the IRA and demanding that Sinn Fein should be
     ejected from northern peace talks as a consequence.
     
     Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams rebuked the comments as
     opportunist and contrasted the vocal condemnations of
     the recent attacks with the conspiracy of silence by
     unionists to recent Catholic murders.
     
     "It is of particular note that the Ulster Unionist
     party has responded with great speed to implicate Sinn
     Fein in these killings and is threatening to indict
     Sinn Fein.
     
     "The speed with which they have moved [against Sinn
     Fin] is in marked contrast to the conspiracy of
     silence which surrounded the killings after Christmas,"
     he said.
     
     Mr Adams extended his sympathy towards the Campbell and
     Dougan families and said the murders highlight the need
     to work towards peace.  He called on the killings to
     stop.
     
     Speaking on his way into a session of the Anglo-Irish
     sponsored talks, Adams said that efforts to link the
     attacks to Sinn Fein were "reprehensible" and described
     the allegations of IRA involvement as "spurious".
     
     The unionist parties didn't don't care who was
     murdered, he said.
     
     "They see some tactical advantage to themselves in
     attempting to wreck this (talks) process and ousting
     Sinn Fein from it. I think it is entirely
     reprehensible.
     
     "Sinn Fin is here. We are here in good faith. We are
     here on the basis of our electoral mandate. We
     represent no one else except our party, and we want to
     see all killings brought to an end.
     
     "Regardless of what indictments are brought against us
     we will defend the rights of the electorate and the
     mandate that we have and the analysis and the strategy
     that we pursue."
     
     Any move to expel Sinn Fein from talks would be firmly
     resisted, he added.
     
     
     UUP PAPER
     
     The talks meanwhile have seen the Ulster Unionists
     present a position paper which focuses on a "Council of
     the British Isles" as having overriding responsibility
     for future arrangements within the island of Ireland.
     
     The UUP yesterday published a one-page summary of the
     document, which is being issued in London today,
     describing it as a "comprehensive position paper".
     
     Discussions yesterday moved on to rights and
     safeguards, with unionists calling for a "human rights
     framework". A Six County assembly would function within
     the framework to offer protection "for every Northern
     Ireland citizen", the document said.
     
     Mr Adams said his party said a lot of the discussions
     at the talks had been restricted to structures and
     institutions.  "While they are important, what is of
     central inportance is that a bridge should be built out
     of today's situation into the future and that people
     should have some sense of ownership in terms of all the
     equality issues," Mr Adams said.
     
     Sinn Fein was pleased that the UUP was bringing forward
     a position paper for the talks. "We will give their
     paper careful consideration, and we will come to their
     paper in a positive and constructive way," said Mr
     Adams.    While Sinn Fein was today considering the
     document, the nationalist SDLP rejected its proposals
     for powerless north-south institutions, which the
     document suggests should be only consultative with no
     executive functions.
     
     But Mr Adams expressed concern that the UUP, "to quote
     [UUP leader] David Trimble will once again go back to
     what they are best at, saying No.
     
     "Surely there is someone on the unionist side who is
     prepared to lead their people out of the past and into
     the future?"
     
___________________________________________________________
          
     
>>>> PR campaign for killers of Peter McBride intensifies 
     
     
     
     With the issue to be raised in the British parliament
     today, the family of Belfast teenager Peter McBride has
     said it may be forced to bring a private case against
     the two British soldiers who murdered Peter in 1992.
     
     And news that the two soldiers would be welcomed back
     into the Scots Guard regiment have shocked relatives of
     the young north Belfast man.
     
     Major David Walter of the Scots Guard Association is
     quoted as saying, "the regiment would be pleased to
     welcome them back. They are still serving soldiers."
     This also raises the question of whether the two, James
     Fisher and Mark Wright, are getting wages and receiving
     pensions despite serving sentences for murder
     conviction.
     
     Billy McBride, Peter's uncle said that early release
     may also be an issue. "The precedent was set with Lee
     Clegg and Ian Thain [two other British soldiers
     convicted of murder] who were both admitted back. This
     special treatment is getting out of hand." He also said
     it was sending out the dangerous message that it was
     acceptable to "shoot a Catholic in the back and get out
     of jail early." Mr McBride has said that the family is
     considering "a personal suit" against the two soldiers.
     
     He also wondered who was behind the funding of the
     Edinburgh PR firm engaged in the publicity campaign on
     behalf of the two soldiers.  The case of the two
     soldiers is to be raised in the House of Commons this
     afternoon by independent MP Martin Bell.  Mr Bell, a
     former BBC war correspondent, has been criticised by
     human rights campaigners for calling for the early
     release of the two soldiers.
     
     The Derry-based Pat Finucane Centre has pointed out
     that the soldiers have been successful in their legal
     bid to have their case review brought forward from
     October this year. The men will now go before the Life
     Sentence Review Board next Monday.
     
     A spokesperson for the centre said: "The early release
     of these two Scots Guards would be a gross corruption
     of the justice system. It is sad to see an MP who
     fought on an anti-corruption ticket supporting such a
     move."
     
     Peter McBride's uncle, Billy McBride, said Martin Bell
     had failed to give proper consideration to the case.
     
     "He is unaware of the special treatment meted out to
     these two. It is beyond me. Every two months they seem
     to be in the news. If they fail on one line they
     immediately are granted another opening. This just does
     not happen with other people. They were granted an
     early review last year which they obtained through a
     judicial review. They were promised another one within
     a year, again completely out of step with everyone
     else. And now they have managed to have that review
     brought forward," Mr McBride said.
     
     News of a planned demonstration in Perth on 28 February
     in support of the killers has also angered the McBride
     family. Billy McBride said that while there had "never
     been an admission of guilt or regret from the army or
     government" it was "disgraceful" that the British Army
     was mobilising support for the soldiers.
     
     
___________________________________________________________
     
     
>>>> Loyalist victim arrested for self-defence weapon 
     
     A Belfast man who was arrested because he wanted to
     protect his family has been released on bail following
     protests by nationalists.
     
     Jim Clinton and his partner Roseanne Gilbride have both
     seen their spouses murdered by loyalists. Jim's wife
     Theresa was murdered by the UFF four years ago.  On
     January 26, Jim and Roseanne were watching television
     in their home when a gang of men dressed in black,
     wearing helmets and goggles broke in the glass in their
     door and smashed their way into the house.
     
     Roseanne, whose first husband Michael was murdered by
     Loyalists, thought this was another sectarian attack
     and shouted for Jim to run.  The "men in black" were
     RUC men who arrested Jim, Roseanne, and  her daughter
     Carrie.  The RUC confiscated a handgun which had been
     in the house for under two hours.
     
     The gun had been sent to Jim from the U.S. for him to
     use to protect his family. After 48 hours of
     interrogation at Castlereagh, Carrie and Roseanne were
     released.   Jim was sent to prison charged with
     "possession with intent," a charge that carries the
     possibility of a long prison sentence.
     
     Roseanne Gilbride and family have welcomed Jim's
     release on bail but are still frightened and
     frustrated.  "Here's a man just trying to protect his
     family.  We're sitting here terrified with no one
     protecting us and they're doing nothing to stop the
     killings," says Roseanne.  The children must be
     wondering if the world's gone mad.  They've seen their
     parents murdered and more innocent Catholics
     slaughtered in recent weeks.  Yet while "security
     forces" were unable to stop the killings of Catholics,
     they were able, within hours, to track down one weapon
     in the home of Jim Clinton.  The nationalist community
     of Belfast has good reason to wonder about the
     priorities of their 'police force'."
     
     * For more info, contact franciematt@delphi.com
     
___________________________________________________________
     
          
>>>> Industry must not crush recyling - SF
     
     
     Sinn Fein has called for new initiatives to minimise
     the production of waste and encourage recycling in a
     waste management document published this week.
     
     "Waste Management in Ireland: A Discussion Document"
     calls for funding to be diverted from the "waste to
     energy" incinerator proposed for Dublin which it
     describes as "a bogus environmental project". It
     recommends the 113 million to be spent on the project
     should be given instead to "environmentally-balanced
     waste management schemes" that "could be developed and
     run by local communities".
     
     The document, which will be put before the party's Ard
     Fheis this year, calls on the northern Department of
     the Environment to "consider the need for an
     all-Ireland waste strategy" and says environmental
     problems in the north and south of the island cannot be
     treated separately.
     
     The Irish and British governments are called on not to
     allow industry "to dictate the pace and development of
     the emerging recycling industry".
     
     It says tackling the waste management problem involves
     "fundamentally re-examining our methods of
     manufacturing, of industrial development and consumer
     culture". The document also calls for a halt in the
     development of landfill dumps and says there is "much
     more scope" for environmental taxes on industry.
     
     It concludes that economic development should be
     sustainable and "meet the needs of the present without
     compromising the ability of future generations to meet
     their own needs".
     
     A debate on the discussion document held by Sinn Fein
     at the weekend featured contributions from
     representatives of Friends of the Earth, Earthwatch and
     NI 2000. Opening the debate, the Sinn Fin
     representative for Dublin South West, Mr Sean Crowe,
     said some observers might wonder "why at such a
     critical juncture in the peace process" the party's
     representatives were gathered to discuss environmental
     issues.
     
     The answer was that Sinn Fin has "never been a
     single-issue party, despite the best efforts of the
     media to portray us as such".
     
     Backing the document, Sinn Fein's candidate in the
     north Dublin by-election, Paul Donnelly, has opposed
     the building of the incinerator and the extension of
     landfill sites in his constituency.
     
          
___________________________________________________________
     
     
     
>>>> Analysis: Mowlam, Wishing On a Star 
     
     by Laura Friel
     
     Many adjectives come to mind to describe the RUC but as
     a member of the nationalist community of the North, I
     can honestly say that "open and accountable" are not
     two words which readily appear on my list. Launching
     "Your voice, Your choice", on Monday, the
     latest British government document on the future of
     policing in the Six Counties, Marjorie Mowlam said the
     proposals aimed to bring the RUC closer to the
     community. She wished to make the RUC more open and
     accountable. The NIO Secretary of State acknowledged
     "elements of the nationalist community who see
     weaknesses" but "changes had to be kept in
     perspective." Calls for disbandment were dismissed
     "change was not going to happen overnight but slowly
     and surely".
     
     When it comes to leaking the personal details of
     nationalists to loyalists death squads, I suppose the
     RUC could be identified as open, wide open. During the
     Drumcree Crisis of 1995, attempts to reroute an Orange
     parade away from the nationalist Garvaghy Road was met
     with open (there's that word again) revolt by members
     of the RUC. But accountable? The RUC weren't even
     accountable to their own Chief Constable. Faced with
     mutiny, Hugh Annesley decided beating taigs (sorry
     concerned residents) off their own streets was his best
     option. A year later Ronnie Flanagan came to the same
     conclusion. To be honest Mo, for most nationalists the
     RUC are already too close for comfort. Of course I
     realise no one's claiming the RUC are open and
     accountable, the British Secretary of State just wishes
     they were. Perhaps you're familiar with that old
     English saying, if wishes were horses beggars would
     ride. The truth is, if Marjorie Mowlam believes the RUC
     can be reformed, she's not just wishing on a star,
     she's on another planet. 
     
     
___________________________________________________________
     
     
>>>> Action alert for US Congress resolution
     
     On Thursday, February 12 at 3:00 p.m., representatives from
     Irish-American organizations will conduct an Informational
     Briefing for Members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs
     and their Legislative Staff. The briefing is co-sponsored by
     Congressman Thomas J. Manton (D-7th/NY), Congressman Peter
     King (R-3rd/NY) and Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy II
     (D-8th/MA).  All Congressional Offices are encouraged to send
     a representative to the Briefing.
     
     The briefing will introduce and discuss Cearta -
     'Charter for Change' and the upcoming marching season
     (including Congressman Kennedy's H.Res.182).
     
     Presentations at the briefing will be provided by:
     
     --  Mr. Joe Roche, Ancient Order of Hibernians
     
     --  Mr. Walter Kane, Irish-American Labor Coalition
     
     --  Mr. Gerard Coleman, Irish Northern Aid Committee,
             Director of Political Education
     
     --  Ms. Nuala S. Moore, Legislative Consultant
     
     Please contact your Congressional representative before
     Thursday to express your concern and interest with
     these issues. Urge your representative to attend and to
     send a representative from their office.
     
     This is an opportunity for Congressional
     Representatives to fully appreciate the enthusiastic
     endorsement for Cearta that is rapidly increasing
     across the United States. Broad Congressional support
     is crucial towards obtaining a Congressional Resolution
     supporting Charter for Change.
     
     The parades issue is quickly drawing near. The need to
     mobilize Congressional support for Congressman
     Kennedy's H.Res. 182 is vital. You can sign the
     petition to support the Resolution at:
     http://www.gmu.edu/org/ireland32/
     
     PLEASE call your Congressional Representative ASAP. If
     you need assistance obtaining your representative's
     phone number, please go to: http://www.house.gov/
     
     If you do not have access to the internet, please
     forward your STATE and ZIP CODE to paddyn@erols.com or
     Zulazall@aol.com We will email the information to you.

     
___________________________________________________________
         
     
>>>> AOH peace award 
     
     
     The Patrick Pearse Division of The Ancient Order Of
     Hibernians proudly announces that Albert Reynolds, the
     former Taoiseach, will receive the prestigious Ancient
     Order Of Hibernians Heart Of America International
     Peace Award on Saturday, February 21, 1998 at the
     Wyndham Hotel in Kansas City. The award will be
     presented at the division's annual Freedom For All
     Ireland Dinner, which starts with a cocktail hour at
     6:30 p.m.  Dinner will be served at 8:00 p.m.
     
     The Heart Of America International Peace Award is
     presented annually to an individual who has performed
     specific acts of leadership during the year to promote
     peace in the face of a current or potential armed
     conflict. Further, the recipient must have attained a
     measure of success in this process and must demonstrate
     an ongoing commitment to the establishment of peace.
     
     Previous recipients of the award include Gerry Adams,
     President of Sinn Fein, Bernadette McAliskey, civil
     rights activist, and Rep. Peter King of New York.
     Tickets are available for $25.00 each by sending a
     check made out to A. O. H. to John Cox, 13106 Goddard,
     Overland Park, KS  66213.  Tickets are strictly limited
     and are going fast.
     
     The Wyndham Hotel is located on the Country Club Plaza,
     at 4501 Main.  Rooms are available for $89.00 per
     night, single or double occupancy.  To reserve a room
     call 816-753-7400 and ask for the A. O. H. rate.
     
     For more information call Bill Quinn, 816-941-0093 or
     John Cox, 913-681-8447.
     
     For those wanting to spend the weekend, the Wolfe Tones
     will be in concert in Kansas City on Friday night, Feb.
     20.  Tickets to this event are also $25.00 and include
     beer and soft drinks.  They can be purchased at
     Ticketmaster in your own city.
     
     Any Irish Northern Aid or Hibernian members needing
     transportation from the airport and back can call Pat
     Quinn, 913-384-2675 and give your name, flight number,
     and arrival time.  Northern Aid volunteers will be
     providing transportation.
     
___________________________________________________________


>>>> Valentine cards for Roisin McAliskey
     
     
     Around the world, many will be sending Roisin McAliskey
     St. Valentine's Day cards, care of British home
     secretary Jack Straw. Straw is preparing to decide
     whether to extradite Roisin, the daughter of Irish
     civil-rights leader Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, to
     Germany -- where she could be imprisoned for up to two
     years, on a trumped-up charge, without even coming to
     trial.
     
     The St. Valentine's Day cards will send a message to
     Straw that the world is demanding that he set Roisin
     free. The address is:
     
     Home Secretary Jack Straw, 50 Queen Anne's Gate, London
     SWI, England.
     
     Or you can fax your message to Straw at:
     
     011-44-171- 2733965.
     
     Or e-mail to:
     remoteprinter.honjackstraw@44-171-2733965.
     
     Please write, fax or e-mail Jack Straw today. Ask your
     friends and family, and any organizations you belong
     to, to do the same. You can also help Roisin by
     carrying, in your St. Patrick's parade, a rose to
     symbolize setting her free--and by continuing to
     boycott German Beck's beer.



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Subject: RMD980211 Irish news for Wednesday 11 February

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