Belfast Gonzo

THE Empire Music Hall in Belfast will host an anti-racism gig this Thursday night, 5th August. The gig is being promoted under the umbrella of ‘Love Music, Hate Racism’, the organisation that grew out of Rock Against Racism and the Anti-Nazi League of the 1970s. The Press Release states: Also involved is the Anti-Racism Network (ARN), which co-ordinates the activities of local community and anti-racist groups. This will be the first of a series of gigs promoting a culture of …

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THE DUP’s Gregory Campbell has not backed away from supporting the family of Peter McBride, in their bid to remove his murderers from the British Army. Is he the first unionist to have done so? Mr Campbell told the Irish News: “I support any campaign to ensure that the MoD is transparent in relation to issues where soldiers are convicted of manslaughter or murder and is allowed back into the army or is subsequently promoted. “I do not think that …

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GRASSROOTS unionist criticism of the late IRA leader Joe Cahill has not been unexpected, but in contrast to some eulogies, not all republicans agreed with his strategy. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

THE 10th anniversary of the IRA ceasefire has led to a spate of analysis of our ‘imperfect peace’. Interestingly, in two of Barry McCaffrey’s interviews, both a former Taoiseach and a former loyalist negotiator state that loyalist paramilitaries were prepared to commit to a ceasefire before the IRA. As always, there are differing accounts of what happened, or perhaps a different emphasis. Albert Reynolds claims loyalists were prepared to guarantee a ceasefire, but not announce it until the IRA had …

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TODAY’S Guardian reports on how political blogging could play a more significant part in the next general election. As more politicians – who would’ve been writing diaries anyway – get the blog bug, some of their critics are registering their MPs name online and writing blogs for them – whether they want them or not! The Guardian reports: The British political weblog might be less than 18 months old, but it can also be a weapon if it falls into …

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MORE planning problems for Jim Wells, who single-handedly constitutes the DUP’s environmental wing. Today (sadly, not online), he highlights how developers are bypassing the Planning Service exploiting a loophole and going almost directly to the Planning Appeals Commission to get applications approved. The PAC is seen as more sympathetic to developers, and there is no right to appeal its decisions. Even making a case to the PAC can be an expensive business for members of the public who object to …

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SOMETIMES the Sunday tabloids are spot on months before the mainstream media, but can anyone tell me the point of stories like this? The only purpose seems to be to elevate a convicted terrorist and give him the publicity that he so obviously craves, but the graffiti death threat daubed on a Belfast building “last week” has been there for months, possibly even years. Does anyone really expect Michael Stone to come to Belfast and clean up this graffiti? Another …

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UNIONIST Assembly members Jeffrey Donaldson (DUP) and Dermot Nesbitt (UUP) ventured into ‘hostile territory’ the other day – the MacGill Summer School in County Donegal. Both put forward ideas on ‘How Northern Ireland should be governed in the 21st Century’, published on their respective party websites. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

NEWTOWNABBEY SDLP representative Tommy McTeague believes councillors in Northern Ireland are being “treated like niggers”. He said: “I hope that coloured people will realise it is not a slur on them but a comment on how councillors have been treated by this Government.” His remark comes at a time when racist attacks are happening on a regular basis. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

THE format of the September talks will mean initial discussions at Stormont from 1 to 3 September, with Strand One being discussed on day one, and Strands Two and Three on day two. Both Governments will be represented, although the intensive discussions will take place (at Leeds Castle?) between September 16-18, when Blair and Ahern will become involved. Secretary of State Paul Murphy says September is ‘crunch time’, although no-one pays much attention to deadlines any more, as a somewhat …

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JIM Wells of the DUP is spot on with his assessment of the Planning Appeals Commission. Planning Service ruled that two unauthorised buildings should be torn down after the developer went ahead without planning permission. This was subsequently overturned by the PAC. Of course, there is no right to third party appeals of such daft decisions, with the result that the PAC appears to sanction lawbreaking developers. The South Down Assembly member said: “This is a dreadful decision, I’m beginning …

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THE Dubliner has an interview in which the Ku Klux Klan has congratulated the people of Ireland for voting to restrict Irish citizenship in the recent referendum. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

BELFAST’S disastrously ill-conceived bid to be City of Culture 2008 has been slammed by the Auditor for its lack of control over spending. Suzanne Breen hits the nail on the head on why the campaign was doomed to fail from the start – an elitist-run, half-hearted, ill-thought-out campaign combined with a total lack of vision for the city by those who run it. We clearly couldn’t care less about our architectural heritage, there is no cafe culture outside Botanic Avenue, …

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GERRY Adams today calls on the British Government “to make a new strategic alliance with Irish nationalism and republicanism”. Writing in the Irish Times, he warned that the parades issue had “sent a very bad signal about the prospects of agreement in September”. Adams adds: “I put it to Mr Blair that the best way to secure all of our futures is for the British to make a new strategic alliance with Irish nationalism and republicanism. Unionism’s future, and this …

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BILL Clinton has been reminiscing about his involvement in the peace process, as he promotes his new autobiography. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

WHILE the United States has now classified Continuity IRA as a terrorist organisation, thus legally limiting its ability to fundraise in America (in theory), the UK is still trying to decide if the ‘Real’ IRA is an illegal organisation. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

FORMER British agent ‘Kevin Fulton’ worked against loyalists as well as the IRA, according to this interesting leaked document on Cryptome. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

ONE thing puzzles me about today’s reports; a statement by DUP politician and Orangeman Nelson McCausland. He said of the Ardoyne parade: “It is a community problem which has to be resolved by the community.” (News Letter, not online.) While this might fit in with his calls for the Parades Commission to go, Mr McCausland has also been at the forefront of calls not to talk to residents’ groups: “It is Grand Lodge policy that the Orange Order will not …

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AS recriminations over the Ardoyne parade continue, it was today reported that Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly saved the life of a Para during the riot! Kelly, who has a terrorist conviction, is apparently reluctant to accept the plaudits. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

THE ‘Twelfth’ was marred by violence at Ardoyne, North Belfast last night. It was the only major incident, and other violence was localised rather than widespread. It seems unlikely that there will be anything on this scale again this summer, and I would guess that there will be no real political ramifications for the peace process – but possibly for the beleagured Parades Commission. Reports suggest Sinn Fein tried – but failed – to curtail rioting by republicans, and the …

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