ARCHIVED ITEMS
Northern Ireland — a perspective – by Sean Mc Aughey
Contact Sean Mc Aughey
Antrim
Councillors hit out at town's drugs trade
Antebellum
Antrim Town - still a cold house for Catholics and a fridge freezer for
Irish Republicans
Attack Against Antrim Bandsmen Reports "Flawed" say Community
Representatives
US-EU Summit Puts Business Ceos Ahead Of Consumer Groups
South Belfast Cross Community 5-a-side Soccer Team at National
Finals
US Schools Must Disclose Information About
Crime on and Around Campus
12 August 2004
Antrim Councillors hit out at town's drugs trade
A cross-party group of Antrim councillors have launched a blistering attack on the town's drug dealing gangs after school children uncovered a potentially deadly hidden cache.The PSNI raced to the Ballycraigy estate earlier this week following reports that youngsters had found what they believed to be a gun in a hedgerow.
A blank firing pistol was recovered, along with two 'nine bars' of cannabis worth £2,500.
In recent days police have also made 'significant' seizures in the town's Parkhall estate and recovered £500,000 haul of ecstasy in nearby Rathenraw.
SDLP councillor Donovan McClelland has praised the recent successes in the drugs war - but he voiced concern at the 'sheer recklessness' of the dealers and the scale of their illegal trade.
"There's no doubt that the PSNI deserve credit for their actions this week,"he said.
However, it is a matter of some concern that such huge quantities are being brought into the Antrim area." These sentiments were echoed by Ulster Unionist Paul Michael, who warned that there was no room for complacency in the battle against the dealers.
"This suggests that there has been a significant increase in the amount of drugs being pumped into this area.
"Thankfully for the law-abiding people of this town, the police are doing their utmost to fend off this menace. For their untiring service they deserve our thanks."Sinn Fein's Martin Meehan said he welcomed any onslaught on the 'despicable trade'.
"Drugs have been a major problem in towns like Antrim and Ballymena for a number of years, and this is confirmation that it hasn't gone away,"he said.
[http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=3D550625]
July 18, 2004
Catholic Family Forced Out By Loyalist Paramilitaries
By Sean Mc Aughey
(16th July Antrim Town)
A Catholic family have been forced to flee their home in Antrim Town. The family fled their home in the predominantly loyalist Steeple / Parkhall estate after their home was attacked by a loyalist mob accompanied by a high ranking Loyalist leader and UPRG spokesperson living in the town.The present whereabouts of the family is not known but they were escorted to safety by a PSNI escort.
14th July 2004
14,000 Loyalists quit Antrim since 1998 signing of Good Friday Agreement
By Sean Mc Aughey
It is widely known in Antrim Town that unionist paramilitaries, "pro agreement and on ceasefire" gunned down 19 year-old Ciaran Cummings on July 4th 2001. The Red Hand Defenders claimed they were responsible for the slaying. Which they say was in retaliation against nationalists voters who elected two Sinn Fein councillors to the Antrim Borough Council three weeks previous.
Former first minister of the Assembly and UUP leader David Trimble blamed Irish Republicans for the murder saying it was drugs related. Trimble retracted this statement a day later. The Cummings' family are still harassed and taunted by local unionist paramilitaries. The Cummings' home and car has been vandalized; the family memorials are desecrated, burned and destroyed. No one has been prosecuted for the murder.
Antrim Town for many Nationalists is an unacknowledged story of loyalist violence, hatred, intimidation and fear. Many privately admit such fear but few will go on public record because reprisals from Loyalists come quickly and local politicians, clergy, police, teachers, journalists and some peace campaigners stay mum.
Catholic Church records in February 2003 reveal that 1400 Catholics left Antrim Town since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Further published reports from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) document at least 90 Catholic families have been forced out of their homes since May 2002. Targeted families, include Catholic members of the British forces, and mixed religious marriages.
To date only Sinn Fein highlight what appears to be an ongoing unionist paramilitary inspired and orchestrated pogrom against Catholics. Most other politicians remain silent about the mass exodus of citizens or comment weakly, condemning unionist perpetrators as mindless or describing Catholic intimidation as isolated. But for Catholics in Antrim Town the loyalist intimidation appears precise and well thought out.
In September 2002, the PSNI gave the local press a distorted and incredible account of the situation affecting Catholics in the area. Despite the NIHE publication of precise exodus figures in the local press and a fullest breakdown of Antrim estates affected. The Chief Operations Manager of the Antrim PSNI, Nick Purce told the Belfast Newsletter that the predominantly nationalist Rathenraw estate was one of the highest percentage areas of intimidation, when Rathenraw is attributed with less than 1% of the mass Antrim exodus by the NIHE.
But, what the police account had so glibly avoided is the fact the only 1 Rathenraw family had fled Antrim Town after countless death threats from unionist paramilitaries. The greater insult to Irish nationalists living in Antrim Town is the desperate perpetuation of a unionist myth that the family fled not from unionist paramilitary intimidation but because of tit-for-tat violence.
St. Malachy's Catholic High School in Antrim Town has many parallels with Holy Cross Girls School in Ardoyne. In April 2001 unionist paramilitaries first showed up at St. Malachy's High School gates. Schoolchildren have since faced up to 150 unionist “protestors” accompanied by their Pitbull terriers, Dobermans, Alsatian dogs and the Antrim Town Progressive Unionist Party representative, Ken Wilkinson.
The Catholic School buses were attacked; children were assaulted and taunted. School authorities deny there is a problem at the school. Unionists ascribe the problem to one man's presence, Paddy Murray, a former IRA Prisoner and until very recently the Chairman of Antrim Sinn Fein. Murray’s presence was given as a reason for the protest, but is that the case? He is despised by loyalist paramilitaries in the area and graffiti warns Murray to "watch his back" and to "remember Ciaran Cummings ha ha".In March 2002, Paddy agreed to stay away from the Catholic school even though his son was a pupil. More than 2 years later the Loyalist gangs still return to the school and Catholic children continue to be intimidated and assaulted.
St. Malachy's parents held two public meeting concerning the safety and welfare of all Antrim school children. Political, religious, community leaders, educators and the board of governors among others were invited. But only Sinn Fein and Mr. Sean Quinn, headmaster of St Malachy's attended the meetings.
All too familiarly, the "loyalist protest" occurs under the eye of a watchful but idle police force. The PSNI claim they are upholding unionists' rights to protest and unionist paramilitary flags and emblems and red white and blue lampposts containing the initials of the Ulster Volunteer Force now surround St Malachy’s school.
But, there is a belief in his community that Murray is not only a scapegoat at the school but that he also serves as a sacrificial lamb for those politicians who are afraid to face up to the loyalist gangs. Many nationalists also believe that the PSNI are unwilling to act against the loyalist gangs. The so-called new police service claims to utilize "a mirror policing policy" which may on face value seem fair but it is a policy that creates more problems than it solves. The mirror policing policy is akin to good cop - bad cop on a community scale. One day the cops treat nationalists unfairly and the next time out it is the Unionists turn. This policy will be elaborated in the later paragraphs of this article.
In July 2003 trees surrounding Murray’s home on the Rathenraw estate were cut to the ground. The trees serve as a natural boundary and for the beleaguered Rathenraw residents as a "peace" wall separating and protecting them from the Stiles Estate, the source of many unionist paramilitary attacks. Many trees were felled before the residents' group could halt the NIHE action.
The NIHE claimed they were engaged in routine pruning. But, International observers, including IAUC member, Carol Russell, witnessed and photographed the action. The tree cutting and felling left nationalists feeling more vulnerable than ever to attack. And within a week after the NIHE action, Paddy Murray, who has three children including 2 infants, and Aine Gribbon, a mother of eight who recently stood in the council elections as a Sinn Fein candidate, were both visited by the PSNI and told they are on a UDA death list. Murray’s name is at the top.
The PSNI admitted to the press they had asked the NIHE to cut down the trees for "security" reasons. The NIHE denied colluding with the PSNI in the same article. NIHE officials and PSNI members later informed the Rathenraw residents that trees on the Stiles Estate will also be cut down. This statutory approach fully adheres and illustrates the logic of “mirror policing”. Which ought to be understood, as meaning Catholics shouldn’t feel too aggrieved because Protestants living across the road will now feel just as vulnerable as they do and this is fair and balanced policing.
Antrim Town is regarded as a garrison town but the psyche of the most dominant gaze resembles a genteel American deep south outback more than any British village. Much of the town is covered in a plethora of unionist paramilitary flags and other unionist emblems and loyalist young militant gangs armed with hatchets or meat cleavers roam the town attacking catholic schoolchildren. Sinn Fein European election posters and the Irish national flag Irish are regarded as antagonistic and therefore removed by the police. Nationalists claim the same SF posters and Irish flag were later seen placed on 11th night loyalist bonfires in the town.
This article is far from definitive, it is simply a brief synopsis on an Antrim taboo and backdrop that nationalists confront each day. Many unionist spokesmen have already said there was never any sectarian trouble in Antrim until Murray arrived. Unfortunately some prominent nationalists are quick to acquiesce concerning the Republican POW presence. There are others also who would rather believe that there is no sectarian problem in the town at all, just a Paddy Murray problem. On June 28th 2004 at about 4am a bomb exploded at Murray’s family home in Rathenraw which is the most recent attack, no political representatives have visited or contacted him or his family, an SDLP representative has voiced some public concern and a loyalist spokesman has publicly denied any UVF involvement in the bomb attack but the Loyalist spokesman described the IRA POW as a “disruptive” presence.14th July 2004
Attack Against Antrim Bandsmen Reports "Flawed" say Community Representatives
By Sean Mc Aughey
According to Rathenraw Community Association members, recent reports surrounding an attack against a bus carrying Loyalist Bandsmen at Rathenraw, Antrim Town is "flawed".Residents disputing the reported version of events, claim the trouble was "sparked" by 20 or more "drunken bandsmen who launched an attack against nationalist's homes after the Steeple Young Defender's bus stopped at Rathenraw."
A Rathenraw resident, who asked not to be named said: "The bandsmen deliberately stopped at Rathenraw and threw bottles at many homes including mine. Loyalist attacks have become "normal" for Catholics living in Antrim especially in the lead up months to the 12th. But she said: "Last year during the 12th period, there were no loyalist attacks at Rathenraw at all and I would put this down to the presence of International Observers."
According to reports in the local press, the Observers would once again be present in Antrim Town this year, but they were not.
Rathenraw Community Association Chairman, Paddy Murray said: "Windows on the bandsmen's bus were smashed by youths living in this community. This incident happened after the Loyalists attacked homes in the area and most definitely not as they were driving by Rathenraw on their way home, as reported in the press."
Murray said: "Residents are now asking for a meeting with all political leaders in Antrim to discuss a long series of false reporting and a long time lack of consultation with this community by all political parties especially when press statements are being issued and he said, the other occasions when no press statement released when residents believe one is due, regarding attacks against the Rathenraw community and its members. "
by Sean Mc Aughey
June 23, 2004
US-EU Summit Puts Business Ceos Ahead Of Consumer Groups
Representatives Of 65 Consumer Organizations Boycott One-Sided Meeting At Dromoland Castle
report by Sean Mc Aughey
In a different kind of globalization protest, a coalition of 65 consumer groups in Europe and America today decided to boycott a meeting with senior officials at the 2004 EU-U.S. Summit in Ireland on June 25th in protest at the exclusion of consumers from a meeting between Summit leaders (President Bush, Prime Minister Ahern, and President Prodi) and the transatlantic business community.The Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) has been the voice of the consumer interest in the Transatlantic Economic Partnership trade policy discussions since 1998. The group had planned to discuss with senior U.S. and EU trade officials its recommendations urging action to reduce childhood obesity, protect air travelers' privacy and regulate tens of thousands of potentially dangerous industrial chemicals that now escape close scrutiny.
TACD leaders decided to boycott the summit on learning that business representatives (TABD) were invited to present their recommendations directly to the Presidents of the U.S., EU and European Commission, but consumers' groups were denied a similar meeting. Parity is a cornerstone of participation in the Transatlantic Economic Partnership and TACD objected to this unprecedented denial of equal access. The governments violated their own written policies, which call for equal access for the transatlantic Business and Consumer Dialogues that feed recommendations into EU-U.S. policy-making.
Therefore, in the face of this disregard of a significant U.S.-EU policy, the TACD will decline to accept second class status for consumers. It has sent its recommendations in writing, but has refused to attend a scheduled meeting with government trade officials.
A copy of the boycott letter can be viewed at http://www.tacd.org/docs/?id=257.
Rhoda Karpatkin, President Emeritus of the US Consumers Union, said "The decision to give business CEOs direct access to the Presidents, but to bar consumer groups organized to make recommendations within the U.S.-EU dialogue, reinforces the concerns of the many citizens who have protested that trade summits are designed only to advance business interests, not to benefit or protect consumers."
Meanwhile, Jim Murray, Director of the European Consumers Organisation (BEUC), commented that "this is a blatant disregard for the standards of equal access to business and consumer representatives that U.S. and EU leaders themselves drafted and signed up to at the EU-U.S. Summit in December 1999."
The full TACD Summit Statement can be found at: www.tacd.org/docs/?id=255
Summit resolutions on REACH chemicals policy: http://www.tacd.org/cgi-bin/db.cgi?page=view&config=admin/docs.cfg&id=252
Summit resolution on airline passenger safety: http://www.tacd.org/cgi-bin/db.cgi?page=view&config=admin/docs.cfg&id=254TACD consists of EU and U.S. consumer organizations that develop joint consumer policy recommendations for the EU and U.S. in an effort to promote the consumer interest in transatlantic policymaking. TACD's network of 65 EU and U.S. national consumer organizations has a direct paid-up membership of some 20 million consumers. For more information, please visit www.tacd.org
Chris Slevin
Deputy Director
Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch
215 Pennsylvania Ave. SE Washington, DC
www.citizen.org/trade
29th April 2004
South Belfast Cross Community 5-a-side Soccer Team at National Finals
By Sean Mc Aughey
A South Belfast cross community 5-a-side soccer team called the Friday Night Select is representing Northern Ireland in the final heats of the VIDA Sports Limited-John Smith's Brewery National Tournament at the VIDA Manchester, Range Stadium on May 16th. The tournament kicks off at 1pm and it is expected to finish at around 4-30pm.The finalists include 32 teams from Scotland, Wales, England and N.Ireland, who will battle it out during the day for the winning prize of a trip to Florida. The N. Ireland finalists are from the Ormeau and Fourwinds areas have been "playing 5 a side soccer together for four years now"said "Friday Night Select Team Member, Jonny Woods. The "Friday Night Select Team"initially started out as "a weekend mess about at the Olympia Leisure Centre"said Woods and he added, "now, we are within reach of a championship prize trip to Florida for the team."
Woods said: "We have to pay our own way to Manchester and back again but he said, the team has received a good response from the local business community. AA Taxis and The Co-op he said, has offered us sponsorship but, we are open to any further help we can get.
"Speaking about the absence of VIDA in Northern Ireland, a Spokesman for the company, Mr Terry Boland praised Mark Rossi, the webmaster of the Soccerama-N.Ireland 6 -a-side league web site who, said Boland, "organised the local regional heats."
"VIDA Sports Limited is always looking for new sports sites, the company is already expanding in the Republic of Ireland," he added.
Seed
Newsvine