IRA disarmament
James F. Clarity's New York Times dispatch of February 17 reported
``sweeping changes in the political structure'' of British-occupied
Ireland designed to give the Catholic nationalist population a
measure of power that would aid in bringing to an end the vicious
sectarian discrimination made possible by the British presence in
that part of Ireland.
Unfortunately, First Minister David Trimble is doing his best to make
sure that these tokens of reform thrown to the victims of British
sectarian rule will be as ineffectual as possible by insisting upon
the disarming of the Irish Republican Army thus violating the Good
Friday Agreement. (GFA)
If Trimble and his Orange sectarian cronies were to have their way,
the Catholic nationalist population would be at the absolute mercy
of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), just as they were over thirty
years ago when their just demands for equality in housing, voting,
and employment were met with the club-toting, trigger happy sectarian
zealots of the RUC.
Nevertheless, Trimble, and the Orange sectarian bigots he represents,
insists upon retention of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in spite of
its brutal record of violence against Catholics over the years. This
sectarian police force, designed for a state created to favour one
religion is scheduled to be abolished or radically reformed according
to the GFA.
d yet Trimble and his sectarian cronies continue to oppose
disarming this Orange gang of sectarian thugs that has sustained the
Trimbles and their ilk in power since 1920.
After all, in America we no longer have all-white police forces
patrolling areas where African-Americans live. When a police force
is created in British- occupied Ireland that is truly representative
as are the police in America, then and only then will it be possible
for the IRA to disarm.
William Gartland
gartland1@juno.com
5634 Hanna Road
Rio, WI 53960
A Chairde
The referendum and subsequent elections demonstrated the overwhelming
wish of people for peace in this country. The ``Agreement'' was
eventually achieved due to two factors absent in all previous
attempts at a political solution; no party was excluded; and,
Unionists were not allowed to exercise their normal veto.
The Sinn Fein peace strategy began formally with our ``Scenario for
peace'' document in 1987. A period of intensive discussion,
consultation and persuasion led in 1994 to a ceasefire, when the IRA
was persuaded that a chance existed for recognition of our political
mandate and with it, an opportunity for genuine political progress.
Despite claiming that they had no room to manoeuvre and that they
wouldn't touch the Agreement with a 20-foot barge pole, the Unionists
were persuaded otherwise. Agreement was reached on essential issues,
the referendum vote confirmed a popular accomodation and a process
was established. Agreement called for courage from all participants
and the process continues to demand commitment and nerve in the face
of opposition from the ``no'' men.
Instead of capitalising on the progress made, Unionists have
undermined the process by insisting on IRA decommissioning before
Sinn Fein can participate in the assembly positions that we were
elected to fill. No party has worked harder for peace than Sinn Fein
and all parties to the agreement, including ourselves, are committed
to decommissioning. Our role under the ``agreement'' is to use our best
endeavours to ``achieve the decommissioning of all paramilitary arms
within two years''. The mechanism exists to test our commitment with a
determination from General De Chastelain.
In the history of our conflict, none of the paramilitary bodies
within Ireland has previously addressed decommissioning. Many groups
have either faded into oblivion, or become ``respectable'' political
parties. Indeed, the PUP's David Ervine reminded the assembly of the
relationship between those on the unionist benches and armed loyalist
gangs. Of course IRA disarmament must take place, but it will occur
within the terms already agreed and in the context of comprehensive
demilitarisation. This means collectively addressing issues such as
replacement of the RUC, the withdrawal of the British army, the
closing of military installations, a review of legally held guns and
the removal of repressive laws.
In playing to extremists within and beyond his party. David Trimble
has attemped to use decommissioning as a weapon against republicans.
He is prepared to bring down the agreement in order to exclude
republicans from the process. In doing so he assists the DUP, Red
Hand Defenders Orange Volunteers, Continuity and ``real'' IRA, rather
than the ``real'' peacemakers.
PRO
Barney Boswell Cumann
Sinn Fein
Newington
Abdullah Ocalan
Dear Sir,
The crisis regarding the arrest and impending trial of Abdullah
Ocalan in Turkey has at least raised the profile of the Kurdish
people in that country. The mass protests by Kurdish people across
Europe and also in the US and Middle East demonstrates the outrage
and frustration of these, most of them refugees from Turkey.
These militant Kurds are products of Turkey's `scorched earth' policy
against the PKK, a policy which involved the evacuation of up to
three million Kurdish civilians, potential suppliers of logistical
support to the Kurdish guerrillas operating in the harsh,
mountainous border regions between Turkey and Iraq and Turkey and
Iran. These exiles organised, educated and outspoken, have been
demonstrative this week in their frustration at their host
countries' positions towards Turkey, most of whom have been less than
vociferous on the human rights abuses which provoked this migration.
Kurdistan Solidarity Ireland is concerned now about the safety and
fair trial of Abdullah Ocalan, especially as he has already been
denied access to international lawyers of his choice. We are alarmed
at the statements emanating from Ankara about a `victory over
terrorism'. They are unhelpful, to say the least, in dissipating
mounting tensions and do not bode well for a fair trial for Mr
Ocalan. No assurances are forthcoming that the trial or detention
will reflect international human rights law and the Turkish
government still has refused to guarantee that Mr Ocalan will not
face the death penalty. This detention and trial should expose
Turkey to international scrutiny. Kurdish exiles around the world are
now entitled to expect that international opinion will insist that
Turkey comply to international norms and law.
Yours sincerely,
ne McCluskey & Latif Serhildan
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