Newry Saoirse rally biggest yet

By Brian Campbell

In the largest march in support of the prisoners that Newry has seen since the hunger strikes, 3000 people heard Martin McGuinness last Saturday hit out at the `militarists' in the British establishment who are holding up progress in the peace process.

``There is considerable proof that there are people still within the British establishment who are militarists, who are doing everything in their power to prevent a settlement on this island. Those people have to be confronted and faced down by the political leaders of the British government,'' he said. ``The British government will have to recognise that the minimalist approach that it has adopted to the plight of political prisoners is not good enough.

``Mo Mowlam has said that she believes that there are people within the civil service at Stormont who are involved in an attempt to sabotage the peace process. She believes that they are only 1% of the British establishment. We fear that it may be more. Why do we say that? Why are the British government adopting a minimalist approach to the prisoners? Why are the British government allowing the British army to rebuild new bases in South Armagh? Why are there British soldiers still on the streets of the north of Ireland? Why was a young man beaten by the Royal Irish Regiment in Lurgan on Thursday? Why are nationalists in Belfast and Derry and throughout the Six Counties still being harassed and intimidated by the British forces of occupation?''

McGuinness outlined the importance of republican demands being supported on the streets. ``One of the difficulties about this process is that when we as negotiators got to Castle Buildings at Stormont it creates the impression that everything is alright, that there maybe isn't any real need for us to come onto the streets in our thousands in defence of the prisoners or to demand our rights. Well let me tell you here today in Newry, nothing could be further from the truth.

``There is no use whatsoever in us being involved in negotiations in rooms at government buildings at Stormont if the people are not on the streets demanding an end to inequality, injustice and domination and the release of all the political prisoners.''

He ended with an appeal for support for mobilisations over the coming months: ``Let us go forward here today from Newry, recognising that we may be on the threshold of something very powerful, dynamic and important which could change our lives forever over the course of the next six or seven months. It is only through negotiation and pressure on the streets that we can bring the unionists and the British government to a position were they will eventually face up to the reality that there must be justice, that there must be an end to discrimination, that there must be an end to domination and that there must be an end to British jurisdiction in our country.''

The rally was also addressed by POW Colm Coyle who read a statement from local POWs. In it they said, ``What we need to do is to create a tidal wave of opinion so strong around all the issues which are important to us that no government will be able to resist it.''

The new head of Sinn Féin's POW Department, Councillor Martin Livingstone told the crowd of a recent meeting with NIO Security Minister Adam Ingram. ``The Labour regime still has the old rhetoric or criminals and terrorists. We need to get behind Saoirse to point out that internment, Diplock Courts, the hunger strikes, miscarriages of justice have shown to the world that none of our prisoners would be in jail if it weren't for the political conflict. We demanded the release of all political prisoners as an integral part of conflict resolution here. We don't want any tinkering at the edges with this problem. We want substantial and progressive movement.''

 

South Armagh helicopter protests

Farmers in South Armagh are reporting such a high level of British Army helicopter activity that it is becoming a threat to their livelihood. With nearly 350 helicopter flights to and from Crossmaglen barracks over the last three months there is a serious risk to cattle and sheep stampeding out of fear of these low-flying aircraft. In August and September two funeral services in St Patrick's Chapel had to be halted as low flying helicopters coming into Crossmaglen caused so much noise over the chapel.

The newly formed South Armagh Farmers and Residents committee has said it plans protests aimed at ending the dangers from helicopter flights.