3 September 1998 Edition

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Mála Poist

What Celtic Tiger?



A chairde,

Some might say that the Celtic Tiger economy is great, ask these families. They all live on the Northside of Dublin.

Case A. An 8 year old boy with Downs Syndrome was refused entry to his local national school despite the fact that he integrated well in junior school. A catholic priest and the board of management took this decision. They blatantly broke the law and the Department of Education and Science left the family on their own. Archbishops' House was also informed.

Case B. Autisic male adult 18 years old. He is extremely difficult for mother and disruptive at times. There is no place for him at the moment.

Case C. An 8 year old girl with Dispraxia (Major Speech Disability) has no place for September 1998. Her parents had to take the Department to court. This case is before the courts at the moment.

Case D. A 22 year old blind woman with Downs Syndrome is still on a waiting list. There is no place yet for her despite numerous submissions.

Residential Waiting Lists: 1,439 people with a mental handicap

Day Care Places: 1,039 people with a mental handicap

These figures and cases speak for themselves.

Parents For Integration (PFI) represent 500 families of children with disabilites. Phone 8378028

Finian McGrath
Press Officer (PFI)

Omagh bombing



A chairde,

May I add my voice to your newspaper's criticism of the group behind the terrible act committed in Omagh. Like many people, I still feel a sense of shock.

You published a letter of mine a week earlier in which I criticised the authorities for the unavailability of witnesses regarding the Bloody Sunday Tribunal into the deaths of fourteen people in Derry. Years of work by many groups have won a new Tribunal only to find the MOD now bound by the Data Protection Act regarding ex-employees.

For a group of Irish people to have exploded the bomb in Omagh killing twenty eight people and injuring two hundred is not only a indescribable tragedy for those involved but it is, in my view, worse than what occurred on Bloody Sunday.

Omagh was a terrible act of violence which undermines the achievements of the peace process as well as the work of Rights groups. As a civil rights worker I admit an interest in this area.

The Good Friday Agreement is the surely the best way to ensure everyone respects each other's civil rights and lives in peace with one another.

John Cleary.
Avon

Hysteria versus truth



A chairde,

I note the efforts to find a paradigm to fit the Omagh tragedy in the recent pages of An Phoblacht and would wish to critically comment.

In contrast to Eoghan Mac Cormaic, I am prepared to believe in a horrible, shocking, military blunder as I have when IRA claims to such have been made in similar circumstances. Where life is concerned the enormity is irrelevant, one life, one injury, one trauma, one loss is of ultimate significance to its possessor, its family, its community, its nation.

From dozens of conversations with people of all opinions and none, their conclusions are much the same as mine, the possibility of a mistake. Together, we add to the list of abusive nouns and adjectives, every violent expression that comes from so-called political leaders in government and elsewhere - abuse that fosters hysteria and encourages trial by media and public opinion which those in Sinn Féin already know too well with the saddest results.

I expect Sinn Fein to be true to its concern for human rights at this time and to stand up for and by those affected. Human rights are universal and are not to be the victim of political circumstances and alliances.

The ventured theory of militarism is retroactive - trying to explain what has been happening to the ``physical force tradition''. I believe its proponents should acknowledge the strength of expectations on its movement - from initial individual approaches by members of the public, albeit in a confidential manner, who compelled the new thinking now acceded to by the IRA. The IRA was slowly led to conviction - enough at least to call a ceasefire but not, evidently, to declare an end to war and/or to hand in its weapons.

Indeed, the Sinn Fein leadership insists on a new interpretation of ``war'' to mean an end to injustice and inequailty. This is another shifting paradigm to interpret a common usage of ``war''.

Sinn Fein has to examine its own propensity for shifting paradigms to help bring the public on board with its thinking.

Republican splinter groups create and hold on in similar ways to their respective rationales. The public is looking on quite critically. The public has become a potent factor this time round. Indeed it has been in the frame all along; from now on, it might just be strong enough to keep ceasefires in place. Armed struggle in this period of Irish history is out of fashion.

And yet, change needs a growing activist public to pursue nationalist justice - it will not attract this with the word ``peace''. There is a whole content of justice that is identifiable, verifiable, measurable. Bring this to the public for discernment and response - do it quickly because there is a rapid disaffection from republican ideals (for example, only 55% of the Republic's population thought it important enough to vote on the constitutional issue).

For republicans, principles rather than paradigms are of utmost importance. Strategies have to be designed and activated to attract the public rather than operate in ``closed shops'' that come across as exclusionist, fear-filled. There has to be a sure-footedness in a sceptical, comfortable, weakly motivated, carelessly political population that finds it easier to give in to hysteria rather than to truth.

MM McCarron

Dublin to welcome pikemen and women



A chairde,

The highlight of the many commemorations of the Rising of 1798 held throughout the country this year has been the appearance of contingents of pikemen and women, marching with dignity and discipline in honour of those who died fighting for the ideals of the United Irishmen.

Wherever they have marched, the pikemen and women have drawn admiration and applause, not just for their magnificent bearing but also because they represented the people themselves, just like their ancestors who went out with pike in hand in 1798.

So far, numerous counties have seen such marching contingents but Dublin, the capital city, has not yet had an opportunity to applaud the marching pike carriers. Dublin was the cradle of the United Irishmen and it was planned that the Rising should start there. Thus, it would be fitting if the capital city could now honour the men and women of `98 by having a mighty March of Rememberence through its streets.

The Dublin 1798 Commemoration Committee, of which I have the honour of being Chairman, extends an invitation to all pikemen and pikewomen to take part in this Grand Finale to the year of commemoration.

Details of the march are as follows:

Date: Saturday 10 October 1998

Time: Assemble at Parnell Square at 2pm. March to start at 3pm.

Route: From Parnell Square, down through O'Connell St, through College Green, up Dame St, past Christ Church, into Thomas St, past St. Catherine's Church, down to the South Quays and across the Liffey to Croppies' Acre (where a wreath-laying ceremony will take place) back along the North Quays, into O'Connell St and ending at Parnell Square.

Total length of march: about 4 miles.

Along the route groups of pikemen will stand as Guards of Honour at special points, such as the GPO, the Old Parliament House at College Green, City Hall, Tailors' Hall, St Catherine's Church and Croppies' Acre. As the march proceeds these Guards of Honour will join the marching contingents. Pikes will be lowered at the GPO and at other places along the route (details later). It is hoped to provide refreshments after the march.

It is hoped that every contingent in the country will take part. I would ask you to let us know as soon as possible if your contingent can take part and how many can participate. This is Ireland's opportunity to show the capital that rural Ireland remembers `98. Bí linn.

Richard Roche
Chairman, Dublin `98
Tel/fax 01 833 7822

Protest against Clinton



A chairde,

Is Ireland really going to partake in the degrading experience of extending a Céad Mile Fáilte to an international terrorist?

How are we meant to stomach watching President Clinton console the victims and relatives of the Omagh bombing when just recently in an act of legalised terrorism he unleashed Cruise missiles on Sudan and alleged terrorist camps in Afghanistan?

Another purpose of Mr Clinton's visit is to strengthen trading links between Ireland and the US which is alarming. The US trade delegation which visited Ireland in June led by Commerce Secretary Richard Dally, included executives from some of the leading arms manufacturing companies.

The media embargo on this kind of information is disgraceful and unacceptable. Considering we are seeking to achieve an end to armed conflict in our country, it is shocking that America is confident it can establish more arms factories in the north and border counties and involve Ireland in exporting even more military goods.

The arms trade helps cause the equivalent of several Omaghs on a daily basis in Colombia, East Timor, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, amongst other Third World countries.

Because of the appalling censorship in the national press, we have not been informed exactly what is the Electronics Agreement that he is signing with Gateway 2000 Ireland this weekend in Swords, Co Dublin. What exactly are we agreeing to?

The deafening silence from the government on this issue and their typically hypocritical psychophantic response to the Omagh bombing is enough for the ordinary Irish person to want to dissociate themselves from our elected representatives.

The daily disappearances, tortures and deaths in Mexico and Colombia fuelled by US dollars is never written about, but the ridiculous details of his unsatisfying sex life are No.1 interest with the media.

Even more worrying is his involvement with the Nuclear Submarine Base in Scotland - one hour across the water from the north of Ireland. At his say, these bombs can be fired, as Tony Blair backs him 100%.

It's time for us to gain respect for Ireland, and say No Welcome Here. We owe it to ourselves and in solidarity with other oppressed countries.

Mary Kelly
Colombia Radical Action Campaign
Burtonport
Co. Donegal

An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland