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18 December, 2003 |
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Other News
• Iraq The capture of Saddam Hussein at a farm in Adwar, ten miles from his home town of Tikrit, on Saturday 13 December, may secure the electoral fate of US President George W Bush. The Iraq war initially sent Bush's poll ratings soaring. However, they had been steadily falling as the post-war situation grew increasingly dangerous and the US public became increasingly sceptical about his Iraq strategy. The detention of Saddam may make the forthcoming Presidential campaign a lot easier for the Republicans. Ferris calls for Public Inquiry into Barron Report 
On Tuesday night in the Dáil, Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris raised the need to hold a public inquiry into the issues highlighted by the Barron Report. Ferris also asked that such an inquiry would consider all allegations of British military and intelligence involvement in violent incidents within the state between 1969 and 1976. In his reply, Minister for State Brian Lenihan said that the Barron Commission would report on these in the New Year, and that the question of whether to hold a public inquiry would then be considered. Photo: Judge Henry Barron with Bertie Ahern last week Report highlights plight of Colombia Three The Bring Them Home Campaign (www.bringthemhome.ie), which is working to secure the release of three Irishmen awaiting a verdict in Colombia on charges of assisting FARC guerrillas, has published a report titled Colombia: Judge for Yourself. The booklet details the serious violations of fair trial rights of Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan. Catholic school evacuated Catholic schoolchildren who had been attacked at a residential course last week in Bushmills County Antrim were evacuated from their school in Cushendall during a loyalist bomb scare. St Aloysius's High School was evacuated after receiving a phone call warning that a bomb had been left at the premises around 1pm on Friday 12 December. The family of IRA Volunteer Pearse Jordan has expressed anger after the Court of Appeal dismissed their case against the Director of Public Prosecutions' decision to refuse to press charges against the RUC man responsible for killing Pearse on 25 November 1992. The Court of Appeal dismissed the case against the DPP on Friday 12 December. British to break plastic bullet pledge? Relatives for Justice has called on the British Government to stand by its commitment to ban plastic bullets by this Christmas. The call comes after the British Home Office issued 'new' guidelines on the use of the weapons in the Six Counties, despite a pledge given during negotiations at Hillsborough that the deadly projectiles would be discontinued by Christmas 2003. A man acquitted of trying to kill two RUC members and a woman voter at a Draperstown polling station in 2001 has accused British agents of bugging his car. Noel Abernethy said he found the device after he was forced to stop his car half a mile from his Dungannon home because of a problem steering the vehicle. BRO leaves Belfast Community Groups in the lurch West Belfast community workers are furious with the Belfast Regeneration Office (BRO) after a number of funding applications for much needed projects based in the Twinbrook and Poleglass areas of West Belfast were rejected or deferred over recent months. Sinn Féin meets Electoral Office Sinn Féin Chair Mitchel McLaughlin met with Chief Electoral Officer Dennis Stanley on Monday 15 December to discuss the difficulties surrounding the Assembly elections on 26 November. Noting that tens of thousands of people who were entitled to vote had that right taken away from them at the November election, McLaughlin said every effort must be made to ensure that the experience is not repeated when the European Parliament elections come around in June. Portfolios announced for new Assembly team Sinn Féin Assembly group leader, Newry Armagh MLA Conor Murphy, announcing details of the portfolios for the new Assembly team on Monday, said the British Government's suspension of the institutions is hindering the work of MLAs. He said that in the immediate period ahead it is vital that elected representatives challenge direct rule ministers and ensure no decisions are made that do not reflect the needs of people living in the Six Counties. No St Patrick's Parade for Belfast - again In spite of the fact that St Patrick's Day is celebrated worldwide by people of all races and religions, it is still viewed as "offensive" by unionists within the Six Counties. At least so it would seem - based on the recent determination of Belfast City Council's "Good Relations" Steering Panel, which, for the second year in a row, has voted not to fund the St Patrick's Day Carnival Parade. More die from drugs than on roads 
More people die in Dublin City from drug overdoses than road accidents. Health board figures reveal that 86 people died from drug-related overdoses last year but that two thirds of these deaths were preventable. Photo: Dublin grafitti Ferris calls for strong line at Fishing Talks 
Sinn Féin Dáil spokesperson on Fisheries, Martin Ferris, has called on the Minister for the Marine, Dermot Ahern, to take a strong line in defence of Irish fishing interests at Wednesday's meeting of the Fisheries Council in Brussels. The EU is proposing severe cuts in quotas and allowable catches (TACs) along with further possible restrictions on fishing days. Photo: Martin Ferris East Galway selects candidates 
Two candidates have been selected by East Galway Sinn Féin to contest next year's local elections in the towns of Ballinasloe and Loughrea. A very successful Election Convention was held on Monday 15 December in O Dea's Hotel, Loughrea, attended by party members and supporters from both towns. Photo: Eoghan Mac Cormaic, Jason Devlin and Danny Callanan Philanthropy no substitute for political change 
In the run up to Christmas, the growth in the number of charities in this state becomes increasingly evident. The streets of our cities are filled with competing organisations collecting money for their causes, including housing associations, hospitals, hospices, youth clubs, disability groups, international development organisations, groups working with the elderly and homeless organisations. Photo: Brian McFadden and Kerry Katona 
Tar Anall held its annual presentation of certificates at an Open Day on Thursday 4 December at its premises in the Conway Mill Complex in West Belfast. Among the achievements and qualifications recognised were those gained by young people from its youth development project and up to a dozen women in the over 50s group in courses run by Tar Anall's Training and Development Unit. Photo: Sue Ramsey was Santy at the Tar Anall party Palestinian academic addresses Belfast audience 
The prominent Palestinian and Islamic Academic Dr Azzam Tamimi addressed a packed public meeting at the Cultúrlann MacAdaim Ó Fiaich in West Belfast on Thursday night 11 December. Photo: Dr. Azzam Tamimi Ulster Museum launches Irish at War exhibition 
The Ulster Museum, on Belfast's Stranmillis Road, launched its latest exhibition, Conflict: The Irish at War, last Friday 12 December. Exploring almost 10,000 years of life in Ireland, the exhibition looks at the violence and conflict that has been such a central and dynamic force in our history over the centuries. Indeed, the violence of occupation and the resistance to that occupation has been the main ingredient in the formation of modern Ireland and the Irish nation. Photo: Jamie Leigh McAleese, Kirsty Conlan, Gael Conlan and Danielle Tierney from Vera Fosta School 
A special collection of photos and prose, created by young people who have been bereaved or traumatised as a result of the conflict, was exhibited in West Belfast last Thursday 11 December. Michael Dwyer Bicentenary commemoration 
A large gathering attended the unveiling of a memorial stone at Kiltegan, County Wicklow, to mark the 200th anniversary of the ending of Michael Dwyer's guerrilla campaign against the crown forces. The event was organised by County Wicklow Sinn Féin and the 1803 committee. Photo: Michael Dwyer is remembered |
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