The blood is on their hands !
Illegal activity by the British State during the decades of Northern Ireland's Troubles needs to be owned up to, a body set up by the British government said today.
The Consultative Group on the Past, established last year to produce a report on how Northern Ireland dealt with the legacy of its conflict, said innocent people had been allowed to die.
The group is due to produce a report later in the year but the co-chairman, retired Church of Ireland primate Lord Eames and former Policing Board vice chairman Denis Bradley,outlined their thinking in an address in Belfast. They made it clear it was not just the actions of the republican and loyalist terrorist groups that had to be come to grips with, but those of the British state as well.
Lord Eames said what many had great difficulty in coming to terms with was that “the state not only sought to be an honest broker during the conflict but also played a combative role and, in this context, sometimes went beyond their own rules of engagement”. He said it was one of the critical issues facing the group,difficult as it may be for some in society to hear.
“Elements of the state, on some occasions, acted outside the law and through handling of intelligence it could even be said innocent people were allowed to die".
"We cannot ignore that, in fact, the state sometimes acted illegally.”
The group did not believe unionists had anything to fear from listening to and trying to understand how the state conducted itself - discovering or admitting wrong things were done could be a “liberating experience”, he said, "But admitting state wrongdoing must not take away from the work of the vast majority of the British security forces, Lord Eames added.
Having to confront the state about acknowledging its wrongdoing must not take away from the majority of men and women in the RUC and UDR/RIR who did their duty and suffered appallingly and unjustly as a result,” he said.
Mr Bradley said the gathering of intelligence and the use of informers by the state was almost inevitable and had undoubtedly saved lives and stopped atrocities. But he noted Northern Ireland was a small place with close-knit communities. “The scale of the use of informers throughout the conflict corroded the fabric of our communities and the constant pressure now exerted for information about informers to be revealed only serves to further undermine the well being of communities to a degree that could be poisonous.”
Another key challenge identified by the group was how far the justice system could deliver for victims and survivors -and it said many may have to face up to the fact no one would ever be brought to book for their actions.
Mr Bradley said a democratic criminal justice system was
vital to a civilised society, but the judicial process was a “crude instrument” to use when dealing with a conflict such as that experienced in Northern Ireland.“We must be honest with ourselves about the realities of what any court or inquiry can deliver.”
There were otherways of seeking the truth that do not include long drawn out judicial processes, he said. Lord Eames said everyone must be encouraged by developments in Northern Ireland over the last few years but warned "the reality is that we live in a society that is still divided". "There are issues from the past that must be dealt with if we are to truly ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes ofthe past." Sinn Fein boycotted today's event, saying it protested at the failure of Lord Eames and Mr Bradley to invite republican groups representing the families of those who were victims of British state violence. A spokesman for the Consultative Group said they had not invited any victims` groups to the event for fear of missing someone out. All such groups would be invited when the full report is launched later in the year, he said.
Saturday 31 May 2008
Farewell to the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom - The Political map of Europe faces changes
Farewell to the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom - The Political map of Europe faces changes
Basque Country - independence referendum likely
A Basque Government referendum Bill was placed before the Basque
Government on 29th May, 2008, that could be the first step towards the
Basque Country voting for independence from the Spanish state in 2010.
In a move that marks the beginning of what could possibly be the firstof several referendums on
independence over the coming years in WesternEurope, including one in Scotland, the Basque
Prime Minister, Juan Jose Ibarretxe, presented the Bill to the Basque Parliament
PresidentIzaskun Bilbao. The formal presentation took place before the BasqueParliament in
Gasteiz/Vitoria and the wording of the Bill is planned to be debated in the Parliament on 27th
June 2008 and no corrections will be allowed.
If agreed, the Bill will be put to popular vote on October 25th 2008 and Ibarretxe has stated that
he expects the BasqueParliament to give the Bill their total support. However, the Spanish
Socialist Government in Madrid, headed by Spain'sPrime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez
Zapatero, has said that it willseek a court order to prevent the vote going ahead if the Bill
isapproved on 27th June. Ibarretxe's decision to propose the Bill comesafter negotiations
between Zapatero and Ibarretxe broke down overthe last couple of weeks, with Ibarretxe
stating that the Spanish PM did not want to negotiate with the Basque institutions. Ibarretxe
said in a statement:"We want to have the right to decide and the right to live together in peace."
Referendums on independence are also planned for Scotland in 2010and in Catalunya on 2014.The
political map of Europe has seen much change in recent years with the break up of
Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic,the crumbling of the former
Yugoslavia into smaller states including Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and so on and the newly
emergent nations following the collapseof the Soviet Union. Many might view this process with
sadness but former countries which were combined have go on to prove themselves very able to
manage their own affairs as in the case of Sweden and Norway which were united until 1905.
These nations have never looked back so bringing a sense of inevitability to the process and an
ever closer step to a 'Europe of 100 nations' forseen in an early European Union document.
And we at the Celtic Warrior say - Vote 'yes' for freedom from the Imperialist and Colonialist States wherever they be !
Basque Country - independence referendum likely
A Basque Government referendum Bill was placed before the Basque
Government on 29th May, 2008, that could be the first step towards the
Basque Country voting for independence from the Spanish state in 2010.
In a move that marks the beginning of what could possibly be the firstof several referendums on
independence over the coming years in WesternEurope, including one in Scotland, the Basque
Prime Minister, Juan Jose Ibarretxe, presented the Bill to the Basque Parliament
PresidentIzaskun Bilbao. The formal presentation took place before the BasqueParliament in
Gasteiz/Vitoria and the wording of the Bill is planned to be debated in the Parliament on 27th
June 2008 and no corrections will be allowed.
If agreed, the Bill will be put to popular vote on October 25th 2008 and Ibarretxe has stated that
he expects the BasqueParliament to give the Bill their total support. However, the Spanish
Socialist Government in Madrid, headed by Spain'sPrime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez
Zapatero, has said that it willseek a court order to prevent the vote going ahead if the Bill
isapproved on 27th June. Ibarretxe's decision to propose the Bill comesafter negotiations
between Zapatero and Ibarretxe broke down overthe last couple of weeks, with Ibarretxe
stating that the Spanish PM did not want to negotiate with the Basque institutions. Ibarretxe
said in a statement:"We want to have the right to decide and the right to live together in peace."
Referendums on independence are also planned for Scotland in 2010and in Catalunya on 2014.The
political map of Europe has seen much change in recent years with the break up of
Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic,the crumbling of the former
Yugoslavia into smaller states including Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and so on and the newly
emergent nations following the collapseof the Soviet Union. Many might view this process with
sadness but former countries which were combined have go on to prove themselves very able to
manage their own affairs as in the case of Sweden and Norway which were united until 1905.
These nations have never looked back so bringing a sense of inevitability to the process and an
ever closer step to a 'Europe of 100 nations' forseen in an early European Union document.
And we at the Celtic Warrior say - Vote 'yes' for freedom from the Imperialist and Colonialist States wherever they be !
Sunday 25 May 2008
Please take that extra step to help Celtic Cornish campaigner - Tony Leamon
Here's the latest message I've received from those who support Cornishman Tony Leamon in his brave stand against the English police force who control his Country. We shall be supporting him in solidarity :
May I invite you to read this message and if you are a member of a group or organisation or have friends, to pass it on to achieve the largest possible response. Let us together with true Celtic solidarity and in a peaceful manner make a difference in support of our friend, Tony Leamon - a Cornishman who said 'I am Cornish'. Thankyou.
Celtic Cornish activist and cultural campaigner, Tony Leamon from Falmouth in Cornwall again answers his police bail on Wednesday 2nd July, 2008 when he once more he will report to the custody centre at Camborne Police Station.
It will have been 10 months since his initial arrest by heavily armed police who searched his house and seized his Cornish books, flags and other possessions. Since that time, he has obediently answered his bail on three occasions and been subject of three lengthy and pressured interrogations concerning alleged terrorist activity even though the search revealed no firearms or other materials designed to cause damage or injury.
Although he battles with cancer and Myalgic Encephalopathy and cares for his 94 year old war vet father as well as his mother who has herself suffered cancer, Mr Leamon, a pacifist, has faced the situation with great bravery and good humour.
Known locally as 'the Cornish Giant', he travels everywhere by public transport and never fails to proclaim his Celtic Cornishness with a broad smile as well as giving his time generously to the Cornish cause and other local cultural activities. He has made friends in most of the Celtic Nations and embraces the uniqueness of Celtic culture and beliefs.
He bears no malice against the local police but is critical of the management of the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary with its very obvious control by outside influences. Indeed, in Cornwall, the police are now regarded as being alike colonial masters and have lost much public support.
A sinister side to this whole affair is the complete refusal of the mainstream media in Cornwall to give this matter any public airing and other Cornish activists subject of raids and arrests who were subsequently released without charge have only be given minimal press coverage. The silence has been deafening. This has led many to believe that the media is subject of control and censorship, a situation which has previously been the case in the Duchy where hidden powers wield great control.
Again, following 10 months police bail which has placed many restrictions on his life, Tony Leamon faces his eventual fate on Wednesday 2nd July, 2008.
There has been worldwide support for this man with scores of messages sent not only to him but to the police themselves and there has recently been a surprising turn of events. A local journalist has asked to hear from those who have supported Mr Leamon down these long and painful months. Ginette Harris who writes for the West Briton newspaper would be pleased to hear from anyone who has been in communication with the police, the press, the Crown Prosecution Service or Mr Leamon himself.
She has asked letters take a certain format: where you live, why you are supporting him, any activities you may have undertaken to assist him , for example, handing out leaflets, offering money, phone calls, letter writing, e-mails etc.
Please e-mail Ginette at: gharris@c-dm.co.uk and also leave a message on the West Briton's contact site, to be found here:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=232606&command=newPage
You are also invited to copy your correspondence to the police themselves at:
Police.Enquiries@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk
asking for your e-mail to be copied to Detective 196 Hampson of Bodmin CID and to disclosed to Mr. Leamon's lawyer - Mrs G. McKinley of Vivian, Thomas & Jervis Solicitors, PO Box 23, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 3UF as well as the Crown Prosecution Service.
You may care to send a message via this website contact if you fear the police (not uncommon in Cornwall) or if you wish to remain anonymous. Don't forget to clearly state that the message refers to Tony Leamon of Falmouth, Cornwall and that what you say is for the attention of Devon & Cornwall Police - DC 196 Hampson Bodmin CID and Mrs. G. McKinley his solicitor.
https://secure.crimestoppers-uk.org/ams.form.anonymous.asp
If you feel able, why not express your views to those who allegedly control the police - a little like school governors, the Devon & Cornwall Police Authority at:
PolAuth@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk
You are also invited to view a special site which has been set up at:
http://cornwall-police-watch.blogspot.com/
Although Tony Leamon's dignified behaviour when faced with the huge and increasingly authoritarian state may be known around the globe, it has received very little coverage in his home country of Cornwall. Let us all work together and try to change this.
Whatever you do, we sincerely thank you and rest assured that even if the decision is made to charge Mr. Leamon, the evidence will surely have been trumped up by one of the least efficient and most complained about police forces in Great Britain.
A little effort on your part will help Tony Leamon in his brave battle against the cruel system in place in Cornwall today, a battle which may end up with him being made into the latest victim in a small Celtic Country where those who ask 'why?' or say 'no' are subject to the full force of the English Imperial & Colonial System.
'The Tony Leamon Support Group'
May I invite you to read this message and if you are a member of a group or organisation or have friends, to pass it on to achieve the largest possible response. Let us together with true Celtic solidarity and in a peaceful manner make a difference in support of our friend, Tony Leamon - a Cornishman who said 'I am Cornish'. Thankyou.
Celtic Cornish activist and cultural campaigner, Tony Leamon from Falmouth in Cornwall again answers his police bail on Wednesday 2nd July, 2008 when he once more he will report to the custody centre at Camborne Police Station.
It will have been 10 months since his initial arrest by heavily armed police who searched his house and seized his Cornish books, flags and other possessions. Since that time, he has obediently answered his bail on three occasions and been subject of three lengthy and pressured interrogations concerning alleged terrorist activity even though the search revealed no firearms or other materials designed to cause damage or injury.
Although he battles with cancer and Myalgic Encephalopathy and cares for his 94 year old war vet father as well as his mother who has herself suffered cancer, Mr Leamon, a pacifist, has faced the situation with great bravery and good humour.
Known locally as 'the Cornish Giant', he travels everywhere by public transport and never fails to proclaim his Celtic Cornishness with a broad smile as well as giving his time generously to the Cornish cause and other local cultural activities. He has made friends in most of the Celtic Nations and embraces the uniqueness of Celtic culture and beliefs.
He bears no malice against the local police but is critical of the management of the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary with its very obvious control by outside influences. Indeed, in Cornwall, the police are now regarded as being alike colonial masters and have lost much public support.
A sinister side to this whole affair is the complete refusal of the mainstream media in Cornwall to give this matter any public airing and other Cornish activists subject of raids and arrests who were subsequently released without charge have only be given minimal press coverage. The silence has been deafening. This has led many to believe that the media is subject of control and censorship, a situation which has previously been the case in the Duchy where hidden powers wield great control.
Again, following 10 months police bail which has placed many restrictions on his life, Tony Leamon faces his eventual fate on Wednesday 2nd July, 2008.
There has been worldwide support for this man with scores of messages sent not only to him but to the police themselves and there has recently been a surprising turn of events. A local journalist has asked to hear from those who have supported Mr Leamon down these long and painful months. Ginette Harris who writes for the West Briton newspaper would be pleased to hear from anyone who has been in communication with the police, the press, the Crown Prosecution Service or Mr Leamon himself.
She has asked letters take a certain format: where you live, why you are supporting him, any activities you may have undertaken to assist him , for example, handing out leaflets, offering money, phone calls, letter writing, e-mails etc.
Please e-mail Ginette at: gharris@c-dm.co.uk and also leave a message on the West Briton's contact site, to be found here:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=232606&command=newPage
You are also invited to copy your correspondence to the police themselves at:
Police.Enquiries@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk
asking for your e-mail to be copied to Detective 196 Hampson of Bodmin CID and to disclosed to Mr. Leamon's lawyer - Mrs G. McKinley of Vivian, Thomas & Jervis Solicitors, PO Box 23, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 3UF as well as the Crown Prosecution Service.
You may care to send a message via this website contact if you fear the police (not uncommon in Cornwall) or if you wish to remain anonymous. Don't forget to clearly state that the message refers to Tony Leamon of Falmouth, Cornwall and that what you say is for the attention of Devon & Cornwall Police - DC 196 Hampson Bodmin CID and Mrs. G. McKinley his solicitor.
https://secure.crimestoppers-uk.org/ams.form.anonymous.asp
If you feel able, why not express your views to those who allegedly control the police - a little like school governors, the Devon & Cornwall Police Authority at:
PolAuth@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk
You are also invited to view a special site which has been set up at:
http://cornwall-police-watch.blogspot.com/
Although Tony Leamon's dignified behaviour when faced with the huge and increasingly authoritarian state may be known around the globe, it has received very little coverage in his home country of Cornwall. Let us all work together and try to change this.
Whatever you do, we sincerely thank you and rest assured that even if the decision is made to charge Mr. Leamon, the evidence will surely have been trumped up by one of the least efficient and most complained about police forces in Great Britain.
A little effort on your part will help Tony Leamon in his brave battle against the cruel system in place in Cornwall today, a battle which may end up with him being made into the latest victim in a small Celtic Country where those who ask 'why?' or say 'no' are subject to the full force of the English Imperial & Colonial System.
'The Tony Leamon Support Group'
Friday 23 May 2008
Plaid Cymru gains power in Cymry/Wales !
From across at the offices of the Celtic League, this fantastic news from Wales ! Independence beckons Cymru !
Plaid Cymru's control in Cymru/Wales continues to grow as the Welsh nationalist party gains control of yet another strategically important council.
After the local Council election results on 1st May 2008, Plaid congratulated itself on a great victory as numbers voting for the party increased considerably. The media in Wales though generally portrayed a negative result for Plaid, mainly because it lost overall control of its onlycouncil seat of Gwynedd County Council. Nevertheless, Plaid had obtained a sizeable minority of Councillors in many of the Council seats throughout Wales and consequently has been working hard to form coalition deals with independents and other parties to gain control of the councils.
This tactic has paid off for the Party, with a coalition deal being struck with the Liberal Democrats in the Welsh capital of Caerdydd/Cardifffor the first time and Plaid's Dilwyn Roberts has now also been elected as leader of Conwy County Council last week. Now this week, Plaid has announced that it has formed a coalition with independent Councillors in Caerffili/CaerphillyCounty Council, which has resulted in them taking overall control of the Council for only the second time in history.
The Labour Party has always traditionally held rule in Caerffili and has usually done so with a large majority. However over the last few years Labour's majority has been decreasing in the town at Local and Parliamentary level, while Plaid has made substantial gains. Caerffili is a commuter town for Casnewydd/Newport and Caerdydd/Cardiff and is located at the bottom of the Rhymney Valley. Caerffili is about 3 kilometres from Caerdydd.
J B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League
23/05/08
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on abroad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues.
TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609 Internet site at:http://celticleague.nethttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/
Plaid Cymru's control in Cymru/Wales continues to grow as the Welsh nationalist party gains control of yet another strategically important council.
After the local Council election results on 1st May 2008, Plaid congratulated itself on a great victory as numbers voting for the party increased considerably. The media in Wales though generally portrayed a negative result for Plaid, mainly because it lost overall control of its onlycouncil seat of Gwynedd County Council. Nevertheless, Plaid had obtained a sizeable minority of Councillors in many of the Council seats throughout Wales and consequently has been working hard to form coalition deals with independents and other parties to gain control of the councils.
This tactic has paid off for the Party, with a coalition deal being struck with the Liberal Democrats in the Welsh capital of Caerdydd/Cardifffor the first time and Plaid's Dilwyn Roberts has now also been elected as leader of Conwy County Council last week. Now this week, Plaid has announced that it has formed a coalition with independent Councillors in Caerffili/CaerphillyCounty Council, which has resulted in them taking overall control of the Council for only the second time in history.
The Labour Party has always traditionally held rule in Caerffili and has usually done so with a large majority. However over the last few years Labour's majority has been decreasing in the town at Local and Parliamentary level, while Plaid has made substantial gains. Caerffili is a commuter town for Casnewydd/Newport and Caerdydd/Cardiff and is located at the bottom of the Rhymney Valley. Caerffili is about 3 kilometres from Caerdydd.
J B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League
23/05/08
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on abroad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues.
TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609 Internet site at:http://celticleague.nethttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/
Wednesday 21 May 2008
Blow for ETA freedom fighters
This bad news just received. The ETA organisation have shown equal fortitude to some of the Celtic Freedom Fighters in Eire in their battle against the Imperial and Colonialist Spanish and French states.
Spanish and French police arrested the reputed leader of the armed Basque separatist group ETA and five other people, hitting back amid a sustained campaign of bombings by the militant organization, officials said Wednesday.
Francisco Javier Lopez Pena and three other alleged ETA members were detained in the southwestern French city of Bordeaux on Tuesday night, Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said.
Two more people were arrested Wednesday, one in Spain and a French citizen in France who was linked to the Bordeaux apartment, he said. French police said handguns and materials that could be used for making bombs were found in the apartment.
"This is not just another police operation in the sense that one of the detained, Francisco Javier Lopez Pena, is in all likelihood at this moment the person with most political and military weight in the terrorist group ETA," Rubalcaba said from Senegal, where he was on an official visit.
The minister was to cut short that visit and fly back to Madrid — evidence of how seriously Spain's takes the first arrest of a reputed ETA chief since 2004.
Since ETA ended a cease-fire in December 2006, Spanish and French police have arrested dozens of alleged members of the organization.
The latest arrests came amid a renewed campaign of attacks by ETA. The group was blamed for killing a policeman in a massive car bombing last week in a Basque village. It claimed another car bombing Sunday near Bilbao — the latest in more than 20 attacks by the organization since it called off the cease-fire after peace talks with the government failed.
Lopez Pena was instrumental in ETA's decision to end the truce, said a Spanish police official, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.
ETA is blamed for killing more than 825 people since the late 1960s in its campaign for an independent Basque state in territory straddling northern Spain and southern France.
The latest attacks are seen as an attempt by ETA to show it remains a force to be reckoned with and will not be ignored as politicians discuss how to end the region's decades-old conflict.
Besides Lopez Pena, the other three suspected ETA members arrested in Bordeaux were identified as Ainhoa Ozaeta Mendiondo, Igor Suberbiola and Jon Salaberria. A fifth person, Jose Antonio Barandiaran, a former mayor of a Basque town, was arrested in Spain's northern Basque region Wednesday morning. The French citizen arrested in Bordeaux was not immediately identified.
A French police official said four handguns, false identity papers, computers and material that could be used for making explosives — including sodium chlorate and time-bomb equipment — were seized in the Bordeaux apartment.
The official was not authorized to be named publicly.
The suspects have not made any statements since their arrest, the official said.
The office of French Prime Minister Francois Fillon confirmed the arrests in a statement, calling Lopez Pena "one of the historic leaders" of ETA and saying he had been wanted by police for 20 years.
"The success of this operation illustrates again the remarkable quality of the anti-terrorist cooperation between France and Spain," the statement said.
The apartment where the suspects were seized was blocked off by French and Spanish police Wednesday morning. It is located on a busy boulevard in a working class district of the city.
Many ETA members live in French Basque areas in the southwest of the country. The group is considered a terrorist organization by Spain, the European Union and the United States
Spanish and French police arrested the reputed leader of the armed Basque separatist group ETA and five other people, hitting back amid a sustained campaign of bombings by the militant organization, officials said Wednesday.
Francisco Javier Lopez Pena and three other alleged ETA members were detained in the southwestern French city of Bordeaux on Tuesday night, Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said.
Two more people were arrested Wednesday, one in Spain and a French citizen in France who was linked to the Bordeaux apartment, he said. French police said handguns and materials that could be used for making bombs were found in the apartment.
"This is not just another police operation in the sense that one of the detained, Francisco Javier Lopez Pena, is in all likelihood at this moment the person with most political and military weight in the terrorist group ETA," Rubalcaba said from Senegal, where he was on an official visit.
The minister was to cut short that visit and fly back to Madrid — evidence of how seriously Spain's takes the first arrest of a reputed ETA chief since 2004.
Since ETA ended a cease-fire in December 2006, Spanish and French police have arrested dozens of alleged members of the organization.
The latest arrests came amid a renewed campaign of attacks by ETA. The group was blamed for killing a policeman in a massive car bombing last week in a Basque village. It claimed another car bombing Sunday near Bilbao — the latest in more than 20 attacks by the organization since it called off the cease-fire after peace talks with the government failed.
Lopez Pena was instrumental in ETA's decision to end the truce, said a Spanish police official, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.
ETA is blamed for killing more than 825 people since the late 1960s in its campaign for an independent Basque state in territory straddling northern Spain and southern France.
The latest attacks are seen as an attempt by ETA to show it remains a force to be reckoned with and will not be ignored as politicians discuss how to end the region's decades-old conflict.
Besides Lopez Pena, the other three suspected ETA members arrested in Bordeaux were identified as Ainhoa Ozaeta Mendiondo, Igor Suberbiola and Jon Salaberria. A fifth person, Jose Antonio Barandiaran, a former mayor of a Basque town, was arrested in Spain's northern Basque region Wednesday morning. The French citizen arrested in Bordeaux was not immediately identified.
A French police official said four handguns, false identity papers, computers and material that could be used for making explosives — including sodium chlorate and time-bomb equipment — were seized in the Bordeaux apartment.
The official was not authorized to be named publicly.
The suspects have not made any statements since their arrest, the official said.
The office of French Prime Minister Francois Fillon confirmed the arrests in a statement, calling Lopez Pena "one of the historic leaders" of ETA and saying he had been wanted by police for 20 years.
"The success of this operation illustrates again the remarkable quality of the anti-terrorist cooperation between France and Spain," the statement said.
The apartment where the suspects were seized was blocked off by French and Spanish police Wednesday morning. It is located on a busy boulevard in a working class district of the city.
Many ETA members live in French Basque areas in the southwest of the country. The group is considered a terrorist organization by Spain, the European Union and the United States
Kernow/Cornwall - 'There may be trouble ahead'
Cornish militants have been at it again and we are forced to asked when the English Imperial and Colonial Establishment will listen ?
Not only has spray canning being resumed but also the threat made against the English Flag of St George being flown in the Country.
Known as the 'banner of blood' (not only in Kernow but elsewhere in the other Celtic Nations and also, quite oddly, by more than one right wing English group) 'the loathsome flag' and the 'blood cross' due to its bloody history, activists have again stated clearly that they will be removing such insults across Kernow.
I trust we can all support the Celtic Cornish here in the other celtic Nations as well, where the sight of this insulting image would not be permitted.
In short, the message seems to be, 'remove this reminder of English superiority now or face the consequences !'
We recently found this little ditty on a Cornish webpage which says it all:
'Loathsome flag of blood red cross
Cause of many a Cornish loss
With face as white as sun bleached bones
Despised in all good Celtic homes
Alban, Kembry, Kernow all hope
For freedom from the Anglo's yoke
The right to determine own destiny
No shackle of English autocracy
To stand as equal partners in the world
With fair taxation for a fair day's toil
Local work, decisions and lien
To stand again as free men'
Not only has spray canning being resumed but also the threat made against the English Flag of St George being flown in the Country.
Known as the 'banner of blood' (not only in Kernow but elsewhere in the other Celtic Nations and also, quite oddly, by more than one right wing English group) 'the loathsome flag' and the 'blood cross' due to its bloody history, activists have again stated clearly that they will be removing such insults across Kernow.
I trust we can all support the Celtic Cornish here in the other celtic Nations as well, where the sight of this insulting image would not be permitted.
In short, the message seems to be, 'remove this reminder of English superiority now or face the consequences !'
We recently found this little ditty on a Cornish webpage which says it all:
'Loathsome flag of blood red cross
Cause of many a Cornish loss
With face as white as sun bleached bones
Despised in all good Celtic homes
Alban, Kembry, Kernow all hope
For freedom from the Anglo's yoke
The right to determine own destiny
No shackle of English autocracy
To stand as equal partners in the world
With fair taxation for a fair day's toil
Local work, decisions and lien
To stand again as free men'
RIP Brian Keenan - Irish Patriot
Senior IRA commander Brian Keenan has died after a battle with cancer, Sinn Fein said today.
The West Belfast-based republican was a key figure in the organisation during the peace process.
A Sinn Fein spokesman confirmed his death.
Born in 1942 in county Londonderry, the son of a member of the Royal Air Force, Keenan grew up in a family with no republic leanings, and moved to England in his teens, where he worked as a television repair man.
He returned to Ulster when the Troubles began and joined the IRA in around 1970. By the following year he was the quartermaster of the Belfast brigade, and involved in masterminding Belfast bombings.
In 1973 he took control of the IRA's bombing campaign in England and became IRA Quartermaster General. He was regarded as the right-hand man of Gerry Adams, then imprisoned in Long Kesh and attempting to influence the direction and structure of the IRA from his prison cell.
Keenan served a 12-month prison sentence in the Irish republic in 1974, and came to the attention of the English police in 1975 when his fingerprints were identified at the hideout of the Balcombe Street Siege gang.
The warrant issued for his arrest in 1975 led to his extradition to England when he was arrested in Ireland in 1979, in his pocket an address book listing his contacts. He stood trial in June 1980 for masterminding the IRA's bombing campaign in England and was jailed for 18 years.
After his release in 1993 he rose to become one of the seven members of the IRA's ruling Army Council. For a time he split from his old mentor Mr Adams after the IRA's first ceasefire in 1994, wanting to continue the armed struggle.
He was on the Army Council that authorised the 1996 Docklands bombing that killed two people and ended the IRA ceasefire.
As the peace process got under way in the late 1990s, however, he swung his authority behind the twin track strategy of talking peace while threatening to return to bloodshed if demands were not met, dubbed the Armalite and the ballot box.
Both politics and violence were "legitimate forms of revolution", he told IRA waverers in 2001, and both "have to be prosecuted to the utmost".
"The revolution can never be over until we have British imperialism where it belongs - in the dustbin of history," he said, in a message aimed at keeping up the IRA's resolve and preventing activists from defecting to the dissident Real IRA.
Keenan acted as the IRA's go-between with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, eventually playing such a key role in negotiations that Mr Adams remarked: "There wouldn't be a peace process if it wasn't for Brian Keenan."
He resigned from the Army Council in 2005 due to ill health.
The West Belfast-based republican was a key figure in the organisation during the peace process.
A Sinn Fein spokesman confirmed his death.
Born in 1942 in county Londonderry, the son of a member of the Royal Air Force, Keenan grew up in a family with no republic leanings, and moved to England in his teens, where he worked as a television repair man.
He returned to Ulster when the Troubles began and joined the IRA in around 1970. By the following year he was the quartermaster of the Belfast brigade, and involved in masterminding Belfast bombings.
In 1973 he took control of the IRA's bombing campaign in England and became IRA Quartermaster General. He was regarded as the right-hand man of Gerry Adams, then imprisoned in Long Kesh and attempting to influence the direction and structure of the IRA from his prison cell.
Keenan served a 12-month prison sentence in the Irish republic in 1974, and came to the attention of the English police in 1975 when his fingerprints were identified at the hideout of the Balcombe Street Siege gang.
The warrant issued for his arrest in 1975 led to his extradition to England when he was arrested in Ireland in 1979, in his pocket an address book listing his contacts. He stood trial in June 1980 for masterminding the IRA's bombing campaign in England and was jailed for 18 years.
After his release in 1993 he rose to become one of the seven members of the IRA's ruling Army Council. For a time he split from his old mentor Mr Adams after the IRA's first ceasefire in 1994, wanting to continue the armed struggle.
He was on the Army Council that authorised the 1996 Docklands bombing that killed two people and ended the IRA ceasefire.
As the peace process got under way in the late 1990s, however, he swung his authority behind the twin track strategy of talking peace while threatening to return to bloodshed if demands were not met, dubbed the Armalite and the ballot box.
Both politics and violence were "legitimate forms of revolution", he told IRA waverers in 2001, and both "have to be prosecuted to the utmost".
"The revolution can never be over until we have British imperialism where it belongs - in the dustbin of history," he said, in a message aimed at keeping up the IRA's resolve and preventing activists from defecting to the dissident Real IRA.
Keenan acted as the IRA's go-between with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, eventually playing such a key role in negotiations that Mr Adams remarked: "There wouldn't be a peace process if it wasn't for Brian Keenan."
He resigned from the Army Council in 2005 due to ill health.
Cornish Language Agreement
For hundreds of years the dwindling band of surviving Cornish-speakers have been so divided that they could not even agree what their language should be called.
Now after protracted and delicate neogtiations, Cornwall’s hardy linguistic scholars have set aside their differences to settle a standard written form for the language they treasure.
Since the early 20th century there has been a successful campaign to revive spoken Cornish, but the use of sources from different eras meant there were several versions of how it should be written. The result was a rivalry between proponents of Unified Cornish, Kernewek Kemmyn, Modern Cornish, Unified Cornish Revised, Kernowak Standard, Kernewek Dasunys and other variants that would have left speakers of the original language utterly bemused.
As a measure of the differences Cornish-speakers could not even agree whether the language should be called Kernowek, Kernewek or Curnoack.
Now after two years of negotiation, scholars from all the different factions have reached agreement on a Standard Written Form which will be used in future in education, in pamphlets and brochures, and on public signs.
A thousand years ago, Cornish, which is closely related to Breton and Welsh, was spoken by most of the population in southwest England. Its decline began in 1549 when the Latin prayer book was replaced by an English version, provoking a revolt by people who spoke only Cornish. The repression that followed culminated in the massacre of 4,000 rebels and left a bitterness that lingers to this day.
Cornish retreated down the peninsula. The last monoglot Cornish speaker is believed to have been a man called Chesten Marchant who died at Gwithian in 1676. Dorothy Pentreath, the last native speaker, died in 1777 at Mousehole. The last living link with the language was broken in 1891 with the death of John Davey, of Zennor, who took to the grave the Cornish phrases his grandfather had taught him.
By 1900 Cornish was a dead language that survived only in a few manuscripts and the notes of 18th and 19th-century linguistic scholars who had recorded what they could before it vanished completely.
Its reconstruction and revival began in the early 1900s with renewed interest in Cornish heritage and there are now about 300 people who can speak it fluently, with several thousand more who have at least a rudimentary grasp.
Cornish is unique among minority European languages because it was revived after having died out. A team of scholars led by a Norwegian linguist, Trond Trosterud, devised the standard written form under the auspices of the Cornish Language Partnership.
Its development officer Jenefer Lowe, who has been speaking Cornish since she was a girl, said: “There were scholastic disagreements and some pretty firmly held opinions but we managed to reach agreement in the end. The standard form draws on the forms already in existence. This means that users of any form will find much that is familiar, alongside some differences.”
Benjamin Bruch, a former lecturer in Celtic studies at Harvard University who helped to draw up the SWF, said: “It is a critical and extremely exciting time in the history of the language. There has been a huge change in perception and awareness of the language over the past ten years.”
He added that he hopes the move will encourage a stronger sense of Cornish identity. “If you have no language you have no land. A lot of people feel it is part of their identity, part of their heritage. Cornwall is lucky because people are working hard to use it more and more. It gives it a fighting chance when others are going.”
Cornwall County Council is now asking that Cornish be recognised by the EU as an official regional or minority language, like Welsh or Gaelic. That could ease the way for EU funding for teaching – which at present is restricted to DVDs in three secondary schools. Frances Bennett, a teacher of Modern Cornish, said: “Young children are really keen to learn the language. It’s like a secret code to them.”
Starting point
Myttin da Good morning
Dohajydh da Good afternoon
Gorthugher da Good evening
Fatla genes? How are you?
Meur ras Thank you
Marpleg Please
Pinta korev marpleg Pint of beer, please
Yeghes da/Sewena Cheers
A vynn’ta kavoes neppyth dh’y dhybri? Do you want something to eat?
Ple’ma an bysva? Where is the toilet?
My a’th kar I love you
Dyw genes Goodbye (God be with you)
From: The Times of London
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3972485.ece?Submitted=true
Now after protracted and delicate neogtiations, Cornwall’s hardy linguistic scholars have set aside their differences to settle a standard written form for the language they treasure.
Since the early 20th century there has been a successful campaign to revive spoken Cornish, but the use of sources from different eras meant there were several versions of how it should be written. The result was a rivalry between proponents of Unified Cornish, Kernewek Kemmyn, Modern Cornish, Unified Cornish Revised, Kernowak Standard, Kernewek Dasunys and other variants that would have left speakers of the original language utterly bemused.
As a measure of the differences Cornish-speakers could not even agree whether the language should be called Kernowek, Kernewek or Curnoack.
Now after two years of negotiation, scholars from all the different factions have reached agreement on a Standard Written Form which will be used in future in education, in pamphlets and brochures, and on public signs.
A thousand years ago, Cornish, which is closely related to Breton and Welsh, was spoken by most of the population in southwest England. Its decline began in 1549 when the Latin prayer book was replaced by an English version, provoking a revolt by people who spoke only Cornish. The repression that followed culminated in the massacre of 4,000 rebels and left a bitterness that lingers to this day.
Cornish retreated down the peninsula. The last monoglot Cornish speaker is believed to have been a man called Chesten Marchant who died at Gwithian in 1676. Dorothy Pentreath, the last native speaker, died in 1777 at Mousehole. The last living link with the language was broken in 1891 with the death of John Davey, of Zennor, who took to the grave the Cornish phrases his grandfather had taught him.
By 1900 Cornish was a dead language that survived only in a few manuscripts and the notes of 18th and 19th-century linguistic scholars who had recorded what they could before it vanished completely.
Its reconstruction and revival began in the early 1900s with renewed interest in Cornish heritage and there are now about 300 people who can speak it fluently, with several thousand more who have at least a rudimentary grasp.
Cornish is unique among minority European languages because it was revived after having died out. A team of scholars led by a Norwegian linguist, Trond Trosterud, devised the standard written form under the auspices of the Cornish Language Partnership.
Its development officer Jenefer Lowe, who has been speaking Cornish since she was a girl, said: “There were scholastic disagreements and some pretty firmly held opinions but we managed to reach agreement in the end. The standard form draws on the forms already in existence. This means that users of any form will find much that is familiar, alongside some differences.”
Benjamin Bruch, a former lecturer in Celtic studies at Harvard University who helped to draw up the SWF, said: “It is a critical and extremely exciting time in the history of the language. There has been a huge change in perception and awareness of the language over the past ten years.”
He added that he hopes the move will encourage a stronger sense of Cornish identity. “If you have no language you have no land. A lot of people feel it is part of their identity, part of their heritage. Cornwall is lucky because people are working hard to use it more and more. It gives it a fighting chance when others are going.”
Cornwall County Council is now asking that Cornish be recognised by the EU as an official regional or minority language, like Welsh or Gaelic. That could ease the way for EU funding for teaching – which at present is restricted to DVDs in three secondary schools. Frances Bennett, a teacher of Modern Cornish, said: “Young children are really keen to learn the language. It’s like a secret code to them.”
Starting point
Myttin da Good morning
Dohajydh da Good afternoon
Gorthugher da Good evening
Fatla genes? How are you?
Meur ras Thank you
Marpleg Please
Pinta korev marpleg Pint of beer, please
Yeghes da/Sewena Cheers
A vynn’ta kavoes neppyth dh’y dhybri? Do you want something to eat?
Ple’ma an bysva? Where is the toilet?
My a’th kar I love you
Dyw genes Goodbye (God be with you)
From: The Times of London
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3972485.ece?Submitted=true
Tuesday 20 May 2008
New book in Kernow - arrests to follow ?
Cornish rights campaigner, John Angarrack, has launched his latest book entitled 'Scat t’Larrups? - Resist and Survive.'
This follows on from his previous books, 'Breaking the Chains' and 'Our Future is History' have both had a huge influence on the political outlook and attitude of many ordinary Cornish people, with some stating that it was not until they had read the arguments presented by Angarrack in his books that they 'woke up' to their Cornish identity and the suppression of their rights as a people. 'Breaking the Chains' and'Our Future is History' both concern themselves with the on going issues of constitutional deception, cultural assimilation and the neo-colonialism of the English system.
Copies of Angarrack's books have been confiscated by the Devon and Cornwall police under different circumstances, including all the copies owned by Cornish campaigners who were arrested in police raids last year. His latest book, 'Scat t'Larrups?: Resist and Survive', looks at what happened during the period of the arrests and attempts to set events in their proper context.
Mr Angarrack, who enjoys near cult status amongst Celtic Cornish activists has said:
"[The book] might also provoke another round of police raids."
The book is available from: http://johnangarrack.co.uk/ (if you dare to buy it - safe outside of UK but within it - who knows ?)
As the website says:
"Scat t’Larrups?Resist and Survive.
Publisher: Independent Academic Press
Date of Publication: 2008 Pages: 330Style: Hardback
ISBN: 0 9529313 54
Cover text: The year is 2007 and Government react to what appears to be a co-ordinated threat to national security. The Secretary of State sets normal affairs of Government aside to hold two days of crisis talks with her advisors and the future king is consulted. Dawn raids by dozens of armed police result in suspected terrorists being rounded up at gunpoint. Enemy flags, instruction manuals and documents in a foreign language are taken as evidence. High profile personalities are offered special protection and the press hint of a plot to blow up the QE2. The tension abates only after Government and judiciary conspire to intimidate the community into compliance.
A Tom Clancy thriller? No. The events described above really happened – in Cornwall. But what is the truth behind the sensationalism and why did Government take such extreme measures against Cornish people? John Angarrack’s follow-up book to Breaking the Chains and Our Future is History looks at what happened during this period and attempts to set events in their proper context."
Why not buy it and fly in the face of the facist colonial police in Kernow !
This follows on from his previous books, 'Breaking the Chains' and 'Our Future is History' have both had a huge influence on the political outlook and attitude of many ordinary Cornish people, with some stating that it was not until they had read the arguments presented by Angarrack in his books that they 'woke up' to their Cornish identity and the suppression of their rights as a people. 'Breaking the Chains' and'Our Future is History' both concern themselves with the on going issues of constitutional deception, cultural assimilation and the neo-colonialism of the English system.
Copies of Angarrack's books have been confiscated by the Devon and Cornwall police under different circumstances, including all the copies owned by Cornish campaigners who were arrested in police raids last year. His latest book, 'Scat t'Larrups?: Resist and Survive', looks at what happened during the period of the arrests and attempts to set events in their proper context.
Mr Angarrack, who enjoys near cult status amongst Celtic Cornish activists has said:
"[The book] might also provoke another round of police raids."
The book is available from: http://johnangarrack.co.uk/ (if you dare to buy it - safe outside of UK but within it - who knows ?)
As the website says:
"Scat t’Larrups?Resist and Survive.
Publisher: Independent Academic Press
Date of Publication: 2008 Pages: 330Style: Hardback
ISBN: 0 9529313 54
Cover text: The year is 2007 and Government react to what appears to be a co-ordinated threat to national security. The Secretary of State sets normal affairs of Government aside to hold two days of crisis talks with her advisors and the future king is consulted. Dawn raids by dozens of armed police result in suspected terrorists being rounded up at gunpoint. Enemy flags, instruction manuals and documents in a foreign language are taken as evidence. High profile personalities are offered special protection and the press hint of a plot to blow up the QE2. The tension abates only after Government and judiciary conspire to intimidate the community into compliance.
A Tom Clancy thriller? No. The events described above really happened – in Cornwall. But what is the truth behind the sensationalism and why did Government take such extreme measures against Cornish people? John Angarrack’s follow-up book to Breaking the Chains and Our Future is History looks at what happened during this period and attempts to set events in their proper context."
Why not buy it and fly in the face of the facist colonial police in Kernow !
Eire/Ireland : 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF CIVIL RIGHTS 1968 – 2008
40TH ANNIVERSARY OF CIVIL RIGHTS 1968 – 2008
Historical Background
Forty years ago, in 1968, a series of events took place here which changed the face of Northern Ireland irrevocably. These events were the culmination of attempts since the early 1960s by a number of different organisations and individuals to highlight injustices in Northern Ireland . The Campaign for Social Justice, the Derry Housing Action Committee and the Campaign for Democracy in Ulster were examples of this. Their concern was not with the great constitutional issues which had dominated political debate thereto, but with the everyday issues which dominated people's lives. In 1967, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association was founded to address all these issues. The following year, inspired by the courage of Civil Rights leaders in the United States , and by their example of peaceful non-violent protest, Civil Rights protesters began to take to the streets of Northern Ireland . Their objective was to bring an end to injustice in the system of public authority housing provision, injustice in public and private employment practices, injustice in voting and representational rights, and the arbitrary and oppressive powers available to the state to suppress dissent.
The things that happened during that pivotal year had a profound effect upon our society, and precipitated an avalanche of change which left no part of our community untouched. Such was the importance of these events, and what they led to, that it is appropriate and even necessary, 40 years later, to commemorate them in a sober and reflective way, to seek to learn from what happened, to consider the significance of the Civil Rights Movement for our society today and the continuing resonance of the issues which it addressed, and the ideals which underpinned it.A number of those who were active in leadership positions in the Civil Rights Movement in 1968, have established a broad based Civil Rights Commemoration Committee to commemorate the events of 1968, in such a way as to serve the historical record as best we can, and to generate a balanced and inclusive reflection upon that year.
Sunday 04/27/08, key figures associated with the civil rights movement in Derry assembled at the gave of the late Mrs. Mary Ellen O'Doherty, the “Mother of Irish Civil Rights” to mark her 100th birthday on April 28, 1908. She died last year on June 16th, surrounded by her loved ones from at home and abroad, in hospital, after a short illness.
Former Mid-Derry MP and former Minister for Community Relations in the ill-fated 1974 Stormont Executive, Mr. Ivan Cooper gave a short oration as did her son, Fionnbarra, a co-founder of NICRA in 1967.A wreath of fresh flowers, formed into the figures "100" was laid on her gave by her daugher Deirdre and a grand-dauhter, Emma, an under-graduate from Belfast, Pics and an audio/vidual recording were made by Luke Coyle, a son of the Late 'Vinny', who was Chief Marshall of around 700 stewards during the civil rights era.
Copies of pics can be obtained on request via rights.civil@googlemail.com
Mary Ellen O'Doherty {1908-2007)
Historical Background
Forty years ago, in 1968, a series of events took place here which changed the face of Northern Ireland irrevocably. These events were the culmination of attempts since the early 1960s by a number of different organisations and individuals to highlight injustices in Northern Ireland . The Campaign for Social Justice, the Derry Housing Action Committee and the Campaign for Democracy in Ulster were examples of this. Their concern was not with the great constitutional issues which had dominated political debate thereto, but with the everyday issues which dominated people's lives. In 1967, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association was founded to address all these issues. The following year, inspired by the courage of Civil Rights leaders in the United States , and by their example of peaceful non-violent protest, Civil Rights protesters began to take to the streets of Northern Ireland . Their objective was to bring an end to injustice in the system of public authority housing provision, injustice in public and private employment practices, injustice in voting and representational rights, and the arbitrary and oppressive powers available to the state to suppress dissent.
The things that happened during that pivotal year had a profound effect upon our society, and precipitated an avalanche of change which left no part of our community untouched. Such was the importance of these events, and what they led to, that it is appropriate and even necessary, 40 years later, to commemorate them in a sober and reflective way, to seek to learn from what happened, to consider the significance of the Civil Rights Movement for our society today and the continuing resonance of the issues which it addressed, and the ideals which underpinned it.A number of those who were active in leadership positions in the Civil Rights Movement in 1968, have established a broad based Civil Rights Commemoration Committee to commemorate the events of 1968, in such a way as to serve the historical record as best we can, and to generate a balanced and inclusive reflection upon that year.
Sunday 04/27/08, key figures associated with the civil rights movement in Derry assembled at the gave of the late Mrs. Mary Ellen O'Doherty, the “Mother of Irish Civil Rights” to mark her 100th birthday on April 28, 1908. She died last year on June 16th, surrounded by her loved ones from at home and abroad, in hospital, after a short illness.
Former Mid-Derry MP and former Minister for Community Relations in the ill-fated 1974 Stormont Executive, Mr. Ivan Cooper gave a short oration as did her son, Fionnbarra, a co-founder of NICRA in 1967.A wreath of fresh flowers, formed into the figures "100" was laid on her gave by her daugher Deirdre and a grand-dauhter, Emma, an under-graduate from Belfast, Pics and an audio/vidual recording were made by Luke Coyle, a son of the Late 'Vinny', who was Chief Marshall of around 700 stewards during the civil rights era.
Copies of pics can be obtained on request via rights.civil@googlemail.com
Mary Ellen O'Doherty {1908-2007)
Saturday 17 May 2008
IRISH REPUBLICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
Received from the Irish Republican Information Service - English out and a United Eire !
Irish Republican Information Service (no. 149)Teach Dáithí Ó Conaill, 223 Parnell Street, Dublin 1, IrelandPhone: +353-1-872 9747; FAX: +353-1-872 9757; e-mail: saoirse@iol.ieDate: 16 Bealtaine / May 2008
Internet resources maintained by SAOIRSE-Irish Freedom
http://saoirse.info
In this issue:1. Republican SF calls for No vote2. British occupation is the crime3. Irish and Cypriot jail experience recalled4. UVF-linked band gets lotto and Ulster-Scots body cash 5. Bobby Sands film gets first showing at Cannes6. Amnesty calls on 26 Counties to accept exonerated Guantánamo detainees7. People not being told truth about text, says Alliance8. Protesters removed from Hill of Tara9. Scottish Insurrection remembered10. Glasgow RSF on May Day march
1. REPUBLICAN SF CALLS FOR NO VOTE
REPUBLICAN Sinn Féin on May 14 called for a No vote in the Lisbon referendum "to defend sovereignty, neutrality and democracy".
Speaking at a press conference launching Republican Sinn Féin's campaign against the Lisbon Treaty/EU Constitution Ruairí Ó Brádaigh said the issue at stake was not EU membership, as claimed by the Yes campaign. It was about the movement of power towards the centre in Brussels and the tightening of the EU grip.
In a statement Ruairí Ó Brádaigh said:
"Republican Sinn Féin calls for a NO vote to defend sovereignty, neutrality and democracy and defeat the Lisbon Treaty in the coming referendum on June 12. "Those supporting Lisbon have freely admitted that it is 95% - 96% the proposed EU Constitution which was rejected by the people of France and Holland in referenda in 2005. Lisbon is the EU Constitution by the back door in that it would constitute or establish a new European Union in the form of a supranational Federal State. Qualified Majority Rule "Lisbon is also a power-grab by the EU s Big States, Germany, France, Britain and Italy. By making EU law-making mainly dependent on population size, it would increase the relative weight of the Big States in making EU laws in future and reduce that of smaller States like the 26 Counties. Sovereignty "Under Lisbon more than 50 policy areas will no longer be covered by a member state's veto. Another clause gives the EU Council of Ministers the right to extend its powers in all areas with the exception of defence. Neutrality "The mutual defence clause contained in Lisbon would commit all member states to assist by all means in their power any EU state which is the victim of armed aggression on its territory. This is a significant step towards the full militarisation of the EU. It will be recalled that a Fianna Fáil general election manifesto in recent times guaranteed no participation in the NATO led Partnership for Peace without a referendum. Yet 18 months later the Fianna Fáil-led administration brazenly brought the State into that Partnership for Peace without a vote of the electorate. Neutrality is being steadily eroded." Democracy "The non-elected EU Commission holds the power to initiate legislation. Under Lisbon the 26-County State will lose its commissioner for five out of every 15 years, ie for one-third of the time."Lisbon would give the EU Court of Justice the final decision on what our human and civil rights are in a wide range of areas. Already its Laval ruling set the free movement of goods and services as superior to the right of workers to strike. The Lisbon Treaty will further this agenda, placing competition above the rights of the working people. "The issue at stake here is the Lisbon Treaty, the movement of power towards the centre in Brussels and the tightening of the EU grip, NOT the question of EU membership. If Lisbon is defeated, life will go on as before as happened when France and Holland rejected the proposed constitution and the whole matter will have to be reconsidered. In fact this State could give a lead to the other peoples of Europe to demand their own referenda in turn, thus increasing democratic accountability. "Voting NO to the Lisbon Treaty/EU Constitution is opposing the creation of an undemocratic superstate, increased militarisation, the erosion of neutrality, the privatisation of public services and unfettered capitalism. We want a more democratic, not a less democratic Europe, a Europe of peoples."
2. BRITISH OCCUPATION IS THE CRIME
ON May 15 a spokesperson for Republican Sinn Féin condemned the ending of automatic 50% remission for prisoners within the Six Occupied Counties. Richard Walsh, RSF Director of Publicity, added that British occupation was the greatest crime being committed in Ireland.
"A foreign military power does not and cannot have the right to incarcerate people on Irish soil," he said. "And the fact that many people have been jailed by the English for opposing the illegal occupation of our country is especially abhorrent.
"Those sentenced to ten years' or longer imprisonment will have to serve the entirety of the British-imposed sentence before being considered for parole. This means that these sentences are effectively being doubled. Automatic fifty percent remission has also been cast aside for the remainder of prisoners.
"It should always be remembered that it is the occupation of Ireland by a foreign enemy which remains the greatest crime being perpetrated against the Irish people." 3. IRISH AND CYPRIOT JAIL EXPERIENCE RECALLED
A LITTLE-known chapter of recent Irish history was recalled on May 10 with the launch of a book on Irish Republicans and Cypriots who were imprisoned together in British jails in the late 1950s.
The book, Cypriot and Irish Political Prisoners by Vias Livadas, published by Power Publishing of Nicosia, shows how Irish Republicans and Cypriot EOKA guerrillas developed close links in British prisons such as Wormwood Scrubs and Wakefield Prison.
Speaking at a reception in the Pearse Centre in Dublin, former family home of 1916 leader Pádraig Pearse, the journalist and historian Tim Pat Coogan noted that Ireland and Cyprus were both subjected to partition.
But whereas Ireland historically had to deal with only one major power, "Cyprus is tossed like a cork in a storm set off by many cyclones."
Vias Livadas said the Irish and Cypriot prisoners were jointly known as "the rebellious team" and that their "permanent goal" was escape. Among the Irish contingent were well-known Republicans such as Séamus Murphy, who famously escaped from Wakefield prison in 1959, Manus Canning, Donal Murphy, the late Cathal Goulding, Seán Mac Stiofáin, Séamus McCollum and Joe Doyle.
Among the attendance were Cypriot Ambassador to Ireland, Sotos Liassides; Prof Frixos Joannides, formerly of University College Dublin; Séamus Murphy, Manus Canning, Eamon Boyce, Cathal Óg Goulding, son of the late Cathal Goulding; Máire Mhic Stiofáin, widow of Seán Mac Stiofáin; ex-Eoka member Renos Kyriakides and former Sinn Féin abstentionist TD for Mid-Ulster, Tom Mitchell. Republican Sinn Féin Vice Presidents Cathleen Knowles McGuirk and Des Dalton as well as Ard Chomhairle member Des Long, Limerick also attended.
The ceremony was chaired by veteran Republican Charley Murphy.
4. UVF-LINKED BAND GETS LOTTO AND ULSTER-SCOTS BODY CASH
A 'BLOOD and thunder' band with links to the youth wing of the loyalist death-squad the UVF is among dozens of loyalist bands to receive funding from the Six-County Ulster-Scots Agency and the British National Lottery. The level of funding contrasts with the repeated refusal of DUP Stormont Culture Minister Edwin Poots to provide funding for the Irish language.
Sixty-five flute, accordion and pipe bands were given funds totalling more than £166,100 last year.
More than £4,600 of British lottery money went to Pride of Ardoyne, which takes part in a contentious parade past the Ardoyne shops in north Belfast each year.
The funding, administered through the Six-County Arts Council, was for new instruments.
The band marches with a banner bearing an emblem of the so-called Young Citizens Volunteers - the UVF's youth wing - and the names of two former band members, UVF man Sam Rockett, who was killed by the UDA during the 2000 loyalist feud, and William Hanna, killed by the British army in 1978.
Among the bands given funding by the Ulster-Scots Agency was Mourne Young Defenders Flute Band which received £1,800 for musical tuition and a further £1,219 for an 'Ulster-Scots summer school' run by its members.
Mourne took part in the abortive 2006 so-called 'Love Ulster' loyalist march in Dublin. The planned march down O'Connell St was abandoned due to the scale of protests led by Republican Sinn Féin. The band is called after Alan Johnston, an Orangeman and member of the British army's infamous Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) who was killed in Kilkeel, Co Down, by the Provisionals in 1988.
The Arts Council gave about £102,500 to 24 bands, mostly for musical tuition. The Ulster-Scots Agency gave about £56,500 to 38 bands for instruments.
The British Big Lottery Fund gave £6,980 to three bands under its Awards for All scheme. 5. BOBBY SANDS FILM GETS FIRST SHOWING AT CANNES
TRAFFIC ground to a halt and hundreds of onlookers gathered in the warm sunshine to spot the stars arriving at the opening of the 61st Festival de Cannes on May 14.
The festival's official sidebar section, Un Certain Regard, opened with the world premiere of Hunger, which deals with the last six weeks in the life of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands.
The first feature film directed by Steve McQueen, a Turner Prize-winning English artist, it features German-born and Killarney-raised actor Michael Fassbender as Sands. Dublin actor Liam Cunningham plays a priest who visits him in the H Blocks of Long Kesh.
The screenplay for Hunger is by Enda Walsh, the Irish playwright of Disco Pigs, Bedbound and The Walworth Farce. Walsh says: "Very simply, it made me question what I believed in the world. I acknowledge and respect these people's belief in something. It is this that should have universal relevance."
The film, which was announced at Cannes last year, was funded by Channel 4, Northern Ireland Screen and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland.
Even before the official opening of Cannes 2008, the crowded festival market was open for business with screenings under way from early morning to attract film distributors worldwide.
6. AMNESTY CALLS ON 26 COUNTIES TO ACCEPT EXONERATED GUANTÁNAMO DETAINEES
AMNESTY International has called on the 26-County administration to accept into the 26 Counties exonerated Guantánamo detainees unable to return to their home countries for fear of torture.
At least 25 of the 270 men still held in the US detention centre have been cleared for release or transfer.
"These are innocent men. None of these men have ever been charged with a crime by the United States, let alone convicted," said Colm O'Gorman, director of Amnesty's Irish branch.
"The US government has cleared them for release but having been imprisoned in Guantánamo these men face imprisonment, torture and possibly death if they are returned to their own countries.
"They have spent years of their lives in prison for crimes they never committed and can now never return home. They are victims of the frenzy of human rights violations cast as security measures imposed by the US as part of its so-called 'war on terror'."
One case study highlighted by Amnesty concerns Oybek Jamoldinivich Jabbarov, a 30-year-old Uzbek national who was living as a refugee in Afghanistan when he was captured in 2001. Despite being cleared for release, he remains at Guantánamo because he cannot safely be returned to Uzbekistan. Colm O'Gorman urged the 26-County administration to accept one or more of the detainees, saying it could lead by example in "protecting the human rights and human dignity of these innocent victims" being the first country to do so.
"The Irish Government (sic), by permitting the use of Shannon airport to planes involved in the extraordinary renditions programme, must bear some responsibility for the human rights black hole that is Guantánamo. It can provide an example to others by now being part of the solution," he said.
Amnesty's call was echoed by German-born Murat Kurnaz, who spent over four years in Guantánamo despite US military intelligence admitting there was no "definite evidence" linking him to al-Qaeda or any other terrorist activity. Murat Kurnaz's detention was prolonged partly because German authorities refused to allow him to return.
7. PEOPLE NOT BEING TOLD TRUTH ABOUT TEXT, SAYS ALLIANCE
THE 26-County administration is deliberately keeping the public in the dark about the detail of the Lisbon Treaty to ensure the referendum is carried, the People Before Profit Alliance claimed as it launched its No campaign on May 14.
Eddie Conlon of the group's steering committee said he would encourage everyone, including the head of the 26-County administration Brian Cowen, to read the Lisbon Treaty.
Earlier this week, Brian Cowen acknowledged he had not read the text "from cover to cover", but said he had negotiated 95 per cent of the treaty and knew exactly what was in it.
Eddie Conlon said No campaigners had been accused of scaremongering but they seemed to be the only people who had studied the treaty. "I think when people read what's in the treaty they will find that what we say is true."
He said the treaty would lead to the further militarisation of the EU because it called on member states to increase their military spending and obliged them to make their facilities available for EU military activity.
Richard Boyd Barrett said the treaty was an obvious attempt by EU leaders to deceive the European public. "What's absolutely clear at the heart of this is an attempt to ram the treaty through that nobody can understand and to avoid, if at all possible, people having any say on it."
He said politicians on the Yes side never talked about the substance of the treaty. "In particular you do not see them address the specific aspects of the treaty that have been highlighted by the No campaign around the issues of democracy, around the issues of militarisation, around the issues of the threat the Lisbon Treaty poses to our public services."
He said the Lisbon Treaty was "a recipe for privatisation of public services in Europe, for the further militarisation of the European Union, for the creation of a European army that's going to have a more aggressive military role on the world scene".
8. PROTESTERS REMOVED FROM HILL OF TARA
THE tents and tepees used by motorway protesters on the lower slopes of the Hill of Tara were dismantled on May 8 by the Office of Public Works.
With assistance from gardaí and with a private security firm present, the OPW arrived at Tara with a pick-up truck to remove about half a dozen tents, tepees and other structures that around a dozen people had lived in, some of them for the past two years.
Towards the end of the operation, the campers were told that one tepee, in which they have had a "sacred fire" burning since they arrived, could remain for another day or so for a final religious ceremony.
It was the last campsite used by the protesters. Many of them had previously camped at Rath Lugh close to the national monument at Lismullen, which was discovered during works on the M3 motorway.
While there were no confrontations or resistance from those living there, some questioned the authority of the gardaí and the OPW. The group claimed their rights under Irish and EU legislation to practise their religious beliefs were being infringed.
The OPW denied this, saying it had "no problem" with people practising their religious beliefs, but that under the National Monuments Act "it is our duty to protect the monument. This is about the structures here".
While some claimed there had been no warning they were being "evicted", the OPW said they were made aware that there is no camping allowed on any national monument.
"One month ago, we issued letters to all those camping there stating there is no camping allowed here or on any national monument," the OPW spokesperson said. The campsite was not visible from the mound of the hill, but was on the northern slopes near copses.
There were a number of large, rounded tents and Indian-style tepees made from wood and reinforced with steel and plastic poles. In one area, a channel had been constructed to gather rainwater in a plastic drum. It was dug into the ground below the channel and the OPW is concerned by anything that causes damage or destruction to the monument.
The OPW spokesman said last month's letters had asked people to leave voluntarily and while some had done so, there were around a dozen who did not.
In the last couple of weeks, a "temple" was built in the middle of the campsite. According to its builder, Niall Callaghan, "this temple was built for the women. It had four doors, one east, west, north and south. The poles were eight feet high and it was 16 feet across. It was about to receive a thatched roof".
He called it "free-standing" and denied that any holes had been dug to insert the poles. He shouted his objections at the gardaí and said they had "sold their souls to Satan".
It was one of the first structures dismantled by OPW staff, who put it in the back of a large truck.
9. SCOTTISH INSURRECTION REMEMBERED
ON Saturday, April 26, members of the Francis Hughes Cumann, Republican Sinn Féin, Glasgow, gathered alongside Scottish Republicans, socialists, nationalists and members of the public to commemorate the 1820 battle of Bonnymuir, otherwise known as the Scottish Insurrection.
Organised by the 1820 Martyrs Society those present assembled on a sunny but windswept moor near Bonnybridge in Stirlingshire to remember a band of gallant comrades who fought and died while fighting against tyrannical employers and demanding a decent wage and working conditions.
Three of them were hung, drawn and quartered, and others who were taken prisoner were sent to penal servitude in far off lands by the British Establishment.
The 50 plus attendance were addressed by local councillors and historians and reminded of the brave effort that the 25 workers made in facing a troop of British cavalry sent against them. And although betrayed form the start by spies, traitors and quislings the brave workers were determined to strike a blow for the working man.
Those present were also reminded of present-day struggles and comparisons were made between the 1820 martyrs and ongoing struggles around the world.
The event was concluded in nearby Bonnybridge with a social.
10. GLASGOW RSF ON MAY DAY MARCH
REPUBLICAN Sinn Féin led the Irish contingent at the Glasgow Trade Union Council march on its 150th year to celebrate May Day. The march was held in Glasgow on Sunday, May 4, 2008.
In a statement the PRO of the Francis Hughes Cumann, Republican Sinn Féin, Glasgow, said that prior to the commencement of the march, they were approached by a trade union steward and informed by her that the police and some members of the public had raised concerns about one of the flags being carried, the Starry Plough.
The statement said: "She stated further that those who complained including the police felt the flag invoked IRA and terrorism connotations. We informed her that their impressions were outrageous and with no foundation. We proceeded to march without further delay with our colour party which included the Tricolour and Cumann banner.
"However, after the event we were stopped by two policemen. They told us that they had to question us about the Starry Plough following a complaint by a member of the public. We explained the historical significance of the Starry Plough and justified why it was more than appropriate to raise this flag alongside other trade unionists and workers. We are not sure if our explanations were fully acceptable as they took the details of one of our members, Máirtín MacCriostái." "Máirtín spoke after the incident saying: 'I was shocked but not surprised by the continued animosity shown towards Irish Republicans in this country. I didn't see concern raised about the many other political/cultural banners present at the May Day event. Why was it just ours? As an Irish Republican living in Scotland I'm not unaccustomed to such shows ignorance by the authorities. I'm totally outraged at the political interference by Strathclyde Police and the fact that they raised their concerns at a march by trade unions about a flag which is widely recognised by trade unions and workers world wide and adopted by the trade union and labour movement in Ireland.' "No pun is intended but is this not an opportune moment to 'flag up' the ignorance of some. Perhaps Strathclyde Police should be more informed of the importance of the Starry Plough. The Francis Hughes Cumann calls on all trade unions, the Irish community and all progressive forces here in Scotland to unite in defending the democratic rights of workers and the national identity of minorities, including the Irish. We see this as a totally inappropriate act of political interference by Strathclyde police. We must ask why the authorities have taken such offence to a flag that was adopted by fellow Scottish and Irish Republican, James Connolly, and in part represents the social injustice, free speech and men dying for their convictions. "What's next if it is the Starry Plough now? Is it the Red Flag next?"
Irish Republican Information Service (no. 149)Teach Dáithí Ó Conaill, 223 Parnell Street, Dublin 1, IrelandPhone: +353-1-872 9747; FAX: +353-1-872 9757; e-mail: saoirse@iol.ieDate: 16 Bealtaine / May 2008
Internet resources maintained by SAOIRSE-Irish Freedom
http://saoirse.info
In this issue:1. Republican SF calls for No vote2. British occupation is the crime3. Irish and Cypriot jail experience recalled4. UVF-linked band gets lotto and Ulster-Scots body cash 5. Bobby Sands film gets first showing at Cannes6. Amnesty calls on 26 Counties to accept exonerated Guantánamo detainees7. People not being told truth about text, says Alliance8. Protesters removed from Hill of Tara9. Scottish Insurrection remembered10. Glasgow RSF on May Day march
1. REPUBLICAN SF CALLS FOR NO VOTE
REPUBLICAN Sinn Féin on May 14 called for a No vote in the Lisbon referendum "to defend sovereignty, neutrality and democracy".
Speaking at a press conference launching Republican Sinn Féin's campaign against the Lisbon Treaty/EU Constitution Ruairí Ó Brádaigh said the issue at stake was not EU membership, as claimed by the Yes campaign. It was about the movement of power towards the centre in Brussels and the tightening of the EU grip.
In a statement Ruairí Ó Brádaigh said:
"Republican Sinn Féin calls for a NO vote to defend sovereignty, neutrality and democracy and defeat the Lisbon Treaty in the coming referendum on June 12. "Those supporting Lisbon have freely admitted that it is 95% - 96% the proposed EU Constitution which was rejected by the people of France and Holland in referenda in 2005. Lisbon is the EU Constitution by the back door in that it would constitute or establish a new European Union in the form of a supranational Federal State. Qualified Majority Rule "Lisbon is also a power-grab by the EU s Big States, Germany, France, Britain and Italy. By making EU law-making mainly dependent on population size, it would increase the relative weight of the Big States in making EU laws in future and reduce that of smaller States like the 26 Counties. Sovereignty "Under Lisbon more than 50 policy areas will no longer be covered by a member state's veto. Another clause gives the EU Council of Ministers the right to extend its powers in all areas with the exception of defence. Neutrality "The mutual defence clause contained in Lisbon would commit all member states to assist by all means in their power any EU state which is the victim of armed aggression on its territory. This is a significant step towards the full militarisation of the EU. It will be recalled that a Fianna Fáil general election manifesto in recent times guaranteed no participation in the NATO led Partnership for Peace without a referendum. Yet 18 months later the Fianna Fáil-led administration brazenly brought the State into that Partnership for Peace without a vote of the electorate. Neutrality is being steadily eroded." Democracy "The non-elected EU Commission holds the power to initiate legislation. Under Lisbon the 26-County State will lose its commissioner for five out of every 15 years, ie for one-third of the time."Lisbon would give the EU Court of Justice the final decision on what our human and civil rights are in a wide range of areas. Already its Laval ruling set the free movement of goods and services as superior to the right of workers to strike. The Lisbon Treaty will further this agenda, placing competition above the rights of the working people. "The issue at stake here is the Lisbon Treaty, the movement of power towards the centre in Brussels and the tightening of the EU grip, NOT the question of EU membership. If Lisbon is defeated, life will go on as before as happened when France and Holland rejected the proposed constitution and the whole matter will have to be reconsidered. In fact this State could give a lead to the other peoples of Europe to demand their own referenda in turn, thus increasing democratic accountability. "Voting NO to the Lisbon Treaty/EU Constitution is opposing the creation of an undemocratic superstate, increased militarisation, the erosion of neutrality, the privatisation of public services and unfettered capitalism. We want a more democratic, not a less democratic Europe, a Europe of peoples."
2. BRITISH OCCUPATION IS THE CRIME
ON May 15 a spokesperson for Republican Sinn Féin condemned the ending of automatic 50% remission for prisoners within the Six Occupied Counties. Richard Walsh, RSF Director of Publicity, added that British occupation was the greatest crime being committed in Ireland.
"A foreign military power does not and cannot have the right to incarcerate people on Irish soil," he said. "And the fact that many people have been jailed by the English for opposing the illegal occupation of our country is especially abhorrent.
"Those sentenced to ten years' or longer imprisonment will have to serve the entirety of the British-imposed sentence before being considered for parole. This means that these sentences are effectively being doubled. Automatic fifty percent remission has also been cast aside for the remainder of prisoners.
"It should always be remembered that it is the occupation of Ireland by a foreign enemy which remains the greatest crime being perpetrated against the Irish people." 3. IRISH AND CYPRIOT JAIL EXPERIENCE RECALLED
A LITTLE-known chapter of recent Irish history was recalled on May 10 with the launch of a book on Irish Republicans and Cypriots who were imprisoned together in British jails in the late 1950s.
The book, Cypriot and Irish Political Prisoners by Vias Livadas, published by Power Publishing of Nicosia, shows how Irish Republicans and Cypriot EOKA guerrillas developed close links in British prisons such as Wormwood Scrubs and Wakefield Prison.
Speaking at a reception in the Pearse Centre in Dublin, former family home of 1916 leader Pádraig Pearse, the journalist and historian Tim Pat Coogan noted that Ireland and Cyprus were both subjected to partition.
But whereas Ireland historically had to deal with only one major power, "Cyprus is tossed like a cork in a storm set off by many cyclones."
Vias Livadas said the Irish and Cypriot prisoners were jointly known as "the rebellious team" and that their "permanent goal" was escape. Among the Irish contingent were well-known Republicans such as Séamus Murphy, who famously escaped from Wakefield prison in 1959, Manus Canning, Donal Murphy, the late Cathal Goulding, Seán Mac Stiofáin, Séamus McCollum and Joe Doyle.
Among the attendance were Cypriot Ambassador to Ireland, Sotos Liassides; Prof Frixos Joannides, formerly of University College Dublin; Séamus Murphy, Manus Canning, Eamon Boyce, Cathal Óg Goulding, son of the late Cathal Goulding; Máire Mhic Stiofáin, widow of Seán Mac Stiofáin; ex-Eoka member Renos Kyriakides and former Sinn Féin abstentionist TD for Mid-Ulster, Tom Mitchell. Republican Sinn Féin Vice Presidents Cathleen Knowles McGuirk and Des Dalton as well as Ard Chomhairle member Des Long, Limerick also attended.
The ceremony was chaired by veteran Republican Charley Murphy.
4. UVF-LINKED BAND GETS LOTTO AND ULSTER-SCOTS BODY CASH
A 'BLOOD and thunder' band with links to the youth wing of the loyalist death-squad the UVF is among dozens of loyalist bands to receive funding from the Six-County Ulster-Scots Agency and the British National Lottery. The level of funding contrasts with the repeated refusal of DUP Stormont Culture Minister Edwin Poots to provide funding for the Irish language.
Sixty-five flute, accordion and pipe bands were given funds totalling more than £166,100 last year.
More than £4,600 of British lottery money went to Pride of Ardoyne, which takes part in a contentious parade past the Ardoyne shops in north Belfast each year.
The funding, administered through the Six-County Arts Council, was for new instruments.
The band marches with a banner bearing an emblem of the so-called Young Citizens Volunteers - the UVF's youth wing - and the names of two former band members, UVF man Sam Rockett, who was killed by the UDA during the 2000 loyalist feud, and William Hanna, killed by the British army in 1978.
Among the bands given funding by the Ulster-Scots Agency was Mourne Young Defenders Flute Band which received £1,800 for musical tuition and a further £1,219 for an 'Ulster-Scots summer school' run by its members.
Mourne took part in the abortive 2006 so-called 'Love Ulster' loyalist march in Dublin. The planned march down O'Connell St was abandoned due to the scale of protests led by Republican Sinn Féin. The band is called after Alan Johnston, an Orangeman and member of the British army's infamous Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) who was killed in Kilkeel, Co Down, by the Provisionals in 1988.
The Arts Council gave about £102,500 to 24 bands, mostly for musical tuition. The Ulster-Scots Agency gave about £56,500 to 38 bands for instruments.
The British Big Lottery Fund gave £6,980 to three bands under its Awards for All scheme. 5. BOBBY SANDS FILM GETS FIRST SHOWING AT CANNES
TRAFFIC ground to a halt and hundreds of onlookers gathered in the warm sunshine to spot the stars arriving at the opening of the 61st Festival de Cannes on May 14.
The festival's official sidebar section, Un Certain Regard, opened with the world premiere of Hunger, which deals with the last six weeks in the life of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands.
The first feature film directed by Steve McQueen, a Turner Prize-winning English artist, it features German-born and Killarney-raised actor Michael Fassbender as Sands. Dublin actor Liam Cunningham plays a priest who visits him in the H Blocks of Long Kesh.
The screenplay for Hunger is by Enda Walsh, the Irish playwright of Disco Pigs, Bedbound and The Walworth Farce. Walsh says: "Very simply, it made me question what I believed in the world. I acknowledge and respect these people's belief in something. It is this that should have universal relevance."
The film, which was announced at Cannes last year, was funded by Channel 4, Northern Ireland Screen and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland.
Even before the official opening of Cannes 2008, the crowded festival market was open for business with screenings under way from early morning to attract film distributors worldwide.
6. AMNESTY CALLS ON 26 COUNTIES TO ACCEPT EXONERATED GUANTÁNAMO DETAINEES
AMNESTY International has called on the 26-County administration to accept into the 26 Counties exonerated Guantánamo detainees unable to return to their home countries for fear of torture.
At least 25 of the 270 men still held in the US detention centre have been cleared for release or transfer.
"These are innocent men. None of these men have ever been charged with a crime by the United States, let alone convicted," said Colm O'Gorman, director of Amnesty's Irish branch.
"The US government has cleared them for release but having been imprisoned in Guantánamo these men face imprisonment, torture and possibly death if they are returned to their own countries.
"They have spent years of their lives in prison for crimes they never committed and can now never return home. They are victims of the frenzy of human rights violations cast as security measures imposed by the US as part of its so-called 'war on terror'."
One case study highlighted by Amnesty concerns Oybek Jamoldinivich Jabbarov, a 30-year-old Uzbek national who was living as a refugee in Afghanistan when he was captured in 2001. Despite being cleared for release, he remains at Guantánamo because he cannot safely be returned to Uzbekistan. Colm O'Gorman urged the 26-County administration to accept one or more of the detainees, saying it could lead by example in "protecting the human rights and human dignity of these innocent victims" being the first country to do so.
"The Irish Government (sic), by permitting the use of Shannon airport to planes involved in the extraordinary renditions programme, must bear some responsibility for the human rights black hole that is Guantánamo. It can provide an example to others by now being part of the solution," he said.
Amnesty's call was echoed by German-born Murat Kurnaz, who spent over four years in Guantánamo despite US military intelligence admitting there was no "definite evidence" linking him to al-Qaeda or any other terrorist activity. Murat Kurnaz's detention was prolonged partly because German authorities refused to allow him to return.
7. PEOPLE NOT BEING TOLD TRUTH ABOUT TEXT, SAYS ALLIANCE
THE 26-County administration is deliberately keeping the public in the dark about the detail of the Lisbon Treaty to ensure the referendum is carried, the People Before Profit Alliance claimed as it launched its No campaign on May 14.
Eddie Conlon of the group's steering committee said he would encourage everyone, including the head of the 26-County administration Brian Cowen, to read the Lisbon Treaty.
Earlier this week, Brian Cowen acknowledged he had not read the text "from cover to cover", but said he had negotiated 95 per cent of the treaty and knew exactly what was in it.
Eddie Conlon said No campaigners had been accused of scaremongering but they seemed to be the only people who had studied the treaty. "I think when people read what's in the treaty they will find that what we say is true."
He said the treaty would lead to the further militarisation of the EU because it called on member states to increase their military spending and obliged them to make their facilities available for EU military activity.
Richard Boyd Barrett said the treaty was an obvious attempt by EU leaders to deceive the European public. "What's absolutely clear at the heart of this is an attempt to ram the treaty through that nobody can understand and to avoid, if at all possible, people having any say on it."
He said politicians on the Yes side never talked about the substance of the treaty. "In particular you do not see them address the specific aspects of the treaty that have been highlighted by the No campaign around the issues of democracy, around the issues of militarisation, around the issues of the threat the Lisbon Treaty poses to our public services."
He said the Lisbon Treaty was "a recipe for privatisation of public services in Europe, for the further militarisation of the European Union, for the creation of a European army that's going to have a more aggressive military role on the world scene".
8. PROTESTERS REMOVED FROM HILL OF TARA
THE tents and tepees used by motorway protesters on the lower slopes of the Hill of Tara were dismantled on May 8 by the Office of Public Works.
With assistance from gardaí and with a private security firm present, the OPW arrived at Tara with a pick-up truck to remove about half a dozen tents, tepees and other structures that around a dozen people had lived in, some of them for the past two years.
Towards the end of the operation, the campers were told that one tepee, in which they have had a "sacred fire" burning since they arrived, could remain for another day or so for a final religious ceremony.
It was the last campsite used by the protesters. Many of them had previously camped at Rath Lugh close to the national monument at Lismullen, which was discovered during works on the M3 motorway.
While there were no confrontations or resistance from those living there, some questioned the authority of the gardaí and the OPW. The group claimed their rights under Irish and EU legislation to practise their religious beliefs were being infringed.
The OPW denied this, saying it had "no problem" with people practising their religious beliefs, but that under the National Monuments Act "it is our duty to protect the monument. This is about the structures here".
While some claimed there had been no warning they were being "evicted", the OPW said they were made aware that there is no camping allowed on any national monument.
"One month ago, we issued letters to all those camping there stating there is no camping allowed here or on any national monument," the OPW spokesperson said. The campsite was not visible from the mound of the hill, but was on the northern slopes near copses.
There were a number of large, rounded tents and Indian-style tepees made from wood and reinforced with steel and plastic poles. In one area, a channel had been constructed to gather rainwater in a plastic drum. It was dug into the ground below the channel and the OPW is concerned by anything that causes damage or destruction to the monument.
The OPW spokesman said last month's letters had asked people to leave voluntarily and while some had done so, there were around a dozen who did not.
In the last couple of weeks, a "temple" was built in the middle of the campsite. According to its builder, Niall Callaghan, "this temple was built for the women. It had four doors, one east, west, north and south. The poles were eight feet high and it was 16 feet across. It was about to receive a thatched roof".
He called it "free-standing" and denied that any holes had been dug to insert the poles. He shouted his objections at the gardaí and said they had "sold their souls to Satan".
It was one of the first structures dismantled by OPW staff, who put it in the back of a large truck.
9. SCOTTISH INSURRECTION REMEMBERED
ON Saturday, April 26, members of the Francis Hughes Cumann, Republican Sinn Féin, Glasgow, gathered alongside Scottish Republicans, socialists, nationalists and members of the public to commemorate the 1820 battle of Bonnymuir, otherwise known as the Scottish Insurrection.
Organised by the 1820 Martyrs Society those present assembled on a sunny but windswept moor near Bonnybridge in Stirlingshire to remember a band of gallant comrades who fought and died while fighting against tyrannical employers and demanding a decent wage and working conditions.
Three of them were hung, drawn and quartered, and others who were taken prisoner were sent to penal servitude in far off lands by the British Establishment.
The 50 plus attendance were addressed by local councillors and historians and reminded of the brave effort that the 25 workers made in facing a troop of British cavalry sent against them. And although betrayed form the start by spies, traitors and quislings the brave workers were determined to strike a blow for the working man.
Those present were also reminded of present-day struggles and comparisons were made between the 1820 martyrs and ongoing struggles around the world.
The event was concluded in nearby Bonnybridge with a social.
10. GLASGOW RSF ON MAY DAY MARCH
REPUBLICAN Sinn Féin led the Irish contingent at the Glasgow Trade Union Council march on its 150th year to celebrate May Day. The march was held in Glasgow on Sunday, May 4, 2008.
In a statement the PRO of the Francis Hughes Cumann, Republican Sinn Féin, Glasgow, said that prior to the commencement of the march, they were approached by a trade union steward and informed by her that the police and some members of the public had raised concerns about one of the flags being carried, the Starry Plough.
The statement said: "She stated further that those who complained including the police felt the flag invoked IRA and terrorism connotations. We informed her that their impressions were outrageous and with no foundation. We proceeded to march without further delay with our colour party which included the Tricolour and Cumann banner.
"However, after the event we were stopped by two policemen. They told us that they had to question us about the Starry Plough following a complaint by a member of the public. We explained the historical significance of the Starry Plough and justified why it was more than appropriate to raise this flag alongside other trade unionists and workers. We are not sure if our explanations were fully acceptable as they took the details of one of our members, Máirtín MacCriostái." "Máirtín spoke after the incident saying: 'I was shocked but not surprised by the continued animosity shown towards Irish Republicans in this country. I didn't see concern raised about the many other political/cultural banners present at the May Day event. Why was it just ours? As an Irish Republican living in Scotland I'm not unaccustomed to such shows ignorance by the authorities. I'm totally outraged at the political interference by Strathclyde Police and the fact that they raised their concerns at a march by trade unions about a flag which is widely recognised by trade unions and workers world wide and adopted by the trade union and labour movement in Ireland.' "No pun is intended but is this not an opportune moment to 'flag up' the ignorance of some. Perhaps Strathclyde Police should be more informed of the importance of the Starry Plough. The Francis Hughes Cumann calls on all trade unions, the Irish community and all progressive forces here in Scotland to unite in defending the democratic rights of workers and the national identity of minorities, including the Irish. We see this as a totally inappropriate act of political interference by Strathclyde police. We must ask why the authorities have taken such offence to a flag that was adopted by fellow Scottish and Irish Republican, James Connolly, and in part represents the social injustice, free speech and men dying for their convictions. "What's next if it is the Starry Plough now? Is it the Red Flag next?"
Friday 16 May 2008
CELTIC SOLIDARITY WEBSITE
A link to the Celtic Solidarity website:
http://www.siol-nan-gaidheal.com/Celtic_Solidarity/cs_intro.htm
http://www.siol-nan-gaidheal.com/Celtic_Solidarity/cs_intro.htm
TONY LEAMON
More news from across at the Celtic League about Tony Leamon:
CORNISH BRANCH MEMBERS PLIGHT GETS INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION
The plight of Celtic League campaigner Tony Leamon was highlighted last night on a three hour weekly radio broadcast from Taos, New Mexico, USA. The program, dedicated to Tony Leamon, was devoted to Kernow and focused on the legends, language and people of Kernow,including the injustice being suffered by Mr Leamon.
Mr Leamon, who was due to answer bail last Tuesday, was informed byDevon and Cornwall police on the day that his bail would be delayed until July 2nd 2008. The psychological strain that the Devon and Cornwall police have been putting on Mr Leamon, who has suffered severe emotional distress from his ordeal throughout the last 8 months, has been drawing sympathy for his cause from around the globe.Support from across the USA, Australia, Spain, Malaysia and the Celtic countries has been growing on a weekly basis. At this weekend's Annual Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival and Highland Games in Albuquerque,New Mexico, USA visitors will be able to read a leaflet about Mr Leamon's plight being distributed at the Cornish stall.
In addition, visitorswill be able to sign up to the distribution list to be kept updated about Mr Leamon's case.
As one of the festival's organisers and CelticLeague member told the Kernow Branch this week:"{Tony's} case is one that has gathered support world wide".Relevant links to earlier items on Celtic News at:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2607http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2544http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2280http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2450http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2451http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2478http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2537http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2541
J B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League
16/05/08
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It worksto promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on abroad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlightshuman rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses onsocio-economic issues.TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609Internet site at:http://celticleague.net/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/
CORNISH BRANCH MEMBERS PLIGHT GETS INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION
The plight of Celtic League campaigner Tony Leamon was highlighted last night on a three hour weekly radio broadcast from Taos, New Mexico, USA. The program, dedicated to Tony Leamon, was devoted to Kernow and focused on the legends, language and people of Kernow,including the injustice being suffered by Mr Leamon.
Mr Leamon, who was due to answer bail last Tuesday, was informed byDevon and Cornwall police on the day that his bail would be delayed until July 2nd 2008. The psychological strain that the Devon and Cornwall police have been putting on Mr Leamon, who has suffered severe emotional distress from his ordeal throughout the last 8 months, has been drawing sympathy for his cause from around the globe.Support from across the USA, Australia, Spain, Malaysia and the Celtic countries has been growing on a weekly basis. At this weekend's Annual Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival and Highland Games in Albuquerque,New Mexico, USA visitors will be able to read a leaflet about Mr Leamon's plight being distributed at the Cornish stall.
In addition, visitorswill be able to sign up to the distribution list to be kept updated about Mr Leamon's case.
As one of the festival's organisers and CelticLeague member told the Kernow Branch this week:"{Tony's} case is one that has gathered support world wide".Relevant links to earlier items on Celtic News at:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2607http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2544http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2280http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2450http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2451http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2478http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2537http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2541
J B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League
16/05/08
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It worksto promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on abroad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlightshuman rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses onsocio-economic issues.TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609Internet site at:http://celticleague.net/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/
Thursday 15 May 2008
TONY LEAMON - MESSAGE FROM SUPPORT GROUP
As follows:
The Criminal Procedures and Investigation Act (CPIA) which obliges the police and their Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to disclose to the defence solicitor every piece of material not used in the actual case. That means every one of your letters of support, every phone call which should be logged and passed on and so on. To breach this legislation will undermine the Prosecution case - so I hope you all see where I am coming from ! keep those messages going. I have sent one in asking the police to be aware that the St George's Flag is very unpopular in Kernow and that much hate may follow from many people who could possibly have phoned the campsite where it was being flown. Further, that if they went to the "News is Now Public", a Vancouver based news site, they would see that over 10,000 people have viewed very critical material about Jamie Oliver and other celebrity English colonisers. Any one of those 10,000 could easily send hate mail.
The police officer investigating Tony is as follows: Detective 196 HAMPSON of BODMIN CID
so why not make all mail addresses to him and ask that it is copied to the CPS and to Tony's lawyer Ms. G. Kinley (good Celtic name !) of Vivian Thomas & Jervis Solicitors, PO Box 23, Falmouth, Kernow TR11 3UF.
The police/Cps must reveal every piece of information acquired along the way of these 10 months. Let's make them earn their money !
Police E-mail: http://de.mc457.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Police.Enquiries@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk marked 'for attention of Detective 196 HAMPSON, BODMIN CID
or anonymously to:
https://secure.crimestoppers-uk.org/ams.form.anonymous.asp marked 'for attention of detective 196 HAMPSON BODMIN CID
or to the people who 'pay' the police, the Police Authority (just like a board of Governers if you like)
http://de.mc457.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=PolAuth@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk and again mark for attention of 196 HAMPSON & Cornwall CPS
Also ask that Tony's Lawyer be made aware of your message.
The Criminal Procedures and Investigation Act (CPIA) which obliges the police and their Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to disclose to the defence solicitor every piece of material not used in the actual case. That means every one of your letters of support, every phone call which should be logged and passed on and so on. To breach this legislation will undermine the Prosecution case - so I hope you all see where I am coming from ! keep those messages going. I have sent one in asking the police to be aware that the St George's Flag is very unpopular in Kernow and that much hate may follow from many people who could possibly have phoned the campsite where it was being flown. Further, that if they went to the "News is Now Public", a Vancouver based news site, they would see that over 10,000 people have viewed very critical material about Jamie Oliver and other celebrity English colonisers. Any one of those 10,000 could easily send hate mail.
The police officer investigating Tony is as follows: Detective 196 HAMPSON of BODMIN CID
so why not make all mail addresses to him and ask that it is copied to the CPS and to Tony's lawyer Ms. G. Kinley (good Celtic name !) of Vivian Thomas & Jervis Solicitors, PO Box 23, Falmouth, Kernow TR11 3UF.
The police/Cps must reveal every piece of information acquired along the way of these 10 months. Let's make them earn their money !
Police E-mail: http://de.mc457.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Police.Enquiries@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk marked 'for attention of Detective 196 HAMPSON, BODMIN CID
or anonymously to:
https://secure.crimestoppers-uk.org/ams.form.anonymous.asp marked 'for attention of detective 196 HAMPSON BODMIN CID
or to the people who 'pay' the police, the Police Authority (just like a board of Governers if you like)
http://de.mc457.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=PolAuth@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk and again mark for attention of 196 HAMPSON & Cornwall CPS
Also ask that Tony's Lawyer be made aware of your message.
RIP Roly Drower - Manx Patriot
A further news release from over at the Celtic League reporting the loss of a true Celtic Manx Patriot. RIP Roly Drower !
ROLY DROWER - A TRIBUTE
Roly Drower, who has died this week, was known variously on the Isleof Man for his work within the Arts scene, most notably as an organiser of the Sulby Fringe, but perhaps more prominently for his political comment and as a satirist.
That he loved the Isle of Man and despaired of the way the current government was taking it is best evidenced by his speech at the annual Illiam Dhone commemoration in January 2005 when he gave a scathing critique of ministerial government during which he observed:"It is a source of endless despair to me that politicians chargedwith planning for the future seem to be unable to see beyond their own brief lifetimes. They handle the future the same way a dysfunctional parent handles a credit card. They live for the moment, cashing in the pension, heaping hire-purchase agreements on their grand-children,content to extend the patio onto the vegetable garden, and then describe that as 'sustainable growth"
Roly Drower had been asked to speak at the Illiam Dhone commemoration after he had been catapulted to prominence both within Mann, the UnitedKingdom and Internationally following court proceedings brought against him by multi-millionaire, Albert Gubay, following the publicationof articles on a satirical website.
His speech (see link below) at Hango hill in 2005 is one of the finest commentaries made there on current Manx political life, on the way we all are allowing the Island to be taken and the impact that this will ultimately have on our children.
Roly Drower was a fine man who, like so many others, will perhaps only have his true worth and commitment to Manx public life recognised after his death.
The Celtic League and all in the nationalist movement extend our sympathyto his family and friends at this sad time.
Illiam Dhone commemoration speech at:http://www.mecvannin.im/pabyr/pb34.html#8(2005 Illiam Dhone English Oration by Roly Drower)News item Manx Radio - Tribute to Roly Drower at:http://www.manxradio.com/readNEwsItem.aspx?id=20154
Related articles on Celtic News at:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1641http://groups.yahoo.com/group
/celtic_league/message/1629http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1598http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1578http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1554http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1542J
B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League13/05/08
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It worksto promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on abroad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlightshuman rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses onsocio-economic issues.TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609Internet site at:http://celticleague.nethttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/
ROLY DROWER - A TRIBUTE
Roly Drower, who has died this week, was known variously on the Isleof Man for his work within the Arts scene, most notably as an organiser of the Sulby Fringe, but perhaps more prominently for his political comment and as a satirist.
That he loved the Isle of Man and despaired of the way the current government was taking it is best evidenced by his speech at the annual Illiam Dhone commemoration in January 2005 when he gave a scathing critique of ministerial government during which he observed:"It is a source of endless despair to me that politicians chargedwith planning for the future seem to be unable to see beyond their own brief lifetimes. They handle the future the same way a dysfunctional parent handles a credit card. They live for the moment, cashing in the pension, heaping hire-purchase agreements on their grand-children,content to extend the patio onto the vegetable garden, and then describe that as 'sustainable growth"
Roly Drower had been asked to speak at the Illiam Dhone commemoration after he had been catapulted to prominence both within Mann, the UnitedKingdom and Internationally following court proceedings brought against him by multi-millionaire, Albert Gubay, following the publicationof articles on a satirical website.
His speech (see link below) at Hango hill in 2005 is one of the finest commentaries made there on current Manx political life, on the way we all are allowing the Island to be taken and the impact that this will ultimately have on our children.
Roly Drower was a fine man who, like so many others, will perhaps only have his true worth and commitment to Manx public life recognised after his death.
The Celtic League and all in the nationalist movement extend our sympathyto his family and friends at this sad time.
Illiam Dhone commemoration speech at:http://www.mecvannin.im/pabyr/pb34.html#8(2005 Illiam Dhone English Oration by Roly Drower)News item Manx Radio - Tribute to Roly Drower at:http://www.manxradio.com/readNEwsItem.aspx?id=20154
Related articles on Celtic News at:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1641http://groups.yahoo.com/group
/celtic_league/message/1629http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1598http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1578http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1554http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1542J
B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League13/05/08
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It worksto promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on abroad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlightshuman rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses onsocio-economic issues.TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609Internet site at:http://celticleague.nethttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/
Kernow & Brittany - Celtic Solidarity !
A show of true Celtic solidarity !
Support given for Breton Language Schools
I wish to thank all from Cornwall who sponsored the recent relay race (Ar Redadeg) round Brittany in aid of the Diwan (Breton speaking) schools. There were six hundred laps from Nantes to Carhaix, and every runner was sponsored for about £75. Sponsors included many councils and businesses, the Diwan schools, some European minority groups like the Basques, some Celtic Groups like the Breton/Welsh Group but also Cornwall. Two runners were sponsored with Cornish money, Riwana and Talwyn Trevenen Baudu who are half Breton and half Cornish. They ran wearing Cornish T shirts and carrying Cornish flags. It was moving to see Breton and Cornish flags together when the race crossed over the bridge at Plougastel.
A large amount of money was raised in Cornwall so the surplus was given to Lise Diwan at Carhaix. This is the only post-15 lycee for Breton-speaking students. The balance was presented at a public concert in Le Relecq Kerhuon, Brest, by myself, to one of the teachers in the lycee, with a Cornish greeting, translated into Breton by my grand-daughter. The total raised altogether was 1050 euros, a staggering amount.
Thank you to all who contributed, whether family, friends, bards or organisations, and in particular, Gorseth Kernow, the Celtic League and the Cornish branch of the Celtic Congress. The donations provided strong evidence of Celtic solidarity and support for another Celtic culture and language. It has made Cornwall many friends.
I hope that when the standard written form of Cornish is fully implemented, something as inspiring as this race over a long distance could be emulated by us in Cornwall to raise funds for the Cornish language. The organisation was huge but the goodwill towards the Breton language was evident among the whole population. Well done Kernow for supporting so generously such an imaginative enterprise. Thank you.
Ann Trevenen Jenkin, Past Grand Bard, Life President of the Celtic Congress. Fundraiser in Kernow.
( Ann Trevenen Jenkin, An Gernyk, Fordh an Chapel, Leedstown, Hayle TR27 6BA. tel: 01736-850332.for further information or interviews, photographs etc.)
If you look a the website for Ar redadeg you can find hundreds of photos of the race. Go onto the site and choose fotoiou at the top. Talwyn and Riwana were running on the Daoulas-Montroulez bit, and there are lots of photos.Talwyn's are numbers 0263, 0264 and 0267; Riwana's are on page 4. 0287, 0288, 0289 and 0291. There are a few others where you can see the big Cornish flag. I also have some photos myself.)
Support given for Breton Language Schools
I wish to thank all from Cornwall who sponsored the recent relay race (Ar Redadeg) round Brittany in aid of the Diwan (Breton speaking) schools. There were six hundred laps from Nantes to Carhaix, and every runner was sponsored for about £75. Sponsors included many councils and businesses, the Diwan schools, some European minority groups like the Basques, some Celtic Groups like the Breton/Welsh Group but also Cornwall. Two runners were sponsored with Cornish money, Riwana and Talwyn Trevenen Baudu who are half Breton and half Cornish. They ran wearing Cornish T shirts and carrying Cornish flags. It was moving to see Breton and Cornish flags together when the race crossed over the bridge at Plougastel.
A large amount of money was raised in Cornwall so the surplus was given to Lise Diwan at Carhaix. This is the only post-15 lycee for Breton-speaking students. The balance was presented at a public concert in Le Relecq Kerhuon, Brest, by myself, to one of the teachers in the lycee, with a Cornish greeting, translated into Breton by my grand-daughter. The total raised altogether was 1050 euros, a staggering amount.
Thank you to all who contributed, whether family, friends, bards or organisations, and in particular, Gorseth Kernow, the Celtic League and the Cornish branch of the Celtic Congress. The donations provided strong evidence of Celtic solidarity and support for another Celtic culture and language. It has made Cornwall many friends.
I hope that when the standard written form of Cornish is fully implemented, something as inspiring as this race over a long distance could be emulated by us in Cornwall to raise funds for the Cornish language. The organisation was huge but the goodwill towards the Breton language was evident among the whole population. Well done Kernow for supporting so generously such an imaginative enterprise. Thank you.
Ann Trevenen Jenkin, Past Grand Bard, Life President of the Celtic Congress. Fundraiser in Kernow.
( Ann Trevenen Jenkin, An Gernyk, Fordh an Chapel, Leedstown, Hayle TR27 6BA. tel: 01736-850332.for further information or interviews, photographs etc.)
If you look a the website for Ar redadeg you can find hundreds of photos of the race. Go onto the site and choose fotoiou at the top. Talwyn and Riwana were running on the Daoulas-Montroulez bit, and there are lots of photos.Talwyn's are numbers 0263, 0264 and 0267; Riwana's are on page 4. 0287, 0288, 0289 and 0291. There are a few others where you can see the big Cornish flag. I also have some photos myself.)
George Wimpey averts more St George flag burnings in Kernow !
A press release from over at the Celtic League's Media office. Great news for Kernow. How often do the English need to be told - Kernow is a Celtic Nation under Colonial Occupation. The St george flags are illegally flown in that country and should be taken down at once ! The English colonialists have been warned about this time after time, but as noted in an earlier posting, they do have thick skulls !
WIMPEY - ST GEORGE'S FLAG ISSUE - A POSITIVE RESPONSE
Wimpey the builders have confirmed that they issued a corrective circular to news sources in Cornwall following concern expressed by the CelticLeague after it announced plans to include the Celtic country in a celebration of 'St George's Day' by flying the Saints flag at their sites in Cornwall.
The Company have said that they did not wish to cause offence and say they recognize that Cornwall has its own 'rich and diverse culture'(See below).
The Celtic League welcome the positive response from the company.
"Dear Sir/Madam ,
George Wimpey would like to apologise for any offence caused by our St George's Day promotion on April 21st. The promotion was run throughout southern England and the press release was issued to all regional media. We recognise that Cornwall has a rich and diverse culture and celebrates Saint Piran as their patron Saint.
It was distributed to Cornishman, The West Briton, Cornish GuardianSeries, Cornish Times.
Yours sincerely
Janine Davey Associate Sales & Marketing Director George Wimpey Exeter"
See earlier item on Celtic News at:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2587
J B Moffatt, Director of InformationCeltic League 14/05/08
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on abroad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues.TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609 Internet site at:http://celticleague.net/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/
WIMPEY - ST GEORGE'S FLAG ISSUE - A POSITIVE RESPONSE
Wimpey the builders have confirmed that they issued a corrective circular to news sources in Cornwall following concern expressed by the CelticLeague after it announced plans to include the Celtic country in a celebration of 'St George's Day' by flying the Saints flag at their sites in Cornwall.
The Company have said that they did not wish to cause offence and say they recognize that Cornwall has its own 'rich and diverse culture'(See below).
The Celtic League welcome the positive response from the company.
"Dear Sir/Madam ,
George Wimpey would like to apologise for any offence caused by our St George's Day promotion on April 21st. The promotion was run throughout southern England and the press release was issued to all regional media. We recognise that Cornwall has a rich and diverse culture and celebrates Saint Piran as their patron Saint.
It was distributed to Cornishman, The West Briton, Cornish GuardianSeries, Cornish Times.
Yours sincerely
Janine Davey Associate Sales & Marketing Director George Wimpey Exeter"
See earlier item on Celtic News at:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2587
J B Moffatt, Director of InformationCeltic League 14/05/08
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on abroad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues.TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609 Internet site at:http://celticleague.net/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/
Press Release by Republican Sein Fein
We agree fully with the following Press release received from Republican Sein Fein:
Press Release/Preas Ráiteas
Republican SINN FÉIN Poblachtach
Republican Sinn FéinTeach Dáithí Ó Conaill,223, Parnell StreetDublin 1, IrelandSinn Féin PoblachtachTeach Dáithí Ó Conaill,223, Sráid Pharnell, BÁC 1, Éire
For immediate release
For confirmation contact:
Richard Walsh (Publicity Officer) on
07835 620 592 (Six Counties)087 261 8603 (26-Counties)
BRITISH OCCUPATION IS THE CRIME
A spokesperson for Republican Sinn Féin has condemned the ending of automatic 50% remission for prisoners within the Six Occupied Counties. Richard Walsh, RSF Director of Publicity, added that British occupation was the greatest crime being committed in Ireland.
“A foreign military power does not and cannot have the right to incarcerate people on Irish soil,” he said. “And the fact that many people have been gaoled by the English for opposing the illegal occupation of our country is especially abhorrent.
“Those sentenced to ten years' or longer imprisonment will have to serve the entirety of the British-imposed sentence before being considered for parole. This means that these sentences are effectively being doubled. Automatic fifty percent remission has also been cast aside for the remainder of prisoners.
“It should always be remembered that it is the occupation of Ireland by a foreign enemy which remains the greatest crime being perpetrated against the Irish people.”
And upon that all true Celts agree !
Press Release/Preas Ráiteas
Republican SINN FÉIN Poblachtach
Republican Sinn FéinTeach Dáithí Ó Conaill,223, Parnell StreetDublin 1, IrelandSinn Féin PoblachtachTeach Dáithí Ó Conaill,223, Sráid Pharnell, BÁC 1, Éire
For immediate release
For confirmation contact:
Richard Walsh (Publicity Officer) on
07835 620 592 (Six Counties)087 261 8603 (26-Counties)
BRITISH OCCUPATION IS THE CRIME
A spokesperson for Republican Sinn Féin has condemned the ending of automatic 50% remission for prisoners within the Six Occupied Counties. Richard Walsh, RSF Director of Publicity, added that British occupation was the greatest crime being committed in Ireland.
“A foreign military power does not and cannot have the right to incarcerate people on Irish soil,” he said. “And the fact that many people have been gaoled by the English for opposing the illegal occupation of our country is especially abhorrent.
“Those sentenced to ten years' or longer imprisonment will have to serve the entirety of the British-imposed sentence before being considered for parole. This means that these sentences are effectively being doubled. Automatic fifty percent remission has also been cast aside for the remainder of prisoners.
“It should always be remembered that it is the occupation of Ireland by a foreign enemy which remains the greatest crime being perpetrated against the Irish people.”
And upon that all true Celts agree !
Tuesday 13 May 2008
A FREE & UNITED EIRE
A fully free and united Eire would doubtless resolve much discontent in that Celtic nation which has thus far been sold down the river by Blair et al:
Public disillusioned with Stormont – MLA THE NEWSLETTER
12 MAY 2008
FRUSTRATION with a lack of radical thinking and legislation coming out of the Executive is beginning to permeate Parliament Buildings.
Ulster Unionist MLA Fred Cobain has said there was a realisation that little is happening at Stormont, one year into devolution.He has blamed stagnation on the unnatural form of government which forces opposites into coalition and means decision- making is hampered by the need to always compromise.
A recent poll showed that around 60 per cent of the population is disillusioned with or not engaged by the Stormont Executive and Assembly.Mr Cobain said that, aside from Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie's social housing policies and some things Michael McGimpsey has done at health, 'little or nothing of real note is happening'.
'People in Northern Ireland are totally detached from the Assembly because of the lack of anything that impacts on their lives for the better coming out of Stormont,' said the MLA.The Assembly itself was still largely a debating chamber, he said – ignored at Executive level.'How many issues passed on the floor have seen or will see the light of day in legislation?' he asked.'Do we have a common policy on education, health; where is the legislation to tackle poverty?'I represent a constituency (north Belfast) where levels of deprivation are the worst in the UK or on the island of Ireland.'I do not see any social policies to make real changes to the constituents I represent.'
He blamed the d'Hondt style mandatory coalition for the paralysis.'The model we have at the moment does not lend itself to people coming forward with new ideas or decision-making,' he said.'Either the need to always have a consensus or the cross-party and personality jealousies and rivalries in the Cabinet, hold us all back.'And it's because of this system of having to have all the main parties forced to share power.'It doesn't work when everything has to be based on compromises.'
Mr Cobain accepted that the mandatory coalition was necessary 10 years ago, when no trust existed between parties and everyone needed to feel included and protected.He said things had changed and it was time for a normal form of majority government or voluntary coalition between agreed parties - with any safeguards eased, or adapted to suit the changed times, built in.'With all parties in the government there is no Opposition and therefore you lose that dynamic which encourages radical ideas,' he said.'We need a government in which a two-party coalition can be judged on their manifesto commitments and have to implement their manifesto to survive in government and an Opposition coming up with better ideas to try to remove them.'
Mr Cobain said that 'the most obscene thing in this Assembly is that the Alliance Party and Alliance members mean nothing'.'It's bad enough that we have a deadlocked government but we also have a dysfunctional system, that means a party whose vote literally doesn't count and the people who legitimately voted for them are having their vote wasted and their voice not heard. It is truly obscene.
'If ever there was an argument for change, and an example of democracy being subverted here, that is it.'
Public disillusioned with Stormont – MLA THE NEWSLETTER
12 MAY 2008
FRUSTRATION with a lack of radical thinking and legislation coming out of the Executive is beginning to permeate Parliament Buildings.
Ulster Unionist MLA Fred Cobain has said there was a realisation that little is happening at Stormont, one year into devolution.He has blamed stagnation on the unnatural form of government which forces opposites into coalition and means decision- making is hampered by the need to always compromise.
A recent poll showed that around 60 per cent of the population is disillusioned with or not engaged by the Stormont Executive and Assembly.Mr Cobain said that, aside from Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie's social housing policies and some things Michael McGimpsey has done at health, 'little or nothing of real note is happening'.
'People in Northern Ireland are totally detached from the Assembly because of the lack of anything that impacts on their lives for the better coming out of Stormont,' said the MLA.The Assembly itself was still largely a debating chamber, he said – ignored at Executive level.'How many issues passed on the floor have seen or will see the light of day in legislation?' he asked.'Do we have a common policy on education, health; where is the legislation to tackle poverty?'I represent a constituency (north Belfast) where levels of deprivation are the worst in the UK or on the island of Ireland.'I do not see any social policies to make real changes to the constituents I represent.'
He blamed the d'Hondt style mandatory coalition for the paralysis.'The model we have at the moment does not lend itself to people coming forward with new ideas or decision-making,' he said.'Either the need to always have a consensus or the cross-party and personality jealousies and rivalries in the Cabinet, hold us all back.'And it's because of this system of having to have all the main parties forced to share power.'It doesn't work when everything has to be based on compromises.'
Mr Cobain accepted that the mandatory coalition was necessary 10 years ago, when no trust existed between parties and everyone needed to feel included and protected.He said things had changed and it was time for a normal form of majority government or voluntary coalition between agreed parties - with any safeguards eased, or adapted to suit the changed times, built in.'With all parties in the government there is no Opposition and therefore you lose that dynamic which encourages radical ideas,' he said.'We need a government in which a two-party coalition can be judged on their manifesto commitments and have to implement their manifesto to survive in government and an Opposition coming up with better ideas to try to remove them.'
Mr Cobain said that 'the most obscene thing in this Assembly is that the Alliance Party and Alliance members mean nothing'.'It's bad enough that we have a deadlocked government but we also have a dysfunctional system, that means a party whose vote literally doesn't count and the people who legitimately voted for them are having their vote wasted and their voice not heard. It is truly obscene.
'If ever there was an argument for change, and an example of democracy being subverted here, that is it.'
TONY LEAMON - Brave Celtic Cornishman still subject of ill treatment by Colonial Police
More news regarding Tony Leamon, Celtic activist from Kernow who is now compared to a Michael Collins type figure after refusing to be called English, all this courtesy of the site:
http://cornwall-police-watch.blogspot.com/
Tony Leamon - still on bail!
As readers will be aware, yesterday should have been the day that Celtic League activist Tony Leamon answered his bail at Camborne police station.
The Celtic League ran this story on their news pages, thinking that Tony may at last be taken off bail for lack of any evidence against him. A demonstration outside Camborne police station had been planned by Branch activists and so had a campaign of coordinated activity to contact Camborne police station asking about Tony's welfare, by email and telephone, from across the world.
However, just before Tony left his house yesterday, two police officers called round and told him that his bail would be delayed until 2nd July 2008.
Whether this was a calculated attempt by the police to avoid any negative publicity in the press for themselves or whether it was because they can find no evidence whatsoever to charge Tony with, we will probably never know.
The CPW feeling is that the truth lies somewhere between the two scenarios. What is clear though, after this bail date, is that Tony’s support is growing at an incredible rate. The longer Tony is on bail the more people around the world are becoming aware of the injustice that he is being subjected to by the Devon and Cornwall colonial police.
Emails of support have been coming in to the CPW team and others from as far afield as USA, Canada, France, Spain, Australia and Malaysia, in addition to the support base in the celtic countries.
Yesterday, after the visit from the police, Tony contacted his solicitor to complain about the length of bail that he has now received and to see if something could be done about it. His solicitor told him that the police can keep him on bail for as long as necessary and that it is only the time spend at the police station, being interrogated that actually maters. By July Tony will have been on bail for 10 months and has been interrogated for 18 to 20 hours.
After arrest the police can only keep you at the police station for a maximum of 24 hours before being charged. However, solicitor friend that Tony has also been in contact with told him that he had never heard of such an extended bail period before.
This weekend at the Annual Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival and Highland Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, a flyer about Tony’s treatment will be distributed to visitors from the Cornwall stall and people will be able to add their name and contact details to a distribution list to be kept informed about further developments.
Also a support fund has been set up for Tony to cover any legal costs. Also see this link for further details.
We at the Celtic Warrior recognize the great courage being shown by Mr Tony Leamon in the face of the Colonial police who occupy Kernow. Our thoughts and best wishes are with you and as soon as news of the support fund is announced, you can rest assured that we shall be contributing as should all good Celts ! United we stand against the Imperialists !
http://cornwall-police-watch.blogspot.com/
Tony Leamon - still on bail!
As readers will be aware, yesterday should have been the day that Celtic League activist Tony Leamon answered his bail at Camborne police station.
The Celtic League ran this story on their news pages, thinking that Tony may at last be taken off bail for lack of any evidence against him. A demonstration outside Camborne police station had been planned by Branch activists and so had a campaign of coordinated activity to contact Camborne police station asking about Tony's welfare, by email and telephone, from across the world.
However, just before Tony left his house yesterday, two police officers called round and told him that his bail would be delayed until 2nd July 2008.
Whether this was a calculated attempt by the police to avoid any negative publicity in the press for themselves or whether it was because they can find no evidence whatsoever to charge Tony with, we will probably never know.
The CPW feeling is that the truth lies somewhere between the two scenarios. What is clear though, after this bail date, is that Tony’s support is growing at an incredible rate. The longer Tony is on bail the more people around the world are becoming aware of the injustice that he is being subjected to by the Devon and Cornwall colonial police.
Emails of support have been coming in to the CPW team and others from as far afield as USA, Canada, France, Spain, Australia and Malaysia, in addition to the support base in the celtic countries.
Yesterday, after the visit from the police, Tony contacted his solicitor to complain about the length of bail that he has now received and to see if something could be done about it. His solicitor told him that the police can keep him on bail for as long as necessary and that it is only the time spend at the police station, being interrogated that actually maters. By July Tony will have been on bail for 10 months and has been interrogated for 18 to 20 hours.
After arrest the police can only keep you at the police station for a maximum of 24 hours before being charged. However, solicitor friend that Tony has also been in contact with told him that he had never heard of such an extended bail period before.
This weekend at the Annual Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival and Highland Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, a flyer about Tony’s treatment will be distributed to visitors from the Cornwall stall and people will be able to add their name and contact details to a distribution list to be kept informed about further developments.
Also a support fund has been set up for Tony to cover any legal costs. Also see this link for further details.
We at the Celtic Warrior recognize the great courage being shown by Mr Tony Leamon in the face of the Colonial police who occupy Kernow. Our thoughts and best wishes are with you and as soon as news of the support fund is announced, you can rest assured that we shall be contributing as should all good Celts ! United we stand against the Imperialists !
Monday 12 May 2008
We like this one found on an Irish website:
TO BE A BRAVE CELT
By day and by night
We shall fight that good fight
Seizing back what is ours
And making it right
Its our history, our culture and our language too
For we are not English but Cornish right through!
They may take our books and flags away
Little they know, we're right here to stay
Black uniforms and guns in their raids by night
Their English law used to cause us much fright
Its our history, our culture and our language too
For we are not English but Cornish right through!
Many people have fought this battle for years
And they have endured both misery and
we remain stubborn and at end of the day
Our deep held beliefs shall win us our way
Its our history, our culture and our language too
For we are not English but Cornish right through!
(Dedicated to Tony Leamon)
Very emotive and so very true ! Follow the Tony Leamon story here:
http://www.nowpublic.com/world/support-tony-leamon-pacifist-celtic-cornish-activist
TO BE A BRAVE CELT
By day and by night
We shall fight that good fight
Seizing back what is ours
And making it right
Its our history, our culture and our language too
For we are not English but Cornish right through!
They may take our books and flags away
Little they know, we're right here to stay
Black uniforms and guns in their raids by night
Their English law used to cause us much fright
Its our history, our culture and our language too
For we are not English but Cornish right through!
Many people have fought this battle for years
And they have endured both misery and
we remain stubborn and at end of the day
Our deep held beliefs shall win us our way
Its our history, our culture and our language too
For we are not English but Cornish right through!
(Dedicated to Tony Leamon)
Very emotive and so very true ! Follow the Tony Leamon story here:
http://www.nowpublic.com/world/support-tony-leamon-pacifist-celtic-cornish-activist
Scotland the Brave - just say 'YES'
Just in from the Celtic League News - roll on 2010 and freedom for Scotland !
Scottish independence - Labour implodes over Referendum issue
Even though the Scottish Nationalist Party (SMP) have repeated timeand again that they won't be swayed from their predicted 2010 timeframefor a referendum on Scottish independence, Labour leader in ScotlandWendy Alexander, has called for an early vote on the issue.
Nevertheless, the Labour referendum call has been warmly welcomedby the SNP, but has caused a stir among Labour Party leaders in London,who didn't seem sure yesterday of who said what. Initially Alexander said that her position was supported by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, but yesterday when questioned about the issue in the London House of Commons, Brown said: "That is not what she has said."This certainly indicated that there had already been a breakdown of communications between Edinburgh and London, leading to allegations that the Labour Party in the UK was ready to implode. Either way,Alexander has now placed the Labour Party in the UK in an uncomfortable position. If Alexander backs down, a vote of no confidence in her leadership looks likely, whereas if Brown is seen to backing her call it would effectively be devolving the constitutional future of Scotland to Edinburgh. With a disastrous local election result for the Labour Party in Wales and England last week, Alexander's timing on this issue will lead to many party members doubting her leadership credentials. In addition,Brown's own poor handling of the situation has also caused doubts over his leadership too. Deputy Leader of the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon, said yesterday:"At a stroke, Gordon Brown has destroyed her [Alexander's] leadership- and placed serious questions over his own…"An interesting period of in house political wrangling lie ahead for Labour from which the SNP only stand to gain.
Well reported and well said ! Freedom lies ahead for Alba from the Anglo yoke !
More at: http://celticleague.net/
Scottish independence - Labour implodes over Referendum issue
Even though the Scottish Nationalist Party (SMP) have repeated timeand again that they won't be swayed from their predicted 2010 timeframefor a referendum on Scottish independence, Labour leader in ScotlandWendy Alexander, has called for an early vote on the issue.
Nevertheless, the Labour referendum call has been warmly welcomedby the SNP, but has caused a stir among Labour Party leaders in London,who didn't seem sure yesterday of who said what. Initially Alexander said that her position was supported by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, but yesterday when questioned about the issue in the London House of Commons, Brown said: "That is not what she has said."This certainly indicated that there had already been a breakdown of communications between Edinburgh and London, leading to allegations that the Labour Party in the UK was ready to implode. Either way,Alexander has now placed the Labour Party in the UK in an uncomfortable position. If Alexander backs down, a vote of no confidence in her leadership looks likely, whereas if Brown is seen to backing her call it would effectively be devolving the constitutional future of Scotland to Edinburgh. With a disastrous local election result for the Labour Party in Wales and England last week, Alexander's timing on this issue will lead to many party members doubting her leadership credentials. In addition,Brown's own poor handling of the situation has also caused doubts over his leadership too. Deputy Leader of the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon, said yesterday:"At a stroke, Gordon Brown has destroyed her [Alexander's] leadership- and placed serious questions over his own…"An interesting period of in house political wrangling lie ahead for Labour from which the SNP only stand to gain.
Well reported and well said ! Freedom lies ahead for Alba from the Anglo yoke !
More at: http://celticleague.net/
Tony Leamon gains world wide support
This incredible piece of poetry has been penned by a Welsh supporter of Tony Leamon.
Celtic brotherhood will overcome any Imperial or Colonial System !
http://cornwall-police-watch.blogspot.com/ - well worth a visit!
DEDICATED TO TONY FROM A SUPPORTER IN WALES
There's a man I'd like to meet, Tony Leamon is his name
He's the one in Kernow the Colonial Police want to frame
A very brave Cornishman he is, as Celtic as me and you
And although much persecuted, the views he holds are true
This great big generous Falmouth boy travels everywhere on a bus
He's the Cornish terrorist you know, the one they want to bust
He's read a John Angarrack book, you see, this but one of his crimes
And for that the foreign Chief of Police wants the man to do his time
He dares to fly many St. Piran's flags in his homeland too
And through English eyes this makes him a criminal right through
His father's an old war vet, with English medals cross his chest
But now this counts for nothing, for being Cornish is second best
He speaks the Cornish Language, another very suspicious sign
The way things are going, they'll make it a fixed penalty fine
He uses the email system, mobile phones and the internet
Most odd for a Cornish lad who they assume weak of head
So when the armoured and armed Colonial boys on his door did beat
Little did poor old Tony know, he'd be off for the custody suite
They refused to call him Cornish, West Country was their best
And through hours of interrogation, he failed to pass their test
There's no such thing as Cornish and you're a criminal they implied
And those who've told you otherwise have spoken naught but lies
And although he fights with cancer, and battles with the pain
Tony Leamon's a man of Celtic steel, not for him to be lame
And from all around the whole wide world, from both far and near
Came message of support, offers of cash, and greetings of good cheer
For this honest Celtic lad, the Colonial Police can't just let him be
Born a Cornishman his only crime to be an activist and to disagree
Celtic brotherhood will overcome any Imperial or Colonial System !
http://cornwall-police-watch.blogspot.com/ - well worth a visit!
DEDICATED TO TONY FROM A SUPPORTER IN WALES
There's a man I'd like to meet, Tony Leamon is his name
He's the one in Kernow the Colonial Police want to frame
A very brave Cornishman he is, as Celtic as me and you
And although much persecuted, the views he holds are true
This great big generous Falmouth boy travels everywhere on a bus
He's the Cornish terrorist you know, the one they want to bust
He's read a John Angarrack book, you see, this but one of his crimes
And for that the foreign Chief of Police wants the man to do his time
He dares to fly many St. Piran's flags in his homeland too
And through English eyes this makes him a criminal right through
His father's an old war vet, with English medals cross his chest
But now this counts for nothing, for being Cornish is second best
He speaks the Cornish Language, another very suspicious sign
The way things are going, they'll make it a fixed penalty fine
He uses the email system, mobile phones and the internet
Most odd for a Cornish lad who they assume weak of head
So when the armoured and armed Colonial boys on his door did beat
Little did poor old Tony know, he'd be off for the custody suite
They refused to call him Cornish, West Country was their best
And through hours of interrogation, he failed to pass their test
There's no such thing as Cornish and you're a criminal they implied
And those who've told you otherwise have spoken naught but lies
And although he fights with cancer, and battles with the pain
Tony Leamon's a man of Celtic steel, not for him to be lame
And from all around the whole wide world, from both far and near
Came message of support, offers of cash, and greetings of good cheer
For this honest Celtic lad, the Colonial Police can't just let him be
Born a Cornishman his only crime to be an activist and to disagree
TONY LEAMON - Cornish Campaigner 'tortured' by Police
This is very much a story in progress. A source from the USA who is a Celtic Campaigner has contacted us with news about a Cornish Campaigner called Tony Leamon who is from Falmouth, Kernow.
Apparently, this man was arrested followed a house raid by the police force which covers Kernow and which is run from across the border and into England. The arrest occurred last September, 2007 and the police caused much distress to Mr Leamon's elderly family in trashing his house and seizing goods.
Now eight months on, the police still have him on restrictive bail without charge.
We all know that members of the English Imperial State like to cause as much distress as possible and this is a classic example.
All Celtic peoples' thoughts will be with Tony Leamon right now.
A fuller account of the whole affair can be found here:
http://www.nowpublic.com/world/support-tony-leamon-pacifist-celtic-cornish-activist
and here:
http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/police-harrassment-cornwall-1984-meets-21st-century
Apparently, this man was arrested followed a house raid by the police force which covers Kernow and which is run from across the border and into England. The arrest occurred last September, 2007 and the police caused much distress to Mr Leamon's elderly family in trashing his house and seizing goods.
Now eight months on, the police still have him on restrictive bail without charge.
We all know that members of the English Imperial State like to cause as much distress as possible and this is a classic example.
All Celtic peoples' thoughts will be with Tony Leamon right now.
A fuller account of the whole affair can be found here:
http://www.nowpublic.com/world/support-tony-leamon-pacifist-celtic-cornish-activist
and here:
http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/police-harrassment-cornwall-1984-meets-21st-century
Sunday 11 May 2008
A Media release from the Celtic League:
MAGUIRE PETITION - SUPPORT NEEDED
An online petition has been created calling for the repatriation ofIrishman Noel Maguire, who is being held in a jail in England.The petition was set up by 'Political Status Ireland' and calls onthe 'Offices of the Irish Minister for Justice' in the Republic ofIreland to 'Bring Noel Maguire Home'. The petition reads:"Noel Maguire is an Irish citizen who is being held in an Englishprison. He has been the victim of a violent assault where he nearlylost his life. His family, friends, and loved ones want him repatriated.The English government have approved this but the Irish governmentare delaying the repatriation.This petition is for his repatriation and for his health, well being,and human rights."At the 2007 AGM in Caerdydd/Cardiff, the Celtic League unanimouslypassed the following resolution:"The Celtic League seeks the repatriation of Noel Maguire to a prisonin Éire, in consideration of the physical and psychological stressthat the prisoner has been under over the last year and being thelast of six co-defendants to remain in a prison in England."The League has campaigned on behalf of Maguire for over a year andhas written a number of letters to both the British and the Irishauthorities campaigning for his release.
Letters of support can be sent to Mr Maguire at the address below and the petition can be signed by following the link under it. Noel MaguireHMP Full Sutton,York. YO41 IPS.England
Online petition:http://gopetition.com/online/18560.html
Noel Maguire - a freedom fighter for one Eire - being made a scapegoat by the English Imperial System. One day, the English will be called to account for their actions. Noel, we are with you in Celtic Solidarity.
MAGUIRE PETITION - SUPPORT NEEDED
An online petition has been created calling for the repatriation ofIrishman Noel Maguire, who is being held in a jail in England.The petition was set up by 'Political Status Ireland' and calls onthe 'Offices of the Irish Minister for Justice' in the Republic ofIreland to 'Bring Noel Maguire Home'. The petition reads:"Noel Maguire is an Irish citizen who is being held in an Englishprison. He has been the victim of a violent assault where he nearlylost his life. His family, friends, and loved ones want him repatriated.The English government have approved this but the Irish governmentare delaying the repatriation.This petition is for his repatriation and for his health, well being,and human rights."At the 2007 AGM in Caerdydd/Cardiff, the Celtic League unanimouslypassed the following resolution:"The Celtic League seeks the repatriation of Noel Maguire to a prisonin Éire, in consideration of the physical and psychological stressthat the prisoner has been under over the last year and being thelast of six co-defendants to remain in a prison in England."The League has campaigned on behalf of Maguire for over a year andhas written a number of letters to both the British and the Irishauthorities campaigning for his release.
Letters of support can be sent to Mr Maguire at the address below and the petition can be signed by following the link under it. Noel MaguireHMP Full Sutton,York. YO41 IPS.England
Online petition:http://gopetition.com/online/18560.html
Noel Maguire - a freedom fighter for one Eire - being made a scapegoat by the English Imperial System. One day, the English will be called to account for their actions. Noel, we are with you in Celtic Solidarity.
Wot - No Saint George? No thanks - this is Cornwall !
Sent to me by Tom Graham:
WOT – NO SAINT GEORGE? NO THANKS - THIS IS CORNWALL !
Strange things are happening in a little land somewhere to the South West of England. Of course, I refer to Cornwall, otherwise known as ‘Kernow’ by some of its Celtic inhabitants.
St. George’s Day, March 23rd. dawned in Cornwall but there was a positive glut of Saint George’s flags seen draped across many English Counties.
Those brave English patriots at Bude in north Cornwall decided to raise the red crossed white banner at 9AM over the weather station. By 10am, it has disappeared and local police were called in to investigate. A man had been seen taking the flag down and making off with it but who the man was remains a mystery. Diligently, officers fully recorded the crime and broadcast an appeal for information.
http://www.buxtonadvertiser.co.uk/latest-south-west-news/Flag-of-St-George-stolen.4017855.jp
Later in the day, construction company, Wimpey’s released a public apology for upsetting the Cornish people by encouraging its workers in Cornwall to celebrate Saint George.
Following howls of protest and letters and scores of e-mails, Janine Davey, Wimpey’s Associate Sales and Marketing Director officially apologised and stated that the apology would be made public in the same local press where the company had advertised its support of England’s Saint.
http://www.cornwall24.co.uk/Article960.htm
On another Cornish website, one English patriot moaned that his Saint George’s flag had been pelted with eggs. On the same website, comments referred to the flag as the ‘blood cross’ ‘banner of blood’ and ‘foreign emblem’. On another website, one poster said that to fly the St. George’s flag in Cornwall was alike to ‘flying a swastika over Jerusalem’ and that the only flag for Cornwall was the St. Piran’s flag, a white cross on a black background. According to local news reports, more of these were to be seen on St. George’s Day than the English flag even though St. Piran had been celebrated by record numbers on and around his official day in the Duchy, March 5th as well as by ex-pat Cornish people across the globe.
On BBC Radio Cornwall, Dick Cole, a local councillor and leader of Mebyon Kernow (translated from the Cornish language as ‘Sons of Cornwall’) was asked his opinion on Saint George’s Day and was careful not to dismiss it outright but informed listeners that perhaps Saint Piran was a little more relevant to Cornish people, who may not be, well, English but more closely related to other Celts around the fringes of the British Isles.
No sign of the English Loving Cup of St. George in Truro this year either although it may well have been smuggled in. Last year, its appearance in Cornwall’s only city sparked widespread demonstrations and outcry in the press and media.
A group of people who remained nameless demonstrated their feelings on Englishness in their own way, by burning a Union Flag at an ancient site in Cornwall, apparently in protest that the site is currently owned by English Heritage rather than a designated Cornish Heritage or British Heritage body.
Although the media generally portrayed a widespread celebration of St. George, the patron Saint of England but also of many other nations and states, cities and quite bizarrely, sufferers of syphilis met with mockery not only in Cornwall, but also at the hands of BBC Radio 4, where Elvis McGonagall read a short poem entitled ‘By George!’ much to the hilarity of many listeners:
“Once more unto the breach, dear Morris Dancers, once moreJingle your bells, thwack sticks, raise flagonsCry “God for Harry and Saint George!”Gallant knight and slayer of dragonsPatron saint of merry England –And Georgia, and Catalonia, and Portugal, Beirut, Moscow Istanbul, Germany, GreeceArchers, farmers, boy scouts, butchers and sufferers of syphilisMulticultural icon with sword and codpieceOn, on you bullet-headed Saxon sonsFly flags from white van and cabBut remember stout yeomen, your champion was TurkishSo – get drunk and have a kebab”
(http://www.elvismcgonagall.co.uk/)
Congratulations to the real Cornish freedom fighters ! Keep up the good work and remember that other Celts have learned that the English will not go unless postive action against them is taken. They have little time for democracy or public opinion unless it is their own !
WOT – NO SAINT GEORGE? NO THANKS - THIS IS CORNWALL !
Strange things are happening in a little land somewhere to the South West of England. Of course, I refer to Cornwall, otherwise known as ‘Kernow’ by some of its Celtic inhabitants.
St. George’s Day, March 23rd. dawned in Cornwall but there was a positive glut of Saint George’s flags seen draped across many English Counties.
Those brave English patriots at Bude in north Cornwall decided to raise the red crossed white banner at 9AM over the weather station. By 10am, it has disappeared and local police were called in to investigate. A man had been seen taking the flag down and making off with it but who the man was remains a mystery. Diligently, officers fully recorded the crime and broadcast an appeal for information.
http://www.buxtonadvertiser.co.uk/latest-south-west-news/Flag-of-St-George-stolen.4017855.jp
Later in the day, construction company, Wimpey’s released a public apology for upsetting the Cornish people by encouraging its workers in Cornwall to celebrate Saint George.
Following howls of protest and letters and scores of e-mails, Janine Davey, Wimpey’s Associate Sales and Marketing Director officially apologised and stated that the apology would be made public in the same local press where the company had advertised its support of England’s Saint.
http://www.cornwall24.co.uk/Article960.htm
On another Cornish website, one English patriot moaned that his Saint George’s flag had been pelted with eggs. On the same website, comments referred to the flag as the ‘blood cross’ ‘banner of blood’ and ‘foreign emblem’. On another website, one poster said that to fly the St. George’s flag in Cornwall was alike to ‘flying a swastika over Jerusalem’ and that the only flag for Cornwall was the St. Piran’s flag, a white cross on a black background. According to local news reports, more of these were to be seen on St. George’s Day than the English flag even though St. Piran had been celebrated by record numbers on and around his official day in the Duchy, March 5th as well as by ex-pat Cornish people across the globe.
On BBC Radio Cornwall, Dick Cole, a local councillor and leader of Mebyon Kernow (translated from the Cornish language as ‘Sons of Cornwall’) was asked his opinion on Saint George’s Day and was careful not to dismiss it outright but informed listeners that perhaps Saint Piran was a little more relevant to Cornish people, who may not be, well, English but more closely related to other Celts around the fringes of the British Isles.
No sign of the English Loving Cup of St. George in Truro this year either although it may well have been smuggled in. Last year, its appearance in Cornwall’s only city sparked widespread demonstrations and outcry in the press and media.
A group of people who remained nameless demonstrated their feelings on Englishness in their own way, by burning a Union Flag at an ancient site in Cornwall, apparently in protest that the site is currently owned by English Heritage rather than a designated Cornish Heritage or British Heritage body.
Although the media generally portrayed a widespread celebration of St. George, the patron Saint of England but also of many other nations and states, cities and quite bizarrely, sufferers of syphilis met with mockery not only in Cornwall, but also at the hands of BBC Radio 4, where Elvis McGonagall read a short poem entitled ‘By George!’ much to the hilarity of many listeners:
“Once more unto the breach, dear Morris Dancers, once moreJingle your bells, thwack sticks, raise flagonsCry “God for Harry and Saint George!”Gallant knight and slayer of dragonsPatron saint of merry England –And Georgia, and Catalonia, and Portugal, Beirut, Moscow Istanbul, Germany, GreeceArchers, farmers, boy scouts, butchers and sufferers of syphilisMulticultural icon with sword and codpieceOn, on you bullet-headed Saxon sonsFly flags from white van and cabBut remember stout yeomen, your champion was TurkishSo – get drunk and have a kebab”
(http://www.elvismcgonagall.co.uk/)
Congratulations to the real Cornish freedom fighters ! Keep up the good work and remember that other Celts have learned that the English will not go unless postive action against them is taken. They have little time for democracy or public opinion unless it is their own !
Brendan Hughes - Rest In Peace
The below acts as an inspiration to us all. Eire will miss this great freedom fighter and patriot.
A life dedicated to the IRA and a broken heart
(by Suzanne Breen, Sunday Tribune)
From his flat high in Divis Tower on the Falls Road, Brendan Hughes looked down on the city he bombed. He pointed to a car hire firm, owned by a wealthy unionist businessman in the 1970s, and one of the IRA's prime commercial targets.
"We bombed that place so many times, yet he kept re-opening it. I respected him for not giving up," said Hughes. In the end, Hughes' heart was broken by the belief that the leadership of the movement he served for three decades had given up the goals he still cherished.
Visiting the former Belfast Brigade OC in the tiny, threadbare flat where he spent his last years was always an emotional experience. The war, and the peace, had left him with indelible physical and mental scars. A slight figure in a Che Guevara t-shirt, he chain-smoked and drank to ease the pain of what he called "the sell-out", but it never really worked.
As I'd leave his flat, he'd hand me pages of thoughts he'd scribbled down on Sinn Féin, poverty in republican areas, the Middle East conflict, and Catholic Church child abuse scandals. An atheist, he wanted the Church – not the IRA – disbanded.
Nicknamed 'the Dark', Hughes had been a ruthlessly committed paramilitary. His gun battles with the British entered republican folklore. Yet he was a complex man, displaying a compassion often missing in republican ranks.
Once, he'd a chance to kill a young British soldier in Leeson Street. The terrified soldier cried for his mother: "I stood over him with a .45 aimed at his head. I could have pulled the trigger and sent him to eternity. But morally and emotionally, I wasn't able to end his life. He was a mere child, so frightened."
Later, Hughes was haunted by the faces of IRA colleagues whom, he believed, had died for nothing. He'd spend days crying in his flat. A photo hung on the wall of Hughes in Long Kesh, with his best friend, Gerry Adams, arms around each other. "I loved him. I'd have taken a bullet for Gerry. I probably should have put one in him," Hughes said.
He accused the leadership of abandoning republicanism for "personal power" and said the GFA (Good Friday Agreement) stood for 'got f**k all'. He'd developed left-wing politics as a teenage merchant seaman. Entering African ports, he was appalled by the poverty he saw. He gave boxes of the ship's supplies to locals.
He joined the IRA in 1969 and was jailed in 1973. He soon escaped, rented a house in the affluent Malone Road, dyed his hair, and donned a suit and tie. He became businessman Arthur McAllister, travelling around Belfast in disguise, coordinating the IRA campaign.
Eventually, his cover was blown. He spent 13 years in jail and 53 days on hunger-strike. On release, he rejoined the IRA. He worked for internal security but became suspicious of the 'department' which, it has since been revealed, included high-placed British agents.
His first clash with the leadership came when he complained of the £20 a day wages paid to ex-prisoners by a large west Belfast building contractor. An Official IRA member, shocked to see 'the Dark' carrying bricks and sweating in a ditch for a pittance, was told by the boss: "He's cheaper than a digger."
When Hughes tried to organise a strike, he was offered £25 a day on condition he not tell the others. "I told (the boss) to stick it up his arse and I never went back. I wrote an article about if for Republican News but it was censored."
His wife had become involved with another man when he was in jail. Other prisoners urged him to give her a hard time. Hughes apologised to her for "always having put the movement first", and told her to be happy.
While others of his rank secured holiday homes and businesses after the IRA ceasefire, Hughes survived on disability allowance. Just last month, he was left without heating until another ex-prisoner lent him an electric fire.
He craved solitude, visiting the pub in the quiet of early afternoon, and coming home to watch Channel Four's 'Deal or No Deal'. Prison had left him with arthritis. He was prone to chest infections and started to go blind. He didn't eat well and neglected to take his medication. Political disillusionment had weakened his will to live.
.In 1995, he was approached by army council member, Brian Keenan, who expressed discontentment with Adams and McGuinness and asked for help in devising a new military strategy. Hughes was interested but thought it a false approach to have him reveal his hand.
While he remained against the peace process, he came to believe all opposition should be peaceful and 'armed struggle' was pointless. Despite his militancy, Hughes' outlook wasn't narrow. He was chuffed when, years after jail, a Protestant prison officer tracked him to Divis. They went for a drink.
Two years ago, he visited Cuba to see the Sierra Maestra where Che had fought. He loved the locals and was angry the authorities barred them from hotels reserved for Westerners. In solidarity, he refused to enter.
He died, aged 59, after total organ failure. His ashes will be scattered on the Cooley Mountains, his parents' grave, and the Falls Road IRA garden of remembrance. The last of the writings he gave me conveyed his inner torment: "I go to bed in pain, I wake in the middle of the night in pain, I get up in pain. What the f**k was it all about?"
This article appeared in the February 24, 2008 edition of the Sunday Tribune.
Ireland will always remember with pride the name of Brendan Hughes.
A life dedicated to the IRA and a broken heart
(by Suzanne Breen, Sunday Tribune)
From his flat high in Divis Tower on the Falls Road, Brendan Hughes looked down on the city he bombed. He pointed to a car hire firm, owned by a wealthy unionist businessman in the 1970s, and one of the IRA's prime commercial targets.
"We bombed that place so many times, yet he kept re-opening it. I respected him for not giving up," said Hughes. In the end, Hughes' heart was broken by the belief that the leadership of the movement he served for three decades had given up the goals he still cherished.
Visiting the former Belfast Brigade OC in the tiny, threadbare flat where he spent his last years was always an emotional experience. The war, and the peace, had left him with indelible physical and mental scars. A slight figure in a Che Guevara t-shirt, he chain-smoked and drank to ease the pain of what he called "the sell-out", but it never really worked.
As I'd leave his flat, he'd hand me pages of thoughts he'd scribbled down on Sinn Féin, poverty in republican areas, the Middle East conflict, and Catholic Church child abuse scandals. An atheist, he wanted the Church – not the IRA – disbanded.
Nicknamed 'the Dark', Hughes had been a ruthlessly committed paramilitary. His gun battles with the British entered republican folklore. Yet he was a complex man, displaying a compassion often missing in republican ranks.
Once, he'd a chance to kill a young British soldier in Leeson Street. The terrified soldier cried for his mother: "I stood over him with a .45 aimed at his head. I could have pulled the trigger and sent him to eternity. But morally and emotionally, I wasn't able to end his life. He was a mere child, so frightened."
Later, Hughes was haunted by the faces of IRA colleagues whom, he believed, had died for nothing. He'd spend days crying in his flat. A photo hung on the wall of Hughes in Long Kesh, with his best friend, Gerry Adams, arms around each other. "I loved him. I'd have taken a bullet for Gerry. I probably should have put one in him," Hughes said.
He accused the leadership of abandoning republicanism for "personal power" and said the GFA (Good Friday Agreement) stood for 'got f**k all'. He'd developed left-wing politics as a teenage merchant seaman. Entering African ports, he was appalled by the poverty he saw. He gave boxes of the ship's supplies to locals.
He joined the IRA in 1969 and was jailed in 1973. He soon escaped, rented a house in the affluent Malone Road, dyed his hair, and donned a suit and tie. He became businessman Arthur McAllister, travelling around Belfast in disguise, coordinating the IRA campaign.
Eventually, his cover was blown. He spent 13 years in jail and 53 days on hunger-strike. On release, he rejoined the IRA. He worked for internal security but became suspicious of the 'department' which, it has since been revealed, included high-placed British agents.
His first clash with the leadership came when he complained of the £20 a day wages paid to ex-prisoners by a large west Belfast building contractor. An Official IRA member, shocked to see 'the Dark' carrying bricks and sweating in a ditch for a pittance, was told by the boss: "He's cheaper than a digger."
When Hughes tried to organise a strike, he was offered £25 a day on condition he not tell the others. "I told (the boss) to stick it up his arse and I never went back. I wrote an article about if for Republican News but it was censored."
His wife had become involved with another man when he was in jail. Other prisoners urged him to give her a hard time. Hughes apologised to her for "always having put the movement first", and told her to be happy.
While others of his rank secured holiday homes and businesses after the IRA ceasefire, Hughes survived on disability allowance. Just last month, he was left without heating until another ex-prisoner lent him an electric fire.
He craved solitude, visiting the pub in the quiet of early afternoon, and coming home to watch Channel Four's 'Deal or No Deal'. Prison had left him with arthritis. He was prone to chest infections and started to go blind. He didn't eat well and neglected to take his medication. Political disillusionment had weakened his will to live.
.In 1995, he was approached by army council member, Brian Keenan, who expressed discontentment with Adams and McGuinness and asked for help in devising a new military strategy. Hughes was interested but thought it a false approach to have him reveal his hand.
While he remained against the peace process, he came to believe all opposition should be peaceful and 'armed struggle' was pointless. Despite his militancy, Hughes' outlook wasn't narrow. He was chuffed when, years after jail, a Protestant prison officer tracked him to Divis. They went for a drink.
Two years ago, he visited Cuba to see the Sierra Maestra where Che had fought. He loved the locals and was angry the authorities barred them from hotels reserved for Westerners. In solidarity, he refused to enter.
He died, aged 59, after total organ failure. His ashes will be scattered on the Cooley Mountains, his parents' grave, and the Falls Road IRA garden of remembrance. The last of the writings he gave me conveyed his inner torment: "I go to bed in pain, I wake in the middle of the night in pain, I get up in pain. What the f**k was it all about?"
This article appeared in the February 24, 2008 edition of the Sunday Tribune.
Ireland will always remember with pride the name of Brendan Hughes.
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