Protest at Maghaberry- Sunday 5th June

The Friends and Families of POWs have organised a protest at Maghaberry to highlight the ongoing protest and the deterioration of conditions for republican prisoners in Maghaberry. Recently the POWs have embarked on a dirty protest and have recieved vicious beatings from the loyalist screws.

The protest is planned for,

SUNDAY 5TH JUNE @ 3.00


MEETING AT MAGHABERRY CARPARK.

We need to show the administration in Maghaberry that we will not stand back and allow them to treat our POWs like criminals.

We also need to give our POWs some much needed support.

VICTORY TO THE POWs

RNU Demand Answers About RUC/PSNI Brutal Actions

IF ANYONE WITNESSED THS INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE NORTH OF THE SHEEPBRIDGE INN  OR EVEN SEEN THE ROAD BEING SEALED OFF BY THE CROWN FORCES COULD THE CONTACT ME ASAP.
REPUBLICAN NETWORK for UNITY (RNU) Spokesperson, MARTIN OG MEEHAN has expressed serious concerns after today’s brutal RUC/PSNI treatment against four RNU members, including our National Chairperson just outside Banbridge, County Down.

"Earlier today, the four RNU Activists were returning home to Belfast after attending a successful rally organised by Dublin comrades in opposition to next week's visit to the city by Elizabeth Winsdor. When they reached Newry, our members noticed three unmarked Volkswagen estate cars were travelling in convoy just behind them.

As they neared Banbridge on the A1 Carriageway, another four unmarked cars with flashing blue lights blocked all the lanes which forced traffic to a standstill. At that point, the three unmarked cars from behind sped up and boxed their car in. DMSU personnel quickly disembarked, cops got out and started pointing guns at the occupants. Throughout, they were screaming at the passengers to put their hands in the air. They also started to bang their guns against the windows, screaming at the occupants to slowly open the car doors. As the RNU Activists attempted to do so, the adrelinin-filled DMSU members were screaming at them to do it slowly or they would fire.

When the doors opened, they dragged the four Political Activists from the vehicle. One of who, is the elderly mother of a current POW in Maghaberry Prison.They dragged the woman by the hair, screaming at her not to look at them. Before forcing her onto her knees, where she was vigorously searched by a male Peeler. While this was ongoing, a significant number of motorists were clearly horrified at what they were witnessing. The DMSU SGT realised how this looked and told his men to take the three male passengers out of sight and into a nearby field. Where they beat the three men to the ground and kicked them into a kneeling position. They ordered the three RNU members not to make sudden movements or look at them, or they would be shot. Within seconds, an English DMSU member, dressed in a boiler-suit produced a camcorder and recorded the men's faces.

At that stage, four RUC landrovers arrived along with a number of unmarked cars, a number of plain-clothes people left the cars and donned 'Police Caps'. Minutes later, they approached our National Chairperson and driver of the car stating; 'No ****ing surprise to see you two in the car'. They were notified by the third male RNU member that he had a serious knee injury and was in bandages. To which they replied; '**** up and get on the ground you fat bastard'. The unreformed RUC also demanded to know where the Activists had been and referred to a red van.The RNU members had absolutly no idea what they were talking about.

After thirty minutes, one lane of the Carriageway was reopened and traffic was cars allowed to proceed. They searched the male RNU members a second time which included grabbing the men's RNU private parts and feeling down the back of their trousers and into their boxer shorts. Afterwards, our members were informed they were free to go about their business and presented them with blue search sheets. When the National Chairperson asked; 'What was that all about'? He was told to take the issue up with his Solicitor. Where upon the re-branded RUC left the scene, travelling northbound".

Mr. Meehan concluded; “Today’s incident again illustrates just how unreformed the British Police across Ireland conduct it’s activities. RNU demand an answer from the PSNI? Why was a female Activist physically and sexually assaulted and three others beaten and threatened with being shot?

Whatever happened to the promised changes by the great and good of Nationalist Ireland? The reality for the Republican community is that Political Policing has not gone away”.

éirígí Poll 2,062 Votes in West Belfast

éirígí candidates in the Six County local government elections today [Monday] polled more than 2,000 votes in West Belfast.

Pádraic Mac Coitir, who was standing the Upper Falls constituency, polled 1,415 votes [11.3 per cent], while John McCusker, who was standing in the Lower Falls constituency, polled 647 votes [6.6 per cent].

John McCusker said: “Despite claims to the contrary, it has now been proven beyond fear of contradiction that éirígí has a large support base in west Belfast.

“Last Thursday, more than 2,000 people took the effort to go out and declare their support for éirígí, its strategy and the politics of socialist republicanism. On behalf of éirígí, I would like to thank these people and encourage them to get onto the streets in opposition to the cuts in the time ahead.

“The republican struggle is, slowly but surely, being rebuilt and today was another positive development in that process.

“Others brought huge financial resources, the influence of the corporate media and all the methods of black propaganda and demonisation to this election campaign. éirígí brought the politics of socialist republicanism and the dedication and determination of our members and supporters. We are proud of our campaign and the result it has achieved.

“éirígí will continue to campaign for the rights of the working people of west Belfast and for the political, social and economic liberation of all the working people of this country.”

Pádraic Mac Coitir added: “When éirígí entered this election campaign, its objective was to demonstrate a significant support base for socialist republican politics in west Belfast. Today, it is undeniable that such a support base exists in large numbers.

“I would like to thank all those republicans and socialists who came out to vote for éirígí and the politics we espouse. A vote for éirígí was a vote against the cuts, a vote against partition and a vote for a radical socialist republican alternative; large numbers of people have responded to that message in a positive manner.

“I would also like to thank the many, many republican activists who devoted so much time over the last number of weeks in fighting an effective, coherent campaign for éirígí. The contribution from every single one of them was invaluable.”

He continued: “éirígí fought this campaign on the basis that real change – an end to British rule, an end to poverty and the achievement of national independence and socialism – will not be secured through the ballot box. Our analysis remains the same.

“We must organise on the streets, in our communities and in our workplaces to build a movement for real change. We hope that all those who voted éirígí in this election, and the massive amounts of people who decided not to vote, will join this campaign in the time ahead.

Today, the support for a radical, socialist republican alternative has been demonstrated unequivocally.”

http://www.eirigi.org/latest/latest090511.html

A tick for éirígí won’t split the vote- Pádraic Mac Coitir

Standing among more than 700 republicans and socialists in Milltown Cemetery on Easter Monday, the thought of belonging to a “micro-group” never entered my head.

Nor, dare I say, did it enter the heads of the many ex-POWs, young people, community activists, trade unionists, gaeilgeoirí and relatives of our republican dead who were standing beside me.

Sitting in An Chultúrlann in January with éirígí activists from as far south as Cork, as far north as Donegal, from every part of the six counties, from our capital city and from many other parts of Ireland, I had a sense of belonging to an idea that was on the move and gaining in momentum with every day that passed.

Over the last five years, I have joined éirígí activists in sit-down protests in Ardoyne and Mayo, marched with them in Dublin and Newry, and campaigned with them on a diverse range of political, social and economic issues in the working class communities of West Belfast. On every occasion, I have been struck by their commitment, enthusiasm, intelligence and positive ideas on how to drive forward the struggle for revolutionary change in today’s Ireland.

This is why I decided to join éirígí and why I was proud to become their candidate for the Upper Falls in Thursday’s council elections. I know John McCusker is equally proud to be representing the party in the Lower Falls.

Since the election campaign began, however, I have been struck by the negative campaigning of others. While éirígí has campaigned on the cutbacks that are being brought in by Westminster and its Stormont administration, encouraging our community to take a stand against these anti-social measures, those who feel most threatened by our intervention in this election have been reduced to muddying the waters. In the latest attack, delivered through the pages of this paper (April 30) it was alleged by a man who should know better that éirígí is a “micro-group”, that its aim is to split the republican vote and that Sinn Féin somehow own the council seats they currently occupy. Let’s get a few things straight. A party that is organised in every province of this country, that has scores of activists rapping thousands of doors in West Belfast and that has played a prominent role in every major progressive campaign in Ireland over the last five years is patently not a micro-group.

As for splitting the vote, éirígí is standing in two constituencies – Lower Falls and Upper Falls. There are no unionist candidates standing in the Lower Falls. In the Upper Falls, there is one DUP candidate standing. The last time a unionist candidate stood in Upper Falls, in 1997, they received 201 votes or 1.4 per cent of the vote. Somebody needs to check their facts, and it’s not éirígí. Any party that believes it has an automatic right to possess seats that are granted by the electorate is guilty of breathtaking arrogance.

A vote for éirígí on Thursday is a vote for stronger republican representation, it is a vote against the cuts and it is vote of confidence in our community’s ability to overcome against the odds.

Ar aghaidh linn le chéile.

Pádraic Mac Coitir,

éirígí

Successful Hunger Strike Vigil

On 5th May at 1am, roughly 100 Republicans assembled at the recently unvieled mural on the Camloch Rd, Newry.

They stood in silence with lit torches in memory of the 1981 hunger strikers as the roll of honour was read.

At 1.17am they made their way onto the Camloch Rd wher they banged bin lids and blew whistles to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Bobby Sands.

Hunger Strike Talk & Exhibition- May 12th

Torchlight Vigil, May 5th



Mural erected this evening on Camloch Rd, Derrybeg

 The Newry Independent Republican1981 Committee will be holding a torchlight vigil to commemorate the hunger strikers who gave their lives in the fight against criminalisation in 1981.

We will assemble at the graveyard on the Camloch Road on the 5th May at 01.00am.

At 01.17am we will mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Bobby Sands- All Republicans welcome