McGuinness attacks British militarists
Newry Saoirse rally biggest yet
By Brian Campbell
In the largest march in support of the prisoners that Newry has
seen since the hunger strikes, 3000 people heard Martin
McGuinness last Saturday hit out at the `militarists' in the
British establishment who are holding up progress in the peace
process.
``There is considerable proof that there are people still within
the British establishment who are militarists, who are doing
everything in their power to prevent a settlement on this island.
Those people have to be confronted and faced down by the
political leaders of the British government,'' he said. ``The
British government will have to recognise that the minimalist
approach that it has adopted to the plight of political prisoners
is not good enough.
``Mo Mowlam has said that she believes that there are people
within the civil service at Stormont who are involved in an
attempt to sabotage the peace process. She believes that they are
only 1% of the British establishment. We fear that it may be
more. Why do we say that? Why are the British government adopting
a minimalist approach to the prisoners? Why are the British
government allowing the British army to rebuild new bases in
South Armagh? Why are there British soldiers still on the streets
of the north of Ireland? Why was a young man beaten by the Royal
Irish Regiment in Lurgan on Thursday? Why are nationalists in
Belfast and Derry and throughout the Six Counties still being
harassed and intimidated by the British forces of occupation?''
McGuinness outlined the importance of republican demands being
supported on the streets. ``One of the difficulties about this
process is that when we as negotiators got to Castle Buildings at
Stormont it creates the impression that everything is alright,
that there maybe isn't any real need for us to come onto the
streets in our thousands in defence of the prisoners or to demand
our rights. Well let me tell you here today in Newry, nothing
could be further from the truth.
``There is no use whatsoever in us being involved in negotiations
in rooms at government buildings at Stormont if the people are
not on the streets demanding an end to inequality, injustice and
domination and the release of all the political prisoners.''
He ended with an appeal for support for mobilisations over the
coming months: ``Let us go forward here today from Newry,
recognising that we may be on the threshold of something very
powerful, dynamic and important which could change our lives
forever over the course of the next six or seven months. It is
only through negotiation and pressure on the streets that we can
bring the unionists and the British government to a position were
they will eventually face up to the reality that there must be
justice, that there must be an end to discrimination, that there
must be an end to domination and that there must be an end to
British jurisdiction in our country.''
The rally was also addressed by POW Colm Coyle who read a
statement from local POWs. In it they said, ``What we need to do
is to create a tidal wave of opinion so strong around all the
issues which are important to us that no government will be able
to resist it.''
The new head of Sinn Féin's POW Department, Councillor Martin
Livingstone told the crowd of a recent meeting with NIO Security
Minister Adam Ingram. ``The Labour regime still has the old
rhetoric or criminals and terrorists. We need to get behind
Saoirse to point out that internment, Diplock Courts, the hunger
strikes, miscarriages of justice have shown to the world that
none of our prisoners would be in jail if it weren't for the
political conflict. We demanded the release of all political
prisoners as an integral part of conflict resolution here. We
don't want any tinkering at the edges with this problem. We want
substantial and progressive movement.''
South Armagh helicopter protests
Farmers in South Armagh are reporting such a high level of
British Army helicopter activity that it is becoming a threat to
their livelihood. With nearly 350 helicopter flights to and from
Crossmaglen barracks over the last three months there is a
serious risk to cattle and sheep stampeding out of fear of these
low-flying aircraft. In August and September two funeral services
in St Patrick's Chapel had to be halted as low flying helicopters
coming into Crossmaglen caused so much noise over the chapel.
The newly formed South Armagh Farmers and Residents committee has
said it plans protests aimed at ending the dangers from
helicopter flights.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)