Conflict – Page 23 – Slugger O'Toole

A deaf ear and blind eye…

Mick Fealty on October 26, 2007, 2:55 pm

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David Vance‘s piece to camera on Hearts and Minds last night, in which he ‘sends a memo’ to Jeffrey Donaldson on his ‘corporative responsibility’ gambit (Sinn Fein, ironically perhaps, has been calling for the introduction of an offence of ‘corporate manslaughter’ in the Republic). Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and …

“What affects us most…”

Pete Baker on October 25, 2007, 3:15 am

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A RTÉ report refers, in particular, to one response from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in relation to the proposal for a strengthened e-border – as noted here. But his argument – “What affects us most is people entering the UK illegally and coming across the Border to the Republic” – ignores some of the other reasons behind the need to re-inforce border controls.. along a virtually non-existent Maginot line. Reasons such as this. And that’s before the effect of cross-border smugglers, …

Spotlight on the Causeway…

Mick Fealty on October 24, 2007, 12:53 am

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Nevin reminds us that Spotlight is looking at the Causeway controversy tonight on BBC NI at 10.35pm. That’s for those who won’t be watching David Trimble on Newsnight, on why using Northern Ireland as an exemplar for other peace processes is not a good idea. Here’s an earlier attempt by some other dudes. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular …

Ritchie says that someone ‘fabricated minutes’…

Mick Fealty on October 19, 2007, 12:28 am

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The Ritchie interview (first part above) at the beginning of Hearts and Minds. There is a lot of detail in there to pick over. But on the main theme, Ritchie details a commitment (and the two UUP Ministers) to share her legal advice (both internal and external) with the First Minister, Deputy First Minister, and the Minister of Finance. But she is adamant that the commitment to report to the Executive meeting was illicitly added to the official minutes. Mick …

Did Ritchie sell the DUP, UUP and Sinn Fein a dummy?

Mick Fealty on October 17, 2007, 7:26 pm

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My piece on the Ritchie statement is now up on Comment is Free. In the meantime though Slugger has learned that none of the other parties in the Executive were expecting Ms Ritchie to make the announcement she made, which may go some of the way to explain the rather colourful point of order made in the chamber, which in turn led to what turned out to be a forty minute hiatus. It’s also been pointed out by one Stormont …

“Tensions at the heart of government have been laid bare.”

Pete Baker on October 17, 2007, 3:05 am

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Interesting report from the BBC’s Martina Purdy on today’s events. Notably the contrast between the previous silence from the NI Executive ministers and the comment that “While [Margaret Ritchie’s] ruling was significant, far more important was the effect it had on the Executive. Tensions at the heart of government have been laid bare.” The focus is primarily on the Finance minister’s point of order.. but no other ministers made any comment during the debate.. which is, perhaps, to be expected …

Hearts and Minds on the legacy of Che…

Mick Fealty on October 11, 2007, 10:38 pm

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Oliver Kamm is sparing tonight with Eammon McCann on the topic of Che Guevara, (thoroughly discussed earlier on this thread). According to Oliver (not renowned for pulling punches): McCann had the bright idea to claim simultaneously that Guevara’s taste for revolutionary violence was (a) taken out of context, and (b) comparable anyway to the activities of the ANC under apartheid. In case you want to check the second assertion, you should note that Nelson Mandela has never shot without trial …

“a people without hatred cannot vanquish a brutal enemy..”

Pete Baker on October 9, 2007, 1:22 am

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So Mary Lou McDonald, MEP, is launching a week of events organised by Sinn Féin to commemorate the death of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara. And the Northern Ireland Executive junior minister, and former bomber, Gerry Kelly, MLA, is to attend the last event – the Deputy First minister is obviously unavailable. But why exactly? We know that Gerry Adams is a fan of the middle-class would-be permanent revolutionary. But is it still chic to worship Che in Sinn Féin in this …

On the dubious use of statistics…

Mick Fealty on October 5, 2007, 3:39 pm

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Newton Emerson questions the use of statistics by one of the many victims groups in Northern Ireland. It includes every Catholic and Protestant killed north and south by every loyalist group. To ascribe all these deaths to British state connivance is a staggering assertion that no credible historical source could possibly support. The claim is also highly partisan. If all murders committed by informers or agents count as death by collusion, which is clearly the very least that Relatives for …

Freedom of the press in Burma…

Mick Fealty on September 28, 2007, 6:42 pm

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Here’s the official news in Burma: nothing to see here, move along… And through a blog: mobile phone system shuts down, internet reduced… Via 1820… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

A sudden outbreak of attacks and threats…

Mick Fealty on September 28, 2007, 6:19 pm

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Just checking Newshound this afternoon, and what’s most striking is the number of attacks and/or threats against Sinn Fein offices, senior party personnel and a prominent journalist. Indeed the LVF has issued a threat against two journalists at the Sunday World. The LVF killed one of its journalists, Martin O’Hagan six years ago. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular …

“UDA and UVF leaderships are making an invaluable contribution”

Mick Fealty on September 7, 2007, 8:11 pm

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Jim Gibney argues that “the carrot not the stick is needed to strengthen the pro-peace process UDA leadership” (ie the ‘good’ UDA). Strangely, although he mentions “Davy Adams, Gary Mc Michael, Billy Hutchinson and the late David Ervine”, without mention of the political projects that any of them were involved with. His piece scopes out a nasty dilemma: The options facing those with influence over the UDA are simple: Help and support those in the leadership who are for the …

UDA running into funding face off over guns?

Mick Fealty on September 7, 2007, 12:41 pm

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Assistant Chief Constable Peter Sheridan told the Policing Board yesterday there is “no prospect of early decommissioning” by the UDA. With Social Development Minister Margaret already cutting into under untilised community budgets in Loyalist areas, it looks like she may be preparing the ground for cutting the planned £1.2 million once destined for the UDA. As Pete reported earlier, the price (as it often is in such circumstances) is one of a decidedly indeterminate nature: Jackie McDonald: “Whenever they’re afforded …

“We felt more safe during the Troubles”

Mick Fealty on September 6, 2007, 3:35 pm

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One of the problems facing people in the most troubled areas is, claims David Connolly of the University of York, the loss of the conflict itself. The communal sense of pulling together in the ‘struggle against the British’ has largely subsided, and is, he claims, leaving people with a sense of loss. “Over the last decade, since the Good Friday Agreement, there has been a very profound community loss. A lot of its identity was based around resistance to the …

Sceptical not cynical..

Pete Baker on September 3, 2007, 11:43 pm

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I keep reminding myself that I should be sceptical rather than cynical.. but it’s difficult not to be cynical when I see reports like this one. Perhaps the same individuals who have spent 4 days in Finland could inform the rest of us what exactly they advised others were the lessons from here? ‘Better that the poison stays in the system’, perhaps.. Adds The BBC’s Mark Devenport has some links And In the comments zone Gonzo points to this International …

Victims groups call for an international commission…

Mick Fealty on September 3, 2007, 3:30 pm

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Colm Heatley’s line on difficulty of accessing the truth of the past looks like it could have been written in response to our latest Derry/Londonderry thread: Uncovering the truth is a central issue to building a civil society and giving the North’s citizens – and indeed many in the Republic – confidence that at least part of the past has been addressed. But, so far, the truth has proved elusive – obstructed, many believe, by a desire to keep the …

Truth and the revolutionary movement…

Mick Fealty on August 28, 2007, 5:43 pm

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Anthony McIntyre on the stained quality of Truth, in our post Peace Process™ era. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

“The organisation will not tolerate decommissioning especially for £1.2m”

Pete Baker on August 25, 2007, 5:48 pm

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Regular commenter joeCanuck emailed to remind me that the story of the not-so-good-after-all UDA hasn’t gone away.. as evidenced by this report in the Belfast Telegraph on Thursday – and Brian Rowan has his own analysis of his report here. The substance of the report is the un-asked-for advice to the Social Development Minister – “The UPRG can only tell her so much. She could go straight to the leadership.” – and to the Chief Constable, Hugh Orde – “If …

Blessed are the dealmakers: yeah, right!

Mick Fealty on August 23, 2007, 4:34 pm

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Over at Comment is Free, I’ve a short piece on the dangerous art of brokering peace, particularly with your own tribe’s fundamentalists and/or moralists conspiring at your back… which is possibly the most sustainable message that derives from Lord Putnam’s myth-making on Michael Collins. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and …

Sinn Fein’s activists in ‘deep denial’?

Mick Fealty on August 16, 2007, 7:51 pm

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For those with some Irish, this interview with Eoghan Harris on last Monday’s Blas is well worth a listen. But so is this piece from Liam Clarke, who witnessed Harris’s performance at West Belfast Talks Back. Considering his claim to political consistency is his opposition to the Sinn Fein project, he was, by most accounts fairly gentle in his criticism. What seems to have struck Clarke more than anything Harris said was that “Sinn Fein activists are in deep denial. …