Letter to CBS News

Dear CBS,

As a viewer of 60 Minutes for two decades, and an Irish history college student, I am deeply outraged at your one-sided reporting on 19 January 1997. The interview with Sean O'Callaghan was a blatant attempt by the British government to use 60 Minutes to misinform all Americans. Sinn Féin is not the IRA! All funds donated by Irish-Americans towards Sinn Féin's efforts in achieving peace are strictly monitored by the United States government.

Myself and many Irish-Americans strongly urge 60 Minutes to provide an equal opportunity for Gerry Adams to correct these mistaken accusations against Sinn Féin put forth by the British government through Mr O'Callaghan.

Fair and accurate journalism should have been pursued on 19 January 1997, but it was not. I have had the opportunity to view first hand the dedication and enormous energy of Sinn Féin members to achieve peace with justice in Ireland. Never once have I witnessed any pursuit of achieving peace and justice outside of political and peaceful means.

I strongly feel that you owe all Irish Republicans, especially Sinn Féin members, an apology. Your biased report was an insult to their life-long commitment towards achieving peace with justice in Ireland.

As an Irish-American, and supporter of Sinn Féin for over a decade, I would also appreciate an apology. You have equally misrepresented my donation of time and money towards the peace process.

Paddy Newell,
Springfield,
Virginia,
USA.

Mother's disgust at RUC

A Chairde,

On Friday 10 January 1997 at 12 noon my wife, whilst pushing our six-month-old baby in a buggy, was assaulted and robbed on her way to collect our three-year-old son from nursery school. Following the assault not only did my wife lose her dignity when she was slapped around the face and thrown into a ditch, but also the memory of our eldest child, who eighteen months previous had been attacked along this very same path, came back to haunt her. During the robbery we lost a large amount of money together with personal belongings and private documents.

Within 20 minutes of this incident a teacher from the nursery school reported the matter to Woodburn RUC Station [Belfast]. The next communication from the police was at approximately 7.00pm that evening when they telephoned our home. We can confirm that at the time of the assault a police and army patrol were on duty in the nearby Springbank area of Poleglass - two minutes away from the nursery. On relaying this information to the police at Woodburn and seeking an explanation as to why they did not arrive sooner to obtain full details of the assault they stated that they considered the call from the teacher at the nursery school to be a hoax.

We can only say that the handling of this incident by the RUC adds insult to injury.

It would appear perfectly clear to all right thinking people that due to the lack of interest shown by the RUC in this matter that the overall message they wish to convey, and indeed have conveyed to my family, is that they show a total lack of concern for the people of Poleglass and the wider community.

In light of these events it clearly shows that as a community we must stand together and to the RUC I would say yes to law and order, but law and order for everyone regardless of community or creed.

Angry & Disgusted.

Included out

A Chairde,

A recent `Irish Times' editorial made the point that exclusion of parties has consequences for the whole political process - a point which Sinn Féin has long been making. Apparently inclusion is highly desirable as long as Sinn Féin is included out.

The paper also claimed that Sinn Féin was seeking to have the PUP/DUP excluded from talks. Sinn Féin has never sought exclusion of anyone from talks but has questioned the status of the loyalist ceasefire. It's a vital question taking into account a series of occurrences, beginning with the killing of Michael McGoldrick and going on through attacks on people going to mass in Harryville, petrol bombing of nationalist homes in Derry and Belfast and recent car bombings. The CLMC has not claimed any of these attacks and reference is made to the `CLMC umbrella'. This umbrella is obviously unsuited to the Irish climate since it doesn't seem to cover very much at all.

Add to all of that the antics of Trimble and Paisley during the marching season of `96 and the question could be asked: how many of the current participants at the Stormont talks are (or have been) in breach of the Mitchell Principles or is that matter decided on the basis of who is doing the breaching? Not that it matters very much at this stage as the entire talks process has been a complete non-event and totally misnamed with neither talks nor process involved in them.

As regards points made in Friday's front page article in the `Irish Independent' about the British government's attitude to peace in Ireland (e.g. John Major does not have a very keen focus on the North); little or no interest by London in advancing the peace process (could also add Dublin to that), I think that the paper could be charged under the trades descriptions act. Surely they are not suggesting that any of that is news?

Máire Ní Mhuircheartaigh,
Baile Atha Cliath 9.

Fuelling joyriding

A Chairde,

Vigilantes in Twinbrook and Poleglass are fighting a losing battle if action is not taken against people making money out of car theft.

Selling and buying parts of stolen cars must stop.

False insurance claims for stolen cars is common among hoods who have been kneecapped and got the DLA (Disability Living Allowance). After getting a claim (for whiplash) for a set-up car crash they give their cars to hoods to destroy for them and get a new one after a couple of weeks. This is not only endangering people's lives but gets more kids into joyriding.

JP Newton,
Poleglass.

Support youth

A Chairde,

In reference to recent suggestions that the republican movement is an ageing movement lacking young blood and energy and youthful enthusiasm needed to continue the struggle: I as a 14-year-old republican agree that perhaps youth is thin on the ground, but the youth that is there are very strong, patriotic, well educated and most importantly long-sighted, broad-minded people.

I do however feel that perhaps some of the romance is gone out of people's opinions of our movement and much of the youth of today have been put off by much of the political ``sidetrack'' talk employed by some leading political figures.

I also believe that the next decade and into the next millennium will signal the movement's destiny and for that reason the past generation must ensure that the current generation of republicans - who in my mind will bring about a settlement - must be groomed and respected because they are the future.

Young Republican,
Loch Garman.

Thomas Traynor and Mary Byrne

A Chairde,

My attention was drawn to a letter in your issue of 16 January headed ``Not so Independent''. It concerned a death notice for the late Mrs Mary Byrne RIP which was refused by the Irish Independent. The Irish Independent has not changed much since it called for the execution of James Connolly in 1916.

I would like to tell your readers a few facts about Mrs Byrne's father, Volunteer Thomas Traynor. He was a member of Bolands Mill garrison and hoisted the Tricolour there on Easter Monday 1916. He shared a cell with Sean McKeon for three years. Sean McKeon later became Minister for Justice in the Free State government and his cellmate was hanged in Mountjoy jail on 26 April 1921.

Mrs Traynor applied to the Minister for the remains of her husband from his former comrade but was refused.

Minsters of Justice since have all refused including Ray Burke, Maire Geoghan Quinn and Nora Owen.

Thomas Traynor is one of the Volunteers known as ``The Forgotten Ten'' whose remains still lie in the prison yard of Mountjoy jail. The best known of the ``Forgotten Ten'' is Kevin Barry.

When Thomas Traynor was executed he left a wife and ten children, the late Mrs Byrne being the eldest. She was aged 18 years at the date of her father's execution.

M Ni Céarnaig (Runaí)
National Grave Association,
74 Dame Street,
Dublin 2.

Not vigilantes

A Chairde,

It was with amazement that I read your correspondent Rita O'Reilly's article in the Christmas issue where she stated that Josie Dwyer was killed by a ``vigilante'' gang. At a time when 12 local community anti-drug activists are facing the courts, a comment like this would be expected from the reactionary Sunday/Irish Independent but not from An Phoblacht.

The anti-drug movement and all those involved in it have enough critics in the media without Rita O'Reilly joining the bandwagon.

Josie Dwyer's death was an accident. It is interesting that his companion on the night he died is now the latest weapon in the cops' attempts to break the anti-drugs movement but we shouldn't be surprised that they'll use drug dealers against us.

Unity of purpose is our strength. Let's keep that and not condemn each other as your article's comment did.

Aodhan Reid,
Cabra,
Dublin 7.