“Leading Sinn Féin members had been arguing that its justice programme was a “viable alternative” to conventional policing and justice systems.”

I’ll be reviewing political scientist Mary-Alice Clancy‘s new book, Peace Without Consensus – Power Sharing Politics in Northern Ireland, in due course.  But, for now, The Guardian‘s Henry McDonald has highlighted some of the content White House staff and Irish officials were exasperated that Blair and his Downing Street chief-of-staff, Jonathan Powell, were prepared to allow Sinn Féin to run community restorative justice programmes and effectively establish a parallel justice system, according to a new book on Bush and the …

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“We’re here to give you your area back…”

There was an attempted punishment shooting in the Falls Road area of west Belfast last Thursday – 4 men and a 16 year old boy have been charged.  Yesterday an 18 year old was shot in both legs after he was abducted by four masked men, also in the Falls Road area. Meanwhile the Irish News reported today that More than 40 members of dissident republican group Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH) are believed to have been involved in attacks in the troubled St James’s area …

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