Why no Woodward-style campaign for Hamill case?

A chairde,

For what it's worth, I would like to offer my sympathy and support to the family of murdered Portadown Catholic Mr Robert Hamill. This unfortunate man was brutally attacked when returning home with a cousin and two women. Why is there no outcry in the country about this grave injustice?

Why is there not a campaign in the media like the Louise Woodward case? No pickets, no white flags, no ribbons.

Is it any wonder the Northern minority feel alienated? Where is the leadership from the ICTU? Their silence on Harryville was deafening. The Hamill family should have the support of everyone. There's no time for sitting on the fence.

Finian McGrath,
Dublin 9.

A chairde,

If Louise Woodward had been an Irish au pair in England in a similar situation, would there have been a campaign to secure her release?

Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of this particular case, I think it is important to note it as yet another example of hypocrisy in British attitudes towards prisoners. Isn't it sickening that the British people remain largely oblivious to their torture of Roisín McAliskey while protesting so strongly about Louise Woodward?

Terry McAleenan
Dublin

Strangling the Celtic Tiger

A chairde,

I wish that I was in Charlie McCreevey's position right now. I am listening to a harrowing account of conditions in St Ita's School for the mentally ill in Portrane on ``Tonight with Vincent Browne'' on Radio One. It is hard to take all the guff about our miracle economy when I hear of the cruel lack of resources that these most innocent of our children have to suffer. ``Cherishing all the children of the nation equally'' my arse.

I have just returned from a meeting of the Parents (read Fund-raising) Committee of my childrens' school where I learned that the deficit for this year will reach over £45,000 - £30,000 of which is needed to pay teachers of basic subjects like Maths, Science and Technology. Almost every day we hear of multinational companies saying that the most important factor in locating here is (was?) a well-educated labour force. The government's short-sighted policy of failing to properly fund our schools risks strangling the Celtic Tiger.

I would earnestly appeal to the Minister for Finance to heed the sound advice of the Conference of Religious in Ireland (who have direct experience of dealing with the victims of the growing poverty gap, unlike many of the ``expert'' pundits) to direct the surplus resources at his disposal to the disadvantaged and to the education of our future workforce, rather than into more tax-cuts for those of us who are already well-off. Otherwise we will end up with a ``society'' riven with widening divisions between rich and poor and their inevitable results: more crime; more drug abuse; more money wasted on more jails and more police, yet more fear and insecurity among all our people.

(Dr) Sean Marlow.
Dublin 11

Shaved for Ireland

A chairde,

On 1 December, to coincide with the start of Prisoners' Month, a function has been organised by Dublin Central, Tallaght and Darndale Sinn Féin cumainn. This event will be called ``Plucked for the Prisoners'' and will involve eight republicans getting their heads shaved. All sponsorship money received by those involved will be forwarded to the POW Department. Republican prisoners in Portlaoise and Long Kesh are also taking part in this event by getting their heads shaved and providing spot prizes for the POW benefit draw.

The event will take place in Barrys Hotel (off Frederick Street, Dublin) at 8pm (doors close 11pm). MCs for the evening will be Councillor Christy Burke and Eamonn Nolan.

There will be a ballad session and a bar extension. Táille is £5 and we ask republicans to sponsor those getting their heads shaved by buying POW draw tickets and function tickets which are available in the Sinn Féin bookshop, Parnell Square.

Go raibh maith agaibh.
John Murtagh, NIC SF,
Sean Crowe, Tallaght SF,
Andy Kavanagh, Darndale SF.

Keep distance from McAleese

A chairde,

It is important now that Sinn Féin has helped elect Mary McAleese, albeit without a formal endorsement, that we now create some clear blue water between herself and ourselves.

Mary McAleese, for all the attempts by her anti-national enemies to portray her as a ``Provo fellow traveller'' is nothing of the sort. Whilst tactically it was correct for republicans to back her (not as a number one vote, I would argue) it is vital that we are not tainted by association with this very flawed character.

Her record is one of careerism to the exclusion of any efforts to aid either the civil rights struggle or any subsequent struggle. People like her benefit from the work of others in fighting but simply do not get their hands dirty.

Her most distinguishing political characteristics are those of support for the Catholic Hierarchy and Fianna Fáil's conservative nationalism. Amongst her first statements on election were to denounce republicans and our struggle. This is not a new theme for her. She is quoted in The Examiner (4 November) as supporting an end to the GAA ban on British terrorists from membership, categorising it as sectarian. That statement was made six months ago.

The likes of Mary McAleese will always betray the working class in pursuit of her own interests and those of her class. We must now distance ourselves from her least we are tainted by her foul politics. Her victory was a defeat for the reactionary anti-national and pro-unionist elements in the south and this I welcome. But it was no great victory for republicans, just another defensive act.

By the way, am I free as a Sinn Féin member to express a preference for an election candidate of any party on air without Sinn Féin first taking a decision on it?

James McBarron,
Cork.

Calling all radicals

A chairde,

In Queen's University and elsewhere notices are appearing which outline the winter programme of open meetings being held by the New Ireland Group on certain Saturday mornings from 10.00am to 12 mid-day at the Ulster Peoples' College in Adelaide Park.

Having attended such meetings in the past it was disappointing to miss the open discussion on the Orange Institution in Ireland which this innovative group has already hosted in this series.

Possibly because of lack of resources these discussions are not widely advertised, thus excluding people who might otherwise wish to participate in them. As the next one (Saturday, 15 November) will be led by Quintin Oliver on the topic, `Quangoland' I am writing to encourage radically minded citizens to attend so that they may vent their feelings and express their ideas concerning the appalling democratic deficit in Northern Ireland.

Quintin Oliver is chairperson of the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust and has also served with distinction on Mary Robinson's Council of State in the Irish Republic.

Fortunately the New Ireland Group usually writes up a summary of points made and changes urged as a result of their open discussions so that, in time, these may reach not only power brokers but also those who strive to promote radical social change in Ireland. I hope to be there, the question is, however, will your readers join me?

Philip Dugdale
Belfast

Cairde Shinn Féin

A chairde,

I would like to take this opportunity to inform readers of An Phoblacht that the latest issue of the Chairde Shinn Féin newsletter, CSF News, is now available.

Membership of CSF is open to everyone who wishes to support Sinn Féin in a practical way and costs only £20 per year. Anyone wishing to receive a newsletter should contact Joe Reilly, 44 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

Joe Reilly,
Director CSF.

Political prisoners in US

A chairde,

Regarding a recent letter in An Phoblacht by an African-American expressing solidarity with Irish political prisoners: I would like to write a few lines expressing solidarity with and drawing attention to the plight of America's own political prisoners, of whom there are over four hundred, some on death row.

Just a few examples: Chris Plummer was sentenced to 15 to 23 years in jail for his alleged part in a raid against a Nazi house in Texas. Chris has just been transferred to a new jail and has already been assaulted and believes he will be killed as the ever thoughtful prison authorities have placed him with Nazi prisoners.

Since 1982 Mumia Abu-Jamal has been on death row framed for the killing of a cop. Mumia's real crime was to be an ex-Black Panther, supporter of radical group `Move' and constant opponent of injustice.

At the moment awaiting execution in Alabama is a 13 year old falsely convicted, mentally retarded boy named Michael Barnes. Letters to and protests at the American Embassy/Consulate could help.

Terry Clancy,
Belfast.