“I’m not a criminal. I was never a criminal…”
No confirmation yet from the Secretary of State for Wales, etc, that he is actually calling for a review into how either the unsolved murders of the Troubles, or the legacy of the Troubles, are to be dealt with. Meanwhile it seems that the much quoted NIO source was actually talking to Liam Clarke in the Sunday Times. In another article in the Sunday Times Clarke also accused the then[?] Sinn Féin Director of Unionist Outreach Martina Anderson, et al, of hyprocisy in calling for the criminal records of former paramilitary prisoners to be removed – “We had a political situation which produced political prisoners”.From the Sunday Times, via the indispensible Newhound
For Anderson, political motivation means that, here and now, IRA actions should not be dwelt on except at republican commemorations when ex-prisoners are congratulated and the dead remembered. At best the political motivation, now that the campaign is over, becomes a springboard for political action of a more conventional type.
“Let us take on this task readily, with determination and with container-loads of energy, following the example of the people down the years who gave their lives in pursuance of this struggle,” Anderson said at the Edentubber commemoration for the four IRA members and civilian whose lives were wasted when a bomb exploded prematurely in Co Louth in 1958.
This sort of thinking may be useful as a psychological device to deal with her violent past, years in jail and the death of her friends.
Otherwise, she might suffer the full mental anguish that would normally be associated with such memories. But as a line of argument it won’t be accepted by anyone who did not support the IRA campaign. She is speaking a different language from most of the population.
Sinn Féin operates a seemingly unconscious double standard in which the wrongdoing of others is to be remembered and probed, but IRA activity, although it caused pain, sits outside the criminal justice system and truth-recovery process. Anderson, now a member of the policing board, speaks of instances of politically motivated collusion between the security forces and paramilitaries as “crimes against humanity”.
Yet IRA actions were never crimes against humanity, because they were inspired by the same sort of political motives she attributes to the police.
The point featured in a recent exchange between Martin McGuinness and Stephen Nolan of the BBC, who has a gift for bluntness.
Nolan asked McGuinness if he had killed anybody. McGuinness hedged and talked about being an IRA leader at a time when people suffered.
“I’m wondering if I am looking at a killer,” Nolan persisted. “You can wonder all you like,” replied McGuinness.
Asked if, now that he supported law and order, McGuinness would like people to report anything he had done wrong, he replied: “I’m not a criminal. I was never a criminal . . . I’m not asking or advocating that republicans and nationalists should give information on the IRA over the IRA campaign. I can’t do that.”
This attempt to close the book on the IRA campaign because of its political character, while calling for public inquiries into other acts of violence that sprang from the political conflict, won’t wash.
It leaves Sinn Féin looking like hypocrites, having no answers to the hard questions.
Jocky
No if you in all honesty believe an enquiry into Sinn fein will actually produce results then by all means have at it
But at this point it would be kind of like proposing an enquiry into the illuminati, first you have to establish fact from fiction and then you have to establish if the facts are really facts? and if the whole thing isnt some ones vivid imagination
the Emerald Pimpernel: No if you in all honesty believe an enquiry into Sinn fein will actually produce results then by all means have at it
The obvious solution is for everyone to take that step together. You want the truth, you provide the truth. Everyone answerable to their own electorate if they put roadblocks on the way to progress. Progress depends on cooperation, cooperation depends on progress. So, no hierarchy of victims.
Reader
Excelent proposal and theory but who would really believe that the british government would tell the truth?
I mean look at ingram he is capable of talking out both sides of his face at the same time and still not speak the truth!
By the way ingram a couple of months ago you promised us revelations about the ombudsman… ummm where are they?
The Union is secure and Westminster is Sovereign.
This reality is accepted by all but not admitted by Republicans.
It is in their interests to bring forth the truth of SF/ IRA involvement in the long war .
Unionists simply sit back and remember for decades to come of the activities of IRA and prevent the re writing of history.
We realise the truth will never be told by IRA so what is the point of worrying.Unionists will hold out the hand of friendship to all other Irishmen and work in co-operation with every party in the South except SF who are beyond the Irish Pale .It is for them to admit to their past before they can be taken seriously
It will be embedded in our psyche that SF/IRA betrayed every noble characteristic of Republicanism because they simply did not understand what it means .
History will consign them to the dustbin
At least Martin had the courage to admit he was a member…..unlike his leader (the one with the beard) who would have us all believe he never was. He liked to pretend though by dressing up at a funeral and marching about. One day the truth will come.
Confused – good name
Pimpernel.
LOL
You are a genuine 24 carrot clown with no argument based in fact.
There are not many out there who have done more than Ingram to highlight the wrongs on all sides. Your answer to confused says everything about you comrade???? ……… IN DENIAL
LOL
Mags
Vambo,
Of course Martin said he left the Ra back in the early seventies?????
At least the bearded one did not commit Perjury unlike the choir boy then again no different than his mate bets mate Freddy Scap????
Sinner
Mags? is that you in a dress ingram?
Anyways can’t be bothered arguing about the casper so I will let others do it for me
http://sluggerotoole.com/index.php/weblog/comments/ingram_on_mi5_fbi_and_mi6/P50/
the Emerald Pimpernel: Excelent proposal and theory but who would really believe that the british government would tell the truth?
Set up the forum, excuse no-one, keep everyone talking, go round and round and round. Iterate. ‘The British Government’, much like ‘The Republican Movement’, isn’t the monolith you imagine it to be. Ten years down the line you’ll get the truth. Or perhaps the problem is – so will we all!
You will never get the truth from the british government period there are far too many knighthoods at stake
Mick, out of mild curiosity, why have you wordlessly banned me from this site?