Conflict – Page 33 – Slugger O'Toole

Sinn Fein and the problem of the “two captains”…

Mick Fealty on July 17, 2006, 9:21 pm

| Readers 15

Although others have suggested that the DUP was being set up to take pressure over its self declared unwillingness to engage with the largest nationalist political party Sinn Fein, it is the latter that continues to take the political heat this summer. Some of the damage would appear self inflicted. The last two years have seen its previously near faultless PR efforts veer off on several unseemly wobbles (sound file). Not least over the IRA’s (unnecessary?) reaction to the Police …

“The ability to dehumanise large tracts of fellow human beings..”

Pete Baker on July 12, 2006, 7:01 pm

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While there’s always been an ebb and flow in the quality and quantity of comments on Slugger over time, in recent weeks, and perhaps months, I’ve certainly got the impression that there has been an increasing tendency among some commenters to slip too-readily into sweeping, and offensive, characterisations of the other side – whichever that other side might be. At CiF today, John Lloyd picked up on the same R4 interview Mick noted yesterday, with Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and drew …

Were there gaps in military records?

Mick Fealty on July 12, 2006, 12:07 pm

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The other story in the IT worth marking is the forensic detail in Ed Moloney’s response (subs needed) to the issue rasied by our analysis on the McConville killing the other day, which we noted that the Ombudsman’s report directly contradicted Moloney’s account in the Secret History of the IRA. It raises some difficult questions, not least for the Ombudsman’s Office.On his sources: …it is important to remember that these people took a huge risk talking to me. They were …

Adams: Secret burial a Human Rights violation

Mick Fealty on July 12, 2006, 12:02 pm

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Two things worth noting in today’s Irish Times. The first is Gerry Adams’ framing of the IRA’s attempt to find the bodies (subs needed) of those it took away and buried. “I don’t think republicans deserve any credit for any of what they are trying to do. I think it is a simple straightforward case of being a human rights violation, of being an injustice, of being a wrong, and us trying to do our best to correct that in …

On human rights violations..

Pete Baker on July 11, 2006, 10:40 pm

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Following on from the PIRA statement, quickly released in reponse to the Police Ombudsmans report on Jean McConville, as well as the subsequent analysis by Mick here on Slugger and elsewhere, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams held a press briefing today where he announced that there had been meetings over the past 10 months between PIRA members and the forensic expert appointed by the British government to investigate potential sites where the missing bodies of those adbucted and murdered by …

Commission issues clarification on Dunloy…

Mick Fealty on July 10, 2006, 11:02 pm

| Readers 25

Earlier today the Parades Commission met on the tightest regulated parade in Northern Ireland, the wreath laying service in the tiny burial grounds of Dunloy Presbyterian Church and decided to clarify the second paragraph of its original determination, it now states: B. The organiser, participants and supporters of this procession shall not hold, or attempt to hold, a public procession on any part of the notified route for this procession other than as directed in paragraph A Despite the speculation …

The IRA, Human Rights and the McConville case

Mick Fealty on July 10, 2006, 2:07 pm

| Readers 40

The IRA is taking serious heat over the abduction and killing of Jean McConville 34 years ago. This controversy has been bubbling under for some time. Back in January 2005, whilst Mitchel McLaughlin both emphasised the importance of the Finucane murder, and the Dublin/Monaghan bombing and, at the same time, famously asserted that the killing of Jean McConville was not a crime. The family has been campaigning squarely on the single issue of their mother’s innocence for some ten years. …

Last September’s gun shots…

Mick Fealty on July 10, 2006, 2:13 am

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For all the angst over the Dublin riots, here’s videophone footage of last September’s riots in Belfast. Most of it is a fairly lengthy shot of a bunch of guys ‘spontaneously’ hacking a metal lampost down. First they try to push it over, then a mechanical saw turns up. And just as you are waiting for someone to ignite cartoon-wise as they hit the electric wire inside, a guy steps out of the crowd and lets the PSNI have it. …

PIRA reject Police Ombudsman report on Jean McConville

Pete Baker on July 8, 2006, 5:24 pm

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The BBC report that a statement has been issued by the PIRA rejecting the Police Ombudsman report that Jean McConville was not an informant, claiming that they had carried out a “thorough investigation” too. In doing so they have a) reminded everyone that they’re still hanging around in the background and b) they still don’t consider the abduction and murder of Jean McConville to be a crime. When’s that deadline again? Pete Baker

Numerous attacks on the Cityside in Derry…

Mick Fealty on July 8, 2006, 12:59 pm

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Not sure what’s going on in Derry at the moment. One Polish man was beaten and threatened to move out of the Fountain Estate in Derry. Meanwhile the estate itself remains under threat from outside attack. 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

“serves nobody’s interests.. apart from the interests of the crazies”

Pete Baker on July 7, 2006, 2:40 am

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The BBC briefly reports the restrictions on this year’s 12 July parade as it returns past the Ardoyne shops (I haven’t located the actual ruling yet Parades Commission determination here) and adds: “In the past, there have been disturbances in the area surrounding contentious parades.” Hmm.. the Irish Times’ Gerry Moriarty’s eye-witness account of those disturbances last year are worth recalling: “What happened at Ardoyne was as bitter, ugly and raw as you can imagine” Pete Baker

NI is ‘a back door for people smuggling’

Mick Fealty on July 5, 2006, 8:13 pm

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Well before the committee’s final report the environmental and health impacts (diesel acid being one of them) of organised crime in Northern Ireland were in the public domain. But the chairman Patrick Cormack’s comments seem to point to something much darker in human terms: the trafficking of migrants into the UK and the Republic. He went on to blame Sinn Fein for its continuing withdrawal of support for the PSNI in curtailing official countermeasures. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of …

Organised crime obstructing political progress…

Mick Fealty on July 5, 2006, 8:06 pm

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Looks like the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee’s report into organised crime may have handed the DUP a licence to hold up any deal for as long as they deem it politically expedient. Sammy Wilson highlights four clauses he finds worthy of note: In paragraph 12 it states that all paramilitary groups are still heavily involved in organised crime and in paragraph 21 states that paramilitary groups from both sides of the community continue to exercise control over those communities, negatively …

continued involvement of paramilitaries in organised crime

Pete Baker on July 5, 2006, 3:28 pm

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The NI Affairs Committee’s report on Organised Crime has just been published following a long period of taking evidence, both in public and private, and is available online here – also available as a two part pdf file. It’s a wide-ranging report – summary here – which even touches on the proposed changes to liquor licencing, but it will be the section dealing with paramilitary involvement in organised crime that will, understandably, attract most interest. Update other reports here, and …

McGuinness’s advisory visit to Sri Lanka

Mick Fealty on July 3, 2006, 9:28 pm

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Martin McGuinnness’ trip to meet with Sri Lankan rebels, the Tamil Tigers has been overshadowed by a bomb attack which has killed at least five Sri Lankan army personnel and one civilian. 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

Government proposes ex prisoners stay within CRJ

Mick Fealty on July 3, 2006, 5:20 pm

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Community Restorative Justice has had something of a rough ride in the media recently. Whilst Erwin James has a positive take on an apparently successful technique called Youth Conferencing used by the Youth Justice Agency. Yet controversy continues to revolve around the public funding, administration and monitoring of an independent network of CRJ schemes, which have developed out of . The most recent chapter arises from a recommendation from the British government that would allow ex-prisoners to continue to play …

Stakeknife booked may be pulled…

Mick Fealty on July 3, 2006, 4:34 pm

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‘Martin Ingram‘ (sometime of this parish) is concerned that his book of three years ago may be affected by a recent court injunction on anyone revealing information that could point to revelation of Freddie Scappaticci’s whereabouts. The vulnerablity comes from its inclusion of a photograph of Scappaticci taken during a BBC interview at the time of the Stakeknife revelations. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the …

The role of prison within insurrectionist movements…

Mick Fealty on July 3, 2006, 4:12 pm

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There was an interesting segment in yesterday’s Broadcasting House on BBC Radio Four yesterday looking at various examples of rapprochement (starts about 18 mins in) between former enemies in Israel/Palestine, South Africa and Northern Ireland. In the first two cases the emphasis seems to be on figures within the liberation movement coming to understand their opponents better from their time in prison. In a lengthy interview with Tommy McKearney lays out what he believes Republicans gained from their time inside, …

Victims Commissioner under fire

Miss Fitz on July 3, 2006, 1:51 am

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Things don’t seem to be going swimmingly for the Secretary of State. In the High Court last week, the Judicial Review against the appointment of Bertha McDougall as Victim’s Commissioner revealed some uncomfortable information. The Head of the NICS, Nigel Hamilton advised the Court that Mr Hain was ‘mindful’ that Mrs McDougall’s name had been put forward by the DUP. Not good enough for Judge Girvan who has ordered Hamilton to appear for cross-examination. Where a deponent has used language …

Unlocking the Past

Miss Fitz on July 3, 2006, 12:00 am

| Readers 1

As mentioned previously here, Sunday Sequence is a show well worth the listen. It’s also worth following William Crawley’s blog for a little more insight into some of the discussions. The discussion on today’s show on the value, importance and recording of history was stimulating and absorbing. At times, the discussions here on Slugger might lead an outsider to believe we are far form any kind of resolution of our difficulties, and there are times that description seems accurate. On …