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http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/Deputy-First-Minister-insistsWe-will.5234845.jp
Published Date: 05 May 2009
This week, the 'Journal' speaks to Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness about his views on the current state of republicanism, the forthcoming European elections, and the ongoing difficult economic situation.
Excerpts from the interview were published in Friday's edition but, due to pressure of space, we were unable to publish the interview in full.
Q. The past few weeks have been difficult for all republicans, including yourself, how would you assess the mood in republican communities toward what has happened?ADVERTISEMENT
A. I have found republicans to be very resolute in their determination not to allow these unrepresentative people to hijack the honourable ideals and legacy of republicanism.
For republicans, armed struggle was always only defendable in the absence of any alternative response to oppression and state violence.
The reality is that we now have a peaceful way of delivering change. That is the political path that Sinn Féin is pouring its energy into every day of the week.
Those who advocate a return to conflict to overturn the power sharing and all-Ireland institutions of the Good Friday Agreement - which was overwhelmingly endorsed by the people of Ireland - are not just wrong they are anti-democratic, they are impostors.
Their activities are not just self-serving but are, on many occasions, a flag of convenience for criminality and drug dealing.
Q.Sinn Fein is organising public meetings across the North, including one here in Derry on Thursday in the Tower Hotel, and other events are planned for further afield. What kind of feedback is the Sinn Féin leadership getting from grassroots members at such meetings?
A. Very positive feed back. Progressive republicans and nationalists know that the Sinn Féin strategy, which has successfully brought the DUP to a place they said they would never go, is a remarkable and historic achievement.
As a matter of fact, the vast majority of questions and contributions centred on the present economic conditions, education and local issues.
All, but a small minority, accepts that change is happening and knows that there are some unionist politicians who wish to delay progress.
So, understandably, people want the pace of change not just to continue but to increase.
As for the Sinn Féin strategy - support for that is very strong.
Q. Has the resolve of Sinn Féin members been strengthened by criticisms from others describing themselves as republicans?
A. Sinn Féin has withstood the severest of criticism from individuals, political parties and governments attempting to frustrate the republican strategy for almost forty years.
We have also withstood not only character assassination from our political opponents but actual and very determined physical assassination campaigns by sections of the British security agencies and their acolytes in the unionist murder gangs. Therefore, these people will not bully us or deflect us from the job at hand which is to vigorously pursue our republican objectives of Irish self-determination, reunification and sovereignty for the people of Ireland.
Q. As we face into the European Parliament elections in June, do you expect Bairbre de Brún to retain her seat?
A. Most certainly and comfortably. Bairbre is an extremely hard working MEP and has addressed many issues specific to Derry and the North West.
For example, she hosted a meeting involving EU Transport Commissioner, Jaques Barrot, with local Sinn Féin elected representatives to push for a 'Division 1A' road and rail infrastructure in the North West and border counties.
She also hosted a visit to Brussels by community and voluntary sector representatives from Derry to lobby for a PEACE III programme.
Similarly, she hosted Derry based counselling organisations as part of a delegation involving Families Bereaved Through Suicide calling for Europe wide mental health programmes.
I could go on through a very long list of initiatives that Bairbre is responsible for in Europe involving organisations as diverse as Chambers of Commerce from Derry, Strabane and Donegal to accommodating trips to Europe for women's groups, disability actions groups, local schools and community and business organisations.
Q. In these difficult economic times, the Executive has come in for criticism over the Budget and Programme for Government (PfG). Do we need to adjust the draft budget or is this criticism merely for party political reasons?
A. The criticism is clearly motivated by party political reasons.
The position being portrayed by the SDLP - and given currency by some sections of the media - is that the SDLP opposed the Budget and Programme for Government. This is totally dishonest.
Margaret Ritchie sits on the Executive as an SDLP appointed Minister. Margaret Ritchie, who represents the SDLP on the Executive, along with all the other Ministers from Sinn Féin, DUP and UUP approved the Budget and PfG.
As far as adjusting the Budget is concerned, well, I have stated on numerous occasions that the Budget is not set in stone.
As a matter of fact, there already exists a mechanism for readjusting the Budget. It is known as the Quarterly Monitoring Rounds, when every Department surrenders any money allocated but not spent during that period.
Through this system, over the last four Monitoring Rounds, we have been able to reallocate more than £1 billion for future projects which are considered on a priority basis. So, again, this is misplaced criticism and a case of trying to score political points by misinforming the public.
They also claim that Margaret Ritchie's Department (DSD) will have a £200 million shortfall in land and house receipts over the next two years – a total exaggeration as the actual figure will be closer to £100 million and while significant is not as bleak as painted in the SDLP document.
Generally, therefore, while the paper is a welcome contribution to the discussions, the proposals contained in it require considerable detailed development before they could be considered as a serious contribution to a policy making debate.
On the proposal about redirecting InvestNI's cash reserves, Mark Durkan, as a former Finance Minister and Deputy First Minister, should know that InvestNI does not and is not permitted to hold such reserves. Its budget is allocated on a yearly basis and surplus surrendered through DETI and reallocated during Monitoring Rounds.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/northernireland/5273089/Paramilitary-groups-preparing-to-destroy-weapons.htmlL
Northern Ireland's loyalist paramilitary groups are preparing to decommission their arsenal of illegal weapons this summer, according to loyalist sources in the province.
By Liam Clarke
Last Updated: 3:17PM BST 04 May 2009
The move will allow the publication of a complete list of all terrorist weaponry, IRA as well as loyalist, which has so far been put beyond use.
The disposal of weapons will be a co-ordinated move by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), and the Red Hand Commando (RHC), the province's three main loyalist terror groups.
The process will be supervised by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) which is headed by John de Chastelain, a Canadian general, and also includes US and Finnish representatives.
De Chastelain and his team reported in 2005 that the IRA had decommissioned its entire arsenal to their satisfaction, but, under special legislation, cannot reveal either the number of weapons involved or the method of destruction until they "complete their mandate" by overseeing the destruction of loyalist weapons.
When that happens they will forward a full report to the government which is free to publish it.
The loyalist armoury is not nearly as large as the IRA's stockpile of weapons, which is mainly supplied by Libya. Security forces say the IRA arsenal included 1,000 rifles, three tonnes of Semtex explosives, 25 machine guns, seven surface to air missiles as well as seven flame throwers, 20 rocket propelled grenades and 100 handguns.
Unlike the IRA, the loyalists may allow photographs to be taken of the decommissioning process. The IICD will examine the weapons to determine that they are genuine. However under special legislation which expires in December, the police are prohibited from forensically testing the weapons for the purpose of prosecution.
Shaun Woodward, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, announced last year that the legislation would be ended early if the loyalists had not made some progress by the end of August. One source close to the UVF said that a date of 29 August, the date of a loyalist march known as "Last Saturday" was being considered.
In recent weeks the loyalists have been preparing the way with a series of talks with political parties and church leaders. They met Cardinal Sean Brady, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, for the first time last month. Dr Donald Patton, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, who met representatives of the UDA on Tuesday said ""They are seeking to move towards the point of decommissioning."
Loyalist sources hope to announce the arms decision at a press conference where leading loyalist figures including John "Bunter" Graham, named in court as the "Brigadier General" of the UVF, Jackie McDonald, the leader of the UDA and Augustus "Gusty" Spence, the founding father of the modern UVF, will throw their weight behind the decision.
http://u.tv/News/Real-IRA-allies-claim-republican-activist-beaten-up-in-Liverpool/d883d804-c4f1-48a9-b434-4fb36abeaf20
Spokesman for 32 County Sovereignty Committee says man was member of its organisation in north-west England
Tuesday, 05 May 2009
A political group allied to the Real IRA today claimed one of its members was beaten up on Merseyside at the weekend.
They said the republican activist, whom they refused to name, was attacked in his home in Liverpool on Sunday night.
A spokesman for the 32 County Sovereignty Committee said the man was a member of its organisation in north-west England and blamed a group of pro-Ulster loyalists in the city for the assault.
"This is not the first time this man has been the victim of such attacks – indeed, three years ago he received a serious head injury after being attacked with a hammer by the same elements," the spokesman said.
"This republican activist has recently organised meetings to discuss the plight of the POW's (republican prisoners) and is a valued member of the Gaughan/Stagg cumann in Britain."
The spokesman for the republican dissident group claimed CCTV cameras installed at the man's home following earlier attacks on his property and person revealed his attackers to be rightwing loyalist sympathisers from the Merseyside area.
"The 32CSM continues to grow in Britain and it is this very growth that has prompted these reactionary elements, both inside and outside the establishment, to increase their activities against the republican movement," he said.
The 32 County Sovereignty Committee was founded in 1997, around the same time as the Real IRA split from the mainstream Provisional IRA.
One of its co-founders was Bernadette Sands McKevitt, the sister of the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, who regards the current Sinn Fein strategy as a sellout of republican principles.
Her husband, Mickey McKevitt, has been named in a number of court cases as the founder of the Real IRA.
Meanwhile, the north Armagh republican Colin Duffy is considering standing as a prisoner candidate for the forthcoming European elections.
Duffy is currently being held on remand in the Maghaberry top security prison after being charged with the murder of two British soldiers outside the Massareene barracks in Antrim two months ago.
A meeting to decide whether or not to put Duffy forward will be take place in his native Lurgan tomorrow night.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media 2009
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/131184
by Hillel Fendel
(IsraelNN.com) The Irish government has decided that reforming its country’s murderers and terrorists can best begin with a tour of the Auschwitz death camp in Poland.
Twelve of Ireland’s most dangerous terrorists, members of the UDA violently anti-Catholic terror organization, have already participated in the program, which is called “The Beginning of a Great Change.” Another 50 are scheduled to do so in the coming weeks.
The objective of the program is to show the participants the tragic results that are likely to stem from racist hatred. The Irish government also expects that visiting the central site of the Nazi mass-murder campaign will reduce violence between the convicts themselves, as well as help them develop tolerance towards others.
The News.Poland.Com site reports that an Irish terrorist named Whitey, who took part in the first visit, admitted that he had never before known anything about “Poland and your death camps.”
“We want to show them what aggression and racism may cause,” said Frank Higgins, of the Belfast Transition Training Centre, which helped organize the trip. “Auschwitz is the best place to prove that.”
There are fringe benefits as well. “Our former terrorists should [also] learn a lot about Poland,” Higgins said. “They will visit the Wawel Royal Castle [the highest ranked monument in Polish history and cultural/religious tradition, located in Krakow – ed.] and eat traditional Polish food.”
Updated: 10/4/2009
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