20 May 1999 Edition

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Mála Poist

RTE snubs massacre relatives



A Chairde,

Two hundred relatives of those who died in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in 1974 gathered on the eve of the 25th anniversary to remember their dead and to ask for the truth about the deaths of their loved ones.

In the heart of Dublin the small procession wound its way to lay wreaths at three sites of death. It was joined by people from Warrington and Omagh, from Monaghan and members of the Ludlow family of Dundalk.

The Silver Anniversary Memorial was not mentioned on the State's RTE1 early or late evening news. Instead, RTE1 took us to the Burlington Hotel to witness Fine Gael launch its Euro campaign and then to the Berkeley Court, where it panned champagne-drinking journalists, TDs, and government representatives celebrate the departure of Gay Byrne.

The State closed its eyes and ears to the pain and quest of its people on a very poignant occasion, and shame on political Dublin for failing to welcome the officials from Omagh.

M.M. McCarron
Rathgar, Dublin.

Same story, different setting



A Chairde,

I commend the warnings about legal land acquisition in Roisin de Rossa's centrespread (AP/RN, 22 April).

The pattern looks very similar to global multinational activity: resourse identification (land itself and/or what lies beneath it), land legislation in favour of government control, militarization to fence acquisitions.

How comparable indeed is the use of force: Nigeria - soldiers; Ireland - Irish Gardai at critical moments? The rhythm is exactly the same whether it be Ballinamore or Ogoni.

Having lived through the intensity of the military Land Use Decree of the `80's in Nigeria where all land of a huge country was legally acquired by a military dictatorship, and witnessed the cost of resistance to the Ogoni and, presently, to several ethnic groups seeking fair oil exploitation in the Nigeria delta, I support such warnings in Ireland.

I suggest that all groups intervene in the passage of the Telecommunications (infrastructure) Bill, 1999; equally, they must demand public debate throught he media; mast sites are not all that visible to urbanites!

Tina Smith,
Finglas.

An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland