éirígí: Remembering Ireland’s Dead at Easter

 éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson has called for republicans to remember Ireland’s patriot dead with pride this Easter and attend the party’s commemorations.

éirígí has organised commemorations in both Belfast and Dublin to mark the 94th anniversary of the Easter Rising, as well as a number of smaller ceremonies across the country.

Breandán Mac Cionnaith, éirígí’s general secretary, will be giving the main oration at the Irish Citizen Army plot in Glasnevin, while former Blanketman and ex-chair of the Belfast National Graves Association Pádraic Mac Coitir will be the main speaker at the Harbinson Plot in Milltown Cemetery.

Leeson said: “While éirígí is organising these commemorations, all republicans who wish to remember those who have given their lives in the cause of Irish freedom are more than welcome to attend.

“These will not be strictly party political events, as evidenced by our choice of main speaker in Belfast, they will, first and foremost, be an opportunity for republicans to remember our patriot dead and recommit ourselves to the struggle for a 32-county socialist republic.

“We extend a particular invite to the families of our fallen comrades, to ex-prisoners and to those young people who have recently taken an interest in the republican struggle.”

He continued: “The state of Ireland today indicates that all republicans and socialists still have a lot to do to make the vision contained in the 1916 Proclamation and the writings of James Connolly a reality.

“Half-a-million people are unemployed in this country, the population in the Six Counties continues to live under an occupation enforced by the British government’s armed forces, while the political institutions in both states serve no one but the wealthy.

“The resting places of Ireland’s patriot dead are the perfect venues for socialist republicans to recommit themselves to ending these injustices and building an Ireland that the signatories of the 1916 Proclamation would be proud of.”

Pádraic Mac Coitir commended éirígí for organising the commemorations.

“While I’m not a member of éirígí, I’m honoured to have been asked to give the oration on Easter Monday. Easter is an important time in the republican calendar and éirígí are to be commended for offering an outlet for socialist republicans to fittingly remember all those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish freedom.”

  

Dublin: Saturday 3rd April.

• Wreath laying at the memorial to the Battle of Mount Street Bridge, corner of Percy Place and Northumbland Rd, 1.30pm.

 Newry: Saturday 3rd April.

Wreath laying ceremonies will take place at the:

• Vol. Michael Hughes monument, Derrybeg estate
• Derrybeg volunteers Monument, Derrybeg estate
• Vol. Brendan Watters Monument, Barcroft estate
• St Mary’s memorial cross, Barley lane
• Republican plot, St Mary’s graveyard.

Fermanagh: Sunday 4th April.

• Assemble at the grave of Jim Murphy in Derrylin, at 11.45am. Speaker: Bernice Swift. Organised by the Seán Mac Diarmada Society.

 Dublin: Sunday 4th April.

• Assemble at Hart's Corner, Phibsboro, at 1.30pm, for march to Citizen Army plot, Glasnevin.

 Dublin: Monday 5th April.

• Wreath laying at the plaque for Fianna Hughes, Holohan and Rogers. Assemble at Ibis Hotel car park, Monastery Road, Clondalkin, at 12pm.

 Fermanagh: Monday 5th April.

• Wreath laying at the Bobby Sands monument in Cornagrade, Enniskillen, at 12pm.

 Belfast: Monday 5th April.

• Assemble at Milltown Cemetery gates, Falls Road, at 1pm, for march to Harbinson plot.

Óglach Robert Carr

Robert Manus Carr (commonly known as Bob) was born on 7th April 1959 in Quay St, Newry. His parents, Noel and Josie, lived in the ÓNeill Avenue area and they had one other child, Mary. 

In the mid 70s Bob Joined a local unit of the IRA determined to fight for his country's freedom.

In March 1980, Bob was critically injured in a premature explosion at the Customs Post on the Dublin Road. He recieved terrible burns to his body from which he never recovered. He died on the 1st April, six days before his 21st Birthday.

News of his death came as a great shock to his family and friends. His family treasure his memories and his comrades remember him with pride.

Honour Irelands Dead - Oppose British Rule

It's almost Easter, nearly a century has passed since Padraig Pearse proclaimed the Irish Republic and we are still suffering under British Occupation. In fact we are still facing all the injustices that contributed to the rising taking place, poverty, inequality, exploitation, violence and occupation.

It's a time when Republicans remember their fallen comrades who gave their lives in the struggle for Irish freedom, a struggle that still continues to this very day.

Those Republicans who participated in the rising were a small minority with no popular support, no political mandate, were rejected by the vast majority of the people and were condemned by Anti-Republicans for their actions.

Sounds familiar doesn't it? But didn't Connolly himself speak about the "respectable minority, ready to die to affirm that truth "?

Britain’s role in Ireland today is the same as it was in 1798, 1916, 1969 or 1981 – that of an imperialist occupier. The challenge now, for republicans, is it to expose the lie of ‘normalisation’ and build a new, broad based movement for Irish freedom.’

In Newry most people seem to stay at home at this time of year, others go and pay their respects in their own personal way, and politically orientated commemorations are dwindling in numbers, this is evident if anyone happens to see the various small commemorations on Easter Sunday. And i'm not confining that to one particular group, it's commonplace with the various groups who hold these type of political commemorations.

This isn't just something that has happened in Newry, it's happening all over but some areas are fixing that problem. For example in Tyrone, Republicans have Independent Easter commemorations, these are non political events with no political speeches and they draw thousands to them. Plus the families of the fallen Volunteers fully participate in them rather than the political commemorations.

All Irish republicans and socialists need to look afresh at the events of 1916, to revisit the Proclamation of the Irish Republic and to question what has really been achieved.

Do the people of Ireland have “ownership of Ireland”, “unfettered control of Irish destinies” and “right to national freedom and sovereignty”? Are “all the children of the nation” cherished equally?

To realise the aspirations of the 1916 Proclamation, radical change is needed.

We must all rededicate ourselves to the vision enshrined in this truly revolutionary document – an independent, united Ireland based on the principles of equality and solidarity.

At the weekend i received a Proclamation that was delivered to my door by éirígí activists. My initial reaction was to put my hand in my pocket, as soon as i done that the activists told me that they weren't taking money for them but were giving them out for free. They then explained to me that every single door they went to everyone had automatically asked how much were the Proclamations. While others only call to peoples doors whenever they're looking something (usually money or votes), Republicans were giving out copies of this historic revolutionary document free of charge. I spoke to the activists about the kind of response they got and they said the feedback from the doorsteps was overwhelming. The people were pleased and surprised that for a change Republicans were calling to their doors to give them something.

This type of grassroots activism is something that has become a rare sight over the years and despite being harassed by the British Militia they continue to be active within their communities.

This is only one of  the projects that Republicans in Newry will be involved in over the Easter period and they will be taking part in a number of initiatives during this time to remember this historic episode and to pay tribute to the brave volunteers who gave their lives over the years.

RUC/PSNI Harassment of éirígí Activists in Newry

éirígí members and supporters were stopped and harassed by the PSNI in the High Street area of Newry last night [Thursday].

The activists had been leafleting homes in the High Street area of the city when several PSNI vehicles drew up alongside them. Heavily armed PSNI personnel attempted to quiz the éirígí activists but, when challenged to explain under what legislation the harassment was taking place, the officers were unable to respond.

The activists subsequently refused to answer any questions put to them and insisted upon their right to continue distributing leaflets door-to-door as local people watched the stand-off develop. The PSNI then followed the éirígí activists for well over an hour as they went about distributing the leaflets.

éirígí general secretary Breandán Mac Cionnaith said: “Our members and supporters in Newry were engaged in quite legitimate political activity last night – the same type of political activity that is supposed to be widely acceptable in a democracy. However, it seems that engaging in political activity which is deemed acceptable elsewhere in Europe is classed as subversive by the PSNI, who are intent upon suppressing any form of political activity that is not supportive of the status quo within the Six Counties.

“There is a recurring pattern of PSNI harassment being waged against our members who are engaging in similar activity throughout the Six Counties. Almost without exception, that harassment is being conducted under politically motivated legislation, such as Section 44 of the British Terrorism Act, which the European Court of Human Rights judged to be unlawful in January of this year.

Mac Cionnaith continued: “Despite the ECHR ruling, the PSNI is continuing to use, on a daily basis, legislation which the court has declared to be “coercive”, “arbitrary” and “not in accordance with the law”. Indeed, during the whole of last year, stop and search legislation was used on almost 30,000 occasions.”

“While constitutional nationalist politicians might try to claim that there has been a sea-change in policing in the Six Counties, the reality of ongoing repressive policing tactics on the ground belies the harsh truth that little has changed and people in working-class communities across the North are only too aware of that fact.”


http://www.eirigi.org/latest/latest260310.html

RNU Calls Arrests Attempt to Hijack Easter Commemmoration

Reacting to yesterday’s political arrests and raids in Belfast and Lurgan, Republican Network For Unity(RNU) spokesperson, Martin Óg Meehan slammed the move as a blatant attempt not only to undermine the upcoming Easter Commemoration in Derry but also to undercut the growing signs of Republican discontent on a day which makes evident the chasm between Republicanism and those who serve British rule at Stormont.

“Easter is a hugely important time for Republicans across Ireland, when we commemorate those patriots who lost their lives to advance a Socialist Republic, as proclaimed in 1916. For the past few months, the Republican Network for Unity (RNU) and Derry Independent Republican Graves Association have been jointly organising a fitting tribute to fallen Volunteers.

Unsurprisingly, the RUC/PSNI has attempted to disrupt this by today’s arrest of RNU Ard Comhairle member, Tony Catney. Who has been instrumental in the planning of the above commemoration. Also detained was former Political Prisoner, Paul Duffy who is intended to be a guest-speaker on Easter Sunday. Alongside Tony and Paul, another two respected Republicans were also taken to Antrim Interrogation Centre.

During the remainder of the day the homes of the four men were destructively raided by the political Police. While their families, including children were placed under house arrest! Last year’s commemoration in Derry attracted a large crowd which was seen as a sign of growing opposition to British rule and housetrained Republicanism. The crown is reacting to growing Republican disquiet by targeting prominent Republicans who are seen to be organising that opposition.

RNU believe this latest round of political policing, proves the point more eloquently than anything that could be said that those who proclaimed that British rule in any part of Ireland was wrong and illegitimate are not hijacked by those calling for a deeper descent into a British administration.

In spite of this the Republican Network for Unity will continue to campaign on behalf of Republican objectives and will not be deterred from building a solid base.

RNU totally oppose the continued detention of Tony Catney, Paul Duffy and others and call for their immediate release”.

Irish Republican On Hungerstrike

Derry Republican Gary Donnelly is now on his 7th day on Hungerstrike in protest at being removed from the Republican wing and put in isolation in a criminal section of Maghaberry gaol. Enemy forces have said that the reason for this is because they claim  his life is under threat from fellow Republican prisoners, this ridiculous claim has been denied by Republicans. That is a ridiculous thing to suggest and is a clear attempt to criminalise Republican POWs and to cause division and suspicion among Republicans.

Gary has already lost 14Ib in weight since embarking on hungerstrike last Friday and he will continue with this protest until he is returned to the Republican wing. He is also being subjected to strip searches despite the fact that he is currently being held in isolation.

It's sad that in 2010 Republicans have to suffer this treatment and have to embark on hungerstrike and various other types of protest to demand something they thought they won in 1981. Sadly what was gained by the sacrifice of the 10 brave Volunteers in 1981 was signed away with the stroke of a pen in the 1998 GFA Treaty.

THEY ARE IN THERE FOR US AND WE'RE OUT HERE FOR THEM

A rally in support of the Derry republican will be held outside Maghaberry prison on Sunday at noon.

"NEVER WILL THEY LABEL OUR LIBERATION STRUGGLE AS CRIMINAL"

                   Óglach Bobby Sands

I JUST HEARD THIS EVENING THAT GARY HAS RETURNED TO THE REPUBLICAN WING WHERE HE SHOULD RIGHTLY BE AND HAS ENDED HIS FAST

What are They Scared Of???

Last night an éirígí banner on the Camloch rd had paint thrown over it in a cowardly late night attack. It's clear that anti-Republicans were responsible for this in an unsuccessful attempt to stop éirígí from spreading the message that British policing will never be acceptable to Republicans.

Those who carried out this attack wasted their time, i have spoken to several éirígí activists in Newry and they have an unlimited supply of these banners.

Are those responsible worried about the message that éirígí are putting across?
Do they fear the truth?

It's obvious that the irrelevants who done this are fearful of éirígí's potential and they are scared of the message that éirígí are sending to people.

At the end of the day these banners are only pieces of cloth but they are very effective at sending out a clear message to thousands of people.

If those responsible think that attacking Republican banners will silence Republican activists then they can think again, i have no doubt that this will only make the éirígí activists more determined to spread the Republican message.

We have a fair idea as to who was responsible for this as they didn't do a great job of covering their tracks and they will be challenged about it.

Republicans are in this for the long haul and won't be going anywhere and will continue to expose, oppose and highlight British policing in Occupied Ireland.

éirígí Protest Against British Warship In Dublin Port

éirígí have announced details of a protest in opposition to the docking of a massive British warship in Dublin Port. The protest which will take place this Saturday, March 13th will assemble at 2pm at Seabank House, East Wall Road, Dublin 3.

The HMS Daring, an air defence destroyer class of warship, is currently occupying a berth at Ocean Pier 32, on Alexandra Road, Dublin Port.

Speaking at the announcement of the protest éirígí spokesperson, Brian Leeson said:

'The presence of this British warship in Dublin is an attempt to portray the relationship between Ireland and Britain as normal, when in truth that relationship remains deeply abnormal.

'A section of Ireland’s national territory remains occupied by Britain, which maintains a permanent garrison of 5,000 British soldiers, 8,000 paramilitary police and 100s of MI5 operatives in the Six Counties. It is an absolute outrage that the Twenty Six county state would play host to the British war machine, under these circumstances.'

Brian concluded by encouraging people to join the protest on Saturday, ‘éirígí is calling on all those who support Irish freedom and oppose the ongoing British occupation of the Six Counties, to join this protest and send a very clear message to the British government that its forces are not welcome in any part of Ireland.’

Republican Newry on Google Streetview

I was just browsing on Google streetview and was able to view various Republican monuments and murals in the Newry area.

This will be useful for all you nosey feckers out there :)

Who needs big brother, when we have Google street view

Photos and Video of Sam Marshall Commemoration

Here are a few photos of last Sundays massive commemoration in Lurgan in which over 2,000 unbowed, unbroken, undefeated Republicans participated in.

                              Section of the massive crowd

 

                               Thousands Defiantly send a clear message

Here is a video of the commemoration which is accompanied by the speech made by Sam Marshall's sister.

                               Paul Duffy and Sam's sister

                                 Paul Duffy addresses the crowd

                               Caitriona Duffy reads a letter on behalf of her father

Thousands March in Lurgan

Yesterday thousands of Irish Republicans marched in Lurgan to remember Sam Marshall and to demand justice for all the victims of collusion.

The march was led by the families of the victims and were accompanied by the Naomh Phadraig Flute band from Kilkeel and the Carrick Hill Independent RFB from Belfast, they followed the exact same route that Sam Marshall, Colin Duffy and Tony McCaughey took on that fateful night 20 years ago.

Despite the large presence of heavily armed members of the political police the marchers and bands remained dignified and paid their respects to Sam.

The marched reached the spot were Sam was murdered and the proceedings then went underway. Ex-POW Paul Duffy (brother of Colin) chaired the proceedings and he spoke about how he had noticed the large number of former Prisoners, blanketmen and hungerstrikers in the vast crowd, this was very fitting as Sam himself had been a POW and had also served on the blanket. He then introduced us to the main speaker, South Armagh Republican, Pat McNamee. Pat gave a stirring speech and spoke about the families long quest for truth and justice, he also highlighted the unchanged nature of enemy forces in Ireland and pointed out that many of those who were involved in collusion are still serving members of the British forces. Caitriona Duffy then read a statement on behalf of her father Colin Duffy and former blanketman Alex McCrory presented Sam's sister with a magnificent portrait of Sam which was made by Republican POW's.

A minutes silence was also observed and the proceedings ended with Amhrán na bhFiann.

It was uplifting to see thousands of Republicans coming together to demand truth and justice. It wasn't too long ago Republicanism seemed to be in tatters, it seems now the tide is turning and republicans are once again united and taking to the streets to make their voices heard loud and clear.

COLLUSION IS NOT AN ILLUSION

Truth & Justice: Foreign Concepts to the Six County State

People could be forgiven for believing that the individuals and organisations that have most to gain from the devolution of limited policing & justice powers to Britain’s Stormont administration are determined to ensure that scenario never happens.

In recent weeks, the PSNI, David Ford and the British government have all seemingly been out to prove the point that éirígí has been making all along – that no meaningful change will come about due to the Hillsborough negotiations and the establishment of a puppet justice ministry at Stormont.

First up is the PSNI, the force we are told will suddenly morph into a non-sectarian, depoliticised civic police service on the day the British government grants nominal powers to Six County politicians.

Less than 24 hours after the Hillsborough negotiations were concluded, the PSNI was out and about in west Belfast making sure that nationalists and republicans were aware that it was business as usual on the policing front. Four éirígí activists who, appropriately enough, were erecting banners highlighting the unacceptable nature of the PSNI were stopped, searched, questioned and had items of their property seized by the force on the pretext that were engaged in “terrorist” activity (Protest Against Section 44 & the PSNI).

Despite the fact that the legislation under which the activists were stopped was, in January, declared illegal by the European Court of Human Rights, the PSNI has enthusiastically continued using it and has publicly stated its intention to ignore the ruling of the court.

Then, in Craigavon on February 27, the PSNI opened fire on nationalist youths with plastic bullets (Plastic Bullet Brutality in Craigavon). Since their introduction to the Six Counties in 1972, these ‘non-lethal’ baton rounds have been directly responsible for the deaths of 17 civilians, including those of nine children.

Despite claims by then PSNI chief constable Hugh Orde in January 2007 that plastic bullets would not be used in future for the purposes of “crowd control”, the lethal weapons have now been fired at the nationalist communities of Ardoyne, the Short Strand and Craigavon in the space of a little over six months, resulting in injuries to several children.

Against this backdrop of PSNI brutality and political policing, enter David Ford, Alliance Party leader and prospective Six County justice minister, and the British government.

On Wednesday [March 3], it was revealed that Ford, in an email to the British Liberal Democrats in November last year, had described the Saville Inquiry into the Bloody Sunday massacre as “pointless” and said there was no point in any politician asking questions about its progress in the British House of Commons.

While Ford as Stormont justice minister would have no power over issues like inquiries, which remain within the remit of the London government, the presence of a unionist who has demonstrated such disdain for the victims of British state violence as a figurehead would still be of concern to many nationalists.

Tony Doherty, whose father Patrick was killed on Bloody Sunday, said Ford “should be ashamed of himself”, while Liam Wray, whose brother Jim was killed, said he would not meet the Alliance leader following the comments.

“Let me tell Mr Ford that, although I am not a great advocate of the inquiry, it certainly was not pointless – it certainly scored points,” said Wray.

“This inquiry exposed quite clearly the fraudulent forensics that damned my brother’s and others’ reputations.”

British secretary of state Shaun Woodward has, meanwhile, refused to rule out lawyers acting on behalf of the British Ministry of Defence, in effect the perpetrators of Bloody Sunday, gaining access to the Saville report before the families of the dead. In doing so, Woodward cited his government’s favourite reason for putting the interests of the British ruling class above those of the Irish people – “national security”.

Also this week, British ‘justice’ minister Paul Goggins extended the use of non-jury Diplock courts in the Six Counties until at least July 2011.

In an astounding piece of double speak, Goggins said the removal of a person’s right to be tried by a jury of their peers was “necessary for the delivery of a fair justice system”.

Goggins could have been more honest and used the ‘national security’ excuse so beloved of his colleagues.

So, while nationalist politicians are proclaiming desperately the dawn of yet another new beginning in the affairs of the Six County state, their touted future justice minister, the British government and its police force are quietly going about the work of solidifying the status quo in occupied Ireland – devolution or no devolution.

Those nationalists who believe that the Stormont system – a system designed by Britain to be operated by people like David Ford in the interests of Britain and the class which people like David Ford represent – can be engineered to bring about the end of partition and discrimination should be mindful of the words of the late British Labour Party leader Michael Foot.

When offered a place in the anti-democratic House of Lords, Foot gave the response: “I think the House of Lords ought to be abolished and I don’t think the best way to abolish it is to go there myself.”

Wise words indeed.


http://www.eirigi.org/latest/latest050310.html

British Political Policing at It's Finest

Recently we have seen yet another fine example of British policing and Justice in action. Irish Republican Gary Donnelly was jailed for 7 months by the British establishment. This was in relation to an incident in 2007 when he was illegally stopped under the draconian section 44 legislation.

During this incident Gary, who was outnumbered, was handcuffed and had his arm fractured in 3 places by, martial arts expert, RUC/PSNI Inspector John Neill.

Yet it was Gary Donnelly who has been accused of assault!!

This is just one of a long line of examples that rubbish the claim that this force is has changed for the better.

We were told by the irrelevants that manners would be put on the RUC/PSNI, when in fact it's quite clear that the manners are being put on Republicans. ( i won't list all the injustices because i have done that many times on this blog)

We were also told that they would be held to account, it's quite clear that they are an unaccountable force. The DPPs are nothing but toothless talkshops.

In 2009 a total of 28,420 people were stopped and searched by the unaccountables , compare that figure to 2004 when over 14,000 people were stopped and searched, that is a dramatic increase. Under the St Andrews Agreement matters relating to "national security" the RUC/PSNI will be accountable only to the British Secretary of State and not a Stormont British Justice minister or the 6 County Policing board.

Despite tens of thousands of incidents regarding stop and search legislation not one person has been convicted!!!!

A name change does not make one difference to this militia. Just like when they changed the name of the RIC to the RUC, UDR to the RIR, and also the 14th Intelligence Unit to Force Research Unit, the change from the RUC to the PSNI should be viewed in the same light, no difference but for the name.

Thankfully the Republican message is being sent out loud and clear. Republicans in Newry have now distributed thousands of leaflets and have erected several banners highlighting the unchanged nature of the British Militia.

RIC-RUC-PSNI

UNCHANGED

UNCHANGING

UNCHANGABLE

Vigil Organiser gets Death threat

I have just seen on the news that the organiser of last weeks vigil, SDLP Cllr Gary Stokes, has received a death threat.

IF this threat is genuine then it is totally wrong and should be lifted immediately. Everyone has the right to peacefully protest whether we politically agree with them or not. These type of threats are wrong whether they are directed towards SDLP members or Provisional Sinn Féin members who have also allegedly received threats in recent times.

There was also an attack on the home of Sinn Fein activist and DPP member Gerry ÓReilly in North Belfast recently. As much as i despise the toothless DPPs and those who participate in them i totally disagree with Gerry's home being attacked. I'm sure he has a family and this is also an attack on them and they haven't done anything wrong. I don't know if Republicans or hoods were involved in the attack but either way it was wrong.


If people disagree with Gerry ÓReilly and Gary Stokes politically then there are other ways to challenge them.

I will however take this and other alleged threats with a large pinch of salt, as we know only too well how sinister forces can be playing their silly games.

Plastic Bullet Brutality in Craigavon

éirígí general secretary Breandán Mac Cionnaith has condemned the firing of plastic bullets by the PSNI in Craigavon last night [Saturday].

At least three baton rounds were fired by the force at youths in the nationalist Drumbeg and Meadowbrook areas.

Mac Cionnaith said: “Plastic bullets are lethal weapons. Since their introduction in the early 1970s they have been directly responsible for the deaths of 17 people. Yet the PSNI seems determined to continue using these barbaric weapons until they inflict heartbreak on yet another innocent family.

“At a time when the great and the good are proclaiming a new beginning for policing in the Six Counties, the PSNI is proving, by its own actions, that it is business as usual as far as its treatment of nationalist communities is concerned.”

Mac Cionnaith continued: “It is time for the PSNI’s political cheerleaders to come clean on their claims that the devolution of limited policing & justice powers will change the nationalist experience of policing.

“The PSNI is as unacceptable an entity as the RUC was. It must be opposed by all those with any concern for the human rights of nationalists and republicans. Incidents like last night’s in Craigavon merely prove that point.”

http://www.eirigi.org/latest/latest280210_2.html

Sam Marshall Commemoration, 7th March

20 Years on

Time for Truth-Time for Justice

Twenty years ago on the night of the 7th of March, 1990, Sam Marshall was shot dead when he, Colin Duffy and Tony McCaughey were coming home from Lurgan's RUC barracks, where they had to sign as part of their bail conditions. the shooting took place within a short distance of the RUC barracks. The three were followed to the barracks by a red Maestro and ambushed on their way home.

A channel Four Dispatches TV documentary broadcast in 1991, revealed that a British military surveillance camera was found facing the home of one of the men who had been with Sam Marshall when he was murdered.

In 1994 during an extradition hearing in America, RUC inspector Alan Clegg, admitted that one of the unmarked cars in the area at the time of the murder, the red Maestro KJII 486 was in fact an undercover surveillance vehicle which belonged to the "intelligence services", Clegg refused to divulge any further information to the US court on the grounds of "British national security".

Twenty Years on, the role of the RUC/PSNI Special Branch and British Military Intelligence in the murder of Sam Marshall still remains hidden by the British Government.
 
Literally scores of people died in the Murder Triangle around North Armagh and South-East Tyrone, as a result of the collusion and outright co-operation which took place between British Forces and loyalist death squads. Collusion was not just the result of a few bad apples.
 
Collusion was part of an overall strategic plan on the part of those within the RUC, the intelligence services and certain parts of the British political establishment.
 
The issue of collusion refuses to fade away. The full truth of why their loved ones died is the least that relatives and survivors are entitled to.
 
It is time that the British government permitted the spotlight of truth to be shone on all of those cases.
 

Support the parade and rally organised by the family of Sam Marshall to mark the 20th anniversary of his murder on March 7th 1990.

Assemble at Deeny Drive/Levin road in Kilwilkie Lurgan at 2.30pm on Sunday 7th March and parade to Kilmaine street where Sam was murdered.

British Embassy Protest a Huge Success

Republican Dublin Says No to the PSNI

On Saturday (February 27), more than 70 republican activists braved the freezing weather to attend an éirígí anti-PSNI protest at the British embassy, in Dublin.

The event, which was organised as part of éirígí's recently launched Different Name, Same Aim campaign, gave republicans from Dublin and the surrounding areas the opportunity to voice their opposition to Britain’s paramilitary police force.

Protesters held a variety of placards and banners containing messages such as ‘Plastic Bullets Kill’, ‘No to Internment – No to 28 Day Detention’, ‘Stop PSNI Harassment – Smash Section 44 Now’ and ‘Britain Out of Ireland – Saoirse Anois’.

Speaking at the demonstration éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson said: “The PSNI has gone into overdrive with the use of its repressive tactics in recent times. Last year alone, 28,420 people in the Six Counties were stopped & searched by the PSNI under repressive legislation.

“Despite the fact that this legislation was declared unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights in January this year, the PSNI has continued using it; harassing political activists, community workers, sports people and even school children on a daily basis.

“Meanwhile, the force continues to use plastic bullets, CS gas and Tasers on a regular basis, while remaining routinely armed with pistols and assault rifles and working hand-in-glove with the British army and MI5.

“These are not the actions of a depoliticised, civic police service, they are the ways of a sectarian paramilitary force – they are the ways of the RUC.”

Leeson continued: “It is also important to recognise that the PSNI will not be fundamentally altered by the devolution of limited policing & justice powers to the Stormont administration, if it ever happens.

“The British government has prepared for this eventuality by stating that, in matters relating to what it calls ‘national security, the PSNI will not be accountable to a Six County justice minister, it will be accountable to the British secretary of state.

“The British government is retaining its control over the PSNI, ensuring it will continue to be the frontline of the occupation. Republicans, socialists and democrats must oppose this force.

“Over the coming months éirígí will be stepping up its opposition to the PSNI and British rule in Ireland, both in the occupied Six Counties and here in the Twenty-Six Counties. We would encourage anyone who agrees with our analysis to put their shoulder to that wheel and join us in rebuilding popular resistance to the occupation.”

If you are interested in joining or helping éirígí in Dublin, or anywhere in Ireland, please:

Phone: 00353 (0) 86 236 72 98
or
Email: eirigimembership@gmail.com

Micro-Vigil to Condemn Republicans

On Friday night anti-Republicans called on the people of Newry to come out in force and show their disgust at the recent act of resistance by attending a vigil at Newry Town Hall.

Coincidentally i was driving past the Town Hall on my way home from work at the same time. I was quite amused to see that there were roughly 20 people standing awkwardly in the street.

The media outlets didn't help the embarrassing turnout either, UTV tried to save a bit of face by saying that 100 people turned up while BBC reported that 30 had turned up. Quite a contradiction isn't it?. The news footage that was also shown didn't do them any favours either.

This irrelevant micro-group had every right to peacefully protest on Friday night but it seems the call for people to come out in force was ignored.

So where were all the outraged decent citizens of Newry?

We'll let people make their own minds up

More Evidence of the RUC/PSNI Being Unaccountable

At a recent DPP meeting in Derry former Republicans called for stop and search powers to be "suspended".

The motion was carried after a private vote in which Provisional Sinn Fein were in favour, the SDLP abstained, Unionists opposed and independents were split.

The Political Police have so far ignored this motion from the body that is supposedly there to hold them to account, so what does that tell us? Well it tells us what we already know, that the RUC/PSNI is an unaccountable force (or farce might be more suitable).

Now firstly i would like to know how long they want them "suspended" for and why did the irrelevants not demand for these illegal powers to be scrapped completely?

There are numerous examples on this blog which prove they are not accountable to anyone.

The British police have a stockpile of 50,000 lethal plastic bullets, PSF are apparently opposed to these but what have they done about it? They haven't done anything because they can't hold them to account.

They introduced lethal taser stun guns, PSF are also apparently opposed to these but what have they done about it? Not a thing, they voiced their opposition but the cops introduced them anyway.

They opened fire on men, women and children in Ardoyne last summer injuring several residents, how were they held to account for this? They weren't.

The irrelevants tell us to use the DPPs and support them, and if we have any concerns we should attend the meetings and raise our concerns. What is the point in that when the RUC/PSNI refuse to answer questions asked at these toothless meetings? This was proven at a DPP meeting in South Down when a former Republican asked a few basic questions and the senior cop refused to answer them.

I still don't understand why the irrelevants called for stop and search powers to be merely "suspended". How long do they want them "suspended" for?

And the SDLP should also be ashamed of themselves for not even opposing it even though it was deemed illegal by the Human Rights Court. School children have been victims of these draconian tactics, do the SDLP not oppose the abuse of human rights and child abuse?

Even if this motion was successful and the powers were "suspended" it wouldn't be good enough, these powers are illegal and should be completely done away with along with the British police.

Republican Activism in Newry

In recent times, Republican socialist group, éirígí have been showing increasing signs of activism in the Newry area. Although i myself am not a member of éirígí i have several comrades who are active with them.

Since their formation they have made great strides and have recruited many prominent republicans including former combatants and ex-POWs.

Bear in mind that they started off in 2006 with just 6 members in Dublin, today they have activists, supporters and ciorcal established all over Ireland including Dublin, Wicklow, Cork, Tipperary, Sligo, Donegal, Belfast, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Armagh, Strabane, Lurgan, Portadown, Derry, Wexford and Waterford, Killkenny, Westmeath, Meath, Louth, Monaghan, Mayo they also have a presence in Scotland, and now they are active in Newry.

That is a massive achievement for this group and its very clear that they are doing something right.

They have also been involved in numerous political campaigns including:

• Reclaim the Republic campaign,
• Imperialists Out of Ireland,
• British Withdrawal Campaign,
• We Only Want The Earth campaign,
• Bring Home Noel Maguire,
• Repatriate Aiden Hulme campaign,

 and more recently the Different Name, Same Aim campaign which has recently reached Republican Newry.

 They have also organised several high profile protests such as the RIR protest and the Armed Forces day protest both of which brought hundreds of Republicans onto the streets in defiance of the British Army and the British Police.

 It's interesting to note that at the minute they are the only Republican group in Newry (that i'm aware of) who are actively opposing, exposing and highlighting British Occupation and British Policing in Ireland.

 Their 1st example of activism in the area was in December when they highlighted British Occupation. Since then they have now launched the Different Name, Same Aim campaign which focuses on highlighting the unchanged nature of the Political Police, also known as RUC/PSNI. The activists started of with erecting banners in various place across Newry and have now distributed thousands of leaflets in several estates with more areas to be covered in the coming days.

From speaking to the activists involved, this campaign is currently proving very successful and the response from people in these communities has been very positive with many people now taking a keen interest in the group.

I look forward to the weeks and months ahead and i can see éirígí making great strides in the Newry area.

Harassment of Republicans continues in Newry

Due to a recent upsurge in RUC harassment of Republicans in Newry, the PRO of the Joe Conway/Brendan Watters Cumann, Sinn Féin Poblachtach, Newry, Co Down issued the following statement:

“Following on from the recent harassment and intimidation of RSF members and their friends in the Newry/South down area, it has come to our attention that yet again a well-known Newry Republican was pulled in by the British colonial police on the Millvale Road just outside Newry on Thursday, February 18.

“When the RUC member approached the car the driver was alerted to the fact that the man was in civilian clothes. He introduced himself as a member of special branch and spoke to the driver who he knew by his first name.

“The driver immediately asked was he under arrest in which the RUC man answered no we would just like to arrange a meeting with you. The driver then told him to f##k off and that if he wasn’t under arrest then he was ringing his solicitor.

“No need for that ***** we know your under pressure [again calling him by his first name]we also know that your wife hasn’t been to well. All we are looking for is for you to provide us with information on certain Republicans that you hang around with.

“They were particularly interested in an ex-Republican POW from Newry who they kept mentioning a lot. As this kept going on for roughly another ten minutes the driver then proceeded to ring his solicitor with the cop reminding him that he would be back in touch as he left.

“We in RSF in Newry are seeing a worrying trend here in that this is becoming a regular occurrence against our members/family/and supporters of the Republican movement in the Newry/Southdown area.

“They are now using personal things like wives/girlfriends/family sickness to get at people as if to say we know everything.

“We would urge our members/supporters, and indeed the general public, that if you are approached by these forces of the crown to report it straight away to your legal representative and to your local RSF Cumann. This comes right on the backdrop of all that is happening with regard to policing and justice. We must warn the public that those up in Stormont will have no power in what MI5 and Special Branch does.

“One final observation we would like to point out is that anyone involved in spying or informing on the Republican movement will ultimately be given up by their British pay masters as history has shown us how these faceless forces operate so take heed and tell the RUC Special Branch in no uncertain terms that you would not become an informer - your life is worth more.”

Republican Newry Says No to the RUC/PSNI

With the Six County establishment parties scrambling desperately to secure their shady deal on the PSNI and sectarian marches, éirígí’s Different Name, Same Aim campaign reached Newry during the week.

éirígí activists in the city unveiled a number of banners proclaiming British Police Out of Ireland and RUC-PSNI: Different Name, Same Aim on Camloch Road, Derrybeg and Ray McCreesh Park in Patrick Street. More banners are to be erected in the area in the coming weeks, while thousands of leaflets will be distributed highlighting the unchanged paramilitary nature of the PSNI.

éirígí general secretary Breandán Mac Cionnaith said: “éirígí will be rolling its Different Name, Same Aim campaign out across the Six Counties in the coming weeks. Our activists in Newry will undoubtedly play a prominent role in this campaign and they are to be commended for getting the message out that republican Newry is implacably opposed to the activities and existence of the PSNI.

“The PSNI is an irreformable, paramilitary, sectarian force that has, as its primary objective, the protection of the British occupation. The devolution of limited policing and justice powers to Britain’s Stormont administration, if it ever happens, will not alter this reality.

“Even after devolution, the head of the PSNI would still be accountable to the British secretary of state in matters relating to what is euphemistically ‘national security’, but what is, in fact, the interests of the British state in Ireland. The PSNI would still work hand-in-glove with MI5 and the British army and protect the profits of the business class.

“This is why éirígí is making the battle against the political police a key part of its campaign for a British withdrawal from occupied Ireland.”

Anti-PSNI Protest – British Embassy, Dublin, February 27

As part of its recently launched ‘Different Name – Same Aim’ campaign éirígí is to hold an anti-PSNI protest outside of the British Embassy in Dublin at 2pm on Saturday, February 27th. The protest follows on the back of a similar protest in west Belfast on Monday last (February 8) which was attended by more than fifty people. (Opposing British Repression)

Over the last couple of years éirígí has regularly organised protests outside of the massive British embassy in Dublin. In August 2008 (Britain Challenged on the Streets – End 42-Day Detention!), March 2009 (Death Squads Out of Ireland) and August 2009 (Internment Anniversary Marked in Dublin and Enniskillen) dozens of people attended protests in opposition to 42-day detention, the deployment of British Army ‘special forces’ in Ireland and the continued use of plastic bullets respectively.

Speaking before the upcoming protest éirígí spokesperson Daithí Mac An Mháistír said, “Over the last few months the establishment political parties along with the Dublin and London governments, have attempted to present the so called transfer of justice and policing as the final piece in the jigsaw of a normalised Six Counties. But ever greater numbers of people are coming to the conclusion that this transfer is nothing more then a publicity stunt designed to boost the credibility of the PSNI.

“With the launch of our ‘Different Name, Same Aim’ campaign we in éirígí are highlighting the fundamentally irreformable nature of British policing in Ireland. It deploys draconian tactics, in the form of 28-day detention, Section 44 harassment, the firing of plastic bullets and so forth, in the vain hope that it can succeed where its predecessor organisations in the RUC and RIC failed.

“The British embassy in Dublin has been the scene of many hundreds of protests over the years, protest of all sizes on a wide variety of issues related to the British occupation. For people in the Twenty-Six Counties the building represents a very real manifestation of British interference in Ireland. I would encourage anyone who is opposed to British rule and the paramilitary PSNI to come along to the protest.”

Stop & Search Figures Double in Five Years

éirígí general secretary Breandán Mac Cionnaith has said the doubling of stop & search incidents in the Six Counties in the space of five years is evidence of the continuing political role of the PSNI.

According to figures released yesterday [Tuesday], the PSNI stopped and searched 28,420 people under so-called ‘anti-terrorist’ legislation in 2009. The figure for 2004 was just over 14,000.

24,541 of those detained last year were stopped under Section 44 of the British government’s ‘Terrorism Act’, a piece of legislation that was declared unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights last month.

Mac Cionnaith said: “The PSNI is a politically-motivated paramilitary force, the figures on stop and search incidents from last year highlight this fact. The doubling of the number of incidents since 2004 demonstrates that, not only has the PSNI not become more acceptable or less politically motivated, it has actually gone into overdrive in its attempts to protect the British occupation.

“The British government, the PSNI and its local cheerleaders in the Six County establishment parties have all ignored the recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights and continued as if it is business as usual in their daily work of solidifying partition and British rule.”

Mac Cionnaith continued: “The PSNI and the repressive legislation it is using on a daily basis need to be actively opposed; that is the only way that human rights abuses can be curbed and, ultimately, ended.

“éirígí will be escalating its campaign against the British government’s political police and their harassment of the nationalist and republican community in the coming weeks.”

http://www.eirigi.org/latest/latest100210.html

RNU - End British Policing in Ireland Protest 13th Feb

Those in the corridors of power, such as the British government, Stormont, and Leinster house, tell us there is a new dawn of peace and hope now in 'Northern Ireland'. They have conjured up lies stating, that the bad old days of the RUC and B-specials are long gone and that there is a police force in place that is 'accountable' to the people of the 6 counties, try telling that to those who endure endless raids, arrests, intimidation and harassment by the 'PSNI'.

Then there are those who once stood against British policing in Ireland who now seem to be under the illusion that, to end British rule they must administer it, dancing to the tune of the piper and accept whatever deal comes their way. Many of those in the Nationalist Community feel abandoned by these actions and left without a proper voice or support that was once there.

The Republican Network for Unity oppose British policing in Ireland, and call on all republicans, socialists, anti-imperialists and all those who believe in protecting human rights and civil liberties to unite and stand against British tyranny.

Republican Network for Unity will be launching a campaign in the 26 counties to oppose British policing and persecution in the 6 counties, and call on ALL groups and individuals to join us in this campaign.

On Saturday the 13th of February at 3pm, the Republican Network for Unity will be hosting an anti-British policing protest at the GPO on Dublin's O'Connell Street. The purpose of the protest is to highlight the ongoing suppression of the people in the 6 counties to the public in the 26 counties who are mainly unaware of the situation in the North of Ireland. We aim to show the 26 county establishment that there are those who will not accept the harassment and victimisation of their fellow countrymen who are only less then 3 hours up the road,.

We implore All groups and anyone who can make it, to attend the protest which is of the utmost importance so please do so. Banners, flags, placards all welcome.


END INTERNMENT BY REMAND!


SMASH SECTION 44!


POW STATUS FOR REPUBLICAN PRISONERS!


END BRITISH POLICING IN IRELAND NOW!