Friday, January 12, 2007
Standing Against Sinn Fein
Paul McGlinchey, who will be standing against Martin McGuinness in Mid-Ulster, has given an interview to the Ulster Herald. His nephew, Dominic Og McGlinchey, has not ruled out standing as a candidate in West Tyrone. Gerry McGeough is standing against Sinn Fein in Fermanagh/South Tyrone. And the IRSP is set to endorse a candidate from Strabane at their Ard Comhairle this weekend. Willie Gallagher spoke to the Strabane Chronicle about the upcoming election and Concerned Republicans. Both interviews follow the jump.
Ex-members set to challenge Sinn Féin
BY RONAN McSHERRYTENSIONS within Sinn Féin over the policing issue are threatening to bring major electoral challenges across Tyrone constituencies. Members of the staunchly Republican family, the McGlincheys of South Derry, are set to challenge their previous comrades in West Tyrone and Mid-Ulster. Gerry McGeogh, a former IRA activist from Killeeshil, is also set to stand against Sinn Féin for Fermanagh-South Tyrone inthe Assembly election on March 7.
Speaking to the Ulsterherald, life-long republican activist Paul McGlinchey confirmed he will stand as an Independent candidate in Mid- Ulster if Sinn Féin endorse policing and take their seats on the policing board. McGlinchey is a former blanket man and brother of the murdered INLA leader Dominic McGlinchey. His entry into the election race would put him in direct opposition to Sinn Féin’s chief negotiator Martin McGuinness.
McGlinchey said, “I will be running in Mid-Ulster providing the assembly elections go ahead. I was a member of Sinn Féin until last month and resigned because of their current policing strategy. Once SF endorses policing and the judiciary, whatever way they package it and sell it, they are copper-fastening the six county state within the United Kingdom. I am not anti-policing per se, and we need law and order, but I would want an all-Ireland police force.”
The decision to put up candidates was taken at a meeting of “Concerned Republicans” held in Toomebridge at the weekend.
“I have yet to speak to any Republican, including ex-prisoners, that is endorsing this pro-PSNI agenda,” said Mr McGlinchey. “None of them are for it. I also know a lot of people in the party who are hanging on to see what happens at the Ard Fhéis and that will probably tell a tale.”
Mr McGlinchey served 15 years in prison for paramilitary activity.
“I personally have invested too much of my life in all of this just to turn my back on it and stay at home,” said Mr McGlinchey. “I kept putting my argument within the party but was getting nowhere with them. I realised the direction they were going and could not be a part of it. It runs against every vein in my body.”
Paul’s nephew, Dominic Óg McGlinchey has not ruled out the rumour that he is considering going forward on an anti-policing ticket in West Tyrone. Also speaking to the Ulsterherald, he said, “Numerous people have approached me to run. I am totally against the Sinn Féin stance on policing.
“Some people talk of being ‘sold out’ but I see it as being ‘sold short.’ There is a big difference between the two.”
The son of the former INLA chief-of -staff, Dominic McGlinchey emphasised that if he were to throw his cap in the ring come election time, “it would not be just to stop Sinn Féin getting a seat.”
He added, “I have left-wing values and would bring those with me too. I left Sinn Féin a number of years ago because of the direction they have taken and their acceptance of Stormont rule and the British iron hand still in force.”
Gerry McGeogh who previously served jail sentences in Germany and the US for IRA activity has also voiced his intention of standing in Fermanagh-South Tyrone. A former Sinn Féin ard comhairle member, he accused the party leadership of “having shown no backbone”.
“Sinn Féin are making embarrassing fools of themselves. This grovelling nonsense must stop.”
Strabane man to stand on anti-policing ticket
BY MICHELE CANNING SMITHWITH West Tyrone already a hotbed of controversy on the ‘will they, won’t they’ March Assembly elections, it has emerged that an independent Republican candidate may well throw his hat into the lion’s den in this constituency. That’s the word on the ground from the Irish Republican Socialist Party, who revealed to the Strabane Chronicle yesterday that a Strabane man has put his name forward for contention.
Endorsement for the Independent Republican candidacy will go to an IRSP Ard Comhairle meeting at the weekend.
Moves have been afoot by the Concerned Republican group - a coalition of what many regard as disaffected Republicans - to infiltrate Nationalist strongholds in a bid to challenge Sinn Féin on its policing agenda.
Already, members of the staunchly Republican McGlincheys of South Derry, are set to challenge former comrades in Tyrone and Mid-Ulster. Paul McGlinchey, a member of SF until last month, says he will enter into the election race in direct opposition to party chief, Martin McGuinness.
Gerry McGeogh, a former IRA man from Kileshil, is also set to stand against Sinn Féin in Fermanagh/South Tyrone.
The Chronicle this week spoke with Willie Gallagher, a leading member of the IRSP, on his party’s position, and how a series of meetings has led to a political attack on mainstream republicanism. Those meetings, which began in August last year, came as result of a call by a local man, Eddie McGarrigle, at a commemoration in Derry calling for a healing process within the diversity of Republicans.
That initial call has culminated in a decision by a group of Republicans to stand for election. They include disaffected Sinn Féin members, the IRSP, the 32 County Sovereignty Committee and independent republicans, all opposing the Good Friday Agreement.
During a series of meetings, the hugely contentious issue of policing was the ‘political thing in town’ and proved to be a gathering force for the group.
“There was unanimous support within the grouping that there should be public opposition to any endorsement of the policing and judicial system.
“The policing issue really was when Republicans had to wake up and smell the coffee.
“Republicans that I have spoken with, who once supported the Good Friday Agreement, now reject it. One said he deeply regrets endorsing it.
“As far as we are concerned, the Good Friday Agreement is a pacification process to give up Republicanism.
“The IRSP has always believed that the Agreement was a copper fastening of partition.
“But once the Agreement was signed, we believed Republicans were trying the political road and giving up the use of an armed strategy.
“The INLA was convinced to go on the same road.
“The IRSP focused on building up the party rather than overturning the agreement.
“Now Republicans are being asked to endorse the police and judicial system.
“As this debate has gained momentum, members of the Concerned Republican group decided to stand as independents.
“There will be a IRSP Ard Comhairle to see if our party will endorse support for these candidates.
“The feedback is that there is a strong possibility that most constituencies will put someone forward.”
Mr Gallagher confirmed that there is a local man who has expressed a wish and that will be considered at this weekend’s Ard Comhairle.
“As Independent Republicans, they oppose any endorsement of the PSNI. The policing issue has forced the hand of Republicans.
“Some of these people until a month ago were members of Sinn Féin.”
OPPOSITION
Mr Gallagher said he believes there is a very strong feeling of opposition gathering across the board to any endorsement of the police or judiciary.
“Sinn Féin would say this is a stepping stone to a United Ireland.
“But it’s a reformist strategy and it is impossible to negotiate away political policing under the framework of the GFA/St Andrew’s Agreement.
“It is a simple exchange of principles to go into power with the DUP, nothing more, nothing less.
He said he believed the SF leadership has misread the depth of feeling among republicans on the issue of policing.
“Overall, I feel it is possible that Sinn Féin could become the third largest party because of protest votes going to independent Republicans.
“This has taken on a momentum of its own and has acted as driving force on the policing debate.
“We are viewing this in the long term. Republicans, from a fair region of diversity are getting together to debate and discuss tactics, strategies and alternatives to the Good Friday Agreement, which has failed Republican objectives.
STRATEGY
“It is very clear within the group that it is an unarmed strategy.
“I did say at the first meeting that was called that I believe that even with an amalgamation of groups such as the INLA, Real IRA and the Continuity, that an effective military campaign against the British could not be achieved at this juncture.
“No-one in the room spoke out against that.”
Asked whether he believed that voters would opt for what many see as a group on the very sidelines of mainstream political parties, he said, “Can someone tell me the difference in voting for Sinn Fein and voting for the SDLP.
“I can see a situation where people will be comfortable in supporting these Independent candidates.
“They are traditional republicans.
He adds, “It would be wrong to sit back and do nothing about the endorsement of policing and the criminalisation of the Republican project.”
He concludes his interview by setting the scenario: “If Gerry Kelly takes up the Minister of Justice portfolio, will he sign the arrest forms on behalf of the Historical Inquiry Team?”
Rusty Nail @ 02:26 PM
Mark, your politics are the topic - and if your politics are Stickish, then ... you know what they say about the cap fitting and all that. And you are not beyond playing the man - so give over and stop the cry ba nonsense.
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:05 PMthey are looking the site Gestapo in now to check the IP addresses - whatever next? MI5 to the rescue perhaps.
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:07 PMwell McGregor you have bitched about these true republicans as opposed to your plastic sound bites and you have mocked them for being abstensionist
**** so who did you vote for when s/f were abstensionist ****
answer or be damned
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:12 PMJoe,
In the hope you’ll shut up with your nonsense: SF had dropped abstentionism before I was old enough to vote and I have never been a member of any other party than SF.
Now try and address the issue: the candidates declaring themselves as wanting to be elected to the Assembly.
Or is that discussion boring you?
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:13 PMJoe
Maybe they should call in a SF Punishment squad to administer justice in their new vision of Community policing?
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:13 PMRory,
Whilst no-ne has all the answers yet Sinn Fein does have a strategy to get us there. The remarks about some individual being caught fuel smuggling does not mean everyone in PSF is involved as you try to suggest, far from that.
You say “Now given that this is the case now can I or others with decency stand by and let fireside generals dictate to me on who should police the peace.” Well how can you give support to dissidents who have been going around whipping up support for the bad old days such as Francy Mackie - or was bombing Omagh what you would see as a decent act of patroitism?
You asked the question “what do you proposed to do with at least 600,000 Prods?” as if they were sheep or cattle and now you want to embrace them - at least you are now moving in the right direction.
You keep stating “Lets have the debate” well the debate has taken place and the people agreed to the outcome in the GFA - 71%. Therefore we have all chosen to accept the democratic outcome and move forward from here, it simply means we wait 10 - 15 years and then we will have a united Ireland due to strength of numbers with others including the British respecting the democratic wishes of the people.
Peace is worthy of the effort, and so is the lives of ALL our children Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter!
You still have not put forward a viable strategy that the Unionist (mainly Protestant) people will accept, to bring about the unification of the Island.
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:15 PMAnd I cast an abstentionist vote at every westminster election.
I’m asking for clarification on the policies of those intending to run.
Asking for their political position, is that too much?
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:19 PMMark, seems the topic is boring you or you are flailing under the assault - you don’t even know what poster has said what to you. I am not interested in whether you abstained or not - couldn’t give a hoot. Raise it with whoever put the question to you. But being called a Stick should not annoy you too much - what is the difference between Sinn Fein and the Sticks pray tell Mark McGiolla?
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:25 PMoh dear, stop feeding the trolls, Mark-you’re only keeping them amused until CBeebies comes back on in the morning.
On that note….......
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:30 PMJoe,
The topic is the candidates presenting themselves for election.
You clearly think them unworthy of comment. Thanks for your pointless interventions.
Maybe others will discuss the candidates and their platforms as it’s way beyond your ability.
Now you’ll have to forgive me as I intend to ignore your juvenille attacks and discuss the issue. Get back to me when you can handle talking about the issue. (when you turn 15?)
Best,
Mark.
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:37 PMNationalist
See I think now that even Francie Mackie now believes that debate within peacetime is the only way forward.
The GFA which I have read in detail in the past only brushes over the all Ireland solution and 9 years later is still full of holes.
The Debate on Unification of Ireland must sooner or later be on the table with propositions of how it can work with the Unionist population.
Lets not get caught up in this election only - sometime soon the national question must be on the horizon or do we need to keep breeding like rabbits to fulfill the GFA.
Now getting onto the wee man (Mr Mulholland) in Maghera who got his deisel from Keady, Jonesborough, Crossmaglen, Donegal and many other republican quarters are you honestly telling someone close to the situation that the PSF Leadership didn’t know or profit from the Millions he earned - And he was a GFA backer and enforcer!
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:37 PMRory,
That is interesting. Cheers for your contributions. Do you have a link to something that confirms Francie thinks there is no longer a place for armed struggle? Is it 32CSM policy? Would the armed group they are close to the thinking of agree? I haven’t read this before and would like to hear more.
Does this mean the 32CSM are part of this grouping of ‘alternative’ Republican candidates? Can clarify on their behalf?
Interesting stuff, nice to hear details.
GRMA
Mark
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 09:52 PMMark
The views on Francie Mackie are my personal take on where I think he is now! Finally
It is not the 32CSM policy
The RIRA is a now the dreags of republicanism if they truely exist in any quantity at all!
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 10:00 PMRory,
I was enjoying your content so much I didn’t notice your felon setting.
I’m unsure of the truth of your claims but your willingness to ensure the PSNI are aware of the allegation shows you are way ahead of Sinn Fein on engaging with the PSNI.
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 10:02 PMMark
I just hate the PSF hypocracy:-
(1). Back the Police
(2). Break the law
They can not have it both ways! Do you not agree?
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 10:06 PMRory,
The need to bred like rabbits as you put it has passed. Catholics have generally provided more than 50% of the birth rate in the 6 counties, which is over and above their population of 43.8% as at 2004.
As I stated previously the Unionist majority is in the over 55years age group and that majority is less and less as each year passes. At the same time the Nationalist (Catholic) population increases, and so the 43.8% will in 10 - 15 years be a majority and the current 53.1% Unionists will dwindle and they will become the minority population.
You can’t make the Unionist people face up to that you can only try telling them and show them the figures, if they can’t see the wood for the trees?
You can’t force them to face their devils and talk about them unless they chose to do so. So as everyone doesn’t want a war to sort it out and the Unionists won’t talk until they are the Minority then we need a strategy to take us forward and that has been offered by Sinn Fein.
The idea of not having any police for 10-15years is just ludicrus. You need to face up the fact that they won’t talk until then or they feel safe and your ideas are not going to get a response. If you don’t get a response then what is it you are going to do for the next 10-15years?
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 10:09 PMRory,
I certainly agree. When you support the ‘law’ you can’t support it being broken.
I don’t support the ‘law’. SF won’t until it is under local conntrol. You support them by providing information to them in public. You support the PSNI. That’s your choice.
I can’t believe you are a Republican. Are you another of these SDLP bluffers?
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 10:18 PMI’m delighted they are running. It makes the election a good test of opinion on the agreement, on policing and on the Sinn Fein leadership. Expect a humiliating defeat for the dissidents and a massive endorsement of the Sinn Fein position.
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 10:23 PMNationalist
looks like we are the only posters sobber or awake to debate standing against the Sinners!
I take on board what you say but don’t you think that someone should tell the wee hardline unionists that sometime soon there are not going to be enough of them to in their view “Keep Ulster British”!
Should we wait 10-15 years and suddenly annouce it to them on GMTV or something?
We must start the evolution of the national unification now softly softly with a serious emphasis on togetherness!
Can you imagine paisley, Gerry and Martin in 2020-2025!
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 10:26 PMMark
The new police service are well aware of the chuckies deisel scam and are probably filling there own cars up with the bloody stuff without even knowing it
Peace has created a vaccum for the PSF to rethink there funding
I used to know an SDLP man - geography teacher, hill climber, loner! I can’t stop laughing at the thought that i would have to assist the RUC, the PSNI arn’t they capable or is it able to do anything - pawns in the game?
SDLP - give me break Mark
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 10:34 PMwhen I turn 15 - so you like them young Mark. You are not alone in that predilection in your party. The topic is what we choose to say on it. Pity for you that you can’t wield the baseball bat here and tell us what the line is. Or get someone else to wield it. As your own say in Poleglass you only became a republican when it was safe. The candidates are too worthy of commenting on with yourself. I suppose most of them would be a bit old for your taste eh?
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 10:48 PMwhere is this well thought out strategy of sfs? their supporters tell us dissidents/disaffected have nothing to offer. Sinn Fein have what to offer? Participation in a british statelet with a dup veto over sf? so whats changed since ‘69?
f**k all.
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 10:58 PMDo you know, in 58 years on this planet I have never met anyone who supports the law, or even want to support the law, acquiesce to the law yes, abide by the laws of the land and countless variations of the latter, but support the law, never.
Although some in the legal and political business often cover their own shortcomings by going on about the necessity of supporting the rule of law, but we all have to earn a living I suppose and I normally put such nonsense as being a spot of free-lance advertising on their part.
Then again I have never come across a civic police force either, although I have met plenty of police officers, all over the world, in democracies and dictatorships, who enjoy nothing better than to kick the shit out of one and fit people up. Which is why ‘supporting the law’ is not that popular I suppose, accept in shinner circles these days it seems where seems all bets are not off these days.
Where are you getting this poncey language from, please do not bother to reply as the answer is pretty obvious even to someone who has led a sheltered life in which I have never felt it necessary to prattle on about ‘supporting the law’ and have managed to get through life perfectly well with out making such a public declaration.
mark.
I have also found that political parties and independent candidates usually put there platforms before the electorate at the start of any electoral campaign, even SF do this I believe, so unless you are able to tell slugger tonight what the SF manifesto will say on policing come the election in the spring, I suggest you cease demanding of others what you and your own party refuses to do, as it is very unedifying.By the way I think a well known country and western singer summed up most people attitude to the police, when introducing one of his more popular songs he said, “I broke the law and the law won” the b a s t a r d s.
Night all.
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 11:11 PMHenry,
I agree, great to see them stand. I assume I am part of the target audience.
I’d love to hear what they expect me to vote for or transfer to.
It’s an easy question. I’m ready to listen to an answer. I’ve only got abuse for asking so far.
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 11:13 PMGood God, Mick,
Can I ask for a hint on what they believe in? (with your permission of course) I am McGeogh’s target audience? No? I’d like to know his message. I am the sort they need to convince? No?
I’d like to know something.
Sorry for asking. When are we allowed to ask?
You tell me. I’ll sit here waiting for a policy until you say it is ok to ask. Mr the man.
Posted by on Jan 12, 2007 @ 11:26 PM
