Cynical republicans
Republicans have long looked on themselves as cynics of political
TV, due in no small part to decades of misinformation and
censorship by the media. One could more accurately describe it as
an ability to read between the lines, and this was much needed
when viewing BBC1's ``Plague Wars'', which tried to pass off the
former South African regime's dirty biological war against its
neighbours and enemies as the evil work of one man.
More than likely however this was carried out with the support of
its Government and the knowledge and tacit support of traditional
Western powers.
Dr Timothy Stamps, Zimbabwean Minister for Health, labeled the
use of Anthrax by South African Intelligence agents against
rebels fighting against the then colonial administration of
Rhodesia in 1978 as ``the highest form of inhuman murder usually
targeted against civilians.''
The former Rhodesia was used as a testing ground for the
Apartheid regime as was Angola, and was later perfected in a
State-sponsored biological warfare programme against ANC
activists.
Dr Darren Basson led the by-now traditional and almost acceptable
Establishment ``dirty tricks'' programme which included,
contaminating water supplies in ANC strongholds with cholera,
poison screwdrivers and cigarettes, thalin and toxin poisoning
and the notion of sterilising the increasing number of blacks, in
a desperate attempt to retain racist supremacy.
In almost comic fashion Fr Frank Chikane, ANC activist, survived
two biological assassination attempts on his life when his
underpants were laced with organic phosphate toxin.
What is shocking however, as we're long used to such tales, is
the brazeness of various military leaders and politicians of that
time who tell in a matter-of-fact way the exact details of how
they went about their merry business and blaming it all on
scapegoat Dr Basson.
Furthermore, the secrets of biological warfare somehow made their
way from a British laboratory, which we're repeatedly told was
used for ``defensive warfare'', to the desk of General Knobel, who
acknowledges in a roundabout way, the ``tacit under the counter
help'' from the British Government, which was led at the time by
one of their strongest sponsors, Maggie Thatcher.
The Americans for some strange reason were also unaware of the
goings on until Dr Basson departed for Libya in 1994, and
suddenly the `evil' doctor became the enemy and is currently
serving a lengthy sentence for, wait for it......drug dealing! And if
you believe that......!
Them MI5 lads must be fierce thick!
So must those British voters who voted in the aforementioned
Thatcher (but sure we can't talk with Garret the Good and Charlie
of the handshake), following the ``Winter of Discontent of `79'',
which was focused on in Channel 4 on Monday last.
1978 was the summer of Night Fever, flared trousers and hula
hoops and Tom Hartley was modelling his latest duffel coat. The
``socialist'' Government of Jim Callaghan was in the midst of their
assault on the nationalist working classes and their POWs, and
the British trade Unions, which at the time were in close
co-operation with Labour, were warning of the need to call an
early election to avoid an upcoming series of strikes which would
surely bolster the Tory camp. Callaghan, like all conceited
politicians, ignored the advice and in a futile attempt to keep
inflation down, put a cap on all wage rises at 5%.
The Ford Motors strike, which was to be a benchmark for all other
disputes, originated from a company profit of £258 million, which
led to an 80% wage increase for the bosses and a 5% rise for the
workers. Naturally the workers burned the pay offers and after a
three week strike succeeded in garnering a 30% increase and the
Government paycap was already broken. This strike was followed by
similar disputes by oil drivers, road hauliers, nurses, teachers,
public servants and even grave diggers, some on a national scale.
The chaos was exacerbated by a particularly harsh winter and
Callaghan added insult to injury by spending a fortnight in the
Carribean, resembling an ageing James Bond. A national emergency
was narrowly avoided on a number of occasions from chronic food,
fuel and hospital shortages.
The ruling press seized on the opportunity portraying ``a scene of
general mayhem'' and the Tories used the ``dirty tricks'' (that
phrase again) campaign. Labour failed to recover in time, and
with Thatcher waiting in the wings, Callaghan lost the election
to the Tories, who then proceeded to eliminate many of the
services temporarily lost during the strike period.
The Unions' power was subsequently smashed, with many Labour
politicians castigating them for their own downfall, but one
should more accurately give ear to the words of one trade Union
official who opined that ``the Labour Government had lost its way
and was such a farce that it didn't deserve to continue''.
Then again, nobody deserved Thatcher.
Teilifís na Gaeilge's ``1968 - Saol ar Strae'' went a little astray
itself after a promising start, although it was worth watching
for the old footage of courting couples. Matchmaking days were
numbered and JB Keane lamented that there were ``fifty or sixty
lonely bachelors for every caliín in the depopulated West.''
Farming courses instructed young men how to shave and wash, dress
casually (how could a tweed suit be casual?) and hold a soup
spoon in the correct manner.
1968 was also the year of the Housing Action Committee, which
crusaded for improved housing conditions for Dublin's poor, many
of whom were confined to one roomed hovels. Enter Brenda Ní
Shúilleabháin, who thirty years later, although stating some
accuracies, informed us that ``people are a lot more comfortable
now and there are no community problems anymore''. Yes - no
heroin, no mass alienation, unemployment, etc etc.
Unfortunately Brenda continues to observe the world through
middle class tinted lenses and proceeded to round on the Womens'
Lib movement, which some women are often as keen to distance
themselves from, as some Southerners are to distance themselves
from Republicans.
d sure they're all cynics.
by Seán O' Donaile
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