“The Good Friday Agreement: Lessons for Activism"

On Mon, 22 May 2023, 12:15 Human Rights Consortium.

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The Social Change Initiative and The Detail would like to invite you to a half-day conference to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement referendum.

 

When: 9.30am, Tuesday 23 May 2023

Where: The MAC Belfast

 

The conference will reflect on the role of civic engagement in influencing the Agreement, successful post-Agreement campaigns, and the work that still needs to be done.

 

Moderated by BBC journalist and presenter Tara Mills

Speakers will include:

 

·       James Orr, Northern Ireland director, Friends of the Earth

·       Patricia McKeown, regional secretary at UNISON

·       Jackie Redpath, Greater Shankill Partnership

·       Clare Bailey, former Green Party leader

·       Conchur Ó Muadaigh, Conradh na Gaeilge

·       Twasul Mohammed, Anaka Women’s Collective

·       Trevor Birney, The Detail editor

·       Avila Kilmurray, founding member of Women’s Coalition

·       Martin O’Brien, Social Change Initiative

·       Dessie Donnelly, Rabble Co-operative

·       Seán Brady, Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR)

Event details:

 

9.00am – registration

9.30am – conference begins

11.05am – coffee break

1pm – event end followed by light lunch (see full details below)

 To secure your place please contact Claire Simpson at csimpson@thedetail.tv or on 07986652788 by 8 May

With many thanks to: Social Change Initiative for the original publication.

PUP leader Billy Hutchinson has lost his seat on Belfast city council the people of east Belfast have overwhelminly rejected him and his policies and politics in east Belfast.

"Where do we go from here"?

UVF spokesman Billy Hutchinson stands under the infamous mural in East Belfast

THE downfall of the PUP in east Belfast is sending a clear message to the PUP and who he represents in east Belfast i guess the message is very clear to him and his party now the 'Progressive' in the 'PUP' was not progressive enough for the people of the North of Ireland.

As we move forward it is also very clear that who he represents has also been rejected his bedpals in the East Belfast UVF have also overwhelminly rejected them too. They need to start asking themselves very serious questions "where do we go from here" that's one of the questions they need to discuss amongst their little gang members.

So will they now "go away you know" with their tails between their legs. Or stay to fight another day? My answer to them both is you's are finished no longer wanted in the communities you have been terrorising. The walls you stand beside should be repainted with more reflective images of a more "Progressive' nature of how the communities want to live in a reflective society. Your time has "come & gone". 

But will they listen?

Hierarchy of perpetrators

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

18 May, 2023.

Hierarchy of perpetrators

Kenny Donaldson (May 12) writes that “diminishing the effects of terrorism is not the preserve of one section of the community”. However, Mr Donaldson would seem to suggest that ‘poking (their neighbours) in the eye’ is the preserve of the nationalist community alone. The flying of Para flags on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the spectacle of unionist politicians hobnobbing with present and former spokesmen for loyalist terrorist organisations, acting as pallbearers at funerals of convicted murderers, or selecting candidates for election who have made inflammatory and grossly sectarian statements, apparently do not count.

Mr Donaldson refers to ‘up the Ra’. chants by a young FAI women’s team and by some Armagh supporters. The infamous Windsor Park hatefest during the 1993 Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland match, the threats to Catholic Northern Ireland players and the Billy Boy-type chanting by Northern Ireland fans over the years merit not a mention. While all sides involved in the conflict committed atrocities, and all honour their dead regardless, there was stark difference in the treatment by the state and the judiciary of various categories of perpetrators and defendants. Thousands of republicans and nationalists were convicted of offences by non-jury courts, often on foot of confessions extracted under torture, sometimes on the word of supergrasses or double agents, or as in the case of the Birmingham Six, dodgy forensics. Those convicted served thousands of years in prison. Conversely only a handful of British troops were ever charged with murder; those convicted were handed over to BA ticket of leave ‘custody’ and on ‘completion’ of derisory sentences were re-instated with back pay, even promoted.

State agents and agents provocateur involved in murder and torture and who were responsible for many of the 2,000 deaths to which Mr Donaldson refers were given immunity, spirited away and given new identities.

Just as there was a perceived hierarchy of victims, there was and is a hierarchy of perpetrators.

BRIAN PATTERSON

Newry, Co Down

With many thanks to the: Irish News letters page for the original story.

Conveniently labelled

I have only one real and direct response to Kenny Donaldson – ‘Glorification of terrorism again to the fore’ (May 12) – the only ‘terrorists’ in Northern Ireland during the period of 1921, when its parliament was set up, were, initially, the infamous B Specials, followed by the members of the RUC, aided and abetted by the British army and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. The people who were very conveniently labelled as terrorists were ordinary citizens taking direct action to achieve their ordinary civil rights denied to them by the so-called democratic process. For 50-plus years they tried that ‘process’ but the gerrymandered state that was Northern Ireland ensured that they failed at every turn.

Incidentally, whose ‘land’ was Mr Donaldson referring to in his statement that “physical terrorism ravaged our land”?

PETER PALLAS

Bantry, Co Cork

With many thanks to the: Irish News and the letters page for the original story.

On This Day, 18 May 2001, Remembering Óglagh Seán Mac Stiofáin IRA chief of staff agus Óglagh Martin Meehan RIP.

Remembering Our Patriot Dead Seán Mac Stiofáin IRA Chief of Staff

Seán Mac Stiofáin IRA chief of staff and my late father together pictured here 1972 at the funeral of Colm Keenan. PHOTO CREDIT/PACEMAKER

#OTD 18th May 2001, death of Irish Republican Seán Mac Stiofáin first chief of staff of the provisional IRA ,in later life he became an involved activist with Conradh na Gaeilge

#Irishrepublicianhistory 🇮🇪 

Follow here to see more: 

And here:

Ireland may not be perfect but it is on right path to be free and prosperous

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

 17 May, 2023.

 

“Ireland unfree shall never be at peace” were the climactic closing words of the graveside oration of Patrick Pearse at the funeral of Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa on August 1 1915. These seven words, however, have now very different connotations in the contexts of the north of Ireland today.

With the definitive end of the Troubles, of the peace process that came from the St Andrews Agreement in October 2006 and the assembly elections in March 2007, the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin formed a government. These parties represent people who have been divided for generations, split by the religious and political lines that fuelled the decades-long conflict since partition. While basic everyday needs are common to both, what they can’t have is one section of the community having cultural supremacy over the other. The peace process is fragile and, like the Good Friday political agreement, must be protected. The Brexit negotiations have shown the United Kingdom political parties have miserably failed the north of Ireland. With the current protocol plans incorporating the Windsor Framework agreement, a solution will be found not on the basis of victory for either, but on the basis of agreement and a partnership between both for the betterment of Ireland.

Sinn Féin’s rise is shaking up Ireland’s politics. There are increasingly loud calls to prepare for a border poll under the terms of the GFA. One outcome of which might be the unification of Ireland, free from partition and free from UK sovereignty over the north of Ireland. Rooted in the military campaign for a united Ireland, Sinn Féin was long an outsider in politics due to its political association with the Irish Republican Army. With the conflict in the north largely over since the 1998 peace deal, the movement has reinvented itself to appeal to a new generation of voters. Now, in a historic shift, it has become the biggest party in the north and also leads opinion polls in the south. That makes its demand for a referendum on unification harder to ignore. Unionists could demand a border poll to show confidence in unionism. The UK and Irish government could actively, on the back of the Good Friday Agreement, encourage the DUP more forcefully, set out a vision for unity and call a border poll to put the issue to bed. A prerequisite to the referendum is for the Irish government to form a citizens’ assembly and then publish a White Paper informed by its recommendations, setting out plans for Irish unity which will form the basis of debate during the unity referendum. The aim would be to develop a range of options about the future structure of Irish unity and how it would operate. It would allow people to have a clear idea of what they are voting for. It would be an important preparatory work to ensure that reunification is a success and begins with certainty. Unionists must be challenged to do likewise. Ireland may not be perfect but it is on the right path, to be free and prosperous to build for an all-Ireland future anchored to the EU.

With many thanks to the: Irish News and James G Barry, Templeogue, Dublin for the original letter published in the Irish News today.

MORE IN LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Ireland may not be perfect but it is on right path to be free and prosperous

Local government structure needs overhauling

DUP to blame

    

Program for newly-elected Local Government launched by Retail NI

Retail NI vice-president Helen Wall lunches Revive NI

With two days left until the Local Government elections, Retail NI has published a Programme for Local Government for the newly-elected 462 councillors.

Retail NI is urging the public to vote for candidates who have the right policy priorities to regenerate our local high streets.

The document, ‘Revive NI’ sets out key policy priorities to create green 21st century high streets, empower local councils and fix what Retail NI calls “our broken and antiquated business rating system”.

For an incoming Executive, ‘Revive NI’ also sets out new proposals for business rates relief to promote scale-up, investment in green technology and Foreign Direct Investment in disadvantaged areas.

Launching the document Retail NI Vice-President Helen Wall said: “Retail NI want to see refocused, reinvigorated and resourced local councils that will be the changemakers helping to create 21st century high streets and be key partners in making Northern Ireland the very best place in these islands to locate, start and scale up a business.

‘With these Local Government Elections, we believe it is time to update our policy priorities and introduce some new ideas for our 11 councils’

“Alongside a dynamic retail and hospitality offering we also need to ensure our villages, towns and cities become multi-functional hubs with libraries, community services, police stations, healthcare, leisure, education, open spaces, housing, and sports facilities.

“The theme of this Revive NI is regeneration and how to create 21st century town and city centres. With these Local Government elections, we believe it is time to update our policy priorities and introduce some new ideas for our 11 councils, their 462 councillors, our 90 MLAs and 18 MPs.”

Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said: “This election shouldn’t be about the Windsor Framework. Voters need to consider which candidates and parties have the right policy priorities to deliver economic regeneration and revived high streets.

“For an incoming NI Executive, we set our new proposals for additional rates relief to incentivise businesses to scale-up and create new jobs or invest in energy efficient technology.

“In addition, we are outlining proposals for an FDI Rate Relief scheme to encourage new companies to locate in disadvantaged areas to boost their local economies."

To advertise with us call: 028 9045 7457

With many thanks to: Retail NI and Helen Wall vice-president Retail NI for the original publication.

Follow this link to find out more on this story.

Coronation policing row journalist is mocked over pal Lyra

A journalist caught up in a policing row during the coronation of King Charles has been trolled online over his friendship with murdered writer Lyra McKee.

City of Westminster safety volunteers patrol the streets around central London protecting women by handing out free rape alarms

English freelance reporter Mic Wright (38) revealed the Metropolitan Police had arrested members of a night-time women’s safety team as they handed out rape alarms ahead of Charlie’s big day.

The volunteers also gave out bottled water and flip-flops to vulnerable members of the public, but were scooped by officers in the early hours of coronation day.

Following his coverage of the arrests, Mr Wright posted on Twitter about his pal Lyra and how he was inspired by her, saying: “Reporting over this weekend, I was thinking of Lyra.

The Tweet released by the Metropolitan Police shortly after the safety volunteers had been detained

“I know what she would have told me: ‘Get them’. Lyra McKee — never forgotten, not for a day, an hour, or a minute'.

“I miss her every single day. I can end up in tears if I don’t think about what she’d have expected of me — get out there, help people, report it out. We needed her so much.

“If you don’t know Lyra McKee’s work look it up. And then expect of the journalists you trust that they work as hard as she did, that they care as much as she did, and that they elevate the voices of people whose voices are being ignored like she did. It’s what this should be.”

Mic Wright (Credit: Twitter/Mic Wright @brokenbottleboy)

Responding to Mr Wright, a user with the handle @T_om_s, who has over 1,700 followers, said: “Any other dead journalists going to give you a posthumous endorsement today or is that your lot do you reckon?”

The post was met with a number of angry responses on Twitter and caused upset to Mr Wright.

•Tributes paid to 'trailblazer' Lyra McKee on anniversary of her murder

•Memorial event takes place on forth anniversary of the murder of Journalist Lyra McKee

Reacting to the crude jibe, he said: “I slept quite fitfully because I made the mistake of reading someone mocking me for talking about Lyra on here. She was my friend, a really good friend. I don’t have to prove that to anyone. People know.

“But someone sneered at me talking about my dead friend. And claimed I was saying she would endorse me from beyond the grave.

​“She would have wanted the best for me like she did in life. I miss her deeply. And the grief is still raw.

“I have unfollowed everyone who was following this guy who mocked me, f*** this guy.

“I can’t accept someone mocking Lyra’s death and me caring about it.”

Alison Miller has made a film about her friend Lyra McKee

In April 2019 Lyra McKee was gunned down during a dissident republican riot in the Creggan in Derry.

The crime shook the north and led to an outpouring of public grief from friends, family and politicians as well as fellow journalists.

A documentary about her life, directed by Alison Millar, was released last November to a warm reception.

Responding to Mr Wright on Twitter, Ms Millar said: “Mic you are amazing — giving a voice to those they have tried to silence. Just as Lyra always did. If anyone is interested in knowing more about the mighty Lyra, Faber Books published Lost, Found, Remembered. Our film Lyra is also on Channel 4.”

“Your film made me cry so much x,” he replied, adding: “I will never forget her and never stop doing what she believed I could do”.

Police officers made the arrests on Coronation day

Ms Millar responded: “I know. She is so alive in the film & then we lose her all over again. What an incredible inspiration she was, you are so right. As she said, ‘It’s better to go down fighting…’ Sending best wishes back to you xx.”

The Met claimed to have “received intelligence” people “were planning to use rape alarms to disrupt the procession” during the coronation.

Two women (37) and (59) and a man (47) were arrested.

All three were released with no further action.

With many thanks to the: Sunday Life and John Toner for the original story.

Follow these links to find out more on this story: 

•Safety volunteers arrested hours before Coronation 

•Safety volunteers arrested in claim they planned to 'disrupt Coronation with rape alarms' 

•Coronation policing row journalist is mocked over pal Lyra

Unionist dominated Ards and North Down Borough Council to spend another £38m trying to repair a movable swimming pool floor in Bangor after it cost £38m to build.

The movable floor of a £38m swimming pool in Bangor, County Down, is to be replaced because it developed a defect less than a decade after it opened.

Bangor's Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex is home to an Olympic-sized 50m pool

The 50m pool at the Aurora Aquatics and Leisure Complex is the only swimming facility in Northern Ireland that was built to Olympic standards.

It opened in 2013 but last year the fault put half of the pool out of use.

Ards and North Down Council tried to repair it but has now said it has decided to replace the floor instead.

"This is a very complex issue in terms of delivery," a council spokesman told BBC News NI.

He explained that a process "has been under way for several months to appoint a team that will design the new [floor] and appoint the required contractors to install it".

"In the meantime, a cost-effective interim solution that uses the existing floor system was approved by the council and put in place to minimise the impact on users," he added.

The issue has affected the training of Northern Ireland's elite swimmers.

Last summer, coaches complained that the venue could not be used practice 50m lengths as only 25m of the pool was accessible.

•Pool issues 'hurting Commonwealth Games hopes'

At the time, Nelson Lindsay, coach of Paralympic champion Bethany Firth, said the defective floor was affecting swimming competitions.

"The system put in place in Aurora, the raised floors are so flimsy that they bow in the middle and officials are standing with water halfway up their chins."

In their response in June 2022, the council said it was "aware of the defect with the moveable swimming-pool floor".

It said it had appointed specialist contractors and was waiting for a repair date to be confirmed.

But almost a year on, it has been decided that the floor should be ripped out instead.

The Aurora leisure centre is owned by Ards and North Down Council but for the past 10 years it has outsourced the management of the centre to private operators.

Serco Leisure, in partnership with the Northern Community Leisure Trust, recently won a five-year contract extension to manage the venue until 2028.

The 50m pool was described as "flagship project" of the Sport Northern Ireland Elite Facilities Programme, which was aimed at creating Olympic-standard facilities as a legacy of the 2012 Games.

Sport Northern Ireland and Stormont Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure contributed more than £14m in grants towards the £37.84m Aurora construction.

Ards and North Down Council's predecessor, Down Borough Council, was selected as the preferred bidder for the Olympic-standard pool facility at the time.

The pool had been due to open in 2010, but government funding and problems transporting the roof beams meant it was delayed and did not open until March 2013.

As a result, the Bangor project came second in the race to built biggest pool in Northern Ireland as the first 50m pool opened in Magherafelt in September 2012.

With many thanks to: BBC News NI and Eimear Flanagan for the original publication.

Follow this link to find out more on this story: Bangor: Floor of Aurora pool to be replaced due to defect.

NO BANQUET FOR YOU COMRADE, JUST A LONELY DEATH, IN A LONELY HELL.OGLACH BOBBY SANDS DIES AT I : 17 AM, 5TH MAY, 1981. LEST WE FORGET.

A LETTER TO BOBBY. { APRIL 2006}.

Óglach Bobby Sands Fuair sé Bás ar son saoirse na hÉireann

Mo chara, i still think of you with love and affection after all these long years. In many ways i feel disconnected since you left in May 1981 , it's been and still is a strange feeling.

I still think alot about that day in February 1981 when we met for the last time , at Sunday mass in the canteen , when we shook hands and you , more or less , bade goodbye to each of us that morning - what a feeling ! If i could , mo chara , i would bring you back to life , so all of this pain and inner sorrow, which at times plights my life , could end.

I have to tell you that when you died { the Dark , Brendan Hughes , shouted the news down the wing that morning } , i didn't cry , but silently thought to myself that you had escaped Criminalisation and had left us to face the battle on our own. A selfish thought i suppose . But now , in the fullness of time , i realise that in death you and the boys broke our chains and forever set us free , and for that i am eternally grateful.

I have tried to live a good life , one which would make you proud. The values which we shared in the H Blocks - honour ,brotherhood , integrity , courage and grit determination , i still aspire to in civilian life . My reference point has always been the Blanket protest in the H Blocks and the lessons learnt then have guided me ever since.

Sometimes when i am in bed during the stillness of the night , i can hear you speak to my heart and there are times i feel your presence so close to me that i reach out to touch you . It's not so strange , i tell myself ,because wasn't it you who told us not to worry about death , for rebels like us never really die - we live on in the hearts and minds of those we have touched on this earth.

Growing tired again mo chara , it's late and another day dawns . Looking forward to the day when i will see your face again , so until then keep watching over me and give me the strength to carry on.

Love , Seamus. xxx

Left to right - Bobby Sands and Seamus Kearney

Special Operations Branch (SOB), PSNI officers, lose baton rounds during hostage rescue operation in Belfast hotel

Police have lost two ‘less than lethal’ projectile rounds during a hostage rescue operation in Belfast city centre and are appealing for it to be handed back.

PSNI attend Clayton Hotel on Sunday evening. Pic by Kevin Scott.

Two Attenuating Energy Projectile (AEP) rounds have been missing since Sunday night when a man threatened staff and guests at Clayton Hotel.

PSNI Detective Chief Superintendent Rowan Moore, Head of Special Operations Branch, said specially trained firearms officers responded to incident.

"Upon arrival of police, the suspect was holding a man hostage in the hotel and then attempted to make off from the scene,” he explained.

“As a result of their dynamic response to this very dangerous situation, the officers were able to detain the suspect and safely resolve the incident without any injury to those involved.

"A 31-year-old man has since appeared in court charged with a number of offences, including carrying an imitation firearm and false imprisonment.

“Immediately following the operation, it was discovered that two AEP rounds were missing.”

The AEP is a soft nosed impact projectile and a successor to the rubber or plastic baton rounds used in the past.

•Hostage drama as armed police swoop on Belfast hotel following reports of ‘man with gun’ 

•Man appears before court on charges linked to ‘hostage situation’ at Belfast hotel

Ryan John McElkerney was remanded into custody on charges connected to the events alleged to have unfolded inside the premises on Ormeau Avenue.

The 31-year-old, of Serpentine Gardens in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on charges of carrying an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and criminal damage to the hotel.

DCS Moore said searches of the immediate area have been conducted without success.

“While any risk posed by these rounds is low, we are making the public aware that they have been lost and, despite the extensive efforts of police, have not been located,” he added.

“We are well aware of our responsibilities to safeguard equipment and the potential consequences that flow from that and are treating the loss of these rounds extremely seriously.”

A review of the operation has been set up and already commenced to prevent a similar mishap in the future.

Police are appealing to anyone who may have lifted the items to return them without delay, or for any member of the public who should come across these items not to touch them, but to contact police immediately on 101.

With many thanks to the: Belfast Telegraph and Brett Campbell for the original story.

Follow this link to find out more on this story: Specially trained PSNI officers lose baton rounds during hostage rescue operation at Belfast hotel

UVF Convicted rapist one of two men arrested over "military-style" assault rifle and drugs find

A UVF convicted rapist is one of two men who appeared in court accused of possessing an automatic "military-style" assault rifle and £50,000 worth of cocaine.

Gerry 'Vermin' Vernon, 33, served time with the British armed forces and is pictured here with an M4 carbine rifle

Appearing in court by video link were Andrew Morrow, 44, of North Road, Carrickfergus, and Gerald Verner, 33, of Fairview Terrace, Newtownabbey.

Both are charged with possessing an M4 carbine rifle and 5.56mm ammunition in suspicious circumstances.

THE M4 carbine rifle is used by British armed forces whilst on combat duty

They are also accused of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply.

Mr Verner is further charged with possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply, possessing Class C drugs and having criminal property, namely £4,325 in cash.

A detective constable told a judge at Belfast Magistrate's Court that police on patrol on Friday 5 May saw Mr Verner jumping over the front fence of Mr Morrow's North Road home and getting into his car.

M4 Carbine rifle

He was stopped and searched and a small quantity of "cannabis edibles" was found in his "man bag''.

"In the North Road property there was an M4 carbine, a quantity of ammunition and a large quantity of Class A cocaine with an estimated street value of £50,000," the detective said.

THE ammunition recovered is very significant 5.56x45mm (pictured here).

'Fully functioning'

He said police needed to test the suspected weapon to confirm that it was indeed a gun before they could forensically analyse it.

The assault weapon was found in Carrickfergus IMAGE SOURCE,PSNI

"But enquiries to date lead us to believe that this is a fully functioning rifle, which is quite significant," he added.

Mr Verner's defence solicitor said he was objecting to his client being connected to the "North Road charges" as "he is not seen exiting the property or the four walls of the building".

"A male was observed jumping over a fence. There is no connection to these charges. There is no forensics and no DNA evidence," he said.

However, the detective said that Mr Verner was seen leaving the "confines of the property, the back door was open and he had access to the four walls".

UVF convicted rapist Gerry 'Vermin' Vernon 

She told the court that Mr Verner declined to answer questions about his presence at North Road.

In relation to the £4,325 cash found at his home, he stated that it was a loan from his cousin to get a private apartment but refused to give the name of his cousin.

A Public Prosecution Service lawyer said: "Mr Verner is a known associate of Mr Morrow. He is seen leaping out of the North Road property and it is a reasonable proposition to say that he was in the house.

Ammunition was also seized IMAGE SOURCE,PSNI

"In that house of a known associate of his, a weapon, ammunition and a significant amount of drugs were found. At his [Mr Verner's] home there were no weapons but there were drugs and a significant amount of money.

Granted bail

"He told police at the scene that 'you won't find my prints' on the weapon, ammunition and drugs. We say there is a significant amount of circumstantial evidence to connect him to the North Road charges."

The judge said "there is just enough in the round to take it over the threshold of connection".

Mr Morrow did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody.

Police objected to Mr Verner being released on bail.

Citing his criminal record, the detective constable said Mr Verner had convictions for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, rape and threats to kill.

"He is currently on court bail for quite a serious assault in October 2022. He has breached that bail on several occasions,'' she said.

Gerry 'Vermin' Vernon

She added the £50,000 cocaine haul would lead police to believe that he is "involved in a substantial organised drug supply network involving the possession and moving of wholesale quantities of Class A and Class B drugs to unknown entities".

The judge said he was agreeing to release Mr Verner on his own bail of £500 along with two sureties totalling £1,500 along with strict conditions.

The case will be mentioned again on 5 June.

With many thanks to: BBC News NI for the original publication