The DUP Manifesto

For readers of a unionist persuasion, I've repeated in full the DUP's manifesto here:

Democratic Unionist Party
Manifesto

- We will put manners on republicans.
- Vote for us to govern, although we haven't decided yet if we will govern.
- Never, never, never... or maybe (if Ian says so).

Vote DUP on March 7th. Getting It Right (if we lived in the middle ages).

So there you have it. The choice is yours- if this appeals to you, by all means vote DUP.

What's In A Name?

It's always fascinating to look at who nominated candidates for elections. The Newry and Armagh statement of nominations in particular carries some interesting names. Former Sinn Féin MLA Davy Hyland has amongst his subscribers former party stalwarts from South Armagh Pat McNamee and Jim McAllister, although this is hardly surprising given their public endorsement of the Newry poll-topper. However, it is interesting to note that another one those who nominated Hyland is Gabby Curran, brother of sitting Newry Sinn Féin councillor Brendan Curran. The Currans were among those who got Sinn Féin up and running in the town, and from what I hear there is major tension in the ranks of the party in Newry and Mourne Council.

Hyland's replacement on the Sinn Féin ticket, Mickey 'The Sticky' Brady* has among his subscribers none other than local celebrity Terence 'Banjo' Bannon. Young Bannon climbed Mount Everest a few years ago- perhaps the lack of oxygen up there has clouded his judgement (joke!)

Meanwhile, Willie Frazer has managed to cobble together ten people to put him forward for election as an independent- it isn't clear whether these people are members of FAIR, or whether that 'organisation' is simply a one-man show. In fact, I've yet to confirm whether the terms 'Willie Frazer' and 'FAIR' are interchangeable, much like 'Clark Kent' and 'Superman' are- if anyone can help on that one, it would be much appreciated. What I can confirm is that he doesn't wear his underpants outside his trousers- in public anyway.

The other parties' subscribers are fairly predictable- the SDLP candidates Dominic Bradley and Sharon Haughey have former MP Séamus Mallon backing them, and Danny Kennedy has a number of party activists from across the constituency beside his name.

Ultimately it doesn't really matter who nominates whom- it's the results that count. But it is interesting to look at nonetheless.

* Although Brady is running as a Provisional Sinn Féin candidate, prior to his very recent joining of that party he was known around Newry as an official republican, hence the use of my joke moniker. I just thought I'd clear that up, as I understand that Mickey does not take kindly to jokes being made at his expense. So to confirm, Mickey Brady is not a sticky.

Poster Watch: Fascists Try To Block SDLP Rise In Strangford

It has been revealed that SDLP Councillor Joe Boyle, who is set to take a seat in the Strangford constituency on March 7th, has been the victim of a systematic campaign by loyalists to destroy his election posters.

Joe said: "The PSNI, after receiving a telephone call in Killyleagh, apprehended and arrested a person defacing my posters with the slogans UVF, UFF and UDA sprayed on with an aerosol. In Comber on Saturday I personally recovered 17 election posters that had been cut down and strewn all around the roundabout and immediate vicinity whilst in Newtownards and Greyabbey they have simply been removed cable ties and Posters."

"I have received phone calls of support from people within these areas, people who are disgusted at these events having taken place and who told me this type of gutter politics in no way represents the many good people in all these areas. My record of assisting constituents in all these areas is well documented and neither the SDLP or myself will be derailed or distracted from what has been to-date a very positive election campaign. It is my intention to once again to canvass within these areas in the run up to the Election on the 7th March."

Joe also revealed: "In many if not all cases the areas where my election posters were originally sited have been replaced by DUP election posters. Perhaps the SDLP is proving to be a growing concern to the DUP in Strangford."

The best way to counteract these idiots is to deal them the strongest blow possible- a Number 1 vote for Joe on Wednesday week.

Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny Backs The SDLP

The leader of Fine Gael, Enda Kenny, came to Newry yesterday to throw his weight behind the SDLP in advance of the elections on 7th March. He was met by party activists at Newry Railway Station and joined SDLP Leader Mark Durkan MP, SDLP Deputy Leader Alasdair McDonnell MP, and Newry and Armagh incumbent candidate for the Assembly Dominic Bradley for a tour of small businesses at WIN business park. While there, they called into the newly launched radio station Five FM.

After that, they boarded the election bus and headed for the Canal Court Hotel in the city centre, where Kenny was the keynote speaker at a meeting of around 100 Newry SDLP branch members. The event was centred around the party's North South Makes Sense campaign. The Fine Gael leader emphasised his support for the SDLP and its election campaign, and spoke strongly in favour of building greater north-south co-operation.

A couple of weeks back, Bertie Ahern attended another SDLP North South Makes Sense event in Dublin. Whichever one of them is Taoiseach after the next election in the south, it's quite clear from their support for this campaign that the SDLP is driving forward the North-South agenda and can deliver best on that front. Reunification isn't about running a flag up a pole every so often and doing nothing constructive, but is about creating the circumstances whereby the removal of partition is both attractive and beneficial to everyone on both sides of the border- that is a better way to a better Ireland and the SDLP is the only party that can deliver.

This video of the evening is about five minutes long, so you'll probably need broadband to access it.

Poster Watch: Update

I reported a few days ago how PJ Bradley's posters have been ripped down in parts of South Down. Thankfully there have been no other reports coming through from that neck of the woods, but it seems that this wasn't an isolated incident. SDLP Assembly candidates across the north are reporting that attacks on their posters are concentrated in certain parts of a few constituencies, and all the indications are that teams postering for other parties are responsible for the major attacks.

The SDLP's East Derry candidate John Dallat hit the nail on the head when he said that really we ought to pity these oafs. He said: "Within one hour of being erected in Garvagh, our posters were removed by local ‘loyalists’ who took time off from their usual anti-social activities to try and cancel democracy. They are more to be pitied than condemned because they lack the confidence to believe in themselves or the sterile politics that has been fed to them by the DUP over several decades. But we now live in a shared space where the key has to be tolerance and respect for diversity."

Dolores Kelly in Upper Bann said removals were concentrated in Aghagallon and Brownlow in her constituency: "All I know is that a Sinn Féin postering squad went through Aghagallon and when they were done, our posters were gone and there were Sinn Féin posters on all the same poles. Some people seem to think that ripping down opponents’ posters is a sort of badge of honour, but the fact is that it is an attack on free speech. Like them or nor, posters are part of our democracy and should be respected as such."

Her running mate, Cllr. Patrick McAleenan, reported that all the SDLP posters were systematically removed from Banbridge town centre.

In West Tyrone, Eugene McMenamin said there has been a fairly concerted effort to tear down his posters, particularly along the Derry Road: "It’s hard to know who is responsible as we have a range of destructive political elements in the town, but it is obviously irritating in addition to being a significant financial burden," he said. His running mate, Dr. Jo Deehan, said tearing down of her posters has been absolutely systematic in certain districts and is clearly politically motivated: "Every single poster in the village of Dromquin- 20 in all- was torn down, and we found them all together dumped in a field. Virtually all the posters in Dromore were also torn down. I can promise those who are attacking democracy that all these posters and more will go up again."

In Belfast, posters in a narrow area around Ardoyne have been torn down, but so far the West Belfast constituency seems to be free of the poster attacks which have marred previous elections.

Yet again we see the bullying tactics from both extremes of the spectrum trying to usurp democracy and silence the voice of the SDLP. Suffice to say, it will have no bearing on how well the SDLP does.

Update: 7.37pm- Word is coming through that the SDLP’s Lagan Valley office was attacked shortly before 7pm this evening resulting in its windows being broken. Marietta Farrell has reported that no one was injured although staff suffered shock. Police are on the scene at the office at Railway Street in Lisburn

SDLP Hits The Streets Of South Armagh

The large team of SDLP activists canvassed several areas of South Armagh at the weekend, and got an extremely positive response from people living in the shadow of Slieve Gullion. People on the doorsteps made it quite clear that they're sick of the stop-go politics of the past five years and want politicians to start addressing real issues such as the impending water taxes. A lot of people were very supportive and told canvassers that they hope the SDLP wins, and several people stopped team members in the street to offer their best wishes.

Here are a few interesting moments, as documented in this rudimentary video I shot:

00:12 Sharon Haughey chats about the canvass.

00:28 Frank Feeley has an argument with a dog in Forkhill. Feeley won when the dog accepted there were fatal flaws in its argument and it backed down.

00:42 A Boost bar that was thrown at us by a mildly cretinous man in Jonesborough. When we got to the end of the street I went and got the car and drove back up and crushed the chocolate bar which was still lying there, thus rendering it inedible should said fellow have decided he wanted to retrieve it for consumption. Thankfully, he is unrepresentative of the good people of South Armagh, and I would wholly expect an extremely positive showing for the SDLP when the ballot boxes from the area are opened on 8th March.

Grow Up You Idiots!

Yet again I hear the despicable news that SDLP South Down stalwart PJ Bradley has had his election posters torn down from lamp-posts by his political opponents. I don't suppose the fact that PJ has worked tirelessly for the community in the area has any bearing on these idiots' outlook. Time and again the good people of Warrenpoint, Burren, Mayobridge, East Newry and beyond have thrown their weight behind PJ, and every time he delivers on the ground.

PJ commented: "For the second time in two weeks I have had up to posters removed in a specific area. Modern posters are expensive and the cost to me runs into hundreds of pounds. This is organised political sabotage of a kind which I had hoped we had left behind us. I am certain that there are no local people involved in these incidents, but am acutely aware of who will gain most from this. This is organised political sabotage of a kind which I had hoped we had left behind us along with other forms of anti-democratic pressure. I would ask the small group involved to cease this activity and let the election continue in a fair and equitable manner."

It's the general idea of democracy that if you oppose someone's views, you stand for election on a level playing field and let the electorate decide who they want to represent them. However, these troglodytes don't really get the concept of democracy, instead preferring to bully people off the pitch. Unfortunately for them, PJ has seen it all before and no one will be pushing him anywhere.

I don't mean to state the obvious, but on the 7th March the fools who pulled down these posters will be sent a very clear message by the people of South Down when PJ is returned with resounding support to serve yet another term as MLA.

SDLP Party Election Broadcast

The SDLP's election video can be seen here: http://www.sdlp.ie/campaign_video.html . I see that the party website has also been overhauled- about time! The address is the same as the old one at www.sdlp.ie.

A Quick Reminder

Voting closes tomorrow for the Irish Blog Awards. El Blogador is up in five categories:

Best Blog

Best Political Blog

Best Blog Post
ElBlogador - Bloody Sunday In Pictures
ElBlogador - Peter Robinson

Most Humorous Post
ElBlogador - DUP In Gay Marriage Shocker
ElBlogador - These are a few of my favourite things

Best Designed Blog

To vote, just go here: http://www.awards.ie/vote/

Your votes would be appreciated!

SDLP Valentine's Day Message: It Is Time To Dump Direct Rule!

Politics in the north can get a bit dry, but some colour was added to the campaign today when SDLP Assembly Election candidates Alban Maginness, Marietta Farrell, and Carmel Hanna handed out Valentine's Day cards to members of the public in Belfast city centre which were emblazoned with the message that it's time to kiss direct rule goodbye. As far as I could gather, the point of the event was not to go on the pull, but rather to put the message out that it's time to send the British direct rule ministers packing back to London and give the SDLP a strong mandate for progress and delivery on the 7th March.

Lagan Valley assembly candidate Marietta Farrell commented: "The future under direct rule is a bleak and an expensive one. Water charges, rates, a high cost of living and low grade services. The South leaps forward, but we are being left behind. That gap is only going to continue to increase under direct rule. That’s why it is time to end it. Let’s face it – we really could do better.

"On March 7th we have the chance to give a mandate for change, a mandate for progress and a mandate for stability. A stronger SDLP is the best vote to end direct rule and deliver real progress. Because left to themselves other parties just can’t make it work. That is why on March 7th people should vote for an all-Ireland economy, for jobs, for hospitals and against water charges. That is why on March 7th people can make the difference by voting SDLP."

Anyway, here's a brief video I cobbled together of the event. Not exactly hi-tech, but a bit of a change from the usual stills of people standing in a row looking gormless :)

Northern Ireland Assembly 2007 Election Candidates Announced

So here we have it - the candidates for the assembly elections on 7th March.

Full details for each constituency here:

Belfast East and Belfast South (PDF 126KB)
Belfast North and Belfast West (PDF 119KB)
East Antrim and South Antrim (PDF 107KB)
East Derry and Foyle (PDF 117KB)
Fermanagh & South Tyrone and West Tyrone (PDF 117KB)
Lagan Valley and South Down (PDF 114KB)
Mid Ulster and North Antrim (PDF 117KB)
Newry & Armagh and Upper Bann (PDF 154KB)
North Down and Strangford (PDF 121KB)

A few days back, I said that I would be "very surprised to see the name of a candidate alongside the RSF logo on ballot papers in 11 constituencies. More likely we'll get a bizarre mix of disaffected provos, right-wing fascists and pseudo-marxists all running under various 'republican' banners but presenting no concrete policies of their own." And as it transpires, that is the case. Only six candidates are running from Republican Sinn Féin, and their names will indeed be on ballot papers without any RSF logo appended alongside as the party is not registered.

The SDLP is running the biggest proportion of female candidates anywhere in Ireland probably ever, with over 40% being women. Indeed, Marietta Farrell is the only woman candidate in Lagan Valley, and Orla Beatty has the same distinction in East Derry. Sharon Haughey in Newry and Armagh is the only female candidate likely to win a seat in that constituency, with Sinn Féin's Pat O'Rawe having been deselected.

Eddie McGrady On False Partnerships

Here is a brief video of the SDLP's South Down MP Eddie McGrady talking about the instability of partnership between the DUP and Sinn Féin, and how it is necessary to have a strong SDLP to effect real progress and bring stability.

The fact is that since 2003 when the DUP and Sinn Féin became the biggest parties in the 'Assembly', progress has been painfully slow. Even now the public is left unsure of whether it will be voting people into an Assembly that will actually meet, or whether things will end up being wound-down by Peter Hain, leaving us to endure another generation of Direct (mis)Rule.

On 7th March, progress can only be guaranteed if people vote for progressive parties.

Forget The Assembly Elections: Vote El Blogador!

I'm astounded but nevertheless extremely pleased that El Blogador has been shortlisted for voting at the Irish Blog Awards. Last year the site was also up for voting, but this year competition was a lot stiffer with thousands of nominations being submitted and a large number of nominees being culled from the vote. Amazingly, El Blogador managed to get through and appears in a number of categories (twice in some!)

Even if you detest what I say but enjoy visiting the site, your votes would be appreciated (not that I'm trying to pressure anyone, like ;) )

The categories the site is up for are:

Best Blog

Best Blog Post

ElBlogador - Bloody Sunday In Pictures

ElBlogador - Peter Robinson

Most Humorous Post

ElBlogador - DUP In Gay Marriage Shocker

ElBlogador - These are a few of my favourite things

Best Political Blog

Best Designed Blog (bizarrely!)

To vote, just go here: http://www.awards.ie/vote/

I would say vote early and vote often, but that probably breaks the rules :) Go raibh maith agaibh!

Support Your Language

I'm glad to see that SDLP Newry and Armagh Assembly candidate Dominic Bradley has called on people to support the Irish Language Act March to be held in Belfast on Saturday 24th February. Dominic is the SDLP's spokesperson on the Irish Language, and said after a meeting of the party’s Coiste na Gaeilge:

"The Irish Language Act March in Belfast on February 24th is an excellent opportunity for all those who support the Irish language to show their support for a strong rights based Act which will guarantee Irish speakers and learners over a wide range of public services. I am calling on all Irish language groups in Newry and Armagh to attend the march which will assemble at the Cultúrlann at 1 pm.

"One of the first international conferences on European languages was hosted by John Hume in Newry. I was proud to be a speaker at that conference. That was the backdrop which helped achieve official EU language status for Irish. South Down SDLP MP Eddie Mc Grady kicked off the Westminster campaign for the Irish language act when he proposed a motion calling for an Irish language Act. SDLP Party Leader Mark Durkan MP continued that campaign when he launched the Pobal model for Irish language legislation in the House of Commons. I was proud to join on that occasion.

"Pobal has produced a very comprehensive model for legislation which is specifically tailored for Northern Ireland. This model is quite correctly rights based and covers such areas as the political institutions, education, administration of justice, and the media. It seems sensible that the Irish language act should be legislated for at Westminster which has reserved powers over certain areas which are essential to the rights of Irish speakers.

"The Irish language Act gives the British government the opportunity to expand and copperfasten the commitments they made to Irish speakers in the Good Friday Agreement. The SDLP will be pushing to help ensure that legislation is prepared without any undue delay.

"I would urge all Irish language organisations and indeed individual Irish speakers to respond to the consultation on the Irish Language Act which will continues until Friday 2nd March 2007.

"The SDLP believes that the language belongs to all of our people and one of the many benefits of an Irish Language Act would be to ensure that this issue would no longer be a party political one."

It is time for all the people to claim back the language. Dominic himself contributes a weekly column in Irish to the Newry Democrat, and also writes for Lá (now Lá Nua). It is now time that everyone in the north is given the right to similarly equip themselves with the ability to speak our native language should they so wish.

Bloody Sunday- A Derry Diary

I've just watched an interesting and revealing documentary on RTÉ which looked at events that took place on Bloody Sunday in 1972, the subsequent cover-up by the British, and the current Saville Inquiry. It is quite clear to all and sundry that innocent people were murdered in cold blood on that day, yet many still try and deny that those soldiers involved were guilty of anything. Some also complain that the current inquiry is a waste of money- well if the British Army hadn't slaughtered anyone on that day, no inquiry would have been needed.

The relatives of those killed on Bloody Sunday have been told that it will be the end of 2007 or perhaps even longer before the final report into events on that day is published. The main thing is that the truth must be uncovered.

If you get a chance, check out this programme- it's certainly worth a watch.

Republican Sinn Féin

Idiotaigh na hÉireann, aka Sinn Féin Poblachtach has announced that it will be fielding candidates in "at least" 11 constituencies in the forthcoming assembly elections. This should be interesting to watch- the biggest things they have organised since the 'spontaneous' walk-out of the 1986 provo Ard Fheis have been attacks on SDLP members and meetings for 'revolutionary' geriatics which have generally attracted a princely attendance of around three people.

Given that the British Government has pretty strict rules regarding the registration of parties and the nomination of candidates, I would be very surprised to see the name of a candidate alongside the RSF logo on ballot papers in 11 constituencies. More likely we'll get a bizarre mix of disaffected provos, right-wing fascists and pseudo-marxists all running under various 'republican' banners but presenting no concrete policies of their own.

Still, no harm in participating in democracy- at least it gives people a chance to vote for the candidates of their choice. Of course, if RSF fail miserably, don't expect them to respect the wishes of the electorate- they'll just continue doing whatever they did beforehand, much like their former buddies in the provos did in the 1970s and 80s when nationalists in the north repeatedly rejected their campaign of violence at the polls but they continued down that pointless path none the less.

Meanwhile, the DUP is forcing its candidates to sign an agreement that if they break with official party policy, they will face a £20,000 fine or even have a postdated resignation notice handed in to the speaker of the assembly on their behalf. Consider this move a direct response to the actions of the Dirty Dozen, and a personal attempt by Peter Robinson to copperfasten his control of the party in the face of a possible Nigel Dodds-led fundamentalist countermovement.

Alex Attwood On Policing

Here's a video featuring Alex Attwood speaking at an SDLP rally at the weekend. During his address, he outlined how the SDLP held out for nothing short of a fully independent system for holding the police to account. Of course, the importance of such a demand has been proven many times over with the excellent work the Police Ombudsman has done in shining a light on the dark of the past.

Apologies for the low quality of the clip- I was quite a distance back from the stage at the time.

Justice

The Newry Reporter has an excellent article this week highlighting the plight of the families of the Disappeared in the area.

"An empty grave bearing the name of Seamus Ruddy, one of Northern Ireland’s disappeared, today lies waiting in Newry as the family continue their search for information which may lead to the recovery of his remains.

Seamus Ruddy, from Newry, was 32 when he disappeared in Paris on May 9, 1985. The murder was later admitted by the INLA.

Mr Ruddy’s body has never been recovered despite a limited search being conducted in 1999 at a forest near Rouen.

However, the latest initiative by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (ICLVR) has given the family fresh hope that some new information will be forthcoming.

Anne Morgan, Mr Ruddy’s sister, spoke to the Reporter on Tuesday about how, almost 22 years after the disappearance of her brother, the pain remained as fresh as ever.

“As time goes on it does not get any easier,” she said and added that to finally locate her brother’s remains would “mean everything to me.”
She continued, “To give him a Christian burial would mean so much more than him being in a forest in France. We want to take him home and bury him with his parents.

“Before my mum died she put his name on the headstone, his grave is waiting for him at home.”

Mrs Morgan explained that Seamus was teaching in Paris when he went missing and had cut all links with the IRSP (Irish Republican Socialist Party) before he left.

She also highlighted the suffering of two other local families, the relatives of Charles Armstrong and Gerard Evans who disappeared from County Armagh but for whom no-one has claimed responsibility.

Charles Armstrong from Crossmaglen disappeared on his way to Mass on August 15, 1981. His body has never been recovered.

Gerard Evans from Crossmaglen disappeared on his way home on March 27, 1979.

He was last seen on the roadside outside Castleblaney trying to hitch a lift back home. The location of his body is unknown.

On Monday night Mrs Morgan and Anna McShane, daughter of Charles Armstrong, attended a private gathering in Belfast to show appreciation to retiring US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, Mitchell Reiss, for his work during his time in the Province.

Mrs Morgan explained that she and Mrs McShane met Mr Reiss during a visit to America in 2005 when they lobbied on Capitol Hill on the disappeared issue.

She stated, “Mitchell Reiss took the disappeared issue on board and he put us in contact with influential people in both the British and Irish governments.

“Through a series of meetings we brought the disappeared question to the forefront and both governments backed a new initiative to re-locate the bodies.”

The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR) was established in 1999 to take receipt of information on the whereabouts of the disappeared and facilitate the location of victims’ remains.

A forensic sciences investigative consultant was engaged by the ICLVR in 2005 to conduct a review of work carried out to date and assess what further steps could be taken to recover the bodies of the disappeared.

A disappeared confidential international telephone number (00800-55585500) has been set up and the ICLVR has also placed advertisements in newspapers across Ireland and in America in the hope that some new information will be forthcoming.

Mrs Morgan also pointed out that appeals for information were made at masses in parishes and parish bulletins across the Armagh Archdiocese, which she hoped would extend to all the dioceses in Ireland.

Commenting on the work of Mr Reiss, Mrs Morgan said he had been instrumental in re-launching the issue of the disappeared and getting the new appeal initiative going.

“Last night was to thank him for the amount of time and effort he had put into the campaign,” she stated, adding that if anyone has any information that could help, they should contact their local priest or the confidential telephone number."

While most of us look to the future, some people are still haunted by the past. Let us hope they get some closure on their terrible experiences.

Bodenstown, 1934

If you were a socialist and a Protestant, God help you if you came into contact with the IRA in the 1930s! It's hardly unlikely that the irony was lost on the IRA that they were in the presence of the grave of the Protestant Theobald Wolfe Tone, less that the same man had called for unity of Protestants, Catholics and Dissenters.