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Republicans, prisoners, parades and conflict

| Readers 12

I previously noted the Independent Hunger Strike Commemoration parade that applied for permission from the Parades Commission and how this was at least one reason RSF refused to support it. Last week’s parade in support of Republican prisoners in Belfast, organised by RSF, didn’t apply for permission and was allowed to take place unhindered (it was a smallish affair as the bulk of those supporting prisoners met in the Conway Mill). Now the Families, Friends and Ex-POWs group are organising …

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“I don’t know what to say..”

| Readers 3

Yesterday a meeting of the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (INTA) had an exchange of views with US Ambassador William Kennard on EU-US Trade relations. Joe Higgins, Irish Socialist Party MEP, confronted the American Ambassador over his country’s trading relationship with Israel: Is trade still a value-free activity that must not involve human rights and other rights? Or what has significantly changed in the new administration? And if something has significantly changed, why does your administration still continue to …

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Shhh….it wasn’t the shinners

| Readers 16

Five days after the murder of Bobby Moffatt – claims of UVF involvement and mass intimidation of people in the Shankill area but Slugger’s expanded team has managed a grand total of one blog on the subject. Pity it wasn’t a friend of someone related to a 2nd cousin of a sister of a guy that used to know Gerry Adams’, joiner’s sacked plumber’s, former school friend – that would have warranted many blogs. Blank

SDLP: I swear they are real republicans

| Readers 127

On May 12th I posted a mocked up version of SDLP MPs making their solemn declaration/affirmation of allegiance to ‘Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors’ It was variously described by pro-SDLP contributors as a ‘new low’ for Slugger (x4), ‘inane’, ‘masturbatory, a ‘steaming log’, ‘lowering the tone’ and even resulted in one claim of a commenter leaving the site. So I apologise in advance for directly linking Margaret Ritchie actually taking that affirmation to her Queen: And the …

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Republican prisoners – meeting and protest clash but no clash

| Readers 92

As a meeting was held on republican prisoners in the Conway Mill (chaired by Maura McCrory with contributions from Peter Corrigan, Fr Raymond Murray, Carál Ní Chuilín,  Maura Fitzsimmons, Gerard Hodgins and Brenda Downes), Republican Sinn Féin gathered for a protest march from Dunville Park to Castle Street on the same issue. RSF in their tradition of not engaging with broad fronts did not attend or officially contact the organisers of the much larger meeting in Conway Mill and I …

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FST challenge destined to fail?

| Readers 27

The last time a Unionist attempted to have a court overturn an electoral declaration in Fermanagh South Tyrone was when James Cooper (UUP) failed in his challenge over the 2001 result where he was defeated by 53 votes. At the time Justice Carswell agreed there had been irregularities at a polling station in Garrison but rejected the appeal: That said, the issue which we as an election court have to decide is whether the election in the constituency of Fermanagh …

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Poster boys (& girls) – mapping offenders

| Readers 27
Daphne Trimble posing in front of an election poster mounted on a trailer

It is now time for election posters to be removed from display. So lets do the stragglers a favour by locating those still up. If you have a Google account you should be able to add the details directly to this map, then click on Edit, zoom in to the area, and click on the map pin icon to add your poster. If not post the information and I will enter it for you. Location, offending party/candidate and date spotted …

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No ‘Special’ day at Stormont

| Readers 254

Yesterday the following motion on the Anniversaries of the B-Specials (demise) and UDR (creation) was defeated in the Assembly and there will be no call from the Assembly to honour either organisation. That this Assembly notes that April 2010 marked both the fortieth anniversary of the dissolution of the Ulster Special Constabulary, or B-Specials, and also the fortieth anniversary of the formation of the Ulster Defence Regiment; expresses its gratitude to the bravery of the many people who served in …

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Ritchie/Attwood’s ministerial failure a blessing in disguise?

| Readers 11

With the announcement of spending cuts of £128m from the Assembly’s budget, Sammy Wilson had stated his intention to offset the loses in part with Departmental underspends. “We knew [this] was coming down the line and when departments surrender money through the year, as inevitably they do, we can maybe use some of that to offset these cuts that have been imposed on us,” Mr Wilson said. Now DSD has declared a halt to plans to develop the Donegall Street …

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Irish News reveals O’Loan is far from isolated on unity call

| Readers 8

Today’s Irish News revealed that Declan O’Loan wasn’t on a solo run with his remarks on Nationalist Unity and enjoys sizeable support for his comments across the SDLP. The paper noted: Despite members of his North Antrim constituency giving him their full support, Mr O’Loan was forced to retract the statement It also states: However, The Irish News has learned that Mr O’Loan received unanimous support from senior grassroots members and councillors at his Ballymena constituency office last Thursday It …

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Politics and religion do mix

| Readers 5

If there was still any real doubt, the Orange Order demonstrates yet again it is not solely a religious and cultural organisation but a political one. Blank

Justice Minister is ‘cross’ community when it comes to republican prisoners

| Readers 5

A SF delegation recently visited Magheraberry to investigate complaints from Republican Prisoners which have resulted in growing protests on the streets. SF MLA Raymond McCartney reported a very positive engagement: “A range of issues were raised by the prisoners. They included complaints about a number of punitive actions such as the use of strip searching as harassment of both prisoners and their visitors and a range of other conditions-related issues that were very familiar to the former prisoners on the …

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Sleepwalking into the past? Liam Hannaway’s hunger strike.

| Readers 270

With the ongoing protests against conditions in Maghaberry, a dead hunger striker is not in anyone’s interests but that seems a growing risk in the much overlooked case of Liam Hannaway. Hannaway is two years into a 10-year sentence for possession of explosives and ammunition and is on Hunger Strike. His situation seems complex and I have no personal insight but the Andersonstown News initially reported on it while the IFC have a more recent article: Liam was sentenced ten …

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Euro crisis: A Straight-Jacket to Impose Austerity on European Peoples

| Readers 12

Olli Rehn, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Policy, recently held a joint press conference with President José Manuel Durão Barroso on Reinforced economic policy cooperation in Europe where he again flagged their desire to have more input into National budgets: The Lisbon Treaty provides plenty of room for progress through a better and full use of the existing economic policy instruments, and through revised and new secondary legislation, where needed. In particular, article 136 on economic policy coordination enables …

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Any graphic trends?

| Readers 7

Stats came from Ark and were slightly out for SF in 2007, it doesn’t affect the trends but corrected version can be seen here. It can be difficult to spot all the trends that may occur in our election results with random factors of personalities in Europe, come and go minor Unionist parties, independents and small parties. I have tried to simplify matters a little by taking results from 1996 on, removing European results, smaller parties and Independents to produce the above graph of  party percentage of the vote for …

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“..things are what they are and will be what they will be”

| Readers 43

The number of people protesting over the conditions republican prisoners face in Magheraberry is growing. Newry Republican has a blog that gives an impression of the crowds that attended Sunday’s rally at the prison. The Pensive Quill covers the speech made by Harry Fitzsimmons‘ sister Maureen at that protest (also on YouTube). More photographs demonstrating the size of the protest appear on the Friends of Colin Duffy website. Sinn Féin previously announced a visit to the prison but as yet …

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Really ‘screw’ed? Do the splits..

| Readers 8

The recent Independent Hunger Strike Commemoration was supported by people drawn from a range of republican groups including RNU, IRSP, éirígí, 32CSM but also independents and some even say a few individuals aligned with SF. The associated webpage is now gone – cache here One group seemed to withdraw their support and disassociate themselves with the event – RSF. It appears they rejected the idea of endorsing the march when they realised it had applied for and gained permission to …

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Alliance a ‘legitimate target’?

| Readers 18

Moving from an oppositional role in the Assembly to taking on the role of Justice Minister ran political risks for the Alliance Party. At the time I flippantly noted David Ford had put himself in the firing line in more way than one. However, his and Alliance’s responsibility for the conditions of Republican prisoners has come to the fore as a decent sized crowd made their way to APNI HQ for a protest on their attitude to prisoner rights –something …

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