[Irish Republican News]
[Irish Republican News]

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What Went Wrong In The `New' South Africa?

Andrew Nowicki

In 1994, Nelson Mandela was elected the first black leader of what was hailed as a new multiracial, multicultural and democratic South Africa. Now in 2003 in Soweto, one of the central battlegrounds in the antiapartheid struggle, people get their electricity cut off and no longer have ready access to water. Private security firms evict them from their inadequate housing. Through 1999 and 2000, protests grew against unemployment and privatization of basic services. Crackdowns by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) became increasingly repressive.

Published November 10, 2003


Election race `neck and neck'

The latest election poll shows that the four largest parties are virtually neck and neck.

Published November 10, 2003


Holy Cross drama bitterly criticised

A new drama based on the loyalist intimidation at Holy Cross Girls school has been given the thumbs down by nationalists in north Belfast.

Published November 10, 2003


Unionists launch manifestoes

Both of the largerst unionist parties have launched their vision for a new northern Ireland in recent days.

Published November 10, 2003


Sinn Fein launch 10-point plan for Irish Unity

Both of the largerst unionist parties have launched their vision for a new Northern Ireland in recent days.

The Ulster Unionist Party leader Mr David Trimble has said that ``begrudgers and those clinging to the violence of the past'' must not be allowed to wreck the future of Northern Ireland.

The party's manifesto, published in Belfast today in advance of the Assembly Elections, said the party wanted to see the Assembly restored, but only when republicans have ``dealt conclusively with the issues of decommissioning, continued paramilitary activity and the effective winding-up of their private army''.

In its 10-point charter published last week, the UUP said its candidates would ``hold firmly'' to the requirement for ``acts of completion'' and the effective winding up of paramilitary organisations before Sinn Fein can participate in a Northern Ireland executive.

Mr Trimble expressed concern about the effects of ``voter apathy'' on the forthcoming elections.

Speaking on the publication of the manifesto today, he said: ``We are determined to make Northern Ireland a success but there is a problem and that is people not voting.

``The worry we have in this election is if there is apathy or people do not turn out. So we are saying there can be progress, there can be success but it requires you to come out and exercise your franchise and to do it in such a way as to strengthen those who are working for a better future.''

SHANKILL AMBUSH

But the Ulster Unionist message received a cool response on the staunchly loyalist Shankill road this week.

71-year-old Margaret Beattie was lying in wait for David Trimble when he visited the area on Tuesday.

When the Ulster Unionist leader emerged from a building to shake hands and make small talk with constituents, she made her move.

``You're a puppet for the IRA!'' she screamed. ``Ulster's not for sale. You told us lies. Traitor!''

She then teamed up with some more local women, all DUP voters, who started to clap and burst into song on the side of the street.

``What shall we do with the traitor, Trimble? What shall we do with the traitor, Trimble, Ear-lye in the morning?''

DUP MANIFESTO

The DUP launched its election manifesto today, which sets out its criticisms of the British and Irish governments' peace proposals. The glossy 32-page Assembly Election manifesto also set out seven tests for what they term a ``lasting political settlement'' in the North.

The document also attacked David Trimble`s record, claiming the Ulster Unionists could no longer be trusted to represent their community in negotiations.

The party's so-called seven tests are:

  • any agreement must command the support of both nationalists and unionists
  • any assembly must be democratic, fair and accountable. Ex-ecutive power must be fully accountable to the assembly
  • only those committed to ex-clusively peaceful and democratic means should exercise any ministerial responsibility
  • within any new agreement any relationship with the Rep-ublic must be fully accountable to the assembly
  • a new settlement must be able to deliver equality of opportunity for unionists as well as nationalists
  • agreed arrangements must be capable of delivering an efficient and effective administration
  • the outcome must provide a settlement within the UK, not a process to a united Ireland, and it must provide stable government for the people of Northern Ireland and not be susceptible to recurring suspension.

The manifesto criticised British and Irish Government peace process proposals, claiming their joint declaration was a ``threat to Ulster'' which offered a ``raft of concessions'' to republicans.

It also portrayed a ``nightmare'' vision of what the North would be like in the next four years if the Ulster Unionists remained the largest voice in unionism. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams would become Deputy First Minister, the party claimed.

His colleague Gerry Kelly would be Policing and Justice Minister, Sinn Fein ministers would act unaccountably, there would be more cross-border rule between the Irish and Stormont Governments and also a permanent place for republicans in government.

Published November 10, 2003


Bomb attack follows Holy Cross drama

A mother-of-three became the latest target of unionist violence less than 24 hours after the screening of the controversial Holy Cross BBC drama about the intimidation and violence directed against the girls primary school in 2001.

Published November 10, 2003


Billy Liar

With the first week of the election campaign over there is no doubt that the prize of Billy Liar has to go to the DUP.

Published November 10, 2003


Breakaway group holds conference

Members of the small breakaway Republican Sinn Fein party are suffering harassment at the hands of British forces north and south of the Border, the president of RSF, Ruairi O Bradaigh, has claimed.

Published November 10, 2003


Parties unite to oppose `No' men

At the launch of his party's campaign for the November 26 election in the Six Counties, Sinn Fein Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness urged supporters to frustrate parties opposed to the Good Friday Agreement by voting first for Sinn Fein candidates and then transferring to other pro-Agreement parties in the proportional representation election.

Published November 10, 2003


SDLP - No Problem!


www.dannymorrison.com

If I was in the SDLP and had worked hard all my political life for the party I would be angry and frustrated at the way Sinn Féin has `stolen' the limelight and is predicted by media commentators as being on the verge of opening up the gap between it and the SDLP.

Published November 5, 2003


Sinn Féin anger at BBC censorship

South Belfast Sinn Féin representative Alex Maskey has accused the BBC of ``political discrimination and censorship''.

Published November 5, 2003


Deal offers new hope in AIDS battle

According to the United Nations body dealing with AIDS, UNAIDS, an estimated 30 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have HIV. About 58% of these are women. There were approximately 3.5 million new infections in 2002, representing 70% of the global total. That figure is continuing to rise. The situation is now so bad in some African countries that it is contributing to the spread of famine as workers are lost to the disease. AIDS is a rising epidemic in developing countries. Although progress is being made in the area of prevention, there has been little or no hope for those with the HIV virus, as access to those drugs that make the survival of HIV sufferers in the Western World possible are too expensive to be bought and distributed in most developing countries.

Published November 5, 2003


Ciaran Ferry denied asylum

Irish Republican Ciaran Ferry was yesterday denied political and religious asylum in the United States.

Published November 5, 2003


Saville Inquiry circus

A media circus has descended on the Bloody Sunday Inquiry in Derry for the testimony of Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness.

Published November 5, 2003


Peace process deadlock feeds election campaigns

Ulster Unionists yesterday unveiled a 10-point charter which is intended to hold the party together through the next three weeks of election campaigning.

Published November 5, 2003


Pro-Agreement `dissident' challenges UUP hardliner

One of Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble's allies in the last assembly is to run against the party as an independent candidate in the November 26 election.

Published November 5, 2003


Six French arrested over alleged republican link

Eight people have been arrested in France and in Ireland in an investigation of the activities of dissident republicans.

Published November 5, 2003


Conduct in the Time of Terror

In spite of constant reassurances about the term ``democracy'' one is rarely allowed to criticize the country of Israel without suffering some punishing consequence for it. If you are a Jew you may survive the accusations of anti-Semitism but if you consistently express yourself online in any dissidence about Israel's current politick, you will probably not be immune to cyber attack.

Published November 3, 2003


Dessie O'Hare on temporary release

A controversial republican prisoner has taken a first step towards his eventual release in the 26 Counties.

Published November 3, 2003


Hardliners' threat to Agreement grows

There is increasing concern that a majority of unionists elected to the Belfast Assembly later this month may be opposed to the Good Friday Agreement.

Published November 3, 2003

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