Republicans ambush Minister Cowen in Derry
derry |
crime and justice |
news report 
Monday July 25, 2005 19:16
by Barry
Protestors picket city hotel in protest at "internment" and corrupt Gardai
Free State Minister Brian Cowen faced an angry reception in Derry from a crowd of around 50 supporters of republican prisoners currently being held in the high security Portlaoise jail . The protestors maintain that Cowens administration has been operating a policy of judicial internment , in many cases with the opinion of a senior garda being sufficient for anti - Stormont republicans to be jailed for up to 7 years .
Last Thursday evening members and supporters of 32csm and the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association gathered in protest against the draconian policies implemented by the 26 county administration towards those republicans who continue to oppose British occupation of the north of Ireland . Numerous republicans have been jailed in Dublins Special Criminal Court often on the most spurious of charges with virtually no other evidence than the stated opinion of a senior Garda as to their membership of a "subversive" organisation . The Special Criminal Court is now basically a conveyor belt straight to maximum security Portlaoise with a virtually zero acquittal rate for anyone in possession of republican beliefs .
Around 50 protestors assembled outside the City Hotel to await the arrival of minister Brian Cowen who was attending a meeting to discuss reviving Stormont . Many carried placards accusing the Gardai of corruption and highlighting the southern administations use of virtual internment against internal political dissidents . A number of placards referred to a recent case were 4 men were jailed on a Gardas opinion basically for possession of a wreath which was laid on a republican plot in Cork . In that case a Garda (who claimed he was off duty at the time) told the SCC he just happened to be passing a flower shop when he spied a number of Cork republicans emerge in possession of a suspicious wreath of flowers . The intrepid sleuth then claimed he followed them surreptitiously to a Cork cemetery were he claimed they laid it at the republican plot , a traditional act of remembrance every Easter for republicans .
This was sufficient for a number of men to be arrested shortly afterwards and charged with membership of a subversive organisation . The Special Criminal court accepted the Gardas testimony as evidence and jailed the men . Others have been arrested and jailed for membership while openly meeting together in a public bar . Garda officers have claimed that this was for the purpose of subversive activity in their opinion and the judge accepted it as evidence also .
In the case of Dundalk republican Colm Murphy who is currently free on bail , his appeal hearing has proven that Garda officers lied , falsified evidence and committed perjury in order to secure a politically motivitated conviction against him . Despite this the policy of virtual zero acquittal for these political cases in the Special Criminal Court continues with the Gardas opinion being accepted as evidence by judges at all times .
As minister Cowen arrived at the hotel in Derry he was greeted by republican protestors who carried placards highlighting the cases referred to here and the corruption within Garda ranks . Also attending the hotel with Minister Cowen were Sinn Feins Mitchel McLoughlin and Raymond McCartney . Sad to say both Sinn Fein members pointedly ignored the dignified protest , as did the nationalist media . The next days Irish News devoted an article to the Ministers presence in the Hotel yet never mentioned the protest once despite the grave embarrassment it caused him on a friendly trip up north .
The nationalist media , just like the nationalist politicians remain determined to ensure republican dissent is silenced by both censorship and internment and that no challenge to the status quo shall be heard .
Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4The meeting Cowen was attending in the City Hotel concerned marketing and not the revival of Stormont . Not being a Garda , I wouldnt like to be telling barefaced lies about political opponents .
"Sad to say both Sinn Fein members pointedly ignored the dignified protest , as did the nationalist media ."
- I am not surprised that the media ignored the protest ; they are apparently of the opinion that if they do not report it , then it did not happen . Self censorship to obtain further paid advertisements from Leinster House , perhaps ... ?
I am surprised , though really should not be , that the Provo Sinn Fein reps ignored the protestors . I recall a picket being placed on the US Embassy in Dublin a few years ago (over said country's support for Israel) and two or three Provo elected reps passed that picket to gain admission to the Embassy to keep an appointment with the US Secretary or some-such 'dignitary' . Moving away from their roots ....
Sharon .
that Biffo Cowan is just a disobedient little sucker whose mother had to glue his lips to the floor to get a bit of peace in the house. As a politico Biffo is disobedient to the will of the majority in Ireland, for example, in his gung-ho warmongering against Iraq. But he is totally subservient to his political puppet-masters in US + Brit Embassys Ballsbridge, CIA HQ Langley Virginia. This puppy needs plenty more heat turned on him permanently.
Apart from that, you have to realise that the judges in this unfree State are political appointees, highly politicised and equally highly disinterested in a fair application of the law, be it draconian or otherwise, to political opponents of the status quo. That category is defined wide enough to include all working class people, republicans, anti-war protestors, Rossport farmers etc.
Conclusion, the rot and corruption in this country comes from its very political roots, which have to be ripped out and burned to cure this disease with which they grip us.
Anyone out there ever heard of 'A Worker's Revolution'? I've heard it worked for the Russkies, at least for a while.
Cheers, oh and don't forget to read Paisley's auobiography, a classic of Irish History!
Any sympathy I would have had with ye was gone at "Republicans who oppose British occupation". SF oppose British rule. We wouldn't be SF if we didn't. I wonder if Raymond McCartney and Mitchell had stopped to show solidarity with ye, what reaction would ye have shown them? Would I be right in thinking the term Free-State bastards would be used quite a lot.
Can people seriously tell me how organisations like 32 CSM have forwarded the republican struggle? I have certain problems with the state of the peace process. However, I think republicanism is a lot better served by SF.
That said, it is no harm to raise an awareness of prisoner welfare issues.
Indymedia Ireland is a media collective. We are independent volunteer citizen journalists producing and distributing the authentic voices of the people. Indymedia Ireland is an open news project where anyone can post their own news, comment, videos or photos about Ireland or related matters.