Davy Carlin

As I had started this online Diary on a historic day, I now start to finish it and bring it to completion on a truly historic day. Indeed as one commentator said about this day, ‘was that no such Pivotal moment had been witnessed since the very foundation of the state itself.

And so on May 7th Marie and I had packed our bags for May the 8th 2007, for a Journey long booked in

Indeed on May 8th as the now Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuiness, had sat. And as the now First Minister of Northern Ireland, Ian Paisley from the DUP rose to his feet - I to rose to my feet, to head off to the boarding gate at Belfast International airport.

And as I dandered I had hummed the tune to the song, ‘You raise me up – so I can stand on Mountains’.

Yet as we boarded the plane, I had thought of those seasoned journalists who had already began to state absolute amazement and disbelief at what had been moved to happen, and with that I sat down and took out those newspapers of March 27th, as I began to pen the final peace and closure to this Diary on May 8th - on that truly historic day.

Indeed such was the amazement of May 8th that one front page headline was to call it simply – ‘The miracle of Belfast’

As for the 27th March 2007 - the papers were full of that picture that will become iconic, that of Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley sitting at that V shaped table smiling together. Yet one could not get a more ‘Visible sign that spoke volumes through a picture - As for the headlines, they read simply that of ‘The Final Step’ and ‘The Final Peace’, as for some of the key commentators, they wrote of ‘Journeys End’ and of ‘A New Beginning’

– Indeed.

And so as the leaders of parties and countries assembled at Stormont with the world’s media there, our plane took of from the isle of Ireland. And with that I first looked out the window as we rose into the ‘Sky, and then looked to Marie and smiled a peaceful and chilled smile. Then I noticed her pentacle that I had bought her, worn by many who hold a belief in Wicca. Indeed it was a star shape that many believe offers protection, and hope. A star of hope -that Marie carries on her person, and I have long carried also -in my heart and mind.

It was the year that held my 37th birthday, the year of Marie’s 33rd birthday, and we were going firstly to visit friends that Marie had not seen in 17 years.

Indeed –

It was a Truly Historic day -.

- For me May the 17th was to be a day to chill and much would have been put to ease, and in thought I had visioned a place where this would be moved to be. And so on May the 16th in a far of land, in a place known locally as Witches Hill, what had been in mind we had happened upon with ease. It was a place where neither Marie nor I had ever known or had been, but it was as I had in mind. Now as we sat only Marie and I beside a lake, with fish jumping up out of the water and trees on hills enclosing us, the sun had shone right across the lake and onto us – with that we listened to the quietness of nature – and held hands.

Then we sat there and chilled until nightfall and watched as only two stars appeared in the sky.

Indeed as we had sat there that day, holding hands, it was to be the case that on that very day and for the very first time publicly back in Belfast, that key figures of the IRA Army Council and the UDA Inner Council had met - and shook hands.

And so with our arrival back home it was to be 37 days from the 8th of May in which for the first time I would stand and address those gathered in the council chambers of the once bastion of Unionist mis-rule -

- that of Belfast City Hall.

And so it was on June 14th 2007 that Marie and I made our way past the front of City Hall at 7pm to another entrance, as on that night the gates had been locked up. And as we got out of the taxi I held Marie’s hand and on this instance I realised a Black hand intertwined with that of a white hand, and with that we made our way through security.

My invite had originated from the heart of Loyalist and Protestant working class communities, from community organisations of the Shankill Road and from the Mount ‘Vernon estate, amongst others.

Although from the ‘Republican Heartlands’ it was indeed such working class ‘Loyalist communities that had afforded me my first such platform and I was glad and privileged to be asked to speak at another such event, these years later, and at this important time.

As Marie and I sat down, I looked around the gathering of citizens, and held within the gathering came those key activists from across the Progressive Movement. From Trade Unionists, Grassroots Organisations, Human Rights Organisations, Community Associations, Faith Organisations, Grassroots Political and Community Reps, Environmental, and Women’s Organisations and Campaigners, Anti Racism Activists and Minority Ethnic Groups and many more. Indeed I had seen many faces that had stood shoulder to shoulder with one self over the years including those key figures that have a ‘Standing within their respective activists bases, from across the Movement and ‘political divide.

Indeed it was many faces of that Network, and those at the forefront of the Movement for Progressive change. It was those working day and daily for the betterment of our citizens, with many in attendance coming from the heart of Protestant working class communities.

That night much was debated, from socio – economic concerns through to religion, from citizen’s rights and exploitation through to trade union rights.

And as I sat there, and looked around me, I knew it was an end to an Epic Journey, but with that – it was also the beginning of another.

I then heard my name in the distance, as I was still in thought,

…… ‘let‘s welcome our distinguished guests…. ‘Davy Carlin…………….. Founding member, organiser and spokesperson of the Stop the War Coalition and Movement …….. The Founding member, Chair, and spokesperson of the Anti Racism Network, and Movement…… Founding member, Chair of the Make Poverty History {NI} Movement. ….. ……

I then felt a nudge and looked to my left, and Marie smiled, and with that she switched on the mike.

— And so, that once child of the Ghettos, now the man, arose to his feet, under the roof of the once Bastion of unionist mis-rule – and at this Journeys end -

And with that - he looked once more around the council chambers, briefly, at the sheer make up of grassroots citizens etc, from many sections of our society, and with that,

- he breathed in – then spoke -

- CITIZENS,

- THE TIMES,

- THE TIMES,

- THEY ARE A CHANGING…………………….

Step by Step to Journey’s End

A New Beginning

As I sit here on New Years Eve, it is a ‘weird type of day. Indeed I had for a while put of writing this last piece of my Diary, this for various reasons.

Yet as I eventually sat at the computer and turned it on, at that very moment the ‘Heavens opened. And as I looked to my left out of my window and upon Black Mountain, a huge dark cloud hung over it and the rain pelted down with the rumblings of thunder and wind echoing out over the surrounding area. With that, my CD player stopped and all was silent, briefly, as the rain and thunder pelted and echoed -as if in anger.

Then as quickly as it had started and as I typed these first words, a blue sky briefly materialised over Black mountain and as I went and looked, a ray of sun lit up a ‘special part of the mountain, and my CD player came back on. Only briefly did the sun stay but it was welcomed even for such a brief time and at this precise moment as I sit to write this final and personal piece. Indeed the reasoning I say this is that such brings warmth, hope and reassurance in a way that I cannot describe, but I know it is there.

{Indeed I smiled, as such things do not faze me anymore, as stated elsewhere}.

It was before Xmas that I had started to jot and note down bits and pieces for this last piece that I now write, and on that I had thought hard on the title in this case. Yet the title I had chosen is a continuance of the ‘Words, events and ‘Moves forward that I have long written and articulated over the years. That is, ‘Step by Step, the ‘Journey and the ‘Beginning, all of which has helped, in part, to lead to the Final Peace, of my Diary that I now write.

Indeed for me it has been a long Journey, exactly 30 years this year {2007} since I had been driven to pick up my first bricks and bottles as a child. And since then events had took place that had set out the direction of my life, which can be found in ten year intervals thereafter.

The first was in the year that had held my 7th birthday, 1977 {as recorded elsewhere} in which I had taken enough. One such was enough of the brutality towards innocents from the state and its forces

Brutality that I had both witnessed and had also borne the brunt of as a child first hand. Yet for me in adulthood when I had again been driven to get involved, this time into politics, I did not seek revenge but only equality, peace and justice, and for the next generation not to have to live the life that I had lived in childhood and youth.

Indeed I had been to many of the darkest of places as a child and in youth, that many in adulthood could not even contemplate, and I did not wish anyone else to have to visit such places and times.

Back in 2003 not long after I had started writing I had wrote,
‘War for me had been witnessed on many fronts yet for oneself it is not only a question of remembering or trying to explain, but to use that experience to seek such change, so such need not arise again’.

Yet it was in the summer of that year 2003 that I had moved to intensify that part.

Indeed I had acknowledged that the hope and aspirations of future generations should not be held back by what had happened to many such like oneself and that a more equal and just society should not be a dream but a reality that could be lived – and to that end I would play my part.

Firstly going back, and it was a decade after that year of 1977 that I was again ‘driven or this time ‘Clicked into a reaction. This time it was not by the state, but rather it was brutally dished out by others locally {‘mostly by what was known as ‘hoods}. Such where the times one did not go to the police {unless a claim was involved etc} and therefore it was a situation that I had again chosen, and had to, deal with myself, this after the first time.

Indeed as a youth I was never a ‘fighter in the working class ‘hard man sense, and as a child I had also feared for the safety of my relatives as they would speak up for me.

An example of such from the mid seventies, as I go back briefly several decade years ago. -

‘Get your fucking hands up against that wall’ the ‘Brit {the term used by most for British Solider} had said to my relative as they stopped us, while another aimed a gun at his head. My uncle legs were kicked apart while the Brit roughly searched him.

The Brit then made a remark about me, and the resemblance he thought I had with a monkey. My uncle’s reply in defence of me won him a rifle butt to the side of the head and blood began to trickle down. I prayed in my mind that my uncle would not say anything else no matter what the Brit said about me. Eventually another Brit then grabbed his colleagues sleeve and told my uncle, and therefore I, to go on our way’.

Indeed I had learnt another two lessons that day’.

Therefore all such and much more I as a child and in youth had borne the brunt off.
Yet, and eventually, such was the times that I was eventually ‘clicked to survive and brutally so.

It was always the words that I remember in such situations that had lead up to that reaction in that year of my 17th birthday. I remember my first ‘beating and being lifted into an ambulance and I remember the ambulance man’s words of ‘the dirty bastards, the dirty bastards, he’s only a kid’. And I remember my mum and step-dad walking past me in hospital, as I lay on a trolley, as my face was caked in blood, and had also been beaten unrecognisable.

Then there was the time; this time about five or six of them had left me - in a gutter with sewage running over me. I lay there half naked with my new Xmas coat my parents had saved hard for and my new trainers missing and my shirt ripped of .It was again the words, ‘is he alive’ and with that my eyelid was lifted and I tasted the raw sewage in my mouth. Yet I will never forget the face of a woman standing in the background. With both her hands clasped at her mouth the words’ Oh Jesus Oh Jesus Christ, what have they done to the child’ were then croaked out. Yet it was her tears and face of pity for an ‘unknown that I will never forget, and indeed their charity, as they had looked after me for a few days as I had not want my parents involved, as I wanted nothing to happen to them. Indeed similar as had been with the brutality dished out to me by the police and army as a younger child.

And so it continued – until –

I remember a plastic bag with the smell of glue - like a noose around my neck held by one behind me, and another with a foot on the side of my face as the other side of my face lay in the mud. Another had held my legs and again it was words that I remember ‘he’s went fucking mad’ we can’t let anyone see him like this’ the words though not spoken this time in sympathy but spoken in fear.

Then I had seen out of the eye that was not in the mud a guy being lifted up with his
face pure white, a face of fear. It was a face of a guy who I did not like, indeed one of those who had long tortured me. Around his neck he wore my belt, and while I lay there I tasted both foreign flesh and blood in my mouth – and with that I laughed, louder, and then louder again –

And then this time, for the second time in my life, and from the very depths of my ‘soul, from the very core of my being, I let out the most almighty heart wrenching cry, that echoed this time around the estates below.

And so, for that second time as in childhood and now youth, I had both in body and in mind taken enough, indeed I could take no more, and on several occasions during those years I was fortunate to survive, to be alive, many others though who I had known did not survive.

Later as I looked into a mirror it was not the eyes of Defiance that I had once seen in childhood when driven to react.

Now I had ‘Clicked, and what was there was now the eyes of ‘Nothingness, Absolute Nothingness, Emotionless.

{NOTE -As I sit here the weather is now getting worse and more violent and angrier, I have just found out the concert at Belfast City Hall to see in New Year is now being cancelled due to it.}

And so with the Nothingness and being Emotionless I had left West Belfast a few years later and set up home with my then partner. Yet now in adulthood when a situation arose the Nothingness took over and with it, it no longer seen me beaten to a pulp as in youth.

Indeed I remember when on one occasion when a guy smashed me over the head with a bottle and his mate pulled a knife on me. This after I had tackled them about pulling up my partners dress. With that I had went after them as my partner called to people to help, yet I needed no help as the eyes of the brutal Nothingness took over, indeed I had the taste of blood and violence - and moreso – I was getting to like it –

And so I had learnt, I believed, that to survive - one needed to be brutal. And so whether in a situation like above or in an innocent situation, it now made little difference in mind -as my reaction would be the same.

Yes - there are many differing casualties of War, some Overt other less so –

Indeed society can and will effect who and what you are and can drive you to do things you never envisaged, moreso through such conflict. And it takes many battles to win that war - the war to claw back the real you -long buried and forgotten by such events, or indeed having never even been given a chance to materialise.

Yet again another decade later and the signing of a form to join a political organisation took place, and once again such was driven by certain events.

On this occasion I still at this stage had in many ways the Nothingness and lack of many Emotions.

In reality I could still show little feelings of closeness or humanity as they had long been shovelled from my heart and gut during the Conflict.

And so again - there are more differing casualties of War, some Overt others less so –

On this third occasion and that decade later I had signed up to a political organisation, driven to do so once again by the brutality of the state. It was 1997 the year of my 27th birthday and it was the issue of the police that took centre stage.

1997 was when I had eventually, in real terms, signed up to what was to become known as the Belfast SWP, {although I had actually come across them in 1996}, and a decade later at the beginnings of 2007 I now sit to finalise this piece.

The situation that had yet again drove me to re- act, was on seeing a young man stand up with his hands raised in the air at a peaceful sit down protest against the marching of an Orange march through a Nationalist area on the Ormeau Road. His peaceful actions where returned by the brutal batoning of him by the police that had left him bloody and unconscious, a picture that had went around the world’s TV screens, and they then tried to drag him away like an animal. Indeed it showed to the world how even such a peaceful action was dealt with here by the state forces, even at that time.

That young man was my friend, a friendship that had gone back to pre teen years when I had first met him, and I knew much of his life, and he did not deserve what was done, as had been done to many before him. It played on my mind for a long time and I had at the time written to join several political parties due to it, but had got no reply. Eventually as I have recorded elsewhere I had happened upon the SWP in Belfast city centre and eventually got involved in activism. .

I had also seen others on such TV screens close to one self in such peaceful protest but in large part it was that one action of one Police baton that had eventually politicised me into recent action, and so with it, and because of it, came everything over the last decade that can be read within and throughout this Diary.

Fortunately my intentions were not revenge or militaristic, but it again shows how one can be driven to re act.

Indeed it was then that I had let that young man stay with me until he got sorted out with stuff. Like many growing up in the conflict in such areas he had had it tough and that added to my anger.

And so with the stroke of that one baton at the time on TV {on someone I knew} it had also meant that all such memories of such brutality {and more} were brought back and relived in mind.

And so I had to go through it all again- both the suffering and the sacrifice.

Yes there are many causalities of War.

For me, as stated, I sought and seek no revenge only justice, truth and closure on much such, more especially about murders and deaths recorded elsewhere in my Diary. For me from the onset I had sought to reach out and play my part in effecting change for the betterment of all our citizens on the isle of Ireland. May it be speaking out and protesting against the Collusion of the state in the murder of its own citizens through to providing solidarity for citizens against Sectarian or Racist attacks all such needed to be done. May it be speaking out and mobilising against Loyalist and Republican murders through to various other trade union actions, all such was essential, and I played my part.

Yet for me it was and is all about, Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter, together as one.

- As I sit here at the close of 2006, I think back now even in recent times and the changes also within one self and indeed ones life.

Firstly though my stepfather has passed away {7th Nov} and we buried him on Nov 10th 2006. He was a good man who provided for his family in those darkest of days.

My brothers and sisters and I are in the process of getting all our family pictures collected and put together in a video slide etc.

Looking through some of the pictures there is a class one of my Mum and Stepfather getting married in the Murph in the early 70s’ with myself of pre school age all dolled up to the tee in wee shorts etc. They where married by the much known and respected activist, that of Fr Des Wilson.

For me I am getting back to full time work as there needs to be a balance between activism and life as things are moved forward, and on Friday 29th Dec 2006 in a board room in Belfast I had taken a big step in that regard - to attempt to secure such a better and more secure future.

Yet I will never be financially the richest person it the world and that matters little to me. More especially so as I have come to understand that there are things that I have that money can never buy.

Indeed as I had stood in my mums house in Twinbrook with my niece and Godchild in one arm and my nephew in the other at Xmas and as my mum hugged us, I could see the deep love of a mother to a son as she looked into my eyes. And I knew she could see the growing peace of mind within myself and the love for her that my eyes can only now begin to reveal as the Nothingness fades away, with that growing peace of mind.

From all my brothers and sisters I had the verses on the Xmas cards and the hugs and loving words. Similarly from my Gran and Aunts, and those firm manly hugs from my Uncles. Again as with that look of eye from my partner and those hugs and loving words from her, and her {and more of my} immediate and extended family, I realise how much love there is there, in its many forms towards oneself.

Then I think of my time in politics and the times of personal need and the real friendships and support that was offered, much of which was unexpected, but came from many many quarters and at times across the ‘communities.

And I know also of the much activist support and solidarity held within many aspects of civic society.

Indeed at times it made me feel like your man out of the film ‘It’s a Wonderful life’.

With such love, with such genuine friendship, support and solidarity, and with that almost completed personal peace of mind, indeed I now know how rich I really am.

Yes, I now realise, that I have things that money cannot buy

Yet, and of course one needs money etc, more especially in our ever-changing society. And for me it is no longer a matter of day to day thinking in that regard, but now thinking and planning for a secure future – for there is a future, now.

So back to the gym, cycling, and I walk everywhere. I have also {for good this time} given up smoking, and to do that I had to give up drinking, and through giving up drinking, it has meant less of those mad late night take aways on the way home. So now I am into my third month now without touching a single cig or any alcohol, {all over Xmas to} with less take aways.

And with that I have found two benefits from this change, firstly I feel better and healthier {and look in my twenties I am told! - sound} and secondly we could in the time ahead save £300 plus a month, for our plans ahead.

And so on top of our regular interests {Yes I am also still giving it the ‘Welly on the dance floors} - we will have a renewed interests of going to the pictures, ice skating, going to the opera, musicals etc more regularly and, yes, one of my Xmas presents this year I had asked for several Cookery books!

So much personal change {which I will come back to later in this article} -as well as societal change.

Well now for an activist update and what we have been up to the last few months.

Firstly though I provide important links to articles I have written.

{Some of the links may be down but will be back up shortly}

The History of the Belfast Anti War Movement Part 3.

The Final Part -

This article also has some personal issues raised within it.

http://www.phoblacht.net/DC23090610g.html

West Belfast the Past the Present and the Future –

The completed online series of my life growing up as a kid in West Belfast during the recent War - attached below.

http://www.phoblacht.net/DC19070618g.html

The Movement Past and Present –

If you trawl through this thread you can get a link to many of my writings and accounts of the Mass and ‘Unprecedented Movements I have been involved in, and my role within such.

http://ireland.indymedia.org/article/76495

Below is a final snippet of a forthcoming publication, and rises like many others whom I had known or who are related throughout my extended family – that issue of Collusion and the murder of them.

Yes, that of the State murder of its own citizens during those times, this notwithstanding the murder of those children who are both related to me throughout my family or whom I had known as a child.

Such issues need to be addressed, both in regard to collusion and cover –up, and also in relation to the Plastic bullets that murdered and injured children and adults, as so to bring closure.

{Update – Just before I put this article up and a week or so after I had started it, ‘Sir Hugh Orde the Police Chief Constable released a statement. Within it he stated and acknowledged that –

‘If you look at the past, it is absolutely clear that a number of people who were killed {murdered} {17 in total}, were innocent –some of them kids. These were people who were hit by rounds and should not have died’

‘ – I cannot change the past but we all need to work to ensure that such situations are never again repeated’}

This statement is welcomed, as another key step forward to the finding of truth and bringing closure on such issues.

Snippet -

‘I gave my head a shake and looked out the taxi as we neared the bottom of the Whiterock Road. Looking ahead and to the right I saw the house that has a plague over it which acknowledges that James Connolly had lived on the Falls Road. James Connolly was a great Socialist and trade union organiser who was executed following his role in the 1916 Easter rising, and much has been and no doubt will still be written about him. I had just come on to the Falls Road deep in thought as to the man and what he stood for when I looked directly to the left of me.

I had been thinking about how the Falls Road also holds so much history of struggle when my eyes met Sean Graham’s bookmakers, which is at the junction of the Rock and the Falls Roads. Sean Graham’s bookmakers on January 13th 1990 had seen three men go into it to do a robbery. Undercover British soldiers from 14th Intelligence Company apparently aware of the robbery in advance waited until they had come out of the bookmakers then gunned them down. Eye witness state that the men were again shot as they lay on the ground while wounded, while the driver the first to die with no warning given and also unarmed was shot at very close range through the window of the car. One of the three men had remained inside and so survived. Those that were killed were the get away driver, John Joseph McNeill, as well as Edward Hale and Peter Thompson. I had looked at that time at each of the faces in the paper until I set eyes on the face of Peter Thompson, and in doing so, I had seen another face from childhood’.

{UPDATE, it has just been reported that – 7 police officers may be investigated about Collusion and Murder in the 90’s – this on the back of other reports of such past Collusion being reported recently, and to be investigated}

THE IRISH PEACE PROCESS

My Articles and views on a number of related issues

St Andrews Agreement and the left

http://www.phoblacht.net/DC031106g.html

The Peace Progress and the State –

http://www.phoblacht.net/DC02070611g.html

- Republicanism –

http://www.phoblacht.net/dissidentrepubdc.html

The Murder of Brian Stewart, written by my Mother – in – Law, with a brief introduction by myself.

http://cryptome.org/brian-stewart.htm

And finally with both the ARN open list- and MPH thread
{‘From Belfast to Dublin to Scotland http://www.indymedia.ie/article/69964} several Movements to effect change – visible and otherwise, through out and within - can be found –

On the above issues of the peace process the area of greatest debate and concern presently, is the issue of policing in the North, and on that I give my take.

For me I am a free thinker, and with that I read and remember, as the way of trying to understand. I also in my mind {with such study} then attempt to really put myself both in the shoes of, and the mind of many differing understandings.

This is of course harder when one has been discriminated or brutalised by such, nevertheless to succeed in doing so will be, and is, of benefit to all.

Also as a free thinker I am not a purist in the leftist political sense and have come to my understanding on many issues. I remember when getting involved in politics that the big debating point was ‘Reform or Revolution’, and this went across the board within and throughout all struggles.

Yet I thought why must it be one or the other, and why must it be across the board.

Therefore in my own mind, {within the context of this recent Irish War}, I came to the understanding of ‘Reform and Revolution’ as the dynamic of moving things forward from where we where at, here. That is, tactically, to ‘Revolutionise a static or unwanted situation through a process of radical reform from the status quo, this visible and otherwise, throughout and within.

Indeed not only do Revolutionaries make the best Reformist’s, but the best Progressives, and Reformist’s, at times can be the best, and in the best position, to Revolutionise, through those methods.

In reality it is in tandem with such, that steps forward can also be won. It is not solely a case of seeking ones ultimate objectives through the understanding of Revolution, but knowing also of how and when to change tactics to move that situation forward.

This I have ‘embedded as strategy over the years, solely within the context of this situation. Indeed a Revolutionary is not one who is smitten by purism but is one who can seek to effect the most progressive change while the tide is against us, and then seeking to effect the most fundamental change when the tide is with us.

As I have pointed out in my article {linked} on the ‘St Andrews Agreement and the left’, such ‘moves are a step forward from the War.

Indeed it will no longer be a Protestant Parliament for a Protestant people, although it will be in many ways, I believe, a Capitalist Parliament for a Wealthy people.

Such is not what those on the Revolutionary Left want, but as I have pointed out in attached article it will offer more ample opportunity to win others to our understanding.

On the issue of policing, I again touch on such in that said article. For me, and those on the left, we are well aware of what the police are about. And I repeat as to my belief, and to that that I have written from my very earliest of articles, that the Police are but a tool of the state, and their attentions are turned and tuned primarily against working class people.

Yet again it cannot be an issue of purism, as if the case, then one will be simply left behind in an ever changing society, or more importantly being seen as complete wing nuts by those we seek to win {this in relation to some of the positions taken by some on the ‘left}. Indeed it is easy to talk of what the working class did in some other country 100 years past or how people did it here 35 years or so ago {and it is important at times to state such} Yet this is not 100 years ago or 35 years ago, this is the here and now in a differing time and situation. And those who understand this are the ones who are and will continue to move things forward for the betterment of such communities, - while still seeking their ultimate objectives.

Indeed the lessons of such history is essential to learn from, but Political Purism and Godly Tradition while good in rhetoric and fires up the membership, it though offers little more in the reality.

Further to that, and to those who know the reality of such working class communities in the North that had borne the brunt of such policing, the issue is not that of policing per say. Indeed most will state that they would welcome accountable and transparent policing as a service - the problem for many, is in fact the actual history of policing in the North and how it was used in such a brutal way against the Nationalist people.

Indeed for most - it is not ideological – but more so practical.

Therefore when the DUP say to Sinn Fein {the largest Nationalist Party} that there can be no agreement on power sharing and transfer of policing powers etc until all the dots are dotted, many in the Nationalist community could say similar in relation to the PSNI. Which to many would still be a huge swallow to give support to, given the recent and brutal history witnessed by and inflicted on many innocents.

Such Nationalism though, it seems, is prepared to take that swallow in the interest of moving forward for all, is Unionism?

History {even in a decade from now} will read such of Nationalism, what of Unionism, and the leadership of such?

{UPDATE -, Sinn Fein through their structures have today agreed to take that Historic step and to go to their membership seeking endorsement of policing and the legal structures.}

Any body can make war, but making peace, well, that takes at times even greater sacrifices, but it maketh a ‘greater man and a ‘greater woman because of it, it is said

Indeed one just has to look at the life of David Ervine {recently deceased}. A person I had met on many occasions, -{I had engaged with Loyalism from my earliest of Political years and was condemned by some on the Left and isolated from others for doing so, including that of my then Political Leadership {PC}, who told me that I was on my own in that regard, but I knew there was Political Purism and ‘Godly Tradition and then there was that of the reality and of the Necessity – and it did not matter to me that some attempted to call me a ‘Half Prod, indeed I was proud of it} - and who I in the decades ahead will say to those closet to oneself, ‘yes it was men and women like him, in the latter stages, who played their part to attempt to move to the society that we have today, and to lay the groundwork for the future – this despite their past..

This through attempting, as much as the constraints allowed them to, to begin to move working class communities forward from a war footing. He of course had that past, as did and do many similar, but it will be that of his recent Present that will be remembered more in the future – I believe.

This was reflected in not only the turnout at his funeral but on the make up of that turnout. Indeed, I believe that on only one other occasion in the whole History of the recent Irish War, has the leaderships of Loyalism and Republicanism openly stood shoulder to shoulder, having been brought together. And that was done visibly several years prior under and throughout the banner of the Anti Racism Network in which I, also a David, was founding member and Chairperson of.

Indeed ‘Reaching Out {to the more progressive representatives and respected community activists}, as I had both articulated and Practiced from my earliest of days, was essential to achieve that, as recorded elsewhere.

And yes, I say this of a man who belonged to an organisation that had murdered those who I had known.

-And so

-for those on the left I believe it is again, as I have long stated and practiced, ‘Two – Tier, {in regard to the here and now} that is, those of us outside of Governance or who do not believe in such, our role should be to hold the state, the police and such to account. May this be attempted through the media and writing as is the case, in below link to one of my articles

The Peace Progress and the State –

http://www.phoblacht.net/DC02070611g.html

While also mobilising against such -

Picture of myself marching against State Collusion behind the Ballymurphy {The Murph} banner down the Falls Road.

http://www.dannymorrison.ie/gallery/Various/37_G_001

Or even by using ‘won legislation etc.

For those who seek {and chose} to go into governance, {or influence such}, and to also sign up therefore to policing {and all associated organisations}. For them in many ways it will inevitably be a matter of timing, in this context. Indeed the Shinners may choose to attempt to effect change to such policing and all associated this year, other progressives may have done several years prior and yet more several years prior to that. In reality it was not a matter of timing ‘collectively of differing parties and such all getting involved together. It was and is a matter of how each felt and feels when the most change, they believe, can be effected by such a move by their own constituency etc, for the betterment of all in society.

Indeed it is to ‘strategise tactically

Yet, for me to deal with the issue of policing, I first need to start of with the history of the state, and that governance of Unionism. I read and hear much of Unionism and of the murder and mayhem visited upon ‘their people and on society by Republicans. And for me I can, and have long acknowledged much of what is said in that context.

Indeed the murder of such innocents is wrong, plain and simple and I have long stated that, organised against such threats and murder, and engaged with that understanding.

Yet it is also important for Unionism to acknowledge, or at least to understand the role that ‘their state and their governance had played in all that has went before.

Indeed the issues concerning such a state and its various wings, may it be the police, army, judiciary etc and much that has been stated in relation to it, is not perceived, but indeed real. And I know this not through the reading of ‘propaganda etc, but because I had lived through it, and had witnessed such.

May it have been the murder of men, women, and children by the state and the collusion and cover up that had went with much such. May it have been more of my relatives who had attempted to go through the courts and had seen no justice or justice obstructed. May it have been the mental and physical brutally and violence others and I had suffered at the hands of those instruments of Unionist Governance. May it have been the Gerrymandering and the Discrimination embedded within the very cornerstone of established society and wider afield, and thus the poverty and the eeking out of an existence - and all else that stemmed from that.

And much more -

Yes it was real, very real, and all such situations and those who immediately come to mind, were innocent and good people, and citizens. Citizens though who where not seen and therefore not treated as equal citizens, by such Unionist governance.

And for the more progressive and democratically minded Unionists, I believe they do at least in mind, have much such understanding, and with that, the heart to move forward for the betterment of all citizens.

Yes pain and hurt has visited us all, and it is time to move on as so to attempt to never visit such again on another generation.

Yet there were those who had also stood outside of such ‘Law and through doing so had seen such ‘Law indeed stand outside of itself.

And on that matter that brings me on to the Intelligence Forces and the Peace Process.

I hear Nationalists and Republicans debate on this matter, yet the way I see it is simply like this. Such agencies the world over {as is their nature} are rarely moved to such accountability. Indeed in many cases even their sitting state Governance finds it hard to hold such to full account, while in many cases such Governance simply cannot or will not – as it is not in their interest to do so they believe.

Indeed when necessary they are a law onto themselves and will, can, and do operate as and when they see fit to operate outside of their own constituted State law and state governance.

A point I have raised in writings before.

Therefore it is from that reality that we should begin.

If therefore such is the case, how then is it best to attempt to presently hold such to ‘account, more especially within the context of the Isle of Ireland.

My understanding of this {in points raised in regard to those who believe in all aspects of Civic governance } is firstly through attempting to actually ‘remove such from the wider mechanisms and structures of policing {and other Civic associations} in which accountability measures won can therefore be attempted to be utilised to their full {albeit limited} ability within and throughout that civic arena.

AND -

Secondly without the shelter and the umbrella of such wider structures then such issues of concern can be raised in terms of the specific, focussed and concentrated, within and throughout wider society, at such.

In effect seeking the removal of such from, and concentrating on those, Civic Structures, presently, which can be moved to more ‘real accountability. That includes all other mechanisms and functions of the state that had both discriminated against and was used against sections of its citizens.

Indeed for those who embrace Civic Governance that would be a step forward.

Therefore on the Left one can talk of not supporting a Capitalist Police force, others of not supporting any police, while others again not supporting a British Police force, and all have our right to do so. The majority though, and overwhelming majority of citizens will see a reality of indeed having a policing service, presently, that is accountable and transparent

And to that end, they will vote for those who they best believe can deliver that, and within Nationalism that will primarily be Sinn Fein and the SDLP.

{UPDATE – Before I put this up on my Blog it has just been announced by the British Prime Minister, that the British Intelligence Services will, indeed, be separate from such Policing structures}.

And so this brings me on to the issue of points that I have both heard and read in the past, that is, that the North cannot be reformed. Well, I believe what is needed is Revolution and to that end I continue my activism, but to state that there cannot or more especially that there has not been any reform in the North, is simple purism.

Indeed every aspect of life and society has and is seeing reform over the past several decades, more especially in recent time, which was ‘won and battled for {Two Tier}. Firstly, and initially primarily outside Governance and on the streets. This through Civil Rights Movements, Mass mobilisations, Insurrection, Direct actions and much more, but at the same time, in part, won inside the system, indeed that is the simple reality of it.

And through it all it has seen not only Revolutionaries but also Reformists dying and giving there lives in the pursuit of not only Revolution, but also Reform, as such was the brutality dished out to those who even dared to rise their heads peacefully for even the most modest of Civil and Human rights -

- this by Unionist Governance and the State.

Therefore for us who work outside of Governance and for that Revolutionary Situation, we should not only welcome reform but to give whatever support we can to those fighting for it.

And so we fight not a purist corner to see who can remain the most static and most entrenched in political purism and Godly tradition, but remain to our understanding while in tandem supporting others who seek to win advancing Reform –

- to the best of our abilities.

This does not of course stop us from raising our differences as to the how’s and why’s - and to the differing society that can be won.

Indeed it is essential to do so

Why?

Well, we do not want simply a British Secret Service removed and replaced with an Irish Secret Service; we do not want simply a Protestant Parliament for a Protestant people replaced with a Capitalist Parliament for a Wealthy people.

What we want is a flag that flutters in the wind and as it does so, its colours speak that of both political and economic freedom, not only for and to the citizens of Ireland, but to the citizens of the world.

And so while lending all such support to win such reforms, and support to such Reformists, it is to the Class and to the Revolution that we pledge our allegiance.

-Well an update of activism over the last few months, before finishing of on more of my personal experiences.

UPDATE -

- In my Previous inputs I had again raised the essential issue of funding for Conway Mill in West Belfast. Well in this last input I am pleased to report that it is now to be funded to the tune of Several millions, and similar to the West Belfast festival, it to received the funding required, as did other important initiatives.
-
- And finally I had raised the issue of Just Books; well we are now opened in Central Belfast. –

Over the last few months I have attended many various events, more especially those of the 25th Anniversary events of the Hunger strikes. Fifteen to twenty thousand attended the event in Casement Park. Marie and I had marched directly behind the Turf Lodge {The Turf} banner with neighbours from the Turf, down the White Rock Road and up to Casement.

We had also attended one of the last such events in West Belfast. It was on the grounds that we had Ceiled on, the grounds where once had stood Andersonstown Barracks. Yes that barracks where Marie and I with others, including Gerry Adams had stood, shoulder to shoulder, rain, hail and shine to picket over the issue of Plastic Bullets year in year out.

Marie and I, and other relatives can be pictured in the local papers last year, to right back to the nineties in that regular vigil, with many others.

And, for me, those Andytown Barracks can be remembered right back to the seventies and of a child in a Balaclava getting wired into it – indeed.

But back to the present and that candle lit vigil, and one picture of each of the hunger strikers was held, and by chance, I had lifted that one of Bobby Sands and as the songs rang out I had looked into the darkness and thought of such times, then had looked upon the lights held all around and thought of a future

I had also attended book launches, organised and participated in various protests and actions, with the most visible and recent being that of our stand against the coming imposition of Water charges and Privatisation

And a record of the recent momentum created in that stand against it is below, then I finish of my Diary with my final personal thought.

Firstly there was a West Belfast meeting, and with that meeting aired on the BBC, on the 27th Nov, and the coverage the next day – things stared to really move in activist circles, as word and actions to build Momentum then intensified.

WATER CHARGES –

And so with that - and on the ‘28th -

- it all began

From : david carlin
Sent : 28 November 2006 16:50:33
To : antiracism@burngreave.net
Subject : [Antiracism] Update

Dear Friends,

If anyone needed any further convincing just read our press statement below, and circulate it if you wish.
The ‘We won’t Pay campaign, is building momentum, {BBC slot last night, papers this morning, West Belfast meeting last night - etc} - and we have held and are to continue to hold meetings from the Falls to the Shankill, all around Belfast, ‘and in Towns and Cities across the North.

This ‘charge can be beaten, if done properly, and the ground is being prepared for mass non payment and mobilisations etc, so all progressive individuals and organisations, get involved and join the ‘We wont Pay Campaign - as the Momentum further grows.

Davy Carlin ‘We Wont Pay Campaign, ‘and Organise!

And then -29th Nov - —

From : david carlin
Sent : 29 November 2006 16:09:12
To : antiracism@burngreave.net
Subject : [Antiracism] And so it begins,

And first,

they decided to discriminate against, and to come for those who are ‘Rock Bottom’

Well if anything was and is to get ones blood up and to drive one forward on such matters, then it is such an attack on the poorest in society.

To those who stand on the side of right, to those who work against the end of poverty, to those who stand against the attacks on the low paid and the most vulnerable, to those who oppose privatisation and the grubby hands of the rich to exploit the poor – it is time to stand against such.

Have no doubt, whatever measures the government promises, the market and the profiteers will dictate that water charges will rise and rise and rise, effecting us all, over the years.

Please circulate and support the below protest, and in every and any way one can, lets get the word out as individuals, within whatever organisation, trade union or campaign, and build the Momentum –
Join the We won’t Pay Campaign,

- and so it begins,

in earnest …

In Solidarity ‘D

See You Tomorrow

PROTEST AGAINST PETER HAIN

We’re NOT ‘Rock Bottom’,
We’re Rock Solid behind Mass Non-Payment!
No Privatisation of OUR Water Service!

6pm Thursday 30th Nov Outside Blackstaff BBC Studios Great Victoria St Belfast

The BBC current affairs programme ‘Question Time’ will be broadcast from Belfast tomorrow evening. Secretary of State Peter Hain will be a panel member on the programme. The We Won’t Pay Campaign will hold a protest outside the studios against Peter Hain imposition of water charges and privatisation of the service against the overwhelming opposition of people in Northern Ireland.

With that, then the 30th

From : david carlin
Sent : 30 November 2006 11:12:06
To : antiracism@burngreave.net

Subject : [Antiracism] ‘UNPRECEDENTED’

Dear Friends,

And so it begins {2}

Update Water Charges – legal issues etc.

Yesterday evening the Irish Congress of Trade Unions {ICTU}, our Trade Union Movement, which represents around a quarter of a million members and their families in an ‘Unprecedented Stance’ called for support for non payment of Water Charges.

{Brief report of Irish News article}

John Corey of ICTU and General Secretary of NIPSA said,

That ’the Unions stance was ‘unprecedented but a responsible and democratic decision’

‘If the Government think that they can brow beat the public in Northern Ireland to pay these Water Charges or mislead the people with false information on charges they are far mistaken’.

‘The way for the people to let their opinion be known is to back non payment’.

Ciaran Mullholland of the We Won’t Pay Campaign stated that

‘ Non Payment could yield results.

‘Half a million house holders cannot be taken to court – it would take centuries’.

-As I had stated previously on ‘preparing the ground.

Many, indeed, have thought ‘long and hard, on this issue and the ground is being well prepared.
In regard to the ‘legal. The We Wont’ Pay Campaign as well as NIPSA have and are to set up legal fighting funds, and legal teams for their members.

ICTU also has been advised that ‘it is not a crime to refuse to pay a water bill and that the government cannot turn of anyone’s supply’ Additionally NIPSA Solicitors has confirmed the courts are effectively powerless to enforce water charges – more especially I say when tens of thousands of us refuse to pay them.

It was also good to see some politicians yesterday voice their support for those who will not pay and a number of good articles and reports are in this mornings papers.

The Newsletter has a two page spread and Newton Emerson, I must say, does an excellent article in today’s Irish News. In which he goes into the legal issues as well, in which he sums up in part by stating that ‘non payment of a civil debt and cannot result in imprisonment, a fine or a criminal conviction.

Indeed many are rising such points, and their understandings. And I state as I have always stated, that is, that this charge can be beaten.

Indeed it will not be beaten be the politicians {although their voices are welcomed} but it will be beaten by Mass Non payment, by that Mass Civil Disobedience, it will be beaten, by we – The People.

Finally, further evidence of the support for the We Won’t Pay Campaign’s call for mass non-payment of water charges was shown by a poll carried out on the Stephen Nolan Show yesterday in which 93% say they will refuse to pay the charges.

All that is left to say is Join us in our stand-

- - - With that growing Momentum created and continuing, others were then moved to action, to join us in that visible stand. Including that of my former party in Belfast who acknowledged their new shift to activism and visibility on this issue with some of the biggest posters I have seen, put up on lampposts.
So such Momentum as on many occasions prior, once again, had both shifted and moved others to get visibly involved.

Yet such Momentum needs not only to be created but also held and intensified, and for my part, with others, we have set about doing local community agitation on this issue in our local communities. Saying that, over the coming months I will become less ‘visible, although still active, as I have found when it comes to seeking certain employment etc, many are wary of such ‘ Prominent Radical’s, as I have been called even in my earliest of years in the media.

And as time goes on I find my responses changing when one hears other young radicals or others talking about such times that I was witness to, or had played a key role within.

Indeed over recent times, I had a young and very new activist attempt to sell me a Political paper, and talked of the ‘Great Anti Racism Movement and rallies a few years back, ‘that had united thousands to stand against Racism. I but smiled, purchased the paper and told him to keep up the good work.

Then there was another ‘newish activist who talked to me about the ‘Magnificent Unity against Sectarianism by Catholics and Protestants several years ago, and of the ‘Scores of thousands’ that had mobilised over the murder of a young postal worker Daniel Mc Colgan, and of the Fire -fighters and Postal workers - and the Falls- Shankill marches.

Again after agreeing with much of what he said I simply and politely wished him well in his endeavours, after declining his appeals for me to ‘get active.

Although there was one occasion at the Library where I listened as a number of young people were seeking research for a school project and were going through the local papers of that time of the initial War on Iraq and of the mass mobilisations and actions in Belfast against it. Then they started nudging each other and nodded to me, as they had found a picture of myself leading of a march with the Anti War Movement Banner.

On that occasion though I did help out.

As with the article attached on the History of the Local Anti War Movement, I have found that even now such is seen and raised as, {albeit recent, but nevertheless} important History.

Similar from the local MPH Movement though to the growing Water charges Campaign, such had and will no doubt mobilise and find support amongst thousands.

And the reason that such Movements in the North are looked upon not only in Ireland with such interest but throughout many parts of the globe, is because of that unity as opposed to our well advertised history of divisions.

And so, I have talked of the Past and the Present and now to finish on the Future.

Much of what I wish to do, and will do, is held within recent points I have raised throughout the links of my Diary. Indeed although only in my mid 30’s I realise that I have been witness to, participated in, and did so much in life already to date. And on that note I will give a final come back onto this Diary, one more time – on my 40th birthday, still several years away.

But, I will say that in a short couple of months ahead that Marie and I are to set of backpacking and exploring again, this time, Holland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark etc.

And where we lay our hats will be our home for that duration

Yet on a given night, at the side of some far of Mountain and just the two of us beside a lake, and the stars in the sky with the sound of the quietness of nature all around, we will chill.

And with that, it will have closed that Final Chapter and will have secured that Final Peace, of mind.

Indeed for me, Sin é.

And so, it will be Journeys End, and in that regard, that War, my War, will be over.

I say though, as one who has sought a better society for all our citizens, and one who has been at the forefront of, and has been able to initiate, mass campaigns and Movements with ‘differing and ‘various others over recent years. That I believe that an understanding of both the political realities and of the know how, of how to strategise successfully within that, is essential, if one genuinely seeks to effect change and to move towards ones ultimate objectives.

In that regard, I hear those who I believe offer little alternative on such a way forward, only that of Dogma, Purism and almost ‘Godly Tradition, and it is their right to hold such.

Yet while in itself one has that right to hold such views and understandings, and should be part of such debates on the way forward. I {and many others} have seen, do see, and will ‘see in, much more continual change, in regard to this society.

I have long stated and long practiced, that one cannot always stand in ‘Supreme Isolation of Godly Tradition just for the sake of it {may it be the Left or others}, and at times one needs tactically to get into the heart of the beast, ‘in part strategy’, to effect change, as history has and indeed will show.

. And for those who remain in such a mindset as I have described, I believe, at best, they will {still} remain static, as I had already written year’s prior.

And so for those of us, who have and do realise that such change, gains won, and that that has been moved to happen, is essential as we move forward {with always our ultimate aims in mind} -

- yes, we need to keep driving such forward, as always, - visible and otherwise, throughout and within.

Yet as I think back one last time to 6 Sevastopol Street and the Falls Road almost thirty years prior, and remember that young child with brick and bottle in hand. A child with brown trousers, ripped in one knee, a shoe with two toes looking out to the world at the front of one of them, and a green jumper all threading and worn.

And through that ‘blacked out face I remember those eyes of my history, of my life, from Defiance right through to the Nothingness. Yet, and with now that growing peace, that ghost in mind now fades away, never again to visit, but also never forgotten.

And with that, I look back and see that much change has been won; yet there is much more to do, and with that, those three words, as always, burn yet again in my mind.

And they are simply that of -

- In The Beginning. ‘D’

The link provided below provides the final part of my series of articles about me, as a black kid, growing up in West Belfast during the height of the recent Irish War,

There is also a picture of me at the age of nine where I had lived then on the Falls Road in 1979.

The series of articles is on ‘The Blanket’ website, and is entitled ‘West Belfast - the Past, the Present and the Future

Link attached-

http://lark.phoblacht.net/DC19070618g.html

Having moved originally from the ‘Murph estate down to the Lower Falls in the mid seventies, we then eventually moved to the Twinbrook estate of ‘Bobby Sands {Hunger Striker}, at the start of the 80s’. Although one of the reasons for the move was for a new modern house, in large part though, it was also to get the kids ‘away from it all {away from the heart of the ‘war being played out within the Murph and Lower Falls}.

Twinbrook then was in the ‘countryside and a far cry from the lower Falls. Yet it had turned out to be a case of ‘from the frying pan into the fire. Indeed it was only a short time, as a child, before I was once again looking into yet more friends, neighbours, and children coffins, seeing more mangled bodies and those ‘lumps of meat that where once walking, talking and living. Also smelling that nauseating smell of burning and burnt flesh and much more – through to banging my bin-lid on the news of Bobby Sands death, before a short time later, looking upon his face as he lay in his coffin in his home.

Indeed it was not long after Bobby Sands death and others locally that I had went back to the Murph. On doing so I had went back upon Black Mountain one evening and sat and listened to the war and all the events below.

Then it had started to rain ever so lightly and with that I knelt up upon my knees with my arms out stretched, and looked up to the ‘heavens as the rain slowly came down and soothed my skin, and in part my mind.

And with that, and from that position, and from the very depths of my ‘soul, from the very core of my being’ I let out the most almighty and heart wrenching cry which echoed not only around the streets below, but I believed around the city of Belfast.

- Indeed as a child, I had no gun – but nevertheless, I to was fighting a war

Indeed many have their own personal memories of such times. Some such memories will go to the grave; others will be spoken, talked and written about presently. While others will be articulated when people feel that they can bring themselves about to do such.

Looking back to such times and now 25 years on, much indeed has changed, but much still has not. I also had found that on the 25th anniversary of the Hunger Strikes that I had found oneself at the forefront with others, organising support and solidarity for another hunger strike in Ireland.

A point I shall go into later on.

Indeed over recent years, and I had touched on it before, of the extreme, heightened, re- occurring and intense sense of Deja Vous – amongst other things one experiences

Indeed in saying that, I must say, that I have come to understand that there are parts of the brain – etc- that are not yet tapped unto, and as yet fully understood.

Going back to such times one of my core memories was that of the real poverty that existed. Ones family had seen five or six kids in a box room, extremely poor housing and unemployment, this due to decades of Unionist discrimination, and ‘misrule in relation to such. I remember the yellow food parcels that where given out {from the EU ‘food mountains, I believe} and of how there ‘was to be no ’shame in seeking help, {through absolute necessity].

Indeed, this when all were in the same position and therefore it was a matter of necessity to help out, as friends, family and neighbours rallied round, may it have been for clothes, food or helping out at Xmas etc.

Indeed if one links here – http://www.indymedia.ie/article/72852#attachment15631

One can see my street of old in the Lower Falls Road, in which I was reared in the mid seventies through to the start of the eighties. Indeed the picture shows and represents what it was like, in real terms, on those streets in which I was reared.

It was on that very street that I had been ‘driven to pick up my first bricks and bottles by the actions of those state forces around me. In saying that though it must be said that not all such ‘Brits had ‘tortured me as a kid, and that there was some who had tried to intervene and direct their ‘comrades, attentions away from me.

- At times I listen and read of some Unionist politicians about how this and that didn’t happen. Well it did happen, and I know this because not only did I live it but on many occasions was victim to it, seen it, or simply had borne the brunt of it through out my life. Yet despite that I have not one bigoted bone in my body and have always sought to reach out to the ‘other community despite such ‘powerful memories of real injustice, and isolation at times from some in ‘my own community for doing so.

Yet I have come to understand the nature of such politic, where a stand against all injustices is ascended by the ‘politic of community, which takes primacy.

I believe that the ‘us and them’ is so ingrained within the establishment fabric that it sometimes could go unnoticed. This from politicians where some cannot, whatever the case, be seen to say injustice is injustice because it was injustice to the ‘other side. Or the way some in the media always try to concentrate on the ‘youse and them’ even when some politicians are trying to talk about bread and butter issues, but such is simply brushed aside for the ‘sexier ‘them and youse’ questions.

Indeed I have come to understand that many such have ‘fixed points not only in a local context but those writing about our wee patch of earth from afar.

Indeed many years on from a child when I had got involved in activism I had starting reading various pamphlets etc on such times and on those theorising on it all. In doing so I had found some such writings were academic while others less so, but in relation to some; they breathed mantra and little else. Which of course was further enhanced to fit into a specific tradition or ideology. Yet ‘distance or non-involvement does not impair anyone writing about issues, especially those who are Internationalists. I have found though that life experience is more, ‘real, and less ‘abstract in many cases. More especially if it is written as ‘real - and not to fit into an unbending and specific tradition. Indeed in some cases I had found some to go as far as rather than dealing with the reality {and what actually happened} some instead attempt to create a reality, as so to fit into a specific tradition. Such I have found in quite a few such writings from the ‘left.

Yet for oneself Racism, Imperialism, Repression, Discrimination, Poverty, Brutality etc, was very very real, and in some cases still is. Yet in my early days of activism, for some, a working class lad like oneself, who had little academic Qualifications and who has and does battle against mild dyslexia, had seen my written words ridiculed and my spoken words dismissed, {by those ‘comrades’ on the left} including by those who had thought themselves academic authorities of the Conflict.

Not the case anymore though as ones words and writings are listened to, read and collected by many local and International activists and organisations. More importantly for oneself though, seeing much support and solidarity provided and forthcoming, this both visible - and otherwise.

On that point I would like to thank big Mackers and Carrie of the Blanket site and a few from Indymedia who had advised and helped me throughout the years on improving both my writing and computer skills, while my spoken word I am told is sound enough.

And so while others on the left had ridiculed me over that time - such support will not be forgotten.

Now though I continue to ‘self educate, through reading and studying many issues from many ‘traditions and none, while learning from, and being active at the forefront of various ‘living Movements over the last decade. Of course, I am to do other forms of study but this out of necessity to gain ‘progressive employment under and throughout the system.

- Going up and ‘down the Road brings back so many memories.

Indeed I can remember my first day starting in Primary 1, right through to going to La Salle in Andytown. On that point I had went along to the closing of my old secondary school {to be moved elsewhere}. It was though a throw back in time going around the classrooms I had attended in youth and talking to my aul teachers including John Allen my form teacher for five years. Seeing the pictures of oneself projected on the wall or photos of myself receiving football trophies from Gerry Armstrong and Mal Donaghy in the 80’s{not long after their superb world cup performance} brought back many memories. Indeed many such cuttings of youth from the local Newspaper {Andytown News} I have still.
.

Sometimes though on looking through such cuttings or old photographs I think of how one just has to turn a ‘ different corner, be some where when one shouldn’t have been, or happen upon a street stall’ etc, and your whole life can change for many years. May it be through meeting a new friend or partner, joining an organisation etc - your life is directed’ {DC} - and changed’ in the space of but a few moments.

Although I have many memories of the time of the conflict {and my memory goes back to the age of four and to the Murph estate of 1974} I also have many - ‘chilled and happy memories. From sitting on a deserted beach with my partner watching the sun go down in a far of lands on our Honeymoon, through to sitting at Lake Geneva with the Alps behind and pine trees surrounding us, on a little bay on which we had put up our tents. Indeed sat there, with a dozen or so other activists and ‘travellers from around the world, sharing a smoke, a few beers, food and songs of solidarity and resistance from our various ‘countries. Indeed, knowing that we probably shall never meet again, but for that night savouring every moment of eaches company and Internationalism.

Picture this - {looking back}

Then there are other times when looking at front-page cuttings of oneself in the Irish News. With one such occasion having pictured oneself ‘storming and pushing past Guards at a Multinational in Belfast’s Royal Avenue as we ‘occupied and ‘plastered various such stores, in what was the largest {and first} of such Anti Capitalist demos in Belfast with several hundred Anti Capitalists on the march.

{AHHHHHHH those early days}

Below is a few more links to pictures of Movements and campaigns that I have come across on the net, in which I am pictured with activists.

Belfast Anti War 03 – and Civil Rights Movement 04–

http://homepage.mac.com/grow/PhotoAlbum23.html

West Belfast Anti Racism Network 03 -04 –

Falls Road -

1} http://www.mcrc-ni.org/ARN/pictures/WARN%2009.jpg

2} http://www.mcrc-ni.org/ARN/pictures/WARN%2008.jpg

3} http://www.mcrc-ni.org/ARN/pictures/WARN%2014.jpg

MPH Movement 05 –

http://www.makepovertyhistory-ni.org/event_motiv8_roundup_3.html

{and yes, attached again, as indeed that is me standing next to Gary Lightbody of SnowPatrol – as I have been asked, again and again}

More updated links of reports and pictures attached below of more ‘recent activism.

ACTIVISM = SPEAKING, WRITING, AGITATING AND ATTENDING

SPEAKING

Over the last few months we in Organise! have been busy both in initiating and lending support to various initiatives.

Firstly though, I had pencilled into my diary to do a number of meetings I had felt were important to do, such as below, the speakers where –

MIGRANT WORKERS’
DR NEIL JARMAN, DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE OF CONFLICT RESEARCH

EMPOWERED FOR INCLUSION’
MS BERNADETTE McALISKEY, SOUTH TYRONE EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME

COUNTERING RACISM’
MR DAVID CARLIN

PLURALISM & EDUCATION’
PROF TONY GALLAGHER , QUEENS UNIVERSITY

Link to the reasoning as to my attendance found here –

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75567?&condense_comments=false#comment146503

WRITING

I also found time to get involved in some important online debates with ‘associated individuals

Firstly on the issues of Dissident Republicanism – link here –

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75378

and that of

Sectarianism, Collusion and the Media, – link here -

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76275&comment_limit=0&condense_comments=false#comment151217

and here -

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76019?&condense_comments=false#comment149170

Through to debating and discussing such issues as

Socialist Factions Battle for heart of new Germany party – link –
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75892

AGITATION

This year had seen one of the most ‘Diverse Trade Union Marches in years, where the Movement took to the streets

The march itself as was widely acknowledged had seen very little advertisement and was working itself up to be a march simply to do, as in Dublin May Day. But some activists decided to attempt to turn it around as so to be a celebration of the Movement. more especially given the actions of unity and ‘historic victories in recent times.

And so in doing so we had seen a great day with the Movement on the streets of Belfast

Link to build up - http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75760

Loads of photos of the Movement in Belfast that day {includes first pictures of oneself carrying the Organise! Banner with Sean}

Link - http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75888

Indeed someone over from London has stated to me that

‘You could actually breathe in the Movement here’ –

This on the back of the Postal workers, and Joanne Delaney mobilisations and victories in Belfast!

And now seeing the Movement in its diversity on the streets of Belfast.

- Then a short time later we had seen tens of Afghans going on hunger strike in Dublin, and with that Organise! had initiated solidarity actions in Belfast.
-
- {This on the 25th anniversary of the ’Irish Hunger Strikes}
-
- While there was a momentum created I had also found that it had also re -vitalised and re- generated others into once again street protest, pickets etc, And so it was good to see the ARN once again calling a picket through the momentum that we had created, and I hope it will see such visible and further action on the issue of ‘Asylum and detention etc - here in the North, to which I will distribute ‘personal support for such calls.
-
Indeed the ARN - RAG had organised such similar at one time before, this where I and another activist had organised to mobilise up at Belfast International airport. And although being the only SWP member to attend {as well as organising it -as the SWP had other campaign ‘priorities that day} – it seen thirty activists travel all the way up to protest on a Saturday afternoon.

- Reports of Belfast actions linked below {also many ‘various links, if one trawls, which can be found on Indymedia in relation to the Dublin actions and others in other ‘Southern Cites. Such were initiated and participated in by various organisations in the course of providing such essential solidarity}.

Belfast Solidarity {with photos} – Link - http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76063

ATTENDING

I had attended a number of events in West Belfast.

Firstly the rededication of the James Connolly plaque on the Falls road where Connolly had lived. This was done by Gerry Ruddy of the IRSP and Fra McCann of Sinn Fein. Then across the road Marie and I had attended the unveiling of a mural to James Connolly where the oration was given by Gerry Adams. And then I had also attended another well attended event, a ‘Talk Back’ event on the hunger strikes with various people on the platform who had direct experiences of those times.

- Indeed as I look back 25 years I remembered those whom I had known who are no longer here – and there are many of them. Many murdered while others having committed suicide, then there are more who had been jailed for a long time, and it had ‘changed them, with others again who had become ‘destitute, because of the conflict.

- Yet I am fortunate enough to firstly have survived and secondly to have travelled a lot, and on such travels it has enhanced ones realisations of how many ‘here are but relics of the past. Such speak and act as if we are still in the seventies – or indeed the fifties, and hold an entrenched sectarian mindset. Indeed their words as like on the issue of racism, give succour to those who wish to ‘attack on the issue of sectarianism – there is no ifs or buts about that.

Whatever the case about such mindsets, change, will continue to roll on, as there is no other alternative to that. The only difference though is, do they embrace it or do they need to be dragged with it. Either way, I believe, that there is only a forward mode from now on in {in that regard}, as already I see my ‘own generation miles ahead of such a mindset, as we see a society in change.

Indeed ‘with or without such – such forward mode and ‘beneficial change will continue, so there is little worry ‘specific in that regard.

For oneself though I seek fundamental change, the real change that can bring ‘real equality and justice – and it is in that where I direct my attentions, while lending full support for that forward mode that wins each bit more for those that need it most.

- You know, I believe I am fortunate, despite all one had endured and witnessed as a child.
-
Yet, fortunate, in the sense that I can at least in myself find it to move on, and have a life, while seeking to bring benefit to others.

The small things in life to me, while of little consequence maybe to others, I though enjoy. May it be on a winter’s night with the wind and rain howling outside and my partner and I cuddled up on the sofa with a pizza and a good flick on. Or in the autumn walking through the park with our wee dog admiring the bountiful colour and array of leaves on the autumn floor.

In the spring it would be cycling around looking and finding out about our local history or in the summer sitting upon our mountain or down at the meadows chilling and talking about life as the sun beats down as we admire the wildlife around us.

This while, and as always, Black Mountain watching and looking over us.

Such things ascend greatly for me as I move on in years. I also believe that if one can, one should seek to do as much as they had wanted to do, and not be held back simply because others may wish to hold you back.

One only gets one shout at this life and one should not look back with regrets.

Yet there is a world out there that affords little opportunity to many and whose main concern is of where to get the next bucket of water from and where to get the next loaf of bread from. Indeed our problems are miniscule in relation to the plight of the majority, and it is in that context that on many occasions I look on how oneself and others live.

In that regard, I believe one should attempt to do what one has always wanted to do and wished to do, and not to be held back from such - if one can do that. Yet at the same time seeing and organising against a world, both local and International, who puts the interests of a minority over the needs of the majority – a world that needs fundamental change.

-Well that is me, for now, I will be back every six months or so as I will be knuckling down to work, study, activism, and time with friends and family. I will continue to write and will be writing more ‘specific articles on other sites etc –

I hope you have enjoyed and I will return in November or so.

Links to where I will be writing

Organise! - http://flag.blackened.net/infohub/organise/news.php

Street Seen - http://streetseennews.blogspot.com/2005/08/davy-carlin-fill-up-my-senses.html

Indymedia - http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire?author_name=Davy%20Carlin

The Blanket - http://www.phoblacht.net/dc23124g.html

My joining of Organise! …

And a few months of History!

After looking around at various political organisations, I have decided to join Organise! I do so as I agree with what they stand for, I like the way they organise, and hold respect for the way they seek to treat and engage with other activists.

Who we are,

Organise! is a working class organisation. We seek to secure for all workers a full and equal share of the wealth and social benefits created by the combined labour of our class. We are for the abolition of all hierarchy, and work for the creation of a world wide classless society.

More information on Organise!, our aims and principles, our publications, and further reading can be found on our site at www.organiseireland.org.

I had found at my very first meeting of Belfast Organise!, it to be very open and democratic and fully participatory, indeed I am, with another comrade, to provide a discussion document for a forthcoming publication we are to publish, this from that first meeting.

Apart from joining Organise! I am of course still involved in Street Seen, of which our new edition is on the streets North and South and can be found in various other outlets, as can Organise! publications.

The very first action of Organise! as a member, was to see my former organisation {SWP} in their paper calling that action a ‘Fantastic and Historic Victory’ {there are though a few minor issues still outstanding in relation to Joanne’s re-instatement, and that victory}. Nevertheless it was a victory in which, amongst the activist’s networks, they had acknowledged both Organise! and Labour Youth as being at the forefront in both initiating and spear-heading this ‘Historic Victory’ – {North and South} through our Solidarity pickets and actions. This while of course seeing many others lending support and solidarity to our calls, and through other initiated actions. May it be from signing petitions through to raising it in the capacity as elected representatives or holding meetings etc.

Yet within this achievement it again showed how ‘Collective Representation’ rallies, pickets etc, ‘on specifics’, can have and had delivered tremendous success. Indeed at a similar time last year an initial ‘unprecedented’ victory was won. That time though it had seen Street Seen activists at the forefront of the campaign with students and others. Again seeing collective representation of the Movement, and creating a momentum, and with it the strength for victory. Indeed, again this time contacts and e-mails of Solidarity for our calls came from the ‘Republican Falls Road through to the ‘Loyalist Sandy Row, for a Trade union activist in Dublin, such was the unity we had created

Below I give brief reports on this struggle.

REINSTATE JOANNE DELANEY – SACKED BY DUNNES FOR WEARING A UNION BADGE

Joanne Delaney was sacked by Dunnes stores in November 2005 for wearing her union badge on her uniform. With more than four years service in the Ashleaf store in Crumlin on the south side of Dublin, the 22 year-old MANDATE shop steward received a letter on the 29th of November 2005 informing her that she had been dismissed by the company.

Dunnes Stores has accused her of not complying with company policy in relation to the wearing of her union badge on her uniform, despite the fact that there is nothing in the policy about wearing a union badge. Joanne had been suspended by a manager at the store since 18th October for refusing to remove the Mandate Trade Union badge from her uniform. Joanne was advised to attend a disciplinary meeting at 6.00p.m, on Friday 21st October. However, the meeting was cancelled due to the fact that she was accompanied by her Union Representative. The Company has continually denied Joanne the right to Union representation at meetings with management.

Responding to the dismissal, Mandy Kane, Divisional Organiser of Mandate said, “This sacking is petty, vindictive and does the image of Dunnes Stores no favours whatsoever”. Its also pretty much in keeping with the anti-union record of a company that sacked workers who refused to handle goods from South Africa during the Anti-Apartheid Boycott of the mid-eighties.

- The North.

-‘So in the North Organise! called for solidarity pickets from Belfast to Derry and so in early Feb 2006 we had seen -

‘Solid working class Representation at the Organise! called picket in support of sacked Dunnes worker’

80 people attended the picket in Belfast called by Organise!, this, over the period of the lunchtime hour.

We had seen also halfway through cheers going up as we were joined by 10 or so striking postal workers.

In attendance, we had seen dozens of rank and file workers from various unions many in work uniform. We also had seen key personal as well as official representation from various unions ranging from UNISON to NIPSA and also leadership figures from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and Belfast Trades Union Council in attendance.

Anarchists where joined by six {I think} political parties and their Representation.

This was a great solid show of support –and we ran out of the many hundreds of Organise! leaflets.

It was also good to see so many people not only taking our leaflet - but engaging with us - and supporting the collective stance taken’

- Another report at the time -

‘Solid Representation of the Trade Union Movement’ in the North of Ireland, as well as by Political parties.
Members from UNISON, NIPSA, ATGWU, FBU, CWU, ICTU, Belfast trades Council, SP, CP, SF, IRSP WP, and one SWP –, joined and answered Organise’s! calls for Solidarity’.

We had also seen many rank and filers from other work forces - and unions- as well as support from 10 striking postal workers in full uniform’

Then a few days later Organise! started to look to holding pickets in local communities in which Dunne’s stores where. And with that the first was held at Dunnes store in West Belfast {at the Park Centre.}

After that, momentum really started to build and a Belfast Support group was also established and another protest was called, but before it could take place Dunne’s had already backed down. -I though had headed down to that particular Dunne’s store anyway to see if anybody had not yet heard the good news, where I had met Jason of Organise! who had had the same idea.

In the South.

A protest was also held in early Feb and was called by Labour Youth in which around 30 people attended,
Then – a support group was set up

‘A meeting in Crumlin Village {Dublin} Tuesday evening (Feb 7th 2006), seen about 60 local activists and residents who agreed to form a support group for Joanne Delaney, sacked by Dunnes Stores for wearing a trade union pin, last October. They also agreed to place a weekly picket on Dunnes Stores in the Ashleaf Centre starting next Saturday at 12 noon’.

-And so with that as in the North more pickets and other acts of solidarity where called for and initiated, and so the campaign in Ireland {and International} over the coming weeks really started to build momentum with also other cities beginning to take action. With that, and within a few weeks we had seen the MANDATE executive setting up a budget to support the sacked shop steward and to pursue a national wear your union badge day in Dunnes stores. Additionally we had also seen SF at this time call for a National Day of action.
Therefore with that momentum created and the growing pressure that had been brought to bear - Dunnes then backed down as reported -

‘Sacked Shop Steward receives letter of reinstatement after campaign of solidarity pickets’

And so while this was being termed as a ‘Historic Victory’, {and Organise! are proud to have played a key role within that}, yet another ‘termed ‘Historic’ trade union issue was taking place at this time.

This was to do with the recent postal workers strike.

As reported by a comrade at the time.

‘Postal workers rally crosses Belfast peaceline’.

Postal workers and supporters held a march and rally at lunchtime today. Over 400 posties and supporters marched from the Shankill Road across the peace line at Lanark Way on to the Falls Road.

Members of the Belfast Local of Organise! are proud to have stood shoulder to shoulder with postal workers on this historic occasion. While it is not, as one speaker claimed, the first time the Shankill and Falls have marched together in an act of working class solidarity since the outdoor relief strike of 1932* (the fire-fighters held a similar march to the Springfield Road fire station during their 2002-03 dispute) it is significant none-the-less. A mass rally was held at Lanark Way and speech after speech heard the bullying tactics of Post Office management condemned. The longest speech was delivered by Eamonn McCann, of the SWP and Derry Trades Council, who addressed the wider class struggle and the general attack on working conditions and workers rights taking place across workplaces.

At 2.00pm the speeches ended and workers marched from Lanark Way onto the Springfield Road, on down onto the Falls Road and into the city centre. Along the route whole families came out of their houses in support and workers downed tools to get a glimpse of the march, while people in cars beeped their horns in support. Chants of solidarity and whistles rang out along the route - the mood throughout was one of defiance and strength in solidarity.

This march, organised by the postal workers themselves, gave a morale boost to their strike. The strikers got a loud and clear message of support from working class people in Belfast today, one that counters media claims of ‘chaos’ and unwelcome disruption caused by the wildcat action. It also emphasised the importance of this struggle reaching beyond the workplace and involving working-class communities. In solidarity lies victory.

A victory for one is a victory for all!

See here for a history of the strike:

http://www.libcom.org/history/articles/belfast-outdoor-…1932/

The Fire - fighter march that the comrade speaks of above {2002} I give brief reports of below. They are articles that I had done {this from the benefit of being both a spokesperson and an organiser of the march} and were printed in local newspapers and journals at the time,

TITLE – When the Falls and Shankill marched as one.

{From the Blanket website}

On the 14th December a demonstration took place in West Belfast, a demonstration that raised both eyebrows and comments from various quarters. From parts of our local media we had ‘an historic march’ while others drew a symbolic significance of seventy years past of the outdoor relief marches. This was a march which seen people from the Shankill Rd march up Lannark way to meet people of the Falls - Springfield road, a road in recent years that has seen confrontation between orange marchers and the local residents. On this day though it seen unity in a common cause of economic concern in support of the fire-fighters and of our fire service, with many of those marching stating it was an absolutely brilliant initiative.

The march itself consisted of about one hundred and fifty persons. It was led by a banner, which stretched across the road stating ‘Falls and Shankill in support of our fire service.’ I would like to thank my more artistic young comrades in the Belfast Socialist Workers Party (SWP) for doing the banner, as those community and trade union activists who carried it with me gave it nothing but praise as did fire-fighters who suggested I should keep it safe in case for further use.

Behind this banner, the N. Ireland Fire Brigades Union (FBU) banner was carried with up to twenty-five local fire-fighters in full uniform walking behind it. This was then followed by other trade union banners such as that of Unison and that of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance banner (NIPSA), the largest union in N.Ireland, with other political and community banners joining also in support. The make up of the marchers drew many rank and file trade unionists as well as leading members of the Belfast Trades Council and the Irish Congress of Trades Unions (ICTU). They were joined by Catholic and Protestant, loyalist and republican community activists, socialists, and local residents with their children amongst others all lending support. The speakers were from the ICTU and FBU and also a young woman who being inspired by the reasoning of the march asked if she could say a few words at the end. The march was the first organised by the West Belfast Firefighter Support Group and supported by the Belfast Trades Council and the Fire Brigades Union. I found in the build up to the march a lot of people in ‘both communities’ having a lot of support for it. Doing interviews together, attempting to build support for the march through different media outlets myself and Alex, a Shankill Rd community worker found massive vocal support for the Fire-fighters’ cause. Such issues of concern can and do find a resonance and support across the ‘divide’ and with the possibility of a similar march in North Belfast being raised, again another ‘flashpoint’ and interface area, persons involved in the support groups are looking for cross community support for the firefighters and our fire service.

Yet it is not only on bread and butter issues but on other issues I have found ‘cross community’ support. For example as per my previous article on The Blanket I wrote of the two hundred plus march last week through central Belfast against US imperialism’s initiated coming war on Iraq. The march called by the Belfast Anti-War Movement brought again amongst others Catholics and Protestants. Fortunately as a leading organiser also for this march I knew and could see key community activists from East Belfast’s Protestant estates marching with key community activists from West Belfast’s Falls Rd behind their Trade Union banners such as that of the Unison banner in support of the Belfast Anti-War Movement.

Of course after thirty or so years of this recent conflict we see still a lot of bitterness or disillusionment or tiredness and of ’sure nothing will change’. Yet as in the very first article I wrote for The Blanket, written this time last year, and one of the first article I had ever written entitled ‘New Governance And The Working Class’ (archive section), I will therefore end this article with the same understanding as I ended that one.

That is - may it be in initial small steps, patiently but determinedly, building unity and in doing so creating strength, locally and internationally, we then have it within ourselves to attempt to effect real change. Some wish it to, some want it to, but ultimately despite whatever - may it be through small victories or indeed against defeats we always have to keep working, keep building, keep moving forward, to attempt to make it happen’.

- While it is a fact, that before the Fire – Fighter issue, that there had not been any previous such form of trade union and ‘cross community’ march showing such unity in that area, since the outdoor relief strike -.

They’re of course where differences between the postal and fire fighter marches in which I outlined {below} on an open online discussion board with a Socialist activist.

‘ Well it was not ‘longer or as big of a march of course {fire – fighter as compared to postal worker one} - although the fire-fighter march did see several trade union banners outside of the FBU banner marching in Solidarity also.

Nevertheless it was as unprecedented, more especially within the context of the time

Also let us not forget that it happened when many thought it could not happen, while others did not want it to happen, as I have recorded elsewhere.

-That is probably why the ‘fire – fighter march’ had seen Police in Flack Jackets walking at either side, and behind our march, openly carrying machine guns.

Times of course are a changing, and such will I hope become more regular, as many of us have been arguing for and actively seeking to create for years.

Indeed on many occasions it has been against threats, intimidation, dismissive ness, as was the nature to us ‘Half Prods’, and ‘Loyalist Lovers’ etc at the time

Despite that, I am glad though that things seem to be moving on.

Indeed the Postal worker march again was historic and they should be supported by all in their continued struggle, as had been the Fire -fighters one at the time.

Just one further point - apart from the larger numbers and longer march, there was one key and important difference between the at the time termed historic Falls - Shankill, Fire -fighter and Postal workers marches.

The Postal workers march was organised by the Postal workers themselves. Whereas the Fire fighter one, was initiated, organised, and built by the local grassroots support group, locally.

The postal worker one seen a majority therefore of postal workers whereas the Fire - fighter one seen the majority from additional supporters, this from other Trade Unions, rank and file trade unionists, local residents and politicians amongst others. As stated though, it had seen quite a few uniformed Fire – fighters from the local West Belfast fire station in attendance behind the FBU banner, as recorded.

{I still have – now boxed away, that lead banner that myself and a few others that had lead of that march with}

The local West Belfast grassroots support group had did much activity before the march. Therefore it differed in those regards, as well as within the context of that time, as raised above.

So while the FBU organised central marches of their membership, the local groups sought to mobilise and find support for their cause in ‘the communities’, in tandem.

I say this as I believe that such local support groups are essential – indeed we have seen the recent support and solid ‘Trade Union Representation’ from across the Northern Trade Union Movement at our Belfast picket, for a trade union comrade in Dublin - re Dunne’s.

I had written and recorded quite a bit, re - the FBU dispute, but for a bit of flavour of the time {2002} and the sense of organising and activity, I reprint one of the articles I had written which were carried in the Northern media at the time.

I think it is important, given the grassroots sense of organising, in relation to support, solidarity, awareness raising and activity that has ascended greatly in Belfast in recent years.

2002 – West Belfast Fire Fighter Support Group.

‘The local West Belfast Fire -fighters Support Group was established recently along with other local support groups after a meeting of various trade union and community activists in Central Belfast. We decided initially amongst other activities to do a collection and distribute leaflets at the Kennedy Centre on the Falls Road. With a dozen local trade union representatives from West Belfast, various unions, and local community activists, we were joined by over a dozen fire-fighters from the local fire station. Some of those in attendance had brought their kids - some dressed in fire-fighters uniforms. And with a fire engine parked outside we were very visible.

Rather than standing outside the premises we were actually not only invited into the main mall but also provided with table and chairs by the centre which was much appreciated. The response by the local people of West Belfast was absolutely brilliant, with not only hundreds of pounds donated in a couple of hours but people were very aware of the role of Blair and his supporters in relation to the fire-fighters dispute. Much of the propaganda about the fire-fighters put out by various networks cut no ice with many whom I spoke to.

Such support was greatly appreciated by both the fire-fighters and the local trade union and community activists who came to lend support. Much of the propaganda put out by the government against the fire-fighters is part of a bigger political agenda as witnessed through its recent interventions.

The fire-fighters seek only fair pay yet the government refuses to allow this and calls for ‘modernisation’. The FBU has stated its commitment to further introduce change for the benefit of the communities it serves and has already put out its position statement on the way forward for ‘true modernisation.’ Yet the modernisation the government states and seeks will actually mean cuts to fire cover and would be equivalent of closing down the entire Scottish fire service if taken in relation to UK.

With the recent support and solidarity shown in those few hours in the Kennedy Centre for ‘fair pay’ for the fire - fighters I would like to say to the hundreds who showed their support in West Belfast ‘fair play’ and I hope such brilliant support and solidarity will continue as Blair continues to dig in his heels while his spin-doctors unleash their propaganda’.

Davy Carlin, Spokesperson, West Belfast Fire - Fighters Support Group.

- Although after the postal workers victory they have went back to work - some issues though still remain unresolved and more strike actions could be forthcoming.

- I had mentioned above in an article the very first march of the Belfast Anti War Movement {BAWM}, a name, which I had proposed at the time, although in hindsight I could have thought of a better one.

Similar as I had proposed the name for the ARN {originally Anti Racist Network, more especially as I had wished the ARN to be a Network, as I was already, in real terms, moving away from the ‘ways of organising’ of the SWP}}.

Eventually after a while, and on second thought and some debate, it was changed to Anti Racism Network.

Although some even today still refer to it in its original name.

- On the 3rd anniversary of the war on Iraq an International day of protest was held. On all such other days the BAWM had mobilised and marched through Belfast, this time though Belfast still rallied, but it was organised under a different banner.

As I had stated in recent months change was needed to ensure democracy and accountability of the BAWM, this, rather than seeing activists concerns and requests being ignored, as was, as stated, the case.

Yet, and unfortunately, it seems that that ‘mindset of control ‘remains, and which has meant, in real terms, that the once BAWM finding little, if any support now.

Therefore what can be done?

Well in that regard a new coalition, democratic and accountable may need to be formed in Belfast that can muster and mobilise real support, similar to the BAWM of old. Of course I believe we may only be able to initially muster hundreds, but this may grow very quickly, more especially if things on the ‘War front’ intensify further.

I will speak to colleagues and other activists from across the Movement and get back on that – as it is, the collective ‘WE’ who are the Movement and it can very easily be ‘reclaimed to re - mobilise.

Indeed although small, {50 – 60, as not much advertised} some though gathered outside Belfast City Hall on the day for a rally called by SY. It also had seen some key groups of activists and individuals rallying who had been involved in the BAWM.

Banners where there from Organise!, Socialist Youth and Ogra SF, and the others who had specifically mobilised to be represented at the rally where Basques, Palestinians, Catalans, the Socialist Party and Socialist Democracy.

So Belfast, again was no different on the International day of action, we still rallied, although no longer under the banner of the BAWM.

I had though bought several Black Shamrock Anti War badges on St Patrick’s Day from an SWP stall. Marie and Marie Senior {wife and mum – in- law} and some cousins, had went to the St Patrick’s days concert in Belfast after having marched with the WARN {West against racism contingent through the city centre}.

UAF - I was not going to touch on the SWP, as they are now irrelevant to the Movement locally here and to oneself in general.

-But it must be recorded that in recent times ‘some’ of the SWP have attempted smears etc against well-known activists, some on sites,

while other genuine activists they have actually tried to verbally harass. Such as a comrade who did not wish to purchase a shamrock, and was subjected to all sorts of sectarian crap,

{this from the same boyo that I had bought the Shamrocks from for the family – and who recently approached me to talk about the ‘ARN and the racist cartoons. And while I know that the issue of the cartoons was greatly raised by the British SWP, and so through experience, therefore it is to be the case here through such an organiser – and then through comrades}.

Yet despite that I was nevertheless ‘still partly’ surprised that his ‘sole concentration’ was ‘solely on this matter, this while ethnic minorities are again being attacked and put out of their homes left, right and centre in recent times.

This more especially in South Belfast and that of ‘’East Europeans’.

Again with such issues, the nail continues to be hammered right through, {and although the SWP have organised nothing new onto the streets of Belfast in almost a year and a half now} I state this, as they ‘continue’ to do themselves no favours by such, continued, treatment of genuine activists.
Although all are not like that, I though have come to the conclusion that, for some, such cannot change – so now they are simply side stepped, as has been the case over the last year or so, as we move forward. -

- I had mentioned marching with WARN on St Patrick’s Day.

It is now 9 months or so since I had decided to stand down from the ARN steering group, although still a supporter of the Network.

The ARN, itself, as a Network, had seen a specific Movement created that had never before been witnessed in the North of Ireland. Indeed it is widely acknowledged as being one of the most important, key, and inspiring visible Anti Racism Movements ever seen in Ireland, whose stand and actions where reported all around the world in those early days.

Prior to having left the ARN steering group the ARN was at that time, and prior, involved in central mobilisations of thousands of citizens with hundreds more mobilising in local communities. This combined with all other sorts of ‘collective representation’ street agitation, which was used to drive back the rise of brutal attacks {as recorded and linked elsewhere on this Blog}

Now the ARN are more pro - active rather than re – active.

While no longer seeing any of the street mobilisations, the ARN are though engaged in various other important initiatives, some for which they seek and have secured funding {such as the pubs and clubs initiatives} through to holding Anti Racism gigs, and meetings etc.

Since leaving the ARN steering group {SG} I have not been as active in the local WARN group as I would have liked, but nevertheless I do and will try to get along to any initiatives they organise, and fully support them.

For me I am proud to have been founding member, and its ‘chairperson’, and those early days where indeed hectic with the ARN at the forefront of the visible fight against racist attacks. Our ‘reason of being’, then, was to organise and ‘street mobilise’ to attempt to drive back the tide of racism that had seen Belfast termed as the ‘Race Hate Capital of Europe’.

Indeed it was I who had coined the phrase of PVC {of which the then Steering Group used to laugh about, given the other well known meaning of PVC} – which was used to articulate what we – the ARN – where about then, and how we organised then.

Which was about a Practical, Visual and Collective stand’ against the racist attacks and racism – ‘the reason of our being’.

The ARN worked on consensus, a consensus of the then seven person steering group, but our calls where met and supported by many thousands of citizens who mobilised to our calls of, and for solidarity.

There were of course those who were and are supporters of the ARN who disagreed with some things we had done or said. As was the case recently in relation to the ARN statement on the cartoons, where quite a few Anti Racism activists had disagreed with the ARN SG analysis.

For oneself though I would agree with the ARN SG statement under the heading ‘Context is everything’ {and welcomed the ‘debate’ they had organised in South Belfast on the matter in recent times}.

While in agreement on that point, I would say though that the ARN SG should be responding to the again brutal raise of overt racist attacks seen in recent weeks, more especially in South Belfast, and to respond similar as we had done a year or so prior, by mobilising as soon as they happen.

While although the last time the ARN had mobilised onto the streets against attacks, was 9 – 10 months ago. We nevertheless had built up over the prior years the support and respect, which, will see the ARN name finding that hearing to such essential calls, if that call actually goes out.

Nevertheless I am glad that I had played a founding role in such a Network, and do hope that they {those now organising the events and ‘making the calls etc} can in that pro- active way of organising, continue with those important initiatives and to also further secure that funding sought to carry out those very initiatives. And, although I may no longer be on any ‘decision making’ committees or groups I will support those events that they continue to organise and participate in – such as the St Patrick’s Day contingent.

In saying that, that is not to say that I am not busy in Anti Racism activity. Indeed I have and will be speaking at various conferences. I am also writing articles and documents for various organisations, as well as doing local and International interviews and drawing up various other local agitation leaflets, newssheets and publications etc. Indeed I am as busy still as I always was in anti racism activity. Indeed even through Street Seen we had again seen those ‘PVC mobilisations, once the cornerstone of the ARN, not only against homelessness and poverty -but indeed against deportations and racism as well.

Note - on Fascism, I do though believe as the peace process beds in, and more especially with our local ‘situations’ being wound up, that there will in the time ahead, I believe, be an attempted raise in fascist organisations here.

With that, there will be the need for a specific Anti Fascist organisation and perhaps a specific Anti Fascist Movement that may not only need to mobilise in numbers as the ARN had done in its early years, but also to physically confront such if needed.

It will be there in which my activism will be orientated, if the situation requires it.

There is already such a Network in the North, Fascist Out! with comrades who have had first hand experience in the stance against Fascists and their organisations in the North. From closing down their mail boxes through to physical confrontation this campaign has been an excellent success to date.

It will be with this group, and its specific ‘reasoning for being’ that I will be standing with, as and when the occasion arises for that stance. And of course the call will go out for solidarity and for activists to stand shoulder to shoulder with us against the Fascists, and – or their organisations, if and when the need arises.

As with the recent years of the peace process I had believed that their may be a rise in more overt racist attacks, as I believe in the years ahead there may be an attempted raise in Fascists seeking to organise here.

Therefore we must prepare!

Briefs –

And yet another bit of history!

The 24hour UK wide strike action over pensions recently had seen what was likely to be the largest strike since the General Strike of 1926.

In Belfast as elsewhere around the North we rallied. It was the first time I had carried a ‘differing’ flag, this as other comrades carried our Organise! banner – which can be seen in the two-page write up and pictures of the day of action, in the Irish News. More action on this may be forthcoming.

The ‘We won’t pay campaign’.

The ‘We Won’t Pay Campaign’ recently rallied outside Belfast City Hall. Up to 200 citizens rallied under our banner and joined that stand against incoming proposed water charges. The Socialist Party, who have put in a lot of back -work over a long time on this matter and can be seen doing a stall every week in Belfast, had initiated this campaign.

Although others are and have been involved in other campaigns, it though is the specific tactic of mass non-payment and of building up community and local groups, which is something, that Organise! supports, and why we are also involved in this campaign.

This first such rally at Belfast City Hall of the campaign was supported by NIPSA, FBU, Queens Students Union, Socialist Party, Organise! and many more. {Press release below}

Support for protest grows

1pm Saturday 1st April outside Belfast City Hall

NIPSA BACKS PROTEST AGAINST WATER CHARGES

1pm Saturday 1st April outside Belfast City Hall

Northern Ireland’s largest trade union has called for people to join the We Won’t Pay Campaign’s protest against water charges outside Belfast City Hall at 1pm on Saturday 1st April.

NIPSA President Billy Lynn announced that Saturday’s protest would mark the 12-month countdown to mass non-payment of water charges.

‘If Peter Hain continues to ignore the opposition of the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland to this unjust tax, he should be answered with mass non-payment of water charges next April.

‘The government vowed to Make Poverty History last year, but the introduction of charges will lead to further impoverishment across Northern Ireland. Water charges are a complete rip-off, we are already paying for water through the rates, which continue to rise and rise.

‘Every community across the North needs to get organised to fight water charges. NIPSA lends it’s full support to the protest called by the We Won’t Pay Campaign and we call on people to attend the protest on Saturday 1pm outside Belfast City Hall.’

The protest is also supported by the Fire Brigades Union, Queens Students Union, Socialist Party, Organise!, plus many more

www.wewontpay.tk

-While we have a year or so for us to really build up momentum for the campaign, it was outlined by a speaker, that having this turn out a ‘year in advance is a good start. More especially as they had seen less numbers mobilising at this stage when they had then went on to defeat the water charge in the South of Ireland. {The turn out in Belfast would be equivalent to 7 - 800 people turning out in protest a year before the water charges in Dublin}

This may well be a battle and a half, and the Campaign is already at this very early stage seeing an attempted clampdown on aspects of our campaign. Secondly, it must be acknowledged that we are not only taking on the government, but indeed the ‘established parties here are against the tactic of non payment. And so, coverage, in both such parties publications, and aspects of the wider media will be limited, presently.

Nevertheless this is an issue that can be won, and not only are we aware of past ‘defeats’ but also well aware of past ‘victories, and lessons have been learnt.

UAF – After the rally and meeting, members of Organise! had went to a local pub for a few drinks with leading members of NIPSA, FBU and several other leading members of the SP [Ireland}.

And for oneself on leaving, it had seen firm handshakes, and unity of purpose acknowledged within those embraces.

{Indeed, I had tried to ‘make up’ in recent time with some in the SWP, simply for past fraternal reasons.

But’ for some’ for whatever reasons, they just don’t want that to happen, this through their continued actions and words, not only against oneself but towards comrades close to me – therefore so be it.}

-In recent times also we had seen the ‘feud’ that has went on in the Murph estate, and I had attended a rally called by the local resident’s organisations. I believe such local groups are doing excellent work in many areas. Indeed Marie volunteers time to work with Special Needs adults and with kids in after schools clubs. Volunteering with the Upper Springfield Trust, Marie talks of the utter dedication, not only of its Voluntary workers but also at such staff whose care and support goes far beyond the reasoning of a pay cheque.

It is indeed through a want to provide and support those in need and the most vulnerable.

At the moment Marie is away from the Isle of Ireland for a week or so as a Volunteer looking after two Special needs adults from the North at the World Championship Pool competition, then has also Volunteered to help at the Special Olympics.

Yet such events are not fully resourced with some Volunteers having to still pay some expenses, which they do through such dedication from their own pockets.

Indeed we have also seen the recent decision in regard to such local funding in education. These proposed cuts are an absolute and utterly complete disgrace.

Such ‘needs’ should well ascend above the ‘needs’ for such cuts.

Then we see at another local level the West Belfast Feile, something that was set up to take the kids away from the bonfires and everything that went with that, is to lose funding.

And of course we are, again, to see the spectacle of the ’Sectarianism’ of funds, again based not on objective need but on the politics that cements the ‘us versus them. While, and of course, such funds are essential to such working class areas as outlined before, any further, politics though, of us and them is not beneficial.

Yet we are told; we are moving forward - how are we, in this regard, if the most vulnerable are being attacked and when essential community services and events are being axed, with that aul Sectarian ‘us versus them’ further ingrained? I believe persons really need to think this through – in detail?

Marie’s voluntary and community work follows on a tradition of the local campaigning of her immediate relatives in Turf Lodge. Indeed given what I see happening around oneself recently I to will try to find the time to get involved and to lend further and visible support for local community initiatives. Again as with Marie’s relatives in the Turf, my own immediate relatives in the Murph where involved in such community initiatives, this from those earliest of days –

{Apart from this, our families although from ‘such’ areas, had seen even in those days ‘Protestants’ married into our family. This as such was, and is, the non-sectarian upbringing we had, which is etched today onto both Marie’s and my very person.}

From a forthcoming publication from myself -

‘Nationalist working class estates had suffered socio and economic deprivation, poor housing, discrimination and much more at the hands of the Unionist dominated state. For that reason the establishment of a local Tenants Association took place in the early 1960’s. Its first meeting was held in St Bernadette’s school {Ballymurphy} almost directly across the road from me. St Bernadette’s was a school where as a child I had used to climb over its gates with other kids, as so to go and play handball against its walls. My grandfather, Jim Carlin, was in the Ballymurphy Tenants Association {BTA} along with Hugh McCormick one of its founders. I used to as a child knock around in those days with his Grandkids, Kieran and Pearse Mc Cormick, and frequented his home, which was directly across from ours. Also in the tenants association was Frank Cahill the brother of veteran Republican Joe Cahill. At times the BTA had held its meetings in our home where my mum would serve up tea and biscuits and would also have helped out at some of the social functions etc organised by the BTA. The BTA went on to have a huge impact for the betterment of the community and was a testament to the skills, commitment and determination of its activists that they had achieved so much’

{Yet in those days I had witnessed much, and like many other kids had suffered the trauma of such, although I had also to endure much more combined. Yet as kids we had to, in real terms, deal with this on our own, such was the times}.

Now though we see today what has been happening in the Murph, therefore we need to see that resources, support and facilities are provided and offered to this generation of kids, as so we do not see a vicious circle manifesting itself here.

Indeed providing that support, facilities and resources that were not afforded over those decades at such times, is now essential.

Such trauma though did not always come from within the communities, indeed other such instances are etched on ones mind

- From a forthcoming publication from myself –
-
- {Some of the terminology used is that of the ‘time}.

‘The summer days of the Murph where long and hot and at the weekends {mid seventies} we would go for a drive over the Boarder to some sea side destination with my Gran and differing aunts and uncles at differing times. Getting out of the estate was also a breath of fresh air, metaphorically and well as literally speaking. I loved those trips and felt at ease without seeing those ‘Brits’ {British soldiers} and ‘Peelers’ {Police} all around the place. It was though on one of these trips that we did come across the Brits and in fact the Brits moved against us.

I remember my Gran having been in the front seat and my uncle driving and I believe my aunt and another were in the back with me.

My head was lazed against the window as I sat in the back on our way home, which was unusual for me, as I got carsick. Sometimes violently so, and therefore always had the window down, with many occasions my head leaning out of it. Then I heard my Gran say, ‘do you know something, I think that helicopter is following us’. I had not even noticed a helicopter, so I wound down the window as so to hear its rotors. With that the fresh air of the country embraced my lungs, far better I had thought than the smell of war and death.

‘Naa your imaging things’ came a reply. We travelled on, yet ten minutes later my Gran again said, ‘I am telling you that helicopter is following us’, and in fact it was still on our tail. Maybe we were, as said, still though imaging things. I continued though to follow and trek it with my eyes, as we all in the back now did. Yet it had begun to come closer and come lower until I could see the ‘Brit within’, then it swooped down over us. It then went a few hundred metres in front of us, landed, and it doors opened and what looked like Brits jumped out aiming what looked like sub machine guns at our car. ‘Don’t be afraid son we will be ok’ my Gran said, as she looked around at me. Those next to me tried to put my head on their lap as comfort – but I stayed upright, as I had wanted to watch.

The Brits moved forward either side with their sub - guns trained at my Gran and uncle.

‘Get the fuck out of the car’, as they banged and kicked at the car ‘you get out and open that fucking boot.’ One of the big Brits stared through the window at me now with his machine gun trained at me also, a child.

Now I felt scared and I put my head down for comfort. I heard a number of thuds, and the hateful, foul and brutal language directed towards my relatives. I closed my eyes and put my fingers in my ears as I thought that if I was to be shot,

‘to die,

‘then I did not want to hear the shots.

Although having heard {and seen} shots on a regular basis echoing within the Murph and the surroundings areas, I nevertheless never quite got used to it as others seemingly had done.

Its ok love’ as a comforted hand shook my head.

‘I opened my eyes,

‘I was alive’.

Once everybody was back in the car we set of on our way. As I looked out the back window of our car I watched the Brits get back into their helicopter. With that I said softly to myself, ‘youse black Bastards’, while still following them with my eyes.

{This name was called to the peelers because of the dark uniforms they wore, but as kids they were all the same to us, Brits and Peelers alike}.

I had only said it softly as I feared a clip around the ear for using bad language, yet in hindsight I believe I may have actually got away with it that day. The irony at that time had not yet dawned on me, this as a Black kid uttering those words. It did not dawn on me yet as I had not yet been ‘directed entirely to my ‘difference’.

That would take time, with the help of the racist and violent brutality directed towards me by such instruments of the state. Oh yea, they would remind me ok, with regularity, and many of them would take pleasure in doing so. Only then would I become fully aware of my ‘difference’. Then I would be driven by hatred and defiance into arming myself with childhood weaponry, bricks, bottles, catapults etc and so therefore with already witnessing the brutality being dished out to loved ones and friends, such actions would then bring forth a ‘violent’ re - action into, a child, a once passive child’.

{Despite what has been happening recently in the Murph and the local Upper Springfield area, that area, like other such areas, will go into the annals of history and that of working class resistance. It shall be written, talked and maybe even sung about many years on, of a community that stood firm against everything that the British state threw against it.

Today, as like our relatives in those earliest of days, there are many community and voluntary workers who dedicate themselves to the betterment of the ‘community, many just like Marie, and indeed perhaps oneself in the time ahead. This, as I intend to be more ‘visible at ‘community level. Although saying that I will be as active in Belfast, Northern, all Ireland and International wide initiatives - as I have always been.

- On lighter ‘notes, well Marie and I had went to the Christy Moore Concert and it was brill. To a sustained standing applause Christy came back and finished of a extra few songs after two solid hours of songs and craic – and finally finished of with ‘Ride On’ at the very end.

I had thought, at the time, of how we were here in the very centre of Belfast listening to Christy – and how times, ‘in some specific regards, are changing. This I thought as I looked around the packed house and seen many that came from ‘the West’.

In the row in front of us sat Gerry Adams {MP} and family, a few further rows ahead was relatives of Marie, to my left there was those related to oneself, and so on.

Indeed it was a great night and the craic was 90.

-So it has been busy and it will see continued busy times ahead.

On my Diary I will come back briefly in May, but after that it will be every three to six months. This for a number of reasons, firstly activism will intensify at specific times; secondly I intend to write more ‘in depth’ articles on local and International issues. This for Organise!, Street Seen, Indymedia, the Blanket, and for newspapers and other media outlets. Also Marie and I will make more time for new interests, hobbies and friends/family etc. And with new job and a soon return to night study I will have limited time, and we are keeping up our cycling etc, {lost almost a stone in the last several weeks alone - so we are going to ‘look good’ for our summer hols!}.

My activism diary and its reasoning, was to write from the position as an activist, and to record those events I have been involved in, in that vein. Therefore people can see that despite our ‘troubles’ that small and mass forms of unity has and is continuing to be achieved, with at times, historical victories and initiatives.

Therefore, as always, such continues and I believe it will continue.

Indeed I know that many many read my Diary {indeed many many more read it that is ‘allowed’ to be recorded, this even at a local level} Similar ‘interference’ happens with my e-mails, of which some, disappear, or I do not receive them for days, weeks, months or indeed at all, more especially at specific times, whatever measures taken. Similar with all other aspects of my communications, but one perseveres, as is the nature of things, as many would know.

So as always,

Fight the power!

Dear friends, those who know me know of my commitment and dedication in standing at the forefront against injustice, bigotry and discrimination from whatever quarter it comes from, this around Belfast city, Nationally, and Internationally – over the last decade or so.

My activism at the forefront of the mass, historic, and at times unprecedented Anti Globalisation, Anti Sectarian, Anti War, Anti Racism and Anti Poverty Movements is well documented. These along with the other forms of magnificent unity one had been involved in, had brought Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter together.

In doing so we had seen hundreds, thousands and tens of thousands of citizens and trade unionists rally, march, take direct, or/and, unofficial actions around the city of Belfast. Some had seen such mass actions and marches being ‘lead off by our home made or trade union banners while others had been ‘lead off by the carrying of the ‘Red flag.

In all such Movements it had seen oneself as founding member, Spokesperson and Chair of such.

Indeed my involvement in such comes from a fire in my heart that sees me drive forward on such essential issues with others.

I, with other activists, had also produced publications and provided space and active support for those within society who had feared to speak out against brutal racist attacks and for those who had little voice afforded to them, as they eeked out an existence on the streets of our cities.

Again all is well documented.

Being a Black kid and having grown up in a ‘White community’ within the heart of the Irish conflict {West Belfast} I had seen many injustices inflicted upon myself and those around me. One of those injustices is written about below, and the facts told. It is written by my Mother – in - Law, a sounder person one could not have hoped to meet, and with not a bad bone in her body. She, like her mother, brought her children up to see all people as people and not to judge on religion or colour, not an easy thing to do living within the heart of the Irish War at its height.

Yet the job her mother had done in that regard I had found in first meeting Marie {Senior} truly reflected that. And indeed what a job she had done herself I had thought on first meeting her daughter who was to become my friend, my companion, and now my wife.

This is an account of a family, my families, continued struggle for truth and justice and the murder of a child by a state. I ask of you, but three things. Firstly to circulate it amongst those of interest and relevance, as well as more widely as so all can read it. Secondly if one has any, any, information, to please forward it on. And thirdly to bring to bear and use all influence one can, to deliver us truth and justice.

This new Historical Enquiries Team {HET} I believe will not deliver us the truth and the justice we, like many other families in similar circumstances need for closure. I have outlined my position on what sort of enquiry is needed within other parts of my Dairy.

For the mother {now passed on} of a murdered child, for the sister of a murdered brother, for the niece of a murdered uncle, and for all the extended family we ask for your help in this regard. There will be no closure for us until we get the truth and the justice as Marie outlines below.

I will continue to raise and update on this case throughout my activism and within any publications, and articles - I shall write in the future.

{Ironically on the very day that Brian was being murdered in Turf Lodge, I was celebrating my 6th birthday in Ballymurphy estate just across the road}.

And on that Marie gives the account of the murder of Brian Stewart.

THE MURDER OF BRIAN STEWART

Subject: This long overdue story is in response to my Mother’s dying wish of clearing my murdered brother’s name. His name was Brian and he was thirteen on the day he was murdered. He was buried on his fourteenth birthday.

On the 13th October 1963 Brian Stewart was born, the fifth child in our family of eight, four girls and four boys. Our father was a dockworker in Belfast whilst our mum always remained at home to care for us, her children were her world. Brian had blonde hair, freckles and the most beautiful big blue eyes I have ever seen. Brian was always smiling, telling jokes and playing the clown. We lived in a poor working class, mostly unemployed area with very few amenities. However our neighbours had a great sense of community spirit, sadly missing in many communities to-day. We lived at the foot of the Black Mountain, Brian’s favourite past time was playing in these fields, a free spirit, at one with nature.

On the 4th October 1976 at about 6:10pm, when I came home from work my mother was helping Brian to do his homework. I told my mum to go and make the dinner and that I would help him. Knowing that Brian had trouble with his spelling I sat and helped him. My mum called me to the kitchen for a cup of tea. It could not have been more than 3 or 4 minutes later that a young boy on a bike shouted up our hall that “your Brian has been shot”. When I discovered that he was not in the front room I ran to the scene, convinced that it could not be Brian as we had been together only minutes before. Some young boys told me that Brian had been carried into Mrs. Mulvenna’s house.

However you can imagine my horror to find my wee brother on their sofa thrashing around in great distress. He was vomiting up the dinner he had just eaten at home. A Mr. Frank Diamond was trying to bring some comfort to Brian. My brother was not aware of anything around him. When the ambulance man picked him up his wee head hung over the man’s arm as he passed by me, his head was level with mine, it is a memory forever etched in my mind. Brian’s big blue eyes were staring blankly into mine. I immediately was sick as I knew in my heart Brian was gone. He survived on life support until 10th October 1976. We buried Brian on his fourteenth birthday, 13th October 1976.

Brian had been standing outside the shop talking to two teenage girls, with his back to the King’s Own Scottish Border’s foot patrol which was making its way down the street, in full battle gear, guns et al, a normal daily occurrence in catholic working class areas of Belfast at that time. Brian was not aware that he was experiencing the final conscious moments of his young life. Brian was shot in the head with a plastic bullet which I believe was manufactured in Scotland at Brocks Fireworks of Sandquhar, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.

The soldier who fired the bullet which killed my brother was a member of the Kings Own Scottish Borders. The name he gave in court was Pte Charles Andrew Smith from Edinburgh. A young man himself who was born on 21st. of April 1952. This young man took his orders to fire the fatal shot from a Lt. O’Brien. A Major Timothy Patrick Toyne Sewell, an English officer was standing on the road taking photographs. He was beside Pte.Andrew Smith, The army continually claim that Brian was throwing missiles at the soldiers and yet the official autopsy report states that he was struck on the left side of his skull. This caused an 8cm. hole which left his brain extensively fractured, lacerated and bruised. An artery in his head was also shredded. Considering the position that the soldier stated he fired from this proves that Brian had his back to Pvt. Smith.

We discovered later that two hours earlier, Lt. O’Brien had told a young boy, (Jim Irvine, RIP 16 years old) who looked like Brian that he was “going to get him”. Unfortunately Brian was standing outside a shop 4 yards from this young man’s home when the fatal shot was ordered. Brian fell to the ground when the bullet smashed his skull; another soldier in the foot patrol proceeded to drag Brian down the street by the ankles, banging his head off the ground whilst doing so, despite his massive head injury. Later at the court case, this soldier Pt. Aitchison perjured himself and claimed he was attempting to render first aid! The young eyewitness who gave evidence during the civil case was castigated as a vicious liar by Judge Brown, when she gave evidence that this British soldier had dragged the child by the ankles after he was shot. Three other witnesses confirmed that this is in fact what happened. The official autopsy report bore this out by stating that Brian had extensive bruising on his ankles.

Brian arrived at the hospital accompanied by my younger sister and a neighbour. While the doctors vainly battled to save Brian’s life, his little body was surrounded by army personnel in combats. My sister who had accompanied Brian was not allowed to be with him until the soldiers had surveyed the consequences of their dreadful deed. Not only had Brian’s young life been stolen but he was denied the comfort of someone close to him - just to hold his hand - please remember my brother was a thirteen year old boy - the horror of this thought haunts my sister until this day.

The day following the shooting, while Brian was in hospital fighting for his life, Major Timothy Patrick Toyne Sewell (the officer who had been taking photographs) gave a television interview stating that Brian had been leading a riot of 500 people that Brian had been “ observed for a considerable time, was specifically targeted and he got what he deserved”. You can imagine the distress this caused our family as we tried to come to terms with the fact that Brian’s brain was so badly damaged that he was not going to survive. I do not believe that anyone of sane mind could imagine a 4ft 9inch, childish thirteen year old could lead such a threatening crowd or deserve a death sentence.

At Brian’s inquest Major Sewell, who was the only representative from the British army who gave evidence, He changed the story of 500 rioters; however, he again perjured himself by claiming Brian was leading 20 rioters. This is quite a dramatic change from his original story. No one in authority asked where the mythical 480 rioters went. This Major Sewell went on to perjury himself further by claiming that the intended target had been a boy dressed in a blue and white stripped jersey. He went on to say, “We would not have aimed at a boy of Brian’s stature “Major Sewell claimed he saw the baton round gun being fired from the shoulder aimed to hit a direct target. He made no mention of Pvt. Smith’s aim being deflected by the same Pvt. Smith being hit by a missile.

Video footage of his interview would have allowed our legal team to point to his perjury. We were refused the use of the video evidence by Cecil N Taylor the BBC’s Head of Programmes. Ormeau Avenue Belfast. The facts were that there was only Brian and two young girls, standing on the corner talking. At this time there was no riot in progress. Lt.O’ Brien may have suspected that my wee brother Brian was the boy he had two hours earlier “threatened to get” and he gave the order to fire based on this assumption. This is the only version of this controversial shooting that makes sense in my opinion.

The very next morning a local television crew filmed the narrow street where Brian, was wounded, there was no rubble on the ground, there were no broken windows, damaged cars or any evidence that even a minor incident

Had occurred where Brian was shot. The statements made by the reporter on this broadcast indicated that there was no evidence of a riot.

This would have been in direct contradiction of the statement made by Lt. General Sir David House and put out by the Northern Ireland Press Office. This Lt.General Sir David House was the man in charge of the entire British Army in Northern Ireland. The statement he issued through the Press Office described an extremely aggressive group of rioters 500 strong in which one of the most active bottle throwers was shot in the head the evening before.

Despite repeated requests by our family and a few sympathetic English Members of Parliament, this footage was never released to be used as evidence. Major Sewell did not produce any of the photographs he had taken before and after the fatal shot was fired. If he had been interested the truth these photographs would have proved inconclusively that my brother was an innocent child standing in his own neighbourhood.

When my mother finally initiated a civil action in order to find out the truth of my brother’s death, Mayor Sewell did not even appear to give evidence; apparently he was not under the jurisdiction of the British Army or the British Courts. Under whose command was this mysterious officer? Why was he walking about with an armed patrol taking photographs? Charles Andrew Smith, the soldier who shot my brother never denied that he calmly walked past me and sniggered when a little girl pointed him out as the man who shot my brother. I was five months pregnant at the time, I was close enough to this soldier to touch him, regardless of the circumstances I would not have put my future child’s life in danger (A boy, born 07/03/77, named Bryan in memory of my brother). There was no riot going on in that street, major, minor or otherwise.

In early March 1982 the appeal against the ruling of Judge Brown started. In court during this appeal Charles Andrew Smith, the soldier who fired the fatal shot perjured himself by stating that he was hit on the shoulder with a stone which deflected his aim. This conflicted with his initial statement given on 5th Oct. 1976 to a David Kennedy 178 Provost Company RMP/SIB. Here was a soldier, who six years earlier had murdered a thirteen year old child with a lethal weapon, admitting in court, that he still did not know the regulations for the use of the plastic bullet gun. His honesty on this point both amazed and horrified me. He perjured himself because he knew that firing plastic bullets at someone’s head can be fatal. How could you take the life of a thirteen year old child and still not feel the need to inform yourself on the firing instructions of a lethal weapon you would still be using on a daily basis.

Lord Justice Jones in his summation of the case stated; “and so I come to the last question, namely did Cpl. Smith (promoted for his heroic act) act with reasonable care in firing. Of course he had to exercise reasonable care. Indeed he had to be very careful, in my opinion, because the baton gun is a potentially lethal weapon. The use of which must be judged against a high standard of care. Cpl. Smith was trained and experienced operator with this weapon.” (This is the same Cpl. Smith that in the same judges court and under oath admitted that he did not know the firing instructions) Lord Justice Jones went on to say” No doubt he did not give any warning, that is a factor to be taken into account but cases vary” he continued” in others might not be of any material significance”. Obviously the Learned Lord Justice Jones was totally unaware of the British Army’s detailed instructions on firing or he arrogantly chose to ignore them. Just as he had totally ignored the personal testimony of all the civilian witnesses. Who were upstanding citizens with no reason to fabricate their statements During the court case the army representative claimed that the record of dispatches between the foot patrol and their base at Fort Monagh had been destroyed, somewhat negligent in such a serious case and says a lot about the R.U.C’s rigorous investigation that they made no effort to get it into their possession days after the fatal controversial shooting. To compensate for the records destruction the army introduced the log sheet which records communications between foot patrols and their central base (included) as you can see there was no communication between 1350 hours and 1834 hours .

If these soldiers where in such life threatening danger they felt compelled to fire a lethal shot without warning, why had they not reported this situation? Why had they not requested assistance? Furthermore, the ambulance had been called at 18 minutes past 6pm this indicates to me that at least 16 minutes elapsed between the fatal shot being fired and the first mention of a riot.1834 hours.

This damning evidence proves conclusively what all the civilian witnesses claimed; including the ambulance assistant, there was no riot taking place when Brian was shot. In less than 10 minutes a riot was staged 150 yards from the site of the shooting. This was created by the same foot patrol returning with reinforcements to the junction of Norglen Gardens and Norglen Road firing plastic bullets at random. This action was part of their attempt to instigate a riot in order to cover up their fatal shooting. I personally witnessed this as I watched the ambulance attempt to negotiate its way through the soldiers who had formed a line along the top of this street. I returned home another route along Norglen Parade to comfort my mum who was distraught.

In any civilized country in the world if someone is murdered there is a thorough investigation into the circumstances and rightly so. If the victim is a child or a vulnerable person then their right to life should be protected by everyone with a moral conscience. My brother was a thirteen year old boy, three minutes from his own home; he was a threat to no-one. He died because he was a catholic living in a working class area of Belfast during ‘the troubles’.

The actions of the British authorities before and after my brother’s death indicate that he did not count. He died on the whim of an English Officer and a Scottish soldier. This soldier will claim that he was only following orders. Is this not the same claim that the Nazis made during the Second World War. It was not accepted by the same British government then, nor should it be now. The British army, the British Government, and the law colluded in covering up the murder of this innocent boy, they should have been honour bound to protect him. The RUC did not attempt to investigate Brian’s death (interviewing witnesses etc.), until our local housing community group phoned the police station on behalf of my mum, informing them she would phone newspapers if they did not attempt to investigate. This was about five months after Brian’s death. My mum was told the investigating officer was off sick. A force that exceeds twelve thousand people. Why did they not appoint someone else?

Detective Constable R. Peacock, then based at Springfield Road was supposed to be the investigating officer, a Cont. Mulholland his assistant? They began taking statements on the 1st March 1977. The British Army, the British Government, their court system and the police colluded in covering up the murder of an innocent boy These people had both a moral and legal obligation to protect him. As far as the law was concerned the only honourable person we came in contact with, in relation to Brian’s death, was a young barrister named Norman Shannon. This young man worked tirelessly in Brian’s defence. Our family could not have praised his efforts high enough. Mr. Jerry Fitt our local M.P. at that time wrote to the N.I. office on behalf of my mum inquiring why no inquest had yet to be arranged, their explanation was the police investigating Brian’s murder had failed to forward the papers concerning their (non-existing) inquiry.

The verdict of the inquest was an open verdict. A letter from the Northern Ireland Office dated 24.7.78 stated; “The circumstances surrounding the death of Brian Stewart were subject of exhaustive police investigation all papers were sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions who decides independently of the Police and Army and there were no grounds for the prosecution of any soldier”. A letter from Roy Mason Secretary of State dated 24.7.78 stated; “I, cannot accept, however the views expressed in your letter (my mum, Mrs. K Stewart) that the military lied. It is not, and never has been, denied that Brian died as a result of an incident with the army. What is denied are assertions that the investigations into his death were anything but thorough, painstaking and directed towards uncovering the facts. If the D.P.P. had directed that charges should be brought in the case of Brian Stewart then charges would have been brought. Members of the security forces are expected to act within the law and are subject to the penalties of the law if they do not do so.

Why were most of the soldiers involved in Brian’s murder promoted by the time they had to attend court? C.N. Taylor, B.B.C. Head of Programmes refused my mother’s and various English politicians requests to have the important video footage of the interview given to David Capper by Major Sewell, although the company did confirm the interview was still in their possession. This interview aired on the Scene around six evening news 5-10-76 and again on 19-10-76 Spotlight I believe. I wonder does anyone remember watching this interview. Lord Avebury who had contacted the British Broadcasting Corporation on my mother’s behalf, received a letter from the same British Broadcasting Corporation falsely informing him that this evidence had been passed on to my mum’s solicitors.

During the final appeal of the civil action Judge Jones refused to hear the testimony of Mr. David Capper (the reporter who interviewed Major Sewell) therefore suppressing this vital evidence ever being heard in court. In fact he discounted all evidence accept the totally fabricated story presented on behalf of the British army in conjunction with the British Government.

Our Parish Priest Father Mc Killop told my mum he drove by the spot where Brian was shot moments before it happened; he confirmed to her no riot was taking place. Our own Parish Priest knew the truth about Brian’s death however he refused to go to court to tell the truth ‘that the military lied.

Father Faul told my mum that he had a private confidential conversation with a senior army person who confirmed that our family’s version of what occurred was in fact the truth. My mother had a lot of respect for Father Faul however I still fail to see why he failed to stand up and speak the truth knowing how important it was to my mum.

My mum marched on the Shankill with the peace people despite her personal opinion about the origin of that organization. They had a meeting in our community centre the morning Brian’s life support machine was turned off. Mairead Corrigan Maguire refused to condemn Brian’s murder because she said it was controversial. Her family members died at the hands of a man who had been murdered by the same men, British soldiers, was that not controversial? Members of our tightly knit community chased them away in respect for the grief our family was experiencing. The media broadcast and printed the British army’s press release; no-one was moved to do some investigating journalism on behalf of Brian. As a consequence of this adverse media coverage my mum received hate mail concerning Brian during the early days of her grieving. The mail was signed loyalists and Protestants. Coming from a ‘mixed’ family we knew these ignorant people where the exception rather than the rule but their vile words hurt at that vulnerable time nonetheless. The Taoiseach,Mr. J. Lynch T.D. when contacted by my mum asking for assistance with clearing Brian’s name - his advice to her was to consult her legal representative, he obviously did not want to get involved.

A well known local solicitor turned up at my mother’s house whilst Brian’s coffin was being brought in. He asked my mum to allow him to represent Brian’s case. On the day of the inquest Mr. X accidentally bumped into my mum in the High Court in Belfast Mr. X had not only forgotten who she was or that he was supposed to be her legal representative at Brian’s inquest. Obviously he was totally unprepared, no statements, no evidence no prepared questions etc., Never having been in a court before we were stunned and despondent.

Mr.X,s final contribution was to fail to follow up on the open verdict. To this day I still wonder how could a newly appointed solicitor involve himself in such an important high profile and controversial case and then totally forget to appear to represent the case. His appearance at the court was a total accident. I am also puzzled as to why my mum had to petition so many people in her vain attempt to secure the vital video evidence which this solicitor could simply have issued a subpoena in order for it to be produced. Eventually my mum got in touch with courts herself to discover that the director of Public Prosecutions felt there was insuffient evidence for a prosecution to take place. I believe this was due to the soldier’s lies and this Mr. X’s incompetence.

1976 was not a good year to find champions for innocent children no longer with us to tell their own story.

My mother discovered that her only option to have Brian’s name cleared and his story told was to initiate a civil action. My mother changed her solicitor and began the proceedings. Civil Actions are the only legal recourse a person has if the D.P.P. decides not to prosecute. My mother had to take this action out against the Ministry of Defence. As my father was working it was estimated his disposable capital was 1,445 pounds per year, this was to support our family of ten. In order to initiate these proceedings my mother had to pay 228 pounds quite a sacrifice for our family at the time. It always seemed sad to me that my mum had to pay British agency hard earned money in order to bring another British agency (which had murdered her young son) to court. Just before the Civil Action was to be heard before Judge Brown, (in a futile attempt to prevent any exposure of the circumstances surrounding the murder of my brother and the subsequent perjury by members of the army involved.)

The Ministry of Defence offered my mother 300 pounds, the maximum available compensation for the death of a child at that time I believe however a condition of this acceptance was that the Ministry of Defence would not accept responsibility for Brian’s death. In my mind this offer of compensation confirmed that the British Government knew they were guilty of murdering my brother. My mother naturally turned it down. She had not gone to court for compensation she had gone to court to defend her young son whose life had been stolen. Whose name had been slurred. My mother had gone to court to have Brian’s name cleared and to have the truth concerning his death made public.

I have brought my children up to believe that race, creed or colour are not important, values inherited from my mum, it is what you do in life that matters. My brother was a young boy who brought joy into the life of everyone he knew, he deserved to mature into a man who could have contributed a lot to the world we live in. Brian had a large family circle and many friends who were deeply affected by his death, thirty years later the hurt has not healed because the truth about his death has never been told.

When the peace process was being negotiated an inquiry named The Patten report was in progress, even though my mum could barely stand as she had only one more month before she lost her courageous battle with cancer, she personally went and made her submission. My mother’s deepest wish was that Brian’s name would be cleared and it would be proved that Brian was an innocent child who lost his life unnecessarily. Because of her deep religious convictions my mother did not crave revenge. In fact she campaigned in England during the miners strike to have plastic bullet guns removed from the police stations who were stocking them up to use on protesting minors. She also campaigned with a dedicated group of concerned individuals i.e. Clara Reilly to have the plastic bullet gun removed from use.

As it has not been proved that it was not open to abuse by ignorant or devious individual’s and was inaccurate enough to maim and kill innocent bystanders. Another of those campaigners was Mrs Emma Groves, a housewife permanently blinded when a plastic bullet was fired through the front window of her home. My mother’s faith in truth and justice never wavered; she always believed until her death that Brian’s name would finally be cleared. Clara Reilly had been one of the nine civilian witnesses to Brian’s murder. Clara supported our family during the early days of Brian’s death. Clara and my mum became friends because of these tragic circumstances. Mrs. Reilly always made herself available to my mum if she needed help or support which was so important in those difficult days. I do not believe it would be a regular occurrence for an unassuming quiet housewife to take on the might of the British Government in defence of her child akin to the David and Goliath story.

Now that the politicians and law makers have decided that anyone involved in any killings that occurred during ‘the troubles’ will more than likely not be prosecuted or imprisoned. I feel it is time for the truth to be told. There have been a lot of families in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales who have suffered the same grief as my family, I realise their grief is neither less nor greater than the hurt we still suffer, there is no hierarchy in the grief of families. We have all been the victims of the mismanagement of successive British governments and politicians. I do believe, however, that those in positions of authority have a duty to protect and defend the people they claim to serve; therefore, their behaviour should be beyond reproach. This includes members of the security forces, police and ‘activists’ from both sides of the political divide who felt compelled to either defend their community or further their political agendas. I believe that all life is sacred. If however, you choose to be a combatant you do so understanding the consequences may incur you being responsible for taking someone’s life or indeed losing your own. In the hierarchy of victims I believe the innocent murdered civilians must be taken into consideration first.

On the day my brother was shot there were nine soldiers in the foot-patrol. They were, Lt. O’Brien, Pvt. Charles A. Smith, Major Sewell, Pvt. Aitchison, Sgt.Ravenhill, Lance Corporal Carr, Pvt. McMeona, Pvt.Lee Pvt. Wilson. (A) Pvt Wilson (B). More than likely they returned to a barrack’s full of British personnel to relate what really happened to my wee brother. Most of these personnel were from the Kings Own Scottish Border’s regiment. Everyone who heard the truth from that patrol must have mothers, fathers, wives, brothers, sister’s children and friends. Someone must have heard of a little thirteen year old boy being shot in Belfast during October 1976. I ask you all please search your conscience, come forward with the truth. This government is planning to spend quite lot of money investigating the unresolved murders, if they come clean on those deaths they were involved in, not only would it set an example to other organisations, but some of this money could be re-directed to where it would be better spent on hospitals, schools or those in need.

My understanding is that the British government has control over its military, its police and its courts. There is no question that they have all the relative information in regards to Brian’s death, and so there is no need to waste time or money.

I implore anyone who has any information relating to my brothers death to please come forward. There are only so many times’ in one’s lives, that we given the opportunity to “do the right thing”
There are ways of doing it anonymously.

Thanking you in advance

Marie Duffy
Brian’s oldest sister.

* If this testimony affects you I’ll be most grateful if you pass it on.

Well Xmas is over and done with and now a new year. 2006, how it all catches up, eh? Over the last few weeks I have ‘reflected’ on the last fifteen plus years of my life, more especially as I got stuck into ‘boxing my last ten years of ‘political activity’. It has now been ten years 1996 – 2006 since I first became a ‘political activist’, and over those years I have kept many paper cuttings, TV and radio interviews, and discs of my writings and dairies etc. Now like the previous decade or so, they are being boxed and stored. I have loads of pictures of my time through my teens and twenties and like the last ten years, I believe it is good to keep such as so one can look back over time.

When I was in my late teens through to my twenties, a close friend and I had travelled to many parts of the world, and so had did much that had not been afforded to me as a child growing up in the heart of West Belfast during the height of the conflict. Our travels ranged from Disney World Florida through to treks across the Austrian Alps. More especially we just partied in all the holiday hot club nightspots around Europe, to all hours of the morning.

It was a time when much was in my head, and we where young, naïve, just kids really in many ways, but we lived for the moment. I remember the first holiday fifteen plus years ago, the Vista Club, Santa Ponsa, {My God, nearly two decades ago – how it flies in} and there was an entertainer there who thought he both looked like and could sing like a famous Latin America singer. I remember us laying by the pool or playing ‘pool football’ with a couple that came from West Belfast one of which was called ‘Big Barney’ { who I bang into now and again} with him having been a Civil Servant. The music we had brought with us and which was echoing around the pool was by Michael Bolton.

I remember those times and of Sniff, Slick and Ferret etc and the fond and happy memories I have of each. At times each comes to my mind and the memories of our time together brings a smile to my face of yesteryear.

Of course there where the falling’s out and times of anger, but as time has moved on I can think back and remember with fondness the many happy and good times.

Yet as stated, I am a completely different person now than I was then, indeed in many ways today I am the opposite. I suppose maturity and life’s new experiences has helped create that personality in which I am now contented with. Indeed I believe the person I am now is the ‘real’ me long held back. A person who cares for others, who has a love for travel and the environment, who loves to cook and share things equally, a chilled person really.

Marie and I and our travels now are though more about exploring rather than all night partying, {which I needed to do at the time} as we seek out new peoples and cultures. Although we sometimes do go on the odd all nighter as we weekly hit the club floors, but a nice meal or catching a show is just as regular. .

I have to say though I have been fortunate enough to have travelled to probably thirty to forty countries to date.

Yet similarly in the last decade and again despite falling outs, and anger at times gone by, I can now ‘reflect’ and look back at my time within the SWP with fondness and some good times also. And like my time in youth, now since leaving the SWP I have found, {as others have, that I am a different person, again for the better}. Indeed although I have found that I am as much political I do now have more fun, have become more chilled, and have more time for friend and family than I had previous. Yet in doing so I have found I can and have done more, and have made more political contacts and found more support than I have ever found even at the height of the Belfast SWP.

Similarly I have more time for friends, family and hobbies, with also, as stated, to take up a degree course and to learn a language this year also. I have in the last while headed to Holland with Marie, Marie’s Mum and step - dad as well as chilling on the coast of North Africa with more of Marie relatives. This year though we are to go to Italy with my Mum and step - dad, before later on in the year heading of ourselves again. For us most of our monies, presently, is and has been poured into such travels, although after this year we have other plans, such as planning to start a family and to get the house done up, new car, new kitchen etc. But given the fact with the low air fairs {we got five days in Spain not so long ago, flights, accommodation for £160 between us, and only had to bring food and few quid to chill with} you can almost go away for a long weekend every two months or so, if you ‘shop around and keep your annual leave. Saying that though, the issue of the environment is an essential point of concern in that regard, and other aspects of ‘travel should be sought. Yet this brings into the frame those of low income and such possibilites of travel, an issue I shall go into later.

And so as stated, I am going to knuckle down both into study and work this year, while still allowing time for activism.

{On that matter, this will be the last Dairy input for the next few months as I am taking time out to finish my book. I will return to my dairy in May, around the fifth or so, and by that stage my book should be all but complete}.

- Marie and I had planned to take a wee break at Xmas but amongst other things Marie had to go away for the weekend, as she will do in the next month or so with the voluntary organisation she gives time to. That is a another thing I have found, that it is important in relationships to have some space and time to yourself, as being with some one 24 – 7 does not work I have found.

- So if Marie has to go on such trips or when I go to conferences or meetings around Europe, we therefore ensure our time together is quality time, such is good for a relationship.

-Well, while sifting through all the political stuff I have collected over the years to be boxed it has brought back loads of memories. Therefore just for closure on the issue, and with my leaving the SWP, I will finish of with a couple of unanswered questions as to that leaving. I have found that reasons are given, as in all such organisations, for their membership when key figures leave, but for the record and against any future revisionism I gave closure to these facts here. The only other time I will return to the SWP on such matters is in my book - as now that history - is being boxed and stored.

Firstly though {before all is boxed and shipped} I will give you a little reading from Dairy inputs of the start of a new year, the month was Jan, the year 1999, when the Belfast SWP was just starting to kick of.

‘Dec 31st 1998 – Recap, I had found the SWP on my first impression to be a small. loose and very dis - organised in Belfast. I drew this impression on the basis of being a shop steward in NIPSA.

SWP members {active and semi active} 8 – 12 members.

Have been elected onto SWP Political Committee. Have moved from one Belfast branch since joining to four branches. Previous actions include

1}March to Harryville. {Socialist Party position here is bizarre for socialists, seems they are trying to create a reality rather that dealing with it in fear of isolating loyalists?}

2}Fight against fees

3} Civil Service Walkouts, {I had played a key role with others on my branch, branch 8, CSA, in walkouts against threats on workers and Sectarianism}. Threats came from Republican, ‘paramilitaries amongst others. I had been asked to speak at event by my Branch Secretary due to the work I had put in, but declined, as I was still not confident with public speaking. Did stand beside him as he spoke on ‘Platform’ and I addressed a number of worker concerns. SP person also spoke – they hate us with a passion?

Jan 1st 1999 – Almost finished the book {already} Marie had got me for Xmas, ‘Lenin, Building the party’. An excellent book. Got ‘threats’ last week from Nationalist Socialist Movement, also some verbal threats from some ‘republican’ supporters’ don’t like a new kid on the bloc I think.

Jan 4th - *** phoned to say PC was on, on Friday 6.30 at *** house. I phoned ** I had met at demo before Xmas to meet him before our branch meeting. I phoned around the branch as doubt the Sec will do it

Jan 5th – Central branch first meeting of the year, seven people attended. This is decent enough start given that this is non-functioning branch. When I was at the central branch last, there were 15 at it, prior to that in South there was 17 at it, when I went into hospital the meetings all but collapsed. Comrades need a major shift of attitude.

Jan 8th – Political Committee. Excellent discussion but once again I felt *** always had to get the last say. Democratic Centralism {DC} is what we believe in but there are occasions when no such thing exists for individual leading members. Tonight I wanted to talk about an issue {which my branch had asked me to rise} but was told that ‘so and so and so and so would discuss it later’ I stated I was here to represent members and they had asked this to be raised, but *** dismissed this. I totally disagree with this, this is not DC.

We are to do our own Northern part of the paper, myself *** and ***

Jan 9th – First sale after New Year. East Belfast had their sale so did central. South Belfast did not. *** phoned me and said S/Belfast was not going that well. I had a huge argument with him as activists were well into double figures when I was there.

Each time I go into a branch and build it up to a healthy branch then I am moved on to another branch to do similar. But the branches just collapse when I am gone. I am starting to get tired of this, will soon put my foot down and state that I am staying where I am rather than a floating branch builder.

Jan 12th – Did Central branch meeting on Palestine and the fight for Socialism. Marie and I and several other comrades went out on the town afterwards.

-That gives just a gist of the time at beginning of 1999. Well to bring closure on the SWP days, just a few points.

From my earliest days I had problems with the issue of Democratic Centralism, this not so much in itself but the fact that it was used, as and when, it was needed to keep people in line, and ignored when needed to be ignored. As shown above my earliest experiences were to see it ignored when leading individuals felt it should be ignored. I have went on to have the understanding that all – All - local DC organisations have ignored DC when they, individually, thought it was necessary to do so.

So this is not just a trait of the SWP. Indeed even from my earliest days I was coming to such conclusions, as other long term members from Belfast had already come to and had already begun to leave due to this. Although their time was dressed up as pessimism and other attacks on their person by the leadership {similarly as some leading figures of the SWP spout similar to their members in relation to oneself} the reality was very different. Again the reasons as to why they left are out lined below in an online interview one of them did a while after leaving –

Quote - ‘The organisation was dominated by new turns in perspective, they would come out with a new line every six months which didn’t appear to have any continuity and because of these turns I became increasingly frustrated. They didn’t come from the ordinary membership, from debate. They were just sprung on us from the central leadership, from Dublin and partly from a London dictated line and Belfast was expected to simply fall into line’

-Again some of the points I had begun to rise many years’ later – re - ridiculous and unaccountable leadership decisions including from those unelected by us from afar.

This situation had intensified when it came around to the time of the ISO and it’s expulsion from the ‘tendency’, which taught me a number of lessons. Firstly it taught me how DC could again be ignored and secondly how there was no such thing as the leading part of the tendency simply giving ‘advice

-When the ISO was expelled I as a leading member ‘was told’ that there was no articles from the ISO opposing such allegations’ {as to the reasons for their expulsion}. But indeed there was quite a bit of reading but I was not provided with that reading and therefore with the other side of the story.
Indeed I was even lied to as when I had asked if they had replied to the allegations, I was told that they had not. Because of this I was close to leaving but the aul ace card was used ‘Davy you have to follow the DC line’ - that is democracy’.

So while DC was used to keep me quiet and in line, it was ignored when they wanted to withhold the facts {the truth}, therefore to quash any debate and dissent.

Again later on I could read all the eventual online documentations I had been told did not exist, and again it was similar points raised by many previous individuals and organisations that were previously expelled. –

Quote ‘ISO – ‘‘The SWP has conducted an ever-shifting campaign against us for a simple reason: we did not accept everything that emanated from Britain as gospel’.

This then brings me on to the next point that of the British SWP as simply being ‘advisors’, - this of course in reality is complete nonsense. The reality, and it is the reality as has been proven in fact, is that if you do not fall into line then they will seek to first internally and undemocratically ‘overthrow’ the existing leadership.

We have seen such farce within the attempt within the ISO where they could only find and attempted to use a ‘factional intervention’ of 6 or so members out of a 1000 within the ISO.

Yet even when they could not do that {and the democratic overwhelmingly majority stood firm} they simply moved such for expulsion from the tendency, which was the case with the ISO and several other whole organisations previous.

Indeed the British SWP uses different modes of intervention, but at the end of the day it has been shown, one way or another, rightly or wrongly, they will get their way. This is an extremely dangerous situation given that the hand full of ‘leaders’ who sit on the British SWP leadership{CC} rarely changes. Therefore anyone who wishes to ‘effect’ not only the British SWP but any part of the whole tendency just needs to be one or more of a very small ‘elite’ group’ to secure that ‘power’– that would be quite obvious – to many.

In the latter stages of my leaving, DC was again a major problem as was the continued ‘mad’ political leadership decision coming from afar. A huge argument went on between myself and The Irish PC, {I sent my documents to all the PC members I had details of as I had experiences, as stated, of how info can be discussed and decided outside the PC} This dealt with a number of issues but more especially how a National Committee {NC} decision was overturned because two members of the party had a problem with the decisions.

Therefore again, DC was turned on its head as in effect two members could in effect overturn a National Committee decision, {as well as including a complete political somersault} in the process. Again some leadership figures where also kept out of this decision, but the decision and an National Committee decision, was over turned simply because two members disagreed with it and everything was therefore turned upside down to facilitate those two members, including of course the dismissing of democratic decisions and democratic accountability. I had raised all this within the documentation and the PC replied with what I can describe only as sheer attempted revisionism and attempting to brush the issues under the carpet. So I asked for clarification on their points, and so as a long term member they, of course, simply refused me even the courtesy of a reply, {accountable leadership and all that}.

This due in most part because I had spoke the truth, something they wanted not to deal with.

What was that about speaking truth to Power?

Yet despite all this I had remained with the Belfast SWP and had thought that some change could though still be affected. I had worked within the Belfast SWP who, as stated, where seen and did organise differently from all other sections of the SWP. The Belfast SWP had reached out and offered fraternal engagement and workings together with others and with that had found much and growing support. We where known then as the Belfast SWP and were moving from strength to strength.

Indeed despite such ways of the leadership of the SWP and their ways of working, I may have still been contented and may still have remained within the Belfast SWP but for the change, -

- which my wife gives thanks to {literally for getting me out of the SWP}, the arrival of the new organiser and afterwards therefore my ‘gradual’ departure -.

Organisers of course will come and go but the root and branch change effected to the Belfast SWP was to change it for good - as it was ‘won and indeed ‘driven into some key activists and the district as a whole.

And with it, it was to eventually destroy that which had taken years to build up.

Local organisers I have found are firstly ‘sussed’ out by the British SWP before they are then ‘appointed’ by the Irish SWP {but they ‘report’ regularly to the non elected - to Irish comrades -, British SWP}. I am not sure if that is the case with all the tendency organisations but that is how it happened here, no matter what one is told. I know this from having been at one time on all leadership bodies of the Irish SWP.

-The first decision with the ‘new arrival’ was a decision which was in fact to lay the foundations for the destruction of the Belfast SWP, and that was the axing of the Belfast District committee -.

This I had thought and had argued against as it was a mad thing to do, given as this was the place where all the local strands of organisation and those key activists in various campaigns around the branches and district came together to update, discuss and share tactics and experiences and to agree how to move things forward. This was where the Belfast SWP had moved itself from ‘no- where’ to a position of real and growing support and activism, with mobilising ever greater numbers. This was where we organised our combined growing activist interventions, our radical actions, our militant direct actions etc, and was where the fingers of activism was clenched tighter into a fist for action. This was where we had our district political interventions, and prepared for our large scale and mass mobilisations - and with all that, it more importantly was indeed the very nucleus for our success and co ordination, as I had argued at the time.

- Nevertheless it was to be, and was axed, as the first decision.

Then what followed really opened my eyes as too how and why others had perceived the SWP in bad light elsewhere. It was also the arrival of the ‘dogmatic and down your throat politics’ that had seen some members leave, and which had been tried on me but I was having none of it. That position to my self eventually changed, but it was to little to late. Then followed the ‘Political Sectarianism’ towards those from other organisations and individuals we had worked with for years and the dismissiveness and arrogance towards them etc.

Therefore the Belfast SWP as it had been known, was slowly becoming no more.

I knew then that change could not be effected, and the thing that could have kept me there - the Belfast SWP of old -was becoming unrecognisable.

I had learnt much from such times and have taken many valuable lessons with me. While the Belfast SWP, as stated, has organised nothing new onto the streets of Belfast in over a year now. I have seen through Street Seen a situation that has both taken on board and expanded that support, respect and solidarity, and indeed has done more even than that of the Belfast SWP at its height, even although only one year established. – as reported elsewhere on dairy.

It has shown how the way of working, as I had previously advocated for the Network structure for the ARN Movement and had seen similar in the consensus structure of the MPH NI Movement, has continued to move forward the huge mobilisations of Catholic Protestant and Dissenter.

Therefore I have given ‘my points on my leaving the SWP, and so I bring closure on that as I now box {literally} that part of my life. In saying that I say I have experienced much similar in all DC organisations. I had seen the finger pointing of me, {from the General Secretary of the Northern Ireland Socialist Party}, out to the state forces for ‘directing unlawful actions’ {organising Anti War sit down protests.} Done purely because of sheer political Sectarianism towards me, as had been seen also with us being put out of our venues or our posters papered over etc. Then within aspects of Republicanism I had seen general and personal attacks circulated amongst members and others re - myself. Indeed all such parties, for perceived party interest, or individually because of mindset or such do similar.

Therefore with the closing of those boxes that brings closure on such points {apart from my book} and as stated I still though have many good memories of those times. I will of course work with such activists for the ‘greater good’ as and when, but from the full benefit of having full understanding of their politics and methods.

I differ from many in relation to my politics as it is based on class and active non-Sectarianism. Indeed I argue constantly on that basis while not being afraid to tackle core issues in fear of ‘frightening’ of one side or the other. Therefore at times I have been a Loyalist Lover and a Half Prod through to a ‘Shinner and Left Republican’ by those who want to ‘tar’ me. For me I have no truck with Loyalism as I have no truck with Nationalism, but that does not stop me engaging with both.

I am a Socialist and an Internationalist and stand with my class.

{UAF} - Looking through the articles I was ‘boxing I remembered how many around the world follow with much interest our small patch of earth. I had remembered standing on the Make Poverty History Movement Platform in Belfast looking upon those thousands gathered, then having seen us on the United Nations website a few weeks later. I had remembered heading a march of thousands {I had carried a huge red WARN flag on my own at the front of the march, with two people behind me carrying similar red flags, then three in a line, then four, this up to six I think, then thousands fell in behind}} on an ARN Movement march through Belfast. With that I had received an email a few days later from California in the USA of one who had listened to me being interviewed at the time.

Then I had remembered heading of the Anti War Movement march again of thousands, and a few months later I had banged into an old school friend who told me he was in Latin America with friends and had seen me being interviewed there! This as I had headed of the march towards the summit on the outskirts of Belfast where British Prime Minister Tony Blair and USA President George Bush where meeting for further plans on Iraq. So I have found that many take a keen interest in our wee patch more especially when seeing thousands and indeed tens of thousands of Catholic Protestant and Dissenter united in common goals.

Yet those on ‘each side’ of our divide I have also engaged with over time, in regards to leaderships of organisations {at times against the wishes of SWP leaders who ‘disowned’ me, until the realised it was the right move}. At other times I have been surprised at support shown at times by such leaderships. I can remember at the Feile in West Belfast when with Marie and Brother and Mother in Law, when Gerry Adams {President of Sinn Fein} said from the platform in front of thousands, ‘I ask all here today for you to support Davy Carlin of the ARN’.

Then on another occasion I had walked into a room full of hundreds of Loyalist’s in East Belfast after having addressed many of them at their conference, which had seen the then British Secretary of State also in attendance. A leading loyalist again welcomed me as I stood on the platform before I started my talk on education {an issue in which I am to deal with here}.

On the other hand though I have other memories of Unionist and Loyalist accusing me of being responsible for several days of rioting, roadblocks etc, in the loyalist working class estate of Sandy Row, simply for speaking out against racism. Also I had seen me being ‘attacked’ in that ‘I had cried of from doing a meeting’ for another organisation, ‘Republican. I had wanted to do it but real pressure was put on me from the SWP not to do it {from some whom I eventually learnt had almost a hatred for the said organisation which can even been seen in their face when talking about them, such is its strength}, this was something though I regret not having stood against more firmly at the time as I had did on other issues.

I also glanced over the pictures and interviews that I had done and that had went all around the world, and then closed the box, maybe to be returned to in the decades to come.

So I have some interesting memories of the last ten years of such activism, and people can catch up with more detail, if they want, along with that of my youth in my book in the time ahead.

I had raised the point of Education.

For me I had found that quite a few of the key activists within the SWP and SP up here in the North while ‘comfortably’ of, in regards to jobs, homes etc {such lived in either prime city centre locations, or leafy suburbia, with plenty of cash on the hip and some with several family cars etc}. They were senior managers, directors, heads of departments, senior lectures, sat on board of governors etc, so socialists aren’t all ‘poverty stricken students although many of the rank and file may be. Therefore that is probably where the concept ‘middle class socialists’ I often heard has arisen. What they had in common though, those who had kids, was that the importance of education was driven home. All sorts of study was pushed, and the violins and pianos etc held within the ‘studies and parlour rooms’ were to be utilised as so to give an added dimension to such learning.

Yet I had found growing up and now engaging in ‘equal parallel; with academics, doctors, lecturers etc that a difference does exist when it comes to such learning, and that that difference is seen clearly at many times between the working classes and the middle classes. This more especially during the height of conflict, as I see now some positive changes in some ways.

What I noticed was that there was a vicious circle when it came to families who had little education, thus the cycle by and large continued through to the next generation. For many in my estate {Twinbrook} at that time {80’s} there was the real and added impetus of overt sectarian discrimination, so many thought ‘what is the point anyway.

Yet {personally} I had found that when I had left the estate and had got a job and started travelling that this had started to rub of on my younger brothers and sisters, more especially when I had showed them pictures of my travels to far of lands etc. With that I urged them, and went with them at times, to enrol for various courses etc. They had of course the drive themselves but given the times it was so easy to think ‘what is the point? Now my sister is in middle management, has a degree, and is to further study to be a Doctor. She is just back from Las Vegas {her travels}, and is soon to take a career break to travel the world for a year with a mate before continuing those studies.

My bother is also in middle management and is taking up the same degree course as me after the summer, although he is taking in addition IT, while I will do an additional language. My youngest brother again continues studies while holding down his job as a now qualified electrical engineer, he has not travelled as much but his wee ‘sporty car’ and soon to buy motorbike may have something to do that. Out of six aged between 25 and 35, only one has kids, only one at home, and most of them travelling, studying and ‘moving up in their careers. And all born either into the Murph or the Falls.

Although my ‘career achievement {to date} had for a period seen me as an Executive within the N.I Civil Service I had soon moved to ‘unpaid virtually full time activism {my choice} and odd jobs here and there to get by at times.

Nevertheless I would not replace such activism I had done over the last decade for the world. Such activism will continue but as stated one cannot live on bread alone, so one is to get that degree {and the cloak and hat} and with that wealth of experience I have accumulated I shall embark on a ‘progressive career’ in addition to my activism.

{My family are chuffed though that I am to be an author}

{Which reminds me, if any of my readers can point me in the direction of a decent publisher who may be interested in publishing my story I would appreciate it. Drop me an E-mail at carlindavid@hotmail.com.
The gist of the book is given towards the end and will be finished in a few months}

As with my brothers and sisters this is similar with most of my immediate cousins of my age, they own their own computer - building firms, are teachers, solicitors or ‘business people. Yet there are other relatives within my extended family of similar age who have not ‘progressed’ as such.

Although discrimination is still around us, there is though more opportunity for people now. This seen through civil and social rights which had been won for us, by activists who had took the battle to those who had denied us them. With that we now have far more opportunities than we would have had, had that battle not be waged by those seeking us those rights.

This generation should salute those who have long battled and continue to battle for such rights.

Of course there will always be, {until fundamental change} the discrimination by the ruling classes to the working class as a whole, but that fight, that class fight, continues.

Therefore, under this system one does need to acquire those relevant qualifications to ‘progress’ and have a ‘decent standard of living under this system and there has been many changes in that regard over the years that has been ‘won to facilitate that. I still think that that generational cycle though will continue for many, but more opportunity is there as seen in real terms. For Socialists though while social and civil rights and the ending to forms of discrimination is applauded and actively supported, we though continue for that fundamental change.

I also believe that life long education and life’s education are essential. Like the education in youth, life long education should be fully facilitated and fully resourced. This from our libraries through to our adult Colleges and ‘learning programmes. Also life’s education in all its forms is so important. From travelling and meeting different peoples and culture around the world to engaging with the many peoples and cultures coming to live here and who are welcomed amongst us on our wee patch of earth.

Why not even try talking to a Prod or a Taig! It all starts somewhere you know.

-The Gist of my book is as follows {followed by the first paragraph of the first chapter to give you the flavour of it} so anyone who knows of a decent publisher I would appreciate it.

{This will be followed by an update of activism etc during December.}

Working title – West Belfast, the Journey

The book that I am about to embark on is something that not only had I for a long time wanted to do but also thought important to do. It details my life as a Black kid growing up at the height of the ‘Irish Troubles’ within a community that was at the heart of the recent Irish war, that of West Belfast. It accounts for a large extended family across West Belfast and tells of the many whom I had known who had been killed, murdered, or had committed suicide during this recent conflict, as well as those I had seen being shot as a child. It also tells of now infamous situations and those people whom I had known in childhood within them. The book covers the periods of the seventies until the late eighties within West Belfast.

The book then accounts my becoming a recent activist for change and my return to West Belfast after ten years away. It shall account for myself and others as key activists within various campaigns which mobilised thousands and indeed tens of thousands of citizens, Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter onto the streets of Belfast. It shall also account for those activists whom I have worked with on the establishing of crucial publications that has afforded space to those who have found most avenues of written expression hard to access. It will also deal with my engagements, Radio, TV and various platform debates and discussions with those Republican, Loyalist, Unionist and Nationalist leaders, many I had first seen on TV as a child. It will tell also of being invited into the heart of ‘Loyalist’ working class estates to speak to ‘their’ communities despite coming from the heart of a ‘Republican’ working class estate. I will also write of the times I had found myself sitting around tables with the leadership of such Loyalist Paramilitaries in the quest for resolution.

The book shall be styled in the form of a journey in a Black Taxi starting from the top of the White Rock Road, then down the Falls Road. Then I shall travel around Belfast city centre, back up the Fall’s and Andersonstown Roads up to Twinbrook, then finally across back home to Turf Lodge. The Journey is not only a journey in the Taxi, but of a journey in my life. I shall account throughout the journey episodes and incidents of my life and life around West Belfast. This is joined by conversations with those people getting in and out of the Taxi from different generations. The book shall mainly concentrate of those areas that I had lived, Ballymurphy, Falls Road and Twinbrook but other areas in part shall be covered.

On my recent activism, it shall account amongst other things the mass, historic, and at times unprecedented Anti Globalisation, Anti Sectarian, Anti War, Anti Racism and Anti Poverty marches and rallies that I with other activists had brought about in the North of Ireland. It shall also cover my going to International protests from Genoa to Geneva and of the comrades tortured and murdered. I intend to put pictures in my book of the local area etc, as well as two pictures that had went around the world in which I had featured. The first is that of myself as a child looking upon the face of 1981 Hunger Striker Bobby Sands as he lay in his coffin. The second of having been a founding member, an organiser and spokesperson of the Belfast Anti War Movement {BAWM} and Stop the War Coalition which mobilised the largest Anti War march ever seen in the North of 20, ooo + citizens in Belfast. The particular picture that was sent around the world was when United States President, George Bush, flew to a small town on the outskirts of Belfast to meet Tony Blair to have a war summit in relation to Iraq. I had with others led of the lead banner as thousands of us marched upon the summit and the police lines.

It will also deal with the Anti Racism Movement. In the last few years Belfast has been termed as the ‘Race Hate Capital of Europe’. This due to the rise in both the number and the brutality of attacks on the growing minority ethnic communities. We have seen petrol bomb and pipe bomb attacks on the minority Ethic community as well as seeing pregnant Chinese women smashed in the face with bricks. We had seen attacks leaving people homeless, in wheelchairs, and indeed we had even seen racist murders. As little was being done about this, therefore I initially and two others set out to do something and with that we now we have the Anti Racism Network {ARN} – which had then developed into an Anti Racism Movement. The ARN has mobilised thousands onto the streets {some rallies ‘unprecedented in Northern Irish Political history’} - around Belfast and within its communities both against such attacks and in solidarity and defence of the victims of them. Some of the more brutal attacks have been carried out by Loyalist Paramilitaries while others by small fascist organisations. We had stood against such attacks, vocally and visibly.

As Chairperson of the ARN I had also been flown to London by ITV to be interviewed live around the UK as part of Black History Month.

The book shall deal also with Branch 8 - CSA {civil servants} who where at the forefront of unofficial actions and mass walkouts of thousands of civil servants that had lead the government to specifically condemn publicly our branch out of the entire Northern Ireland civil service before moving against us on our branch committee.

This became known as the most important trade union and workers dispute in twenty years’.

Finally it will deal with the Make Poverty History Movement {MPH} of which I was Chairperson of its Events Committee. We had organised the largest such rally against global poverty seen in the North of Ireland of thousands of citizens, and had mobilised many hundreds more activists from Belfast to go to protest at the G8 in Scotland. This again was the largest such mobilisation ever seen, with up to one thousand travelling from Ireland to the G8 in total. Our eventual protest at the G8 also witnessed the largest political demonstration in the history of Scotland.

Much more in the way of activism shall be accounted for, from the largest Anti Sectarian Rally ever seen in the North and our not unimportant role within it through to the Street Seen mobilisations and our support. Which had seen homeless people in direct actions through to the unprecedented backing down of a government minister against a deportation.

This book is to be deliberately written as a readable book that can be accessed by all, but it nevertheless will hold much politics and political understanding both local and International. A more academic book I may write in future years.

Finally each chapter will be headed by a quote, which will express in a few sentences my understanding of the coming chapter

The Book – In the Beginning {Chapter 1} Draft

‘They gave the citizens brutality, injustice, discrimination and poverty’. ‘The citizens therefore gave them revolt’.

It was the year 2004, thirty-five years after 1969, which many view as the beginning of ‘the troubles’. I was thirty-four years old and living now in Turf Lodge {the Turf} in West Belfast. On a particular day of that year I had ventured out of my home to go down town, this despite the downpour that was ongoing. As I walked towards the top of the ‘Rock’, {White Rock Road} I was joined by a neighbour, then the heavens really opened and it lashed down so we quickened our pace. Then from across the street a couple of kids lifted a few stones and threw it at a passing Peeler {Police} jeep. With that came a loud voice directed at the kids ’catch yourselves on yee will put someone’s eye out,’ this coming from a man not far from them. The kids scampered and my neighbour commented at how long it had been since he had seen ‘that’, which I had presumed he was referring to the situation of the kids throwing bricks at the Peelers. So we said our goodbyes as I got into a ‘Black Hack’ {Taxi} at the top of the Rock.

As I sat back into my seat the rain pelted off the taxi windows and the man who had shouted at the kids crossed the road to make his way across to the Spar. Yet although he had a cap on, his face was familiar – older, but nevertheless familiar. I pulled down the window slightly and our eyes met briefly as he made his way past the front of my waiting taxi. I then pulled the window back up. So as I sat there alone in the back of the hack waiting for it to fill up I moved across the seat to the window that lay closest to the kerb. I laid my head on the window and closed my eyes for a moment and with that my mind went back in time, back to the mid seventies.

‘Catch a grip of that’ came the voice of a much younger and able man as a friend grabbed the other end of a crate load of bottles almost half full of liquid. The voice was that of the much older man who almost 30 years on had shouted ‘catch yourselves on’ to kids cladding a few stones at the, still, very same forces that he was planning for all those years ago. I was in fact standing in my memories almost to the very spot of where I was sitting presently in 2004. I let my mind continue to wander in the past, to re live in my mind my memories, it was 1976

The crowds of youth where gathering at the top of the Rock as I held on to my Grannies hand as we proceeded down along the Upper Springfield Road. As we continued I looked up at my Gran with her warm smile radiating out from her head scarf with the feel also of her warm and secure hands as I continued to hop and skip beside her. She looked down upon me and smiled her smile looking upon my face. With my Afro and black face I of course stood out amongst the local ‘white community’ but it was a community in which I never felt any different, as I was never treated as such.

After a few brief moments we turned into the estate and made our way down the hill. I looked back to see the Brits {British soldiers} who had just left the Henry Taggart fort in their armoured tanks driving up towards the gathering crowds. Even from where I was I heard the cries of ‘here they come’ as the youth gathered their bottles, bricks and other weaponry at hand. It would be only a year later that I to would be driven by the state actions into seeking such weaponry, but for now we continued down the hill. At the bottom of the street we turned into Glenalina Road on our way to number 40. We were on our way into Ballymurphy estate, the ‘Murph’, the heart of the Irish war – it was 1976 and I was on my way home, I was six years of age.

- Well Xmas is over and a New Year, and I had a good one. -

I had been with all my closest relatives, Xmas eve Grans, Xmas day Dinner at Mum in Laws and extended family, Boxing day with my Mum, Step – Dad and extended family, New Years Eve extended family.

We also did a few things ourselves

Well having a massive family, and I mean massive {there where hundreds seated for our wedding dinner and hundreds more came that night} – it meant loads of ‘presents’ at Xmas. For me I do not go all baa - humbug at XMAS as I know many enjoy it. Some of the more interesting presents, included four ring side seats for Christy Moore’s Concert at the Waterfront Hall, a DVD – Karaoke machine for entertaining, {as my family usually break into song after a few hours when we hold a party}, the new mountain bikes – and of course my Mum always makes sure that I am ‘kitted’ out in the best of ‘gear’ for the next year. Therefore Marie has helped me get rid of my ‘SWP’ clothes as now in comes all the ‘trendy’ stuff as it is put to me.

The Mountain bikes are brill and Marie and I already have cycled a few hundred miles into the country side, visited parks, lakes and wildlife etc. Given that West Belfast will be in turmoil soon with the new road laying that will take three plus years to complete, the bikes therefore have been got at the right time. Hopefully we can see more and more people using pedal power as still only a handful of people around the Road use them {the geeks I am told – like myself} – But soon those who think such will move away from such as cycling, as like in other European cities will be both a realistic and essential mode of travel, not withstanding the environmental issues . More facilities though for cyclist are also needed.

UPDATES -

—Well I had attended the first ever same sex couple partnership held in the ‘U.K {Belfast} when Shannon Sickles and Grainne Close {members of the Anti Racism Network} were the first couple to make a public commitment to each other under the new civil partnership legislation.

Congratulations to them!

AGAINST POVERTY PAY AND EXPLOITATION OF MIGRANT WORKERS

Over 100 people rallied outside the UTV studios today at lunchtime {Dec 9th} in Solidarity action with workers in Irish ferries. Several Trade Unions where prominent {with banners - placards etc} including SIPTU, NIPSA, UNISON and ATGWU as was the Belfast Trades Councils members and Banner.

Excellent picture of us in the Dec 10th edition of the Irish News

Political parties banners had seen one from the Socialist Party and had seen also a sizable contingent from Sinn Fein. Other banners included Organise! and others again were written in Irish with the quotes of James Connolly.

Various others where in attendance and I had seen many who had and do give active support to the ARN there - so thanks for the support. This more especially with it being called and ‘Networked’ at very very short notice, as so to lend that practical, visual and collective solidarity.
South

In the South 100,000 plus Protestors took part in the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) National Day of Protest in Support of the Irish Ferries Workers on Friday, December 9th! While the mobilisation was excellent it was a bad deal for the workers.

A lesson that I have learnt over time is that when involved at the forefront of various Movements, that on many occasions the Trade Union Movement {ICTU} need to dragged by the scruff on the neck with an outreached arm behind oneself - as we drive forward on issues. Momentum can and has been ‘created’ in various Movements {as described throughout my diary} in which they are driven from a ground swell from below to re- act and support – actively.

Make Poverty History –

Make Poverty History 9th evening {absolutely miserable in terms of weather, rain, cold you name it}. Nevertheless we had seen several hundred people over the period of time lending support to the Central vigil - {Belfast City Hall} stopping to join in and to fill in the protest cards to be sent of, as well as seeing many dozens of activists elsewhere around Belfast City Centre raising awareness through different methods.

Music was provided also, and although drenched and cold it finished of an awesome and Momentous year for Make Poverty History in the North and Internationally.

Anti Racism Network – West Belfast

Pubs and Clubs Initiative

Decided to aim to launch this initiative during
European Week Against Racism, 18-26 March 06,
preferably on International Day Against Racism on 21st
March ( this will depend on whether there are other
high profile events happening on that day in Belfast).

St. Patrick’s Day Carnival

Suggestion that WARN participate in the St. Patrick’s
Day Carnival by having a float. This was agreed to.
This year the Beat Initiative will be working with
community groups in West Belfast to make floats etc.
Glen will talk to the Beat Initiative re WARN linking
in. It will be a good way for WARN to get others
involved, including people from the Filipino and other
minority ethnic communities living in the West. Also a
good way to get young people involved in something.

Could have T-shirts etc done for the carnival.

-It is good to see that the progressive elements within society have supported the funding for St Patrick’s Day. As I had said in my previous Dairy input such funding for major and collective initiatives is essential to move forward. Such resources, and support, should be found for all such similar initiatives.

The BNP –

The idea of people from West Belfast ARN
mobilizing against the BNP in South Belfast, should
they continue to canvass support, was discussed. It
was agreed that the South Belfast Anti-Racism Network
should take the lead in any actions in that area but
that WARN should support them. It was also suggested
that it might be worth the ARN talking privately to
the elected representatives and other players in the
area re this development and encouraging them to take a stand against the BNP coming into that area.

Street Seen and its activists were - are involved in all above actions and more –

Our new newspaper edition will be out soon onto the streets of Ireland.

- Well folks that’s me for now until May. Going to get stuck into my book {don’t forget any decent publishers drop me a line – or drop me a line and tell me what you think of my site, etc}. The last 15 or so years, and all those whom I was close to and knew, I hold many good, fond and happy memories which brings a smile to my face as I grow older and more reflective in life.

For me the next decade will bring much more, I of course will continue my activism as that struggle continues for a better, fairer, cleaner and more equal world.

Life is so short and I have learnt that one should try not to have any regrets or ‘what ifs’ by the end of it. With that I have set out my stall to do that which had not been afforded to me in youth. While at the same time continuing that struggle for that fundamental change that will afford that right to all.

See you all in May, as always, fight the Power

Apart from ‘chilling time’ spent with friends and family {I will go into this later on in this Diary entry} Marie and I have been stuck into activism and Solidarity.

It was a cold freezing Sunday afternoon in November 2005 when Marie and I had left our Turf Lodge {Turf} home and had made our way to the centre of the estate. We where on our way to the unveiling and the opening of the Memorial Garden, situated at the entrance of the Ballymurphy, {Murph} estate – {the heart of the Irish War}.

We had met up with some relatives and then with others had assembled firstly in Turf Lodge as we prepared to march to the Murph estate. As we then set of and marched up through Turf and had got to the top of the hill I had looked back, and as far as the eye could see, behind us lines of people were on the streets marching and making their way up the hill.

As we got to the entrance of the Murph estate I looked at the gathering crowd and had seen many faces of old including ex POW’s, friends and relatives alike, gather together in our many hundreds on that cold frosty late afternoon. As we had listened to the speeches and the names being read out, one could begin to realise the extent of the ‘loss’ of life from this small community alone over the years, if one had known little of such before hand.

Yet gathering there and before the lament played I had looked to my immediate left and seen a black flag flutter from a relatives window, further to my left and through a gap I seen the bedroom window that I had been brought back to, {my home}, in 1970 at the beginnings of the recent war. Indeed it is an estate that in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s that had housed 50 plus of my immediate relatives through that time, and houses many still today.

Then as the ‘last post sounded, Marie’s head had snuggled closer into my chest and with a lump in my throat I listened to the last throes of the last post, which although symbolic, could have seemed as much almost pre written. This because as the last post’s final cords had echoed around the Ballymurphy estate on that cold frosty November afternoon 2005, the red sun had finally disappeared behind our Black Mountain leaving us in even more darkness as those final cords rang out, as if also offering a final goodbye.

{Note - Black Mountain, our mountain, the people’s mountain, has won yet another award. So to add to the National Lottery award it has won an Aisling award. On my death I have wished it that some of my ashes are let ‘free’ upon Black Mountain. Also as I had raised recently, {Falls park} millions of pounds is now to be poured into our parks as so to clean them up and to keep them secure}

While standing there, and for a very brief moment while the rosary had been said at the ceremony, I had went back in mind to the mid 1970’s as a child, and probably to the very spot in which I was standing 30 years on.

‘Get into the Fuckers’ was the shout as youth tooled up and masked up, armed with everything at hand where getting wired into the army tanks as a British convoy made its way along the road. For me I did not get involved, as it was still to be a while yet before I as a child had been ‘driven’ to re – act into such action by the ‘Brits’.

This reaction was to come from a once passive child.

I then looked at the side of what was the memorial garden in Nov 2005 and had remembered the ‘climbing’ wall I had used to play on.

Then I felt Marie snuggle even closer within November 2005 so I returned back from my childhood of the Murph of 1975 to join her and in doing so had glanced at yet another face in the crowd and it spoke of yet more memories.
.

With that,and with the speeches etc finished we then had went into the marvellous memorial garden. And as my wife and I looked at the 125 or so names on the plaques, I had seen, at a glance, no less that five names of men, women and children who in some way where related to Marie or I, that had been murdered by the British state, may it have been by their ‘legitimate army’ or by their loyalist playthings whom they directed.

Yet there are many more memorials with many more names of those whom I had known.

I had also read at least twelve other family names I had known, while other names again I had seen being shot as a child. In doing so it had left a feeling in my gut and had later seen a look in my eyes that I had not felt or witnessed since a child of seven.

Putting aside the fact that the Shinners and the SDLP are tearing lumps out of each other over this,

- It though poses an important question as to those hundreds that where maimed and murdered by British State collusion and how families deal with that situation. For many many such families there will be no closure, as such, until they at least get to the truth of the matter.

- This is not only necessary but indeed it is a necessity of such a continuing post conflict situation and bringing some form of reconciliation and peace in that regard, this not only for present but for future generations.

- When a state murders its own citizens, men, women and children and does it under whatever guise, then the relatives should be entitled to the minimum of truth and for the state to admit that it has done wrong.

Just one example, my mother and laws mother, had fought long and hard until her death given the murder of her innocent child by the state. That fight continues with my mother in law for her brother and my wife for her uncle, and younger generations again standing on pickets or on marches in that call - with me and many others also standing with them. Yet this is just one example of the generations who will continue to fight for and call for such justice, there are hundreds more individual cases with such family generational input.

This issue is an essential part of ‘any’ such peace process for families and wider society. What is needed, at this point in time, and what is essential, is an International independent judicial enquiry into such deaths.

The ‘war may be over but this battle continues, as to ensure that for many {present and continual generations} that in some ways they can begin to find some ‘peace in mind’ in this local peace process as is befitting any ‘such peace process’ that offers such closure.

One of the speakers at the memorial event was Brian Keenan, known the length and breath of Ireland as a key Republican, and he spoke from the heart on a number of matters. From heading up Black mountain in his youth as many from the Murph area had done and do, to issues of the peace process, he had delivered without script. Yet it was during this that he had also raised the issue of poverty and the history of the Murph that had also drew my attention.

I had attended recently the Clar Nua 2 conference in West Belfast. In itself it was a very enlightening experience as it drew together many of the key organisations, grassroots individuals and political representatives that where attempting to deal with the social and economic deprivation of the local area. It dealt with a lot of issues such as economic regeneration, {the session in which I sat}, housing, Irish language development, Minority Ethnic communities, youth and children, women, mental health, education, training, equality and human rights and many other topics.

Starting of, it had raised points that I had already acknowledged. That is, that West Belfast was the most socially and economically disadvantaged area of the North. And within that, I was first born into, then had lived my teenage years in, and now live in, some of the most socially and economically disadvantaged areas within West Belfast.

That is Ballymurphy, Falls Road, Twinbrook and now Turf Lodge. With Twinbrook, Poleglass etc suffering the added overt and obvious discrimination under the Unionist dominated Lisburn Council.

Secondly the obvious fact that funding for essential services is being used, still, as a political weapon. And we also have the fact that such funding is very much always short termism thus not being able to plan long term to address essential issues and provide for essential needs.

We also see a ‘certain’ mindset of those in relation to West Belfast, which is I believe in many regards institutionalised within government and it’s various wings of wider societal governance.

Yet the various statistics discussed although informative, the real reality can be seen on the ground, as citizens live it.

For example the West Belfast Feile that many thousands attend and is a yearly Diary event for Marie and I, is seriously under resourced. This is the biggest community festival in Ireland and brings fun and laughter to our present and future generations –

And they withhold such real resources.

Then there is the Conway Mill which hundreds use regularly as do I and many of those close to me. This for training, education, small business, shared space etc.

And they withhold such real resources.

Yet when one sees such essential and key community services and structures denied such funding, more especially when one uses them, it brings it all the more closer to home. Yet it is not only a question of funding that I raise, but more especially that one wonders when such is happening to such prominent events and shared space venues what it is like for many of those attempting to upkeep smaller less visible, but nevertheless still essential services.

Yet many know the why as to why this is attempted, still.

Again when one sees the billions to be poured into the Lagan side, Cathedral Quarter and Titanic quarter and excluding the likes of the Gaeltacht quarter, again one can see clearly the ‘politics’ at play.

These initiatives are a battle a day to win against that agenda of elitism and exclusion.
It is to the credit of those that continue that battle. If the government attempts still to continue on this well worn path of attempting to exclude such resources and vital issues of service and modernisation then such needs to be fought with increased vigour.

Each step forward, each small gain, takes continual struggle, yet a clear agenda, localised, is also at play here in relation to the British Government and it wings.

Of course there is the issue of working class areas and the ruling classes attitude to such. Yet this is being intensified with another pre - set mode of discrimination, which is more localised and politically motivated in this regard.

Collective organisation is needed against this, both in relation to the socio and economic disadvantage and to the issue of the states collusion in the murder of its own citizens.

Many can only begin to move forward in any real sense if these fundamentals are tackled and indeed, addressed, with the greatest of urgency.

At the conference I had sat around the table at one of the sessions, with, to my immediate left and next to me was a Republican politician who is a member of the European Parliament and once Minister of Health for the North of Ireland. While on my immediate right was a Unionist Politician at City hall and a representative of a local working class loyalist district. Elsewhere around the table were key organisations and grassroots activists involved in, and interested in, the economic regeneration of the local working class areas.

I must say the meeting and discussion was very informative and got to the core issues, more especially given the wealth of talent and experience of those involved at the coalface of community activism.

{UAF} -I had remembered while in my earliest days within the SWP that I was ‘chastised’ for attempting to get involved in ‘community politics’. To the then leaders of the SWP, it was then in my earliest days a dirty word. We though were almost solely to march through leadership calls on issues, {although important} which where either far away or were ‘Global’. I had though thought this strange from the onset, and had sought to effect change in that regard.

It has now been over a year since the SWP in Belfast have mobilised any new initiative onto the streets of Belfast, as their first such ‘street’ initiative in over a year was recently called of.

NOTE = It more especially does not help when one attempts still the politics of exclusion and dogmatic control – as I had and have risen time and time again. Unfortunately I have been proved right in that regard, and little has changed =.

On that matter I had read with a sense of irony in their most recent edition of Socialist Worker a statement written by a leading member of the SWP. It was in relation to a Shinner {Sinn Fein member} speaking out against the party line, Quote ‘ Francie should be applauded for his bravery in not being afraid to break the party line’

Whatever the merits of this point it did, I must admit, bring a smile to my face as I was hounded and told by the SWP leadership at the time that I must follow the party line at all times.

I could just see some leadership figures actually burning a hole in the side of their cheeks with their proverbial tongues if they where to say that quote out loud, {or have they dropped the concept of Democratic Centralism in the SWP seeing as it was actually printed by the editorial leadership?}.

Politics, it’s a funny old game, eh?

- A report back at the conference had given a report back of all the sessions that took place and many of the points rose where similar. With the issue of the long-term practicalities, resources and provision needed to be put in place to tackle such issues ranging from mental health through to housing.

I had found myself nodding in agreement to most that was said and for the fundamental necessity for the conclusions {to be published on Clar Nua 2} to be fully resourced and implemented.

— Over the last year or so since leaving my former political party and feeling as if I can breath and think for oneself again, I have been ‘called’ an Anarchist, a Left Republican, a loyalist lover, a Liberal and a half Prod, this apart from ‘ Trot’ or ‘Commie’. So my recent activism will of course lend both succour and confusion to some.

For me I believe in many different tactics {within specific campaigns}, thus work with and support many differing tactical campaigns. My fundamental politics though, that of Revolutionary Socialism are well known within all campaigns, yet ones tactics are determined, as has always been stated, by the here and now, {albeit with a long term strategy} and not by some formula handed down from year dot. One would not call for immediate revolution with three people holding a placard outside some building, although one can engage as to the merits of such an eventual call.

In reality I deal in real politics, this while holding the same belief and working for the same outcome of that belief, but not entrenched within some type of time warp of retreat, mindset of old, or of impending catastrophe etc.

Therefore I cite two examples of recent activity in the last few weeks that one is ‘accused’, of, that is ‘Anarchism’, while on the other hand having been had ‘accused’ of ‘Liberalism’ and ‘Social Democracy’. Although ‘all’ such ‘accusations are hardly damning, and indeed I can see at times specific part merit in each of them, {that though within their own understanding}

Yet as stated, everything one does or supports is always through looking at how best to move it forward with gains for the working class and for the most vulnerable within society, whatever campaign this is pushed through.

The two campaigns I cite are on the issue of poverty, one on local poverty and homelessness, and the other on Global Poverty

Street Seen, as recorded previous have been involved in an ongoing campaign in relation to homelessness and all that that entails. In recent weeks this campaign has intensified and has made front-page news on the major papers in Ireland, with radio, TV and various other media outlets full of the stories.

The most comprehensive coverage can be found on Indymedia, in which I regularly participate in open debate and discussion.

The tactics used here, {direct action} would be merited by many as being ‘Anarchist’.

So cometh the ‘Anarchist’

{That of course is not to say that Street Seen had anything to do with some of it’’’ - as the state may like to prove}

Such actions had seen road blocks, occupations, barriers put up, ‘invasions’ of the Dail {Irish Parliament}, spontaneous and ‘unofficial’ rallies, street marches and protests through the streets, ‘cop lockins’ {locking police into buildings} and much more.

Links here to read of the direct action in full -

http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=72197

http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=73193

http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=73233

Yet the inaction by the Government and even their refusal to discuss the matter as was raised recently shows in the greatest of ways their attitude towards the most vulnerable with society. This campaign though continues to make the invisible visible.

Note – Street Seen has now got tee shirts and ‘hoodies’ {Hooded tops} available at various shops, or contact Street Seen or myself as always at carlindavid@hotmail.com
.

The second action of activity that may be described as ‘Liberal’ is my involvement in the Make Poverty History Movement {having been Chairperson of the events Committee that had organised that momentous rally and having us both organised and inspired the largest mobilisation from theses shores to such an event} I therefore was, and am well associated with it.

So cometh the ‘Liberal’

Previous detailed accounts of Make Poverty History can be read in previous Diary entries.

In the last week apart from the No More Death on our Streets actions against poverty, exploitation and homelessness, more such actions were being initiated, and so - -

Dec 9th actions – A day to remember to finish of a year to remember

Poverty and Exploitation

On Dec 9th 2005 Ireland will see differing coordinated actions against poverty, exploitation, and all its various manifestations, this to be seen all around Ireland

Indeed I do not know the last time such issues have happened in tandem like this.

In the North, hundreds will attend more practical, visual and collective events in towns and cities all around the North organised by MPH. While at the same time in the South tens of thousands are to mobilise on the issue of the ferry dispute, which involves the issue of exploitation, low and poverty pay. This again had seen towns and cities all over the South taking part.

Ireland to speak with its feet as one!

Therefore 2005 will be remembered for the mass mobilisations, rallies and direct actions on many issues concerning Poverty and exploitation around the length and breath of Ireland.

Such a year though brings me back as I write, to the height of the Anti Capitalist, Anti Sectarian, Anti War and Anti Racism mass Movements and similar actions - and shows that not only does such continue, but indeed expands –

‘Think global and act local’ and so the Movement was again vocal and visible on the streets of Belfast and indeed around Ireland – 2005 - in their many thousands, embracing many tactics, but united in our stance.

This time though it is Anti Poverty and Anti Exploitation - truly another momentous and inspirational year and I am proud that Street Seen had played a key and leading role in many such instances.

Well, over the last few weeks apart for the above activism, Belfast Shell to Sea has met and we been involved in local activity, as has the West Belfast Anti Racism Network, while on the other had I have on request attended various launches which I had thought where important {and had time for!}.

Such as the SCA anti racism launch {which had involved schools from the {Shankill and Falls Roads} at Belfast City Hall. Which had seen local politicians, the Mayor and representatives of Office of First and Deputy First Minister as well as grassroots activists in attendance. Many of whom I engage with.

- Well this year had seen the rise of Street Seen – {one year established – and by F*** what a year it has been}

When Jon and I had met up, then on meeting Mark, who would have known where we would be a year on.

Yet we are proud to have played key roles and a key part in a momentous year, with seeing Street Seen respected and at the fore of the Movements, and the Movement in Ireland 2005.

Finally there are many battles ahead, some small others great, and such must continue until fundamental change has been won.

— Well Xmas and what does it mean to an Atheist. Well I respect peoples right to their belief and even indulge in a few extra dinners although given the fact that my extended family runs into hundreds {literally} I keep ‘presents’ to the minimum.

Well let’s just deal with the last few days. Marie and I between us have {already} had three Xmas dinners with friends and colleagues, seen the opening of a Xmas tree, - {last night Dec 7th the tree had been lit on the open space that was once Andytown Barracks in the heart of West Belfast. For many years Marie and I with others had picketed it against the use of plastic bullets, then with its demolishment we had first danced on it and now had celebrated the lighting of the tree, lights switched on by actor Stephen Rea} - had been to the opera, have been giving it the welly {again} on a local dance floor, while also attending other events together such as the MPH actions etc.

Oh and there is the shopping.

Shopping, by JASUS!

Saying that though shopping isn’t all that bad.

I had gone down the other day with Marie and my ‘mother in Law’. Sounds like a recipe for disaster? Well no, I must say that Marie’s mum {also called Marie} is an intelligent, fair, progressive and good-natured person and we get on really well. As I do with Marie’s step father {Frank} although I would hold some political differences with Frank as I do with most people – and so therein lays loads of winding up and banter, in which at times I bite to it.

The last time we had went shopping, the four of us, Marie, Marie Senior, myself and Frank it was to Holland on a weekend spree, this time though it was Belfast City centre. After a nice meal we all went around to pick my Xmas present, and it was something I had my eye on for a while {a really good mountain bike}. Although I have been told I am not to touch it until Xmas!

Well Marie and I on Xmas eve {midnight} always open one present, so may take a midnight jaunt!

Chilling Time below -

Also went up for dinner recently with Frank, Marie, mum in-law and quite a few other guests, with some from Italy and America in attendance. Frank originally from here had gone to America and had put in the graft and hard work and is now retired and ‘reaping the benefits of it’.

The main home is in Belfast {where we went for the meal} and Frank had built it himself - and it is a very ‘big’ house.

Detached and set on the side of the mountain over looking Belfast it has massive gardens.

So as the snow fell and with the smell of the grub I had gone upstairs and went out on the massive balcony and looked upon some of the city and the surrounding hills.

Chilled.

{Which reminds me, another ‘change; in oneself I have found, that is that I love cooking. May it be Mum’s, Mum in Law’s, Gran’s, or my own ‘developed recipes you cannot keep me out of the kitchen. A wee bit of classic Bolognese here` a sprinkle of mixed spice there, some Garlic Italian here and a few cloves or peppers there

Or indeed doing up some home made traditional soup or stew, again my own recipe.

- On the Mountain - if Marie is out I sometimes take our wee dog for a walk and go out upon Black Mountain at times and stick on my earphones, lie back and look up at the stars. I listen to Christy Moore and love his songs, from Viva La Quinte Brigada through to Ride On.
-
- One inspires me while Ride On always chills me out and makes me at ease as I look up at the stars. I remember when a friend and I use to go to a bar in Twinbrook years ago we would always ask for this song to be played. The words just chill me. As does Christy’s voice

- Then I went downstairs and sat in the ‘Spanish Garden {lit up and designed as if a Spanish villa}. Yet by this stage about 8 people, {including Marie} where now in the out door hot tub {built into the ground and set in the Spanish Garden section} which was set at 40 plus in temperature as some flicks of snow fell. Behind me as the table was being laid to sit the 16 or so guests I looked up and after the fireworks had been used up {left over from Halloween} I had seen a star shoot across the sky,

- I smiled at the ‘Heavens,

Chilled.

Xmas routine -

Will be heading back up on Xmas for Xmas Dinner and to try the hot tub of course before sleeping of the festivities {food – games etc} into the early hours {hopefully not in the tub}.

Then to Granny’s on Boxing day, while we see in the New Year with my Mum, Stepfather, Brothers and Sisters and usually other relatives, and sometimes the neighbours also pile in depending which house we hold it in. Then of course we have the days before, after and in between with extra parties, and clubbing, Jasus I hope I survive it. Have topped up the medicine box already with two weeks supply of cures for two weeks of ‘Zombie’ material!

You know sometimes I get very philosophical about things and indeed think about them in such terms, such as life and its meaning and reasoning. And then I tend to go much deeper, indeed I may write an article on such in time. Don’t worry though I am not going to get to deep here. It’s just that at times I wonder on the ‘what ifs’ the ‘how’s’ and the ‘whys’, and try to work out in some sense my thoughts on that age old and fundamental question.

Anyways, as stated I will return to that subject in the years ahead.

Well New Year Revolution coming up, Shit I mean, New Year Resolution coming up.

Got a few hearts pounding there per chance. Chuckle.

Next year there are a few things I intend to have sorted as they have been ‘in the pipe line’ or on the short finger but having moved to the long finger. Firstly my book will be finished and in print. Secondly given that I have 30 plus years left of ‘work’ {not as old as I thought I was!} I am going to knuckle down to a progressive ‘career’, I know I hate that word. But one cannot live on bread alone’ now where did I hear that before? To facilitate this I am going to undertake doing a degree {Part time} and to start to learn the first of two languages I have always wanted to speak fluently.

Finally my activism with Street Seen and in general will be the same, but when the book is finished and printed I will engage more on online debates and will restart my writing for newspapers, journals etc, as stated. {Although I must say there is burning in the back of my mind the workings of a second book, which I am trying to keep there until I get this first one out of the way!}

Well everyone have a chilled Xmas and holiday as in the Year 2006 the battles continue anew.

Fight the Power!

In Solidarity.

Just like last year Marie and I had again sat upon Black mountain on Halloween night. There was quite a few more people there than last year and we had also seen organised tours arranged for the night as well. Once again sitting there on Halloween night was a wondrous sight in itself as we gazed upon the firework displays from around Belfast and beyond, with the array of colours exploding in the skies. The imagery as the fireworks burst into life lighting up those darkened skies was a sight in itself, more especially watching such from that envious position of Black mountain, ‘our Mountain’.

Behind us, as always, those beautiful white horses were lit up in the exploding skies as our wee dog barked at those four legged ‘intruders’ he may have thought where interrupting our bliss. We where well prepared this year more especially given the miserable morning we had weather ways. Yet as we unfolded our chairs upon our mountain and being well wrapped up with a blanket and with a hot flask of soup, the skies where clear. Indeed the stars spoke to us, such was their visibility as we attempted to put names to them both individually and in formation.

Black Mountain, eh, in all its glory, as Marie and I sat there talking and planning our lives while looking upon Belfast and beyond – bliss.

Indeed next year we have pencilled in a number of trips abroad, with also taking up some of those invites to speak in such countries, and of course ‘galloping similar white horses in far of lands across golden beaches and through clear waters.

Well in the last issue of my Diary I had asked people to vote in for Divis and Black Mountain to win a major award, hosted by the National Lottery.

Black mountain has for many gave inspiration and a sense of freedom. It is upon there that my partner and I sit on many occasions looking upon the streets of our childhood and beyond. It is also there where I pen many of my articles or many thoughts for articles come to mind within the tranquillity our Mountain provides.

Well Our Mountain, the peoples Mountain, had won the regional competition and in doing so was to represent the North. This in itself was an awesome achievement, yet in representing the North it then had to take on some really major projects from all other regions, from Scotland to England.

Indeed it had seen Black Mountain get to the last twelve from 22,000 entries.

Then last night the overall winner was announced live on the National lottery, and Our Mountain – the peoples Mountain had won in its entirety. Awesome!

I would like to thank the many people who had voted for the Mountains, as I know many around Ireland and abroad had voted, and sent it on for others to vote through their networks. The Andersonstown News, who carried pieces on the competition and had urged votes, also championed the issue.

Again thanks for all those thousands of people who had voted in the process and now for now, my partner and I are away up the Mountain, Our Mountain, the peoples Mountain, the award winning Mountain, to sit upon its inspirational side – and to just chill at its new found status.

Once again thanks all.

Well I just don’t know, clubbing again over the last few weeks, and at my age to! Firstly though I must state that there are two things that I have noticed increasingly recently. Firstly it seems that, as I get older, that I indeed to many am actually looking younger. The amount of people who had only recently met me who have put me in the range of 24 –28 {despite the little flicks of grey appearing} through the course of conversation is unbelievable. Indeed my partner who is almost thirty-one is told she only looks in her early twenties so this may have something to do with it I am told. That is, if you both feel young and ‘be’ young then that will come across. Others though, with also maybe a tad of truth have suggested that since leaving my former organisation that much has changed for the better for me, but ‘growing younger and physical re –generation, well!

Below is a picture of me beside one of the ARN banners marching up the Falls Road in West Belfast. Behind me is the signpost and entrance to the meadows and lake where we go to chill at times also.

{Indeed such areas given their rarity and through providing the greatest variety of habitats and nature life, should be looking for designation as areas of special scientific interest, Colin Glen also without doubt would also fall into this category}

Attach -

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.anphoblacht.com/news/images/2004/08/05/Anti-Racism-Network.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.anphoblacht.com/other/2004-08-05&h=200&w=300&sz=41&tbnid=nDbf1ueVzfUJ:&tbnh=74&tbnw=111&hl=en&start=13&prev=/images%3Fq%3DBelfast%2BAnti%2BRacism%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

Yet I suppose the years of at times thrice weekly back room bar, smoke fuelled meetings of old did not help. And now getting back to regular gym, jog and swimming that helps also, although I still have not been entirely won to the healthy eating situation of regular ‘rabbit food’ portions daily – but one tries. In doing so, while beginning to gain my fitness back and my stature of old, I find an even greater heart for activism through pen, word, and in deed.

Whatever the case, and maybe that has also been reasoning for the revival of me strutting my stuff on the dance floors of the West. May it have been to the old sounds of Frankie goes to Hollywood through to SNAP it had seen me with a few shirt buttons undone giving it loads on the floor. {Remember the old Kerry Inn, the Greenan Lodge, and the Hitchin Post?} And fair play to Marie, as even when I attempt to relive my youth through various attempted forms of break dancing and the splits etc {I am going to have to wind my neck in, before I accidentally break it!} she doesn’t make a beeline for her chair.

The second thing I have witnessed when we are out, {as apart from clubbing we have been out again checking out more new restaurants, through to going bowling, ice skating etc}, is the amount of people who come up to us and try to debate and discuss on a whole host of political issues. Indeed I am feeling more and more like an old-fashioned cowboy gun fighter, as people come up and continually fire questions at me whom I have never even met before. While some want genuine debate others actually seem to do it in a form of a challenge. There is though a time and a place for such. Yet as a working class lad who like many others did not, and could not take advantage of education at an early age I believe though that it is never to late to learn. Indeed ‘self education’ has opened my eyes in recent years, as given those times of youth much more immediate circumstances were on our minds then.

Therefore I believe education from birth to grave, both self and society provided is essential, and therefore sufficient resources should be made available to all to ensure this. It is an absolute disgrace the lack of funding and the laying of, of essential workers in the sector that has been seen increasingly in recent times.

Good accessible, well resourced and funded education should be a right - and not a privilege to those who can afford that right. Such matters need to be tackled with the greatest of urgency

Further reading -

I attach two articles of several years ago, the first, in large part, a collection of articles I had written of my time as a kid growing up in West Belfast at the height of the Irish War - within the heart of the Irish War. –

Link - http://lark.phoblacht.net/partfivedc.html

The second article is on the issue of such education and more especially the 11 plus, and my Trade Union Conference. It brings in important and core issues, again increasingly raised with oneself, such as that of socio and economic deprivation and I reprint here -.

After that I reprint a few articles I had written a while back, as they are themes that also come up, eventually’ in many such discussions. That is, of my understanding of, Racism, and ‘Irish Racism’, and of course other such fundamental issues like that of Class and Capitalism. On both these issues I will move on from this base –work I have provided for such understandings, and develop these thoughts further at a later date.

Similar I provide a reprint of an article I had wrote a few years go on Republicanism and more especially ‘Dissent Republicanism’, and this will be followed by one on Loyalism. Again such will be updated in the time ahead, although I make a few observations on each presently.

After these reprints I will give an update on my activism over the last weeks for the activist diary.

Firstly though my article on education and the ’11 plus’.

‘While attending my recent trade union conference, a yearly hotly competitive quiz was held on a particular evening. Representation of various Scientific, Technical, Administration, Economic and Accountancy grades amongst others made up the hundred and fifty contestants of the public office and civil service groups. Yet what drew my attention was the representation of the winners of the quiz who held aloft their shields. One was reared in the ‘Loyalist’ Rathcoole estate, another lives in a working class Protestant estate in East Belfast, two others from working class ‘ Republican estates in West Belfast and the fifth from a similar estate outside Belfast. In effect all lived in some of the most economically deprived and socially disadvantaged areas of the north.

As the questions ranging from economics, science, general knowledge and current affairs were put I heard some one say whether in hidden jest or sincerely, ‘we haven’t a hope, sure most of us failed our 11 plus.’ This statement coming from a young man in his early twenties is a reflection of the emotional and social impact of that exam, even putting aside its long-term practical implications. Such working class people from similar estates are born into a society with both inadequate and unfair economic support and funding, leading to a social perception, which develops through in many cases to continual alienation. This lasts into and through adulthood, thus very possibly then inherited by their children, so the vicious circle continues. From the onset working class people’s opportunities fall far behind those in differing areas, with health, education, careers and life expectations all with constant obstacles put against them because of social background.

Therefore expectations or lack of are not only enhanced but concretised both socially and economically due to the material conditions and confined-defined parameter of their social upbringing. Yet just a glimpse around a working class estate like the one in which I live will find a wealth of talent through art, music, sport, academic achievement, cultural etc, against all the odds of the established obstacles put against them. The potential though still lies far behind the possibilities due to the still discriminatory agenda of economic and social exclusiveness.

The initiatives in this community like others through local support and community organizations is to be commended. Such resourcefulness in action and commitment of ideas have continually battled against the lack of funding and wider perceived mindsets held by some of such working class areas. It is both a disgrace and an indictment on those who hold the purse strings to continue with their obstacles. Such areas are not (as once stated) for just the ‘mucker outers’ or the ‘Miss mops’. Such estates have so much to offer but are and have been held back by a political and economic agenda.

Recently I have read the moralistic and patronizing attitude of the major unionist parties in relation to the 11plus that, for example, ‘it gives some working class kids a lift up’ as one stated. To be frank we do not need a lift up. All that we need and are in various ways struggling for is fundamental and basic equality for all. Working class people if afforded the opportunity can develop and service their communities and people, with much more efficiency and fairness than is being offered.

Lessons are learnt in the process of struggles - yet as we held our shields above our heads, it was the working together collectively, pooling both our ideas and talents for a set goal that enhanced our strength of position. Which ultimately brought us that small step forward within but more importantly as part of the ‘wider communities’.

The issue of socio and economic deprivation and all that goes with it in working class areas is something I will return to shortly. Indeed I have pencilled in attendance at a number of conferences in that regard. I say briefly though that continued and increased funding presently is absolutely essential within such areas, and this needs to go hand in hand with those vital community networks.

I move on now to the issue of Republicanism and more especially at this time that of ‘Dissent Republicanism’. Firstly though I state that it is an ever-changing Ireland, a changing Europe and a changing world we are living in. The world of today is not the world of the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s, and indeed there is much changing since the 90’s. This not only in a material sense {more especially for many more within ‘Western Societies’} but also within the political sense as well.

Since writing this article {below} a few years ago it is as clear to me today as it was when it was written, that one must effect a strategy that has a chance of achieving ones aims, if not, continued isolation and demoralisation will begin to become concretised – and indeed leading to failure, both for those past and present.

Therefore such needs to be done not in the abstract {as I have stated time and again in relation to some far left parties} but adapting such within a changing world as also seen within the raise of the new movements {International and local}.

Indeed the beliefs of many held within such remain the same, but their strategies and tactics change, to counter the continual shifting patterns of a changing capitalist world.

I had written of those who had felt that no other alternative avenue of struggle was open to them, only that of physical force into which many where driven. Yet that alternative, presently, in such a political changing environment both local and International and more especially post Sept 11th will both find very little hearing, and other opportunities of advancing many of those same aims will be lost.
The ruling classes and their Imperialist and Colonialist forces have many histories of which they learn from and indeed continually adapt both tactically and strategically in that regard.

This as they have both learnt of why this needs to be done, and how to do it. Yet having only one such alternative, that those all know of, and have learnt how to deal with, will cause little confusion, and will merit only a ripple of discomfort to such forces, presently.

Given that situation, I see a strategy being played out with so much to be lost with no gain. And with that being the case I believe one must re – think and re - group, while working a strategy that can at least start to move given aims forward rather than at best always being on the back foot. This is achievable if one seeks to strategise for it within such a wider political understanding and context.

Malcolm X was quoted as stating – ‘by any means necessary’,

- Yet there are many means, some used out of necessity others used when necessary, but at they end of the day the victors will be those who know when and how each should be used to secure best advantage for their aims. -

Dissent Republicanism – {Article}

‘As it has been an ongoing debate from and within various quarters I would like to touch specifically on the question of the strategy of the ‘Dissident Republicans’. I tend to look at this whole situation and attempt to understand such a mindset and the continual pursuit of their aims by armed struggle, knowing how much they embrace both tradition and principle in respect to their beliefs. I do this as one who over the years from my late teens has been sickened by the continual needless slaughter of innocents, but also now well aware how such analysis on historical tactics and strategy holds huge sway for many ‘Republican’ organisations today. One just has to presently look at Maghaberry prison for instance. So with that understanding I can see today a perceived strategy based on that historical tradition and principles, without it I believe in many cases having any real sense of the practicalities of present day.

One just has to look not only at historical Ireland but similar conflicts elsewhere and see that when the majority of those once involved in conflict whom then move into a post conflict situation in the search for peace, that those minority whom continue down that path will find little success. This not through lack of determination or belief but of the objective conditions in a developing post conflict situation (where the vast majority are for peace and tired of war). Given the circumstances of today for example with the advancement in state technology, the overwhelmingly support for peace, the obvious infiltration of such groups, the vast state forces directed against them and much more, it would be logical as before that such Republicans look at strategy not based solely on a particular element of historical tradition.

With the intensification of state mechanism against them and more importantly very limited support within a community at this time, it is only logical that one needs to change tactics and develop a strategy that can realistically achieve ones aims given present conditions. This is not to set aside ones principles and beliefs, but to give positive leadership to tactically adapting those beliefs to the present while continually working a strategy on the principle of those aims.

Within Republicanism it is known by most that armed struggle is a tactic and not a principle, whether one is for or against such, it is nevertheless looked upon as such by many within those organisations. So therefore various leaderships of those various organisations wish to attempt ‘at times’ to hold true to historical tradition and various principles but to do so, (putting aside whether one believes or not that they are actually ad hearing to traditional Republican ideals in the first place) without putting it into the objective context of the present is madness.

I read of young persons jailed for many, many years, their lives all but over, following a historical line of many others, more innocents killed, more bombs being made etc, I ask if those ultimate aims could not be immediately achieved with many more volunteers and many more supporters with less advanced surveillance, and that war being fought to a standstill etc, how then will it be achieved now?

I actually believe that this continual armed struggle by some is being fought on a basis of principle and such rather than a rational and concrete thinking through of how to possibly deliver on their objectives, within the practical context of the present. Giving leadership is not only about political lead but also practical lead, not only of holding a tradition or principle but adapting it in a concrete way with vision. So much blood has already been lost, so many young lives spent in jail, so many more innocents maimed and slaughtered, and through it all still many lessons can be learnt. I believe that such whose mindset is still directed by the armed struggle should take a long hard realistic look at their strategy and ask to date what it has achieved and more importantly what can it achieve given those conditions.

Much though has changed and is changing, I see Provisional Republicanism competing now with mainstream Nationalism and it’s now ever embracement for unity of ‘class Nationalism as opposed to that of Republicanism. I have seen and read of loyalism and its working class lead up and down so many hills by Paisley and the likes that it has made me dizzy, but now with some aspects of loyalism trying to change ’their communities’ from being playthings of such persons to now actively helping develop their communities.

As one whom is a socialist and seeks a United Ireland within that belief, I see and had seen over the years such armed struggle as an obstruction to and not for the advancement of achieving a British declaration to withdraw and a united Ireland. It keeps not only the state militarist mindset but hardens the bond for the British state to remain, it holds loyalism on edge, it takes those young activists lives whom could partake in a strategy that may deliver and place them for many years in jail or death, it slaughters more innocents, it destroys more lives.

Today it also says to the vast majority of the population including the over whelming majority of Republicans and Nationalists of this Island that your voices don’t count. I presume all those who voted yes are for the peace but that’s not to say all are for this particular process. Alternatives are always there (although we are told that there is no alternative to this centre right governance when up and running, what about a solid opposition to such a politic, for example?) but for them to succeed it must seek to reach out and attempt to include the majority.

{Indeed what is true Republicanism?}

It should be noted that it is when tradition and principle become abstract from the practicalities and objective conditions of the present, that such is doomed to failure.

While putting these points it is also important to raise that while I see the continuation of the armed struggle as both ill thought out and holding little chance of achieving anything progressive I do believe that what is going on and being directed and implemented by the state towards prisoners in Maghaberry is wrong and that the state is making a huge mistake going down this route.

Finally, leadership is about giving that lead, about attempting to deliver your objectives, about making the right decisions for those who follow that lead which is all the more important when lives are at stake. Giving good leadership is being able to adapt those principles, beliefs and traditions to the practicalities of today. It is to look outside a mindset however hard and look at the concrete situation, it is not to do for do’s sake but to do what is right with a realistic vision and strategy that can attempt to deliver for the people, but, as importantly with the support of the people’. –

- On the issue of loyalism, I reprint one of my very earliest articles on the issue. It details the then hands of approach by the state as opposed to the now, and continual, hands on approach of the state in that regard.

Indeed it just re - enforces that argument that I had made in this early article – that is of the chosen ‘strategy’ being followed at the time, and indeed now. And now as we approach the end game, in some regard, the ‘tidying up’ process is well under way in relation to, {in many many ways} – the ‘state paramilitaries’.

- Again one just needs to follow other similar situations to see what may be in the pipeline for such.

Therefore I believe that in such working class communities where many such paramilitaries reside that an effective political leadership needs to emerge. If not, then I believe that in the time ahead when all are ‘wrapped up’ etc, such communities will face further turmoil if no such ‘community’ and working class effective and progressive leadership comes to the ascendancy.

- Article on loyalism {below} printed in Various National papers and journals several years ago.

‘The ongoing concentrated and organised attacks by the UDA on nationalist communities raise a number of important issues. Firstly, though, it needs to be said that all those attacks on Catholic and Protestant homes and communities must be challenged and condemned. My reason for referring specifically to the UDA is that increasingly many people see a concentrated escalation of this organisation’s violence without much being done about it.

It is common knowledge that the UDA ranks are riddled with agents and informers who can and have influenced the direction of that organisation on whatever way deemed appropriate at the time. From the earliest years of the recent conflict, through to Ulsterisation, the hunger strikes through to present day – UDA violence could seemingly be turned on and off or directed in a particular direction which ran in tandem with the political and tactical interests of its state masters, as they constantly changed and developed their strategies for manipulation of such paramilitary organisations.

Looking objectively at this development many have drawn their own conclusions. Increasingly, many within the Protestant tradition, community and workforce – who previously accepted authority’s action without question, are asking, why is the British government allowing this to continue?

How is this terror, intimidation and murder, from a largely infiltrated organisation going on at times undetected or more importantly unchallenged - and why? These questions are increasingly being raised against a backdrop of unrelenting attacks in interface areas largely against the nationalist community but affecting ‘both communities’. The agenda behind the continual development of theses attacks is creating havoc in ordinary people’s lives with such organisation serving largely as pawns and puppets directed by state agencies who care nothing about them {apart from using them} or the communities they come from. While the paramilitaries are used for a particular interest, the communities in which they live continue on a daily basis of mere existence. Their thoughts are developed toward sectarianism, always focused on the other side.

Their actions are ‘directed’ at the other ‘tradition’ – through the division and those actions where their own ‘community suffers. Those who direct them watch, doing nothing against the growing violence – repeating history, and so speaking volumes as to the present agenda. So the violence continues unchallenged, the tensions continues, the social economic deprivation increases, the mindsets harden, the concrete of sectarianism hardens – while many look on.

As many of the unionist leaders jet of on their holidays or drive back to the cocoon of suburbia, another generation of ‘their tradition’ {communal} are growing up watching the hate on their friends and families faces – despite the differing leaderships talk of peace.

It is these children who now – as before – are being sucked into the hateful vacuum of sectarianism with undoubtedly many again joining such paramilitaries. So the permanence of the conflict mindset will continue for these kids, nurtured by the paramilitaries, directed by their masters, with the rhetoric of condemnation voiced by the main Unionist leaders. So, for some, the strategy is fixed.

Whether it is the rhetorical condemnation without an active principled stand, or the continuance of ‘direction’ of organised hate and sectarianism for a vastly unwanted political agenda. It is becoming increasingly obvious to various groups, organisations and individuals from ‘both traditions’ that this recent onslaught is a manufactured and directed agenda with ordinary people’s homes and lives being destroyed. While Unionist leaders should acknowledge the reality on the ground, the British government need to reel in their agencies including their paramilitary playthings, who peddle division, destruction and death under the rallying call of loyalty. Many political and economic changes are also needed if stability is ever to be won.

Yet, against the backdrop of organised violence, miserable socio economic conditions, the hands of approach by the British government and the hands on approach of their state agencies, it is no wonder that people from ‘both traditions’ are increasingly seeing their lives and ‘communities’ as mere pawns on life’s state chessboard of destruction, collusion, terror, intimidation, division and murder. Many questions can and are being asked about this developing situation and the political reasoning behind it. It does not take a particularly deep study of history to understand what is going on. With the continual Unionists rhetorical condemnation, the British government’s inaction against the ongoing organised and directed violence of the UDA, and the state agencies interest within it – many more people are finding the agenda less hidden this time round’ –

- Again that article and the issues that are raised, as like all articles here, I will update and cover again in the time ahead.

I will say though that over my time in activism I have both debated and discussed various issues with key Loyalist and Republican representatives, either on platforms or in studios. Yet I have spoken and engaged with many ‘rank and filers’ and know that engagement and contact goes on within and between such ‘traditions’ Indeed I was talking only today to an ex Republican prisoner who with an ex UDA prisoner are working together on a cross community youth project . So such small steps are happening and indeed are essential.

{Below - these two articles had been penned in response to an Irish News Columnist at the time, and again I will do a number of articles in the time ahead, building on this understanding}. Again these issues are raised with me constantly.

Article one - ‘Race and Irish Racism’

‘I am writing in response to Newton Emerson’s article {Irish News July 8th} Before I go into the meat of his article I will firstly clear up his inaccuracies. Newton states that the Belfast Anti Racism Network {ARN} is ‘run’ by a member of the Socialist Workers Party {SWP}. I presume he is referring to myself as Chairperson of the Anti Racism network and also a member of the Belfast SWP. On both these I am proud to be an active member, as I am of being an active trade unionist in NIPSA or as an activist in the Anti War Movement. In fact standing up actively against racism, fighting against poverty pay or opposing illegal occupations are all issues I am proud to be involved in, as I am also on other such issues.

Yet as opposed to what Newton states in relation to the ARN, none of these campaigns or organisations are in fact ‘run’ by one individual. The Anti Racism Network for example is made up of a steering group of seven persons, four women and three men, with several from a minority ethnic background. They include representatives of several of the leading and largest minority ethnic associations and support groups. Also on the steering group is probably the North’s leading asylum Practitioner as well as another with a history working from a legal background. Many of us are also active trade unionists may it be NIPSA, UNISON or such. Therefore with that wealth of experience when decisions are to be made, they are made ‘collectively’.

On a personal level as a black person growing up in Belfast I had witnessed much racism, and for me it came then mainly from the state. Similarly as was seen a few years back {published on a front-page article in the Irish news} I had witnessed similar racist behaviour towards oneself from the Southern state. Therefore on seeing the brutal attacks on persons from the minority ethnic community {intensifying last summer} I, and then others had decided to organise against it, thus the formation of the ARN. Newton’s reference to the ARN concentrates on what he believes we have not done; yet he mentions nothing of what we have done. Well, briefly, as an ‘active’ campaign we have been an important part in putting the whole issue of racism and racial attacks to the forefront within Northern Irish society and indeed at times internationally.

We with others have raised the issue of refugees detained and held in prisons, in effect in doing so {detaining them} they are being ‘criminalized’ for seeking refuge. We have organised a city centre rally and with the support of the trade union movement had stood shoulder to shoulder with over two thousand citizens at the Belfast city hall against racism. We have been a voice for some of the most vulnerable who have feared to speak out. We had established networks in local communities around Belfast that have taken local collective and visual community initiatives against racism and racial attacks. We are now beginning to establish groups and networks in important areas around the North such as in Dungannon and in North Antrim.

Finally it should be stated that ARN is not funded like other groups and is voluntary participation using our own time. We all hold down other jobs, with supporters and activists raising money and providing solidarity for the Network. The ARN also has the support and involvement of twenty-five organisations and many individuals. The ARN as a network seeks to be an active, visual, grassroots, community and trade unionists based network as we continue to expand around the North.

So with clearing up those points now then to the meat of Newton’s article, the issue of the ‘Irish race’ and on that I give my individual thoughts.

To begin to talk about the ‘Irish race’ one firstly needs to know what ‘race’ is and where did it come from. Racism’s origins as we know it today began around the seventeenth century during the times of slavery, colonialism and empire. Slave labour then was used in the plantations but the slavery used then differed from those that had used it previously, such as in the slave societies under the Roman Empire. The difference, and it is a vital difference, slaves in those societies {Roman Empire} where seen essentially as commodities rather than having biological differences.

Therefore in such previous slave societies you may have been a black or white slave and slavery was based on that role {as a slave} and that status {of a commodity} within society. Yet under the developing role of early capitalism, colonialism and their plantations, this slavery was driven on the basis that one set of human beings where ‘naturally inferior’ to another set due to ‘biological differences’. These ‘differences’ were used to deny a section of the human race equal rights afforded to others and so in the process subjecting them to exploitation and slavery in the interest of, and for, the economic benefits of the developing Capitalist system. Therefore racism as many know it today, is based in that historical sense, that is, the differences in skin colour and facial characteristics.

Yet that creation of difference is only half the story as the reasoning for its invention and development is the other half. That is, for its usage in colonial exploitation and for the benefit of Imperial nations and capitalism as a whole. Therefore historically the creation of racism was developed for capitalist expansion and need {greed}. This done through creating those ‘race’ based ‘biological differences’, thus developing the concept of perceived inferiority for the benefit of initial exploitation and slavery. This does not mean though that this is the entirety of racism. The understanding of its development and more importantly the reasoning for it shows how Imperial nations and the ruling classes will, have, and do use ‘race’, ethnicity – culture etc as a starting point of difference. This for the creation of perceived inferiority, thus prejudice, division, exploitation, oppression and colonialism etc can follow.

May it be biological or ethnicity, and however each is specifically termed, it has in reality been ‘differences’ that had and have been used by many a ruling interest for the benefit of that said interest. In saying this each term is of course deemed specific, especially in the historical sense and within the context from which it arose. However this needs to be put into the framework of modern society with an understanding of not so much the details of specific terms {although important}. But on the ‘still’ relationship of such racism and of Imperial nation states, the system of capitalism, and its need at times to develop and intensify such ‘difference{s}’ for its own need and greed.

Therefore this brings me on to Newton’s point of Lambasting the BNP for referring to the ‘British race’ and ‘anti English racism’, although silent on Sinn Fein talking about the ‘Irish race’. I am unsure if he is referring to me or the ARN stating this, but nevertheless I will answer it. Firstly I will say that to be frank I have not heard Sinn Fein talking about the ‘Irish race’ although I hear of them talking about racism of the Irish. Therefore I cannot raise something that I did not know about and secondly as an anti racism activist my concentration is mainly directed at those who are overtly racist or come out with racist statements, but on Newton’s point, within a wider context.

I have above addressed the issue and the historical reasoning behind the construction and manufacturing of ‘race’ by those relevant ruling interests of that period. Which was to justify the colonial oppression during the period of the developing of, and the expanding of capitalism. Therefore with that development of the concept of race and racial differences based upon the ‘biological differences’ we then had those who stood up and opposed this ‘racism’. Yet as was raised by Alex Maskey {Irish News July 10th} ‘the simple truth is that the level of genetic, physical and psychological variation is so huge between different individuals that such simplistic arguments do not stand up to scrutiny’. This is an analysis I agree with, as the idea of biologically distinct races has been proven to have no scientific basis. Therefore if the concept of biological distinct race has no scientific base then the reason as to why it was created comes more into play. Yet this is where Newton has confused himself as he tries to tie the issue of race into the same issue of Irish racism, yet there are specific differences.

If the concept of biological differences was created to produce the concept and term of ‘races’ and those differences of distinct races have proven to have no scientific basis. Where then does that leave racism {in that sense} if the reasoning of perceived differences, {that is, of biological distinct races} is so removed? What we have seen though is that although such has been shown to have no scientific base it is of course still around {used}, with other forms of racism having emerged also such as that based on ethnicity and culture {although unacknowledged currents have existed for a long time}. This again tends to replicate many of the features of the ‘biological racism’ in its usage with its rise prominent through the conditions of the present development and expansion of recent Capitalism. This is intensified through the immigration of various ‘nationals’ seeking work {however low paid} so therefore in ‘competition’ with ‘the natives’ and of course in the interest of the ruling capitalist classes. This of course is further intensified through such issues as fortress Europe.

Yet the invention and creation of racism and its purpose {as one had stated from the onset} was indeed to create an ‘inferior’ and ‘superior’ and was done for a specific interest. It was done to prejudice against, discriminate against, withhold rights from, exploit, oppress, divide and colonise, as was done to the Irish and the racism directed against them. Racism of course was witnessed severely by the Irish in Britain at many times but more especially in the 19th century and it was not that long ago of the no dogs, blacks and Irish signs that appeared in such windows.

Therefore while Newton has a point in stating that there may not be an Irish race he is wrong to state that there has not been racism directed against the Irish. Racism in the historical sense was based on a creation of biological difference, which has been shown to have no scientific base yet it is still nurtured via various avenues. The concept of racism of course still exists and expands. It exists in still creating the ‘inferior’ and the ‘superior’ for specific interests. Those interests created it and they still nurture it through and for the present economic system. May it be colonisation, Imperialism or Empire, the ‘old world order’ that created it had lead these foundations. We are now therefore seeing the ‘new world order’ continuing from this while shaping and expanding it into different avenues to fit their still Imperialist and neo liberalist projects. While of course making usage of it through the continual shifts and possible expansions of Capitalism. In effect, to continue with, and to benefit their divide, conquer and rule, of the still ‘inferiors’ and of the oppressed peoples of our world’.

Article two - ‘Class Politics’

‘I found Newton Emerson’s article Thurs Sept 25th {Irish News} quite intriguing. It gave his usual witty account of a particular event, along with his attention being directed towards his perception on a particular issue. On this occasion the issue was that of ‘class’. Yet reading through this article with a smirk at times at his wit, one did find though that maybe he did not have a clear understanding of the nature of some aspects of class, in which I presume the satire on this occasion may have been used to attempt to conceal that lack of understanding. Newton makes a number of points of interest within the article, he writes of Eamonn McCann’s ‘theory of class conflict’, in which after Newton’s usual satirical points on such matters he finished with a point of understanding in relation to the North. He states ‘The idea that Northern Ireland’s contemporary business leaders might harbour some selfish, strategic or economic interest in prolonging civil unrest here is lunacy’. This seems quite a valid understanding and in that context many could nod in agreement, but to fully understand the nature of class one needs to go deeper on this matter.

While the leading business class may not have any selfish and economic interest in prolonging civil unrest that does not mean that the leading business class do not have selfish economic interests. To put an understanding of ‘class’- economic and otherwise into a purely political context in an attempt to give a commentary on the ‘theory of class conflict’, gives firstly a false perception of the reality and secondly fails to draw the understanding of both political and economic emancipation in relation to class.

With that in mind I would like to touch on the question of the working class and to what that terminology means. One at times reads of those that state that the working class is shrinking and that the middle classes are growing. Newton even makes a brief reference to the ‘three bedroom semis’ that are creeping up the Andy town Road and how he finds it ‘laughable; that large numbers of people in the North describe themselves as working class. Yet to have an understanding of class one actually needs to base it on the practical and real world of today within the continual development of Capitalism. What therefore is the definition of class? Class is not based on the perception of what class one is or one isn’t and it is not even judged on the type of work a person may do, class is about a persons objective position within the process of capitalist production and if they have any control over, or own any of the means of production. So in the present context of Capitalism and continual Globalisation, we therefore see changes and reconstruction of class within the developing and shifting patterns of Capitalism to meet Capitalism’s needs. Therefore Capitalism through those shifting patterns has in fact brought about those changes in the working class to feed its hunger for its continual accumulation of Capital.

What that has meant in real terms is that the industrial and manufacturing firms are now being replaced with new forms of low pay assembly lines seen in the vast call centres or the traditionally ‘middle class’, jobs of the Civil Service, banks, service sectors etc. So the continual shifting of Capitalism to meet its needs has changed the make up of the working class and their jobs in real terms to fit the need for the accumulation of that capital. So in absolute terms the working class has expanded not shrunk. Eamonn McCann’s understanding on class is the same understanding that I would hold. As a person born into a working class estate in the early seventies in Ballymurphy I have been though in many areas ‘across the divide’. Canvassing in Annadale flats, speaking on platforms in similar areas of East Belfast etc, all has helped me come to a firm understanding and conclusion in relation to class.

I ask what has a single mother of three kids in Annadale flats who tries to scrape money together to buy nappies for her kids or who constantly worries where the next meal is coming from have in common with the Queen or with the Unionist leaders living in leafy suburbia. What has a similar woman in a flat in Twinbrook have in common with the likes of Bertie Ahern. The answer, materially, nothing .Yet it is the sense of being British or of being Irish that attempts to bring one closer together on those terms. Continually waving the Union Jack within the confines of this state or waving a Tricolour in a United Ireland means or would mean little difference to the lives of such persons without also economic change. Class politics looks to seek both political and economic change within society, it seeks not to fly a flag of sectarianism and division, but of unity and strength, a flag not of solely political change, but of and for real economic change.

So while those divisions political and economic remain then real equality will always elude us, therefore if cometh a day when political freedom comes to this small island in the form of a United Island, if the flag of political freedom is not also the flag of economic freedom that flutters in the wind, then the battle for real freedom will have only just begun’.

- In recent times it seems that I have re winded the clock back to my youth when I hear the DUP speaking. On such essential matters including that of socio and economic deprivation in loyalist working class areas, when raised by such, it was done so at times with venomous vigour spat out, within the context of ‘them and us’ {Protestant versus Catholics}.

Then there was that fiasco of the farmers, well - that showed also in great light how the needs of the people are relegated for such party politics. And of course there was good old plain sectarianism when it came to a vacant seat in the ‘DUP heartland’ of Ballymena. Here the DUP already hold an absolute majority on the council yet when the middle ground Nationalist SDLP had seen a councillor die the obvious and appropriate response would have been to co-opt a party colleague. Not so, the DUP went ahead to grab a seat it did not need, therefore leaving Nationalists there very frustrated. Such workings of the DUP again is the politics of yesteryear

The quicker such move on from this the better it will be for all our peoples.

On the issue of deprivation it is though refreshing to see other political parties seeking to call for all such areas and communities ills to be challenged, and to be challenged of course on the basis of objective need. As being ‘Sectarian’ on such issues, again will be and is counter productive. And although I may disagree with some issues within such political parties large and small I do though see such progressive politics as a step forward towards a better future for all.

- Well over the last few weeks Street Seen has seen requests of, and has sold literally thousands of copies around the 32 counties, and abroad, with various other leading and progressive organisations now becoming involved with us.

Street Seen activists with Residents against Racism {RAR} activists in Dublin had held a physical Blockade against deportations. The blockade had seen several arrests and injuries in the process of the stand. Nevertheless the firm stand ensured that the issue, {and peoples plight} was again brought to a wider audience

Preparations are under way for the MPH day of action, which will be held in several cities and towns around the North.

I had both attended and spoke at a number of conferences over the last few weeks. The first was the Global Justice conference organised by the SWP, but eventually advertised as being hosted by the ARN, this due to the credibility of the ARN and therefore seeing more people in attendance. As per the organisers words around 100 had attended with the majority having been to the ARN meetings which where best attended.

I had attended a few meetings over the weekend, and had went along to a meeting addressed by my old friend Kieran Allen {SWP} before heading on to make an address at a similar conference. Although only seven people where in attendance at his meeting, most being in or supporters of the {SWP} it nevertheless was a good meeting and as always with Kieran, informative.

I had then went on to give an address in South Belfast, with 150 – 200 in attendance and as per previous address had again got an excellent reception.

- A number of issues have also been raised with myself over time. Having been involved in various campaigns and movements I have made many friendships from across the host of Movements in Ireland. Such issues have been asked to be raised {and recorded} which I will do. The first is the issue of the Belfast Anti War Movement {BAWM}. Having been a spokesperson of both the Belfast Anti War Movement and the Stop the War Coalition I had asked a few questions of the now spokesperson of the BAWM. I had asked simply as to where the BAWM meets, who are involved, how decisions are made etc.

Such questions had been raised with myself from activists, following renewed calls of support from the BAWM. Yet such questions on the basics of democratic accountability where ignored. Indeed again the mindset of old in ascendancy, and as stated then as now, such will be detrimental to any local efforts to mobilise. The new movements do not work on the basis of politics of control, and unfortunately it is that that now seemingly controls a once such local mass and inspirational Movement.

- I have talked much about ‘Political Sectarianism’ and have given personal examples of it at its worst. Indeed one time had seen the regional secretary of the Northern Ireland Socialist party standing pointing to me stating that I was responsible for {unlawful} sit down protests, this at the height of our Anti War actions over the coming war on Iraq. Everyone looked on in amazement that day, including other activists, the media, while the police of course but smiled.

The reasoning for his outburst was that he did not want to see another organisation getting the ‘Kudos’ for such actions.

I believe we really need to move on from such. Yet I find that such can be hard to do when within such really small groups. Indeed one who I had praised earlier on in my diary, it is now claimed by genuine activists has now gone down that dogmatic party route also.

I have found though and have stated time and again that such are usually only like such, when they are regularly confined within small party grouplets arguing over the smallest historical difference. As in larger broader campaigns and movements it will be shown up for what it is.

-I must say though I had gone along to a recent SWP public meeting in which one of their leading London comrades had spoken. And his speech was not only refreshing and inspirational but I had seen my self nodding on many occasions as he argued for an approach of working, {which was based on much of which the once ‘Belfast SWP’ had once embraced and which Street Seen now embraces}. Therefore there are actually non-dogmatic leading figures there that have got their heads around how we should be working in this period.

-I have often talked that one should not be abstract when involved in politics. What do I mean by that? While I give you an example of a discussion I had with a leading figure from a Socialist organisation in my early activists days.

{Me}’we need to do something about this increasing number of people living on the streets. What about doing a blanket run and see if we can get them some shelter’?

{Other} ‘What is needed is a proletarian Revolution in which we overthrow the state and replace the Capitalist system with a Socialist one therein every one will have a home’.

Therefore I was naïve enough in thinking about the here and now and how to effect some change here and now, while of course having that understanding of revolution.

Yet I have found that many such have little understanding of the here and now, everything is the revolution or at least planning from one big event to the next. May it be getting people into a room for a meeting and then the next three months is running around like headless chickens to get a hundred people on a march that lasts 30 minutes.

Again I have moved on from such, as a number of strategies are called for.

Over recent weeks we have seen the inhumanity and brutality of the ruling class and its system again shown up in its full light.

We have seen the inactions of the powers that be in Western society when it came to giving aid and support to the victims of this most recent earthquake, in Pakistan. Men, women and children are now in effect beginning to freeze, with little support forthcoming, what a fucking brutal, selfish and inhumane system.

Secondly we have seen the nights of rioting over many nights spreading to many areas of France. This was brought on by many issues although its immediacy was the deaths of two teenagers who where electrocuted while hiding from the police that they believed where chasing them. Yet it brings again to the fore many issues such as Race, Class, Poverty, and Alienation in which I have detailed before.

- The world we live in is becoming increasingly smaller, by way of travel and communication etc. Yet while there are shifting changes under the capitalist system, the fundamentals of the system remains largely unchanged.

Yet on my Gable wall of my home there is large mural, which expresses a view of how to change that system {such murals adorn many walls all across the ‘communities’}. On it, it says that ‘they may kill the Revolutionary but not the Revolution’.

- Yet revolutionary change does not necessitate revolution.

- Indeed revolutionary change has been seen through the eyes of the Civil rights, Gay, Black and women’s rights, social and insurrectionary Movements, and revolutionary change has forced new laws, new administrations and even united counties

- Therefore while one works for fundamental change in the form of Revolution one also believes in pushing for Revolutionary change with equal gusto and belief.

Street Seen – the first year - in the Beginning - - -

{Incorporates the Make Poverty History Movement {MPH} in the North}

Firstly on a personal note.

Divis and Black Mountain {the people’s mountain} is one of four lottery funded projects to have reached the final of the National Lottery awards – to win a place in the UK final. I have written much of Black mountain, where many like Marie and I had went up to as kids during the height of the conflict, where we were offered and had found a sense of freedom and calmness.

The mountain continues to provide much pleasure and exploration to both adults and kids alike from across the ‘divided communities’. From cross community trips to organised trips for people with disabilities through to ramblers and environmentalists all enjoying the experience.

It is a place now not only for freedom and calmness, but for education and now seeing new friendships being forged from across the communities.

For oneself it holds so many personal happy memories from childhood and is the place in which I sit presently at times to pen such articles of memories and thoughts for change while Marie sketches. On looking out upon the city of Belfast, a city in change, and from upon the mountain much of the sadness that was etched on my mind is put at ease, as is the case for many others.

Therefore I urge you to please vote for Divis Mountain – the mountains that gave freedom and calmness for many at a time of turmoil. And which now offers also education and new friendships and partnerships not once afforded to many citizens at the time – let it give that same freedom of mind to future generations.

To vote for Divis Mountain call 0845 434 6817 or log on to www.nationallotteryawards.org.uk and click onto National Lottery Award.

The Award ceremony will take place on Nov 4th

Many Thanks – Davy Carlin

I will take the opportunity here, as I have a bit of time, to give a record of the initiation of Street Seen

Just over one year ago Jon Glackin {also ex SWP} had contacted me to meet up for an informal chat about an idea he had in relation to a street paper. That idea was in relation to setting up a local Anti Poverty Paper. At this particular time I was on the verge of ‘formally’ resigning from the Belfast SWP. As my imminent departure from the Belfast SWP was common knowledge I had therefore been approached by several political parties and asked would I like to join, to which I declined. The ‘Belfast SWP, as it became known, for several years prior was seen by most activists across the Movements as being different from any other part of the SWP, and with that much support was offered due to the respect and support we had gathered over the years.

This was due to the way we sought to organise, open and democratic, while reaching out to others. We did not fear debate and sought to engage and discuss – we where confident in our politics. That though started to change, as stated, to dogma, formula politics and arrogance, which I had raised time and again. -

-And so as I had started into town from my home in Turf Lodge to meet Jon I had remembered back eight years to the time I had joined the SWP in Belfast

‘Having walked into a cold drafty room in central Belfast as a fresh face to politics, I, as stated, had thought how we few (counted on one hand) people almost unknown outside of our own ranks could begin to effect change, as they had talked about at that first meeting. It then took four or so years since I first walked into that room of hard graft and work on the ground, but eventually we were to play leading and essential roles in helping to initiate and create mass united campaigns, rallies and movements onto the streets of Belfast. From the largest Anti Sectarianism rally ever seen during the conflict to the largest Anti War march and rally ever seen in the North, through to one of the largest mass unofficial workers walkouts, to then seeing the largest such Anti Racism march and rallies also seen in the North, This putting aside the hundreds of militant youth we had mobilised as part of the Anti Capitalist movement for direct action onto the streets of Belfast, or the array of trade union banners fluttering in the wind from North and Southern Ireland for our stand against the 11-plus as we again marched through the streets of Belfast. On each we were to the fore in mobilising thousands and at times tens of thousands of Catholic and Protestant workers to stand together in unity’

This time though if I were to agree in signing up to this, I thought that there would be only Jon and I to begin this from absolute scratch. Yet one year on, Street Seen has been to the fore with others in organising such similar rallies and campaigns that had previous been done prior with the Belfast SWP at the forefront.

Therefore in real and practical terms it had shown that, the now SWP in Belfast’s new approach of organising had and has been {as I had said at the time, time and again} detrimental not only to themselves but to the SWP in general. For oneself I have always taken a keen interest in Strategy and Tactics, not only when involved in such campaigns to attempt to ensure the best result, but also had learnt much in my dealings with such parties. And although I wished a fraternal parting I knew from experience to expect some form of backlash {usually used to keep members on board, with attacks on oneself being raised internally on a number of issues – with of course some good old revisionism thrown in for good measure}

And so with that I had also long prepared the ground for my leaving. This as I was only to aware of the viciousness of those attacks on once previous comrades in such parties. Therefore, in doing so, I would ensure they could afford no such ‘intensive’ backlash on me, as I had seen others receiving in various parties. Saying that though I knew it would come from some of the ‘mindsets’ but over time, and tactics, I would ensure to know all such mindsets. Now a year on such are now irrelevant to oneself and the activism I do, and as once like the SP in Belfast to the Belfast SWP, I can now work that activism with little concern.

In relation to that, I work still in the projects already established which sees the SWP also involved. Additionally I will now work and lend support to other aspects of the SWP work, such as was seen recently in support for a new SWP members call for a picket at a Shell garage in Belfast. Although having problems with the SWP leaderships that will not in future stop me giving individual support to such calls from new activists – although like others I am fully aware of their recent history and will highlight any similar instances of behaviour.

- On meeting Jon I took an instant liking to him, but what won me to full involvement was the fire that came from his gut and danced in his eyes {when talking about injustice, inequality, oppression, repression etc}, a similar fire that I had found also in Mark Grehan from Dublin who very quickly was to and does play an essential role in Street Seen. Mark is also a key activist in Residents Against Racism in the South of Ireland. Both of them even in this short time together I have immense respect for.

-Therefore I came away from the meeting with Jon voicing full support and several weeks later we officially and publically launched Street Seen –

Street Seen launch

‘The official launch of the Belfast newspaper ‘Street Seen’ is to take place at the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre, Donegal Street at 3.30pm this Tuesday 19th October 2004. The paper is to be a local street paper for homeless people in Belfast and apart from advice and support for homeless people; it will cover politics, culture and many issues relevant to society. The first edition is now on the streets
Jon Glackin – Coordinator of Street Seen says ‘ that this is an essential project to attempt to bring the real and growing issues of homelessness to wider society while providing a support network for those on the street’.

Davy Carlin – Editorial Committee {Street Seen} and Chair of the Anti Racism Network says’. ‘As you walk about the streets of Belfast the faces of the homeless are becoming ever younger and more numerous, it is time that those voices find a hearing and that the underlying problems that has laid to their homelessness is now prioritised and urgently addressed’

Paddy Hughes – Deputy President, Queens University Belfast says ‘It is our responsibility as students to raise awareness, not only of problems particular to students, but also those present within the wider community with the aim of effecting genuine social change. It is for that reason that I am delighted to be lending my support to ‘Street Seen’.

Terri Hooley - Editorial committee – {Street Seen} says ‘It is time that those that are on many occasions ‘invisible’ in voice, that they should now become visible and vocal with the issue of homelessness brought to the front of the agenda. Street Seen is an initiative taken to attempt to raise the very voices of those that have been to long ignored’

Mark Thomas – Comedian, ‘This is an important initiative and I offer my support and hope Street Seen goes from strength to strength in bringing to light such an important issue’.

Contact the Editorial Committee of ‘Street Seen’ in the first instance for any further information.

Jon Glackin and Davy Carlin.

- Yet the support already was being gathered, growing, and coming in for street seen via our various contacts across the activists Movements.

Street Seen was primarily set up as an Anti Poverty paper, yet it embraces and campaigns on many issues.

Mark Grehan, of Street Seen summed up the main thrust of Street Seen in a recent edition of our paper.

‘Street Seen is a campaigning paper. Those that make up the editorial committee are all activists from various parts of what constitutes the progressive movement on this island. We all have a common aim, and that aim is the elimination of poverty and discrimination and for an equal distribution of wealth.

This is not an utopian vision. Every day we campaign for a better life for all. We oppose a society that attempts to segregate people so that the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. We hope to achieve a better society through our actions and through the actions of others.

We aim to include as many people as possible in our editorial decisions. We also aim to include as many people as possible within our campaigns. We do not look on ourselves as some sort of revolutionary elite who are here to lead the people. Rather we view ourselves and our campaigns as being led by the people and for the people. -

- Although it has Revolutionary Socialists at the forefront of it, it though embraces many activists from across the progressive movements. While we have a paper, a website, local and international discussion forums etc, we are also about grassroots mobilisation and support, ranging from awareness raising and social projects through to agitation, direct action and mass mobilisations.

This on a local and smaller scale, as well as on larger scales through building with the concept of media and public momentum. In effect, pulling the diverse Movements together in united stands on specific issues. With such a ‘wider’ voice, from across the ‘communities’ more change can be effected more rapidly. I had written from my very earliest days, of small steps, small gains, with the view of building towards the ultimate prize.

I realise that even initial small steps forward is better than remaining static {such as the one solution revolution marches, now home, job done} – therefore moving to the understanding of, and dealing with, real politic while still being a Revolutionary Socialist.

Yet to do that it takes many avenues of struggle oriented around Grassroots and progressive movements and campaigns. Indeed even some movements with bureaucratic control can be moved into action from below, from a ground swell from below, {either spontaneous or organised} as I have recorded and outlined previous, within the Anti Sectarian, Anti War and Anti Racism rallies and Movements.

Ultimately though for revolutionary and fundamental change one needs a revolutionary party that can embrace and find support within such movements and campaigns, large and small. That can only be done when one can actually relate in real terms, in practical terms, to such campaigns and movements, through continual coalface grassroots activism. Indeed a linkage of all such progressive movements, with rooted coal face activism, and a revolutionary party that can reach out, find support within, and embrace all such, will be a powerful instrumental for change in the years ahead. That is though a point I will return to in the years ahead.

I also believe such engagement and sharing of ideas on progressive sites is useful as is other sources of activist media. On that point I must say I had just watched an absolutely powerful documentary about the’ Irish Troubles’. On Oct 4th, my birthday, Marie and I had gone into town to do some ‘birthday shopping’. In doing so we also picked up a number of DVD films, including one that had no writing on it as to what it was about, but by the cover we surmised that it was something about the ‘Irish War’. As we settled down to watch it, we found that it was not only powerful but also within our minds, immediate.

It opens up at the top of White rock road in the mid to late seventies, the very spot, at the same time that the opening chapter of my book which I am working on begins. It then goes to a scene again in the seventies of Brits walking down the very street in which we now live in Turf Lodge to the sound of bin lids and whistles. {Used to warn of such patrols in the area}.

It was such an immediate experience watching such instances twenty-five years prior, now on our screen. Yet the whole content of the documentary was riveting and powerful and cut through much of the revisionism put out by many aspects of the media about the war. It was real life footage, in local areas from Turf Lodge to the Bogside, at the height of the war. It also dealt with the Civil Rights Movement, Interment, the Falls Road curfew, Bloody Sunday and much much more. In itself it was truly powerful and so real, due to the grassroots nature of the documentary. Yet it was brought even closer to us to see actual people Marie and I knew and know, including relatives and loved ones also in the documentary.

Yet, as stated in a previous diary input, having seen myself on a previous documentary as a child, it was now Marie’s turn. This time we believe as a child, in protest action, coming into full view on our screens in her pram!

Also pictured in the documentary was Marie’s uncle Brain, murdered as a child, also on Oct 4th, my birthday, the day we picked up the documentary. The documentary itself is called the Patriot Game {not the Hollywood film!} and it is a must watch. Again such pieces of media are also an essential instrument for those that seek change, and this particular one will make a good stocking filler for the activist Movement. I believe such grassroots avenues of expression are essential and I must thank big Mackers from the Blanket site and the Irish Indymedia initiation for providing such grassroots sites that I, like many others could use. Indeed I was fortunate enough that my submissions to both the Andersonstown News and Irish news over the years where also printed thus given me another avenue of expression. It is ironic although not surprising to some that I had found the real barrier to self expression being that of Socialist Worker at the time. I will in about a year or so from now again be submitting articles to such National newspapers.

- And so with Street Seen then established a year ago we then began to knuckle down to activism and finding support from activists. In just a short matter of months we had found support coming from around the Movement in Ireland {and further afield} to an extent that our paper was being sold hands over fists at the various activists mobilisations we went to, with even seeing people queuing at times to get a copy. - and then to a further extent while working with others seeing us mobilising thousands around the country, from Belfast to Dublin on various issues.

- One of our first initiatives though was very real and practical.

‘Street Seen Sleeping Bag Appeal

Street Seen, Northern Irelands very own Homeless paper, will be launching their Xmas Sleeping bag appeal Monday 20th December at 4pm at the Bandstand, Cornmarket in association with Queens University and many of Belfast’s Homeless Agencies

We are appealing for sleeping bags, warm clothes and food to be donated at the Bandstand, Cornmarket between 4pm and 6pm on Monday 20th December, all items will be directly given to those most in need by street outreach teams from the Welcome Centre, Homeplus, Simon Community and the East Belfast Mission….

Entertainment will be provided by local buskers and street performers; all are encouraged to support this important appeal in any way they can.

Items can also be donated at Phoenix Records, The Haymarket Arcade, Royal Avenue’. -

- The support we got for this was phenomenal – more especially in being the very new kid on the bloc in the form of Street Seen.

‘The response was phenomenal with over 300 Sleeping bags, Duvets and blankets so far donated, with 40 large bags of warm clothes and 50 sets of Scarves gloves also collected. There are still more donations to be collected over the next couple of weeks and we welcome any more donations.

All items donated so far have already been distributed to the East Belfast Mission, The Welcome Centre (W Belfast), Home Plus and other outreach groups that work directly with the Homeless Community on our Streets. These groups work 365 days of the year tackling the root causes of homelessness and deserve the highest of praise and support for the work they do in all weathers and times. Street Seen, Belfast’s very own homeless paper, will endeavour to support these groups as best as we can.
Thanks to all who donated to the appeal as we have gathered enough items that should last for the next couple of months’. -

-This response showed that if we put out a call we would get a positive response. Although only established we where already beginning to put our selves on the map, as support across the movement continued to pour in to us. I had then written in March an update of how I saw Street Seen expanding due to the increasing support we where being given. –

March 2005

‘Street Seen was set up on the basis of being primarily an Anti Poverty campaigning paper - which has seen it develop and expand.

Since then Street Seen due to its continued support and growth has now developed into several various avenues of activism around the issue of Anti Poverty. This while initiating and providing solidarity to and on various other issues

Firstly there are the social projects that Street Seen is engaged in as raised above.

The Sleeping bag appeal as was reported on Indymedia was a brilliant success for a newly formed project. With support and solidarity given and shown across the board.

Then there were the writing classes and other social projects ongoing and being set up by Street Seen.

Secondly there are the mobilisations, agitations, and Street protests that Street Seen has and will initiate.

Street Seen have been involved at the forefront with others in the Make Poverty History Network {MPH} - which had seen us call for and now building for a mass Anti Poverty rally in Belfast in early June.

Similarly we had also called a solidarity rally against deportation with others - and are organising another one this week.

Thirdly there is our Internationalism -with links now being built up with International campaigning groups.

Street Since while being primarily an anti poverty paper will and has initiated and supported many other issues.

The diversity of our Editorial - organising group {which is growing weekly} sees key activists of the IPSC, AWM, ARN, RAR, Anti Bin Tax, Anti War Tax and many other activists involved on local issues - and will offer solidarity to each.

Fourthly are our publications. Street Seen - the paper- for example which sold like hot cakes {almost 100 copies} at the Belfast Anti War rally {200 -250 in attendance at the march}.

We also have our website and will do up regular bulletins and more detailed publications in time. Street Seen offers fraternal engagement and debate within the movement -

For example the call by MPH to the G7 to ‘Make Poverty History’ - others and I know that this is not where it is at.

Yet through affording that space in Street Seen for the many who do believe that the G7 can deliver fundamental change, I then will put my thoughts and therein a debate can begin

Fifthly we will organise public debates with such already being pencilled in North and South. Again another open forum for debate and discussion

The Street Seen Editorial and organising group has now expanded and already includes some of the key activists who have been at the forefront in grassroots activism.

May it be around the Anti Sectarian rallies, Anti Privatisation, the Anti War Movement and the Anti Racism movement as well as a host of other activists involved in local community based campaigns - they are now getting involved in Street Seen.

Street Seen therefore sees activists wanting to get involved - may it be in one project such as a social grassroots project - or may it be seeking with us to rally thousands onto the streets against poverty and Globalisation.

Indeed Street Seen is not pigeon holed into any one function or a particular ideology but is indeed reflective of the diversity of activists, their ideas and ideologies and of the various avenues of working within the movements.

Street Seen is not funded by state or governmental bodies and so therefore we are not accountable to such, and so can organise as to how we think best, and can say what we want, without worry of funding being withdrawn etc

Street Seen continues to reach out with our ideas, and with our fraternal, open, democratic and accountable style of working with others.

We will work on grassroots projects in a real and practical way while mobilising both on masse and within local campaign issues, offering both support and solidarity’. –

-So as our support grew we with others then launched an International Day of activism against the deportations in the South.

STREET SEEN

BELFAST -
Stop The Deportations

Wednesday 23 March 1 p.m.

Cead Mile Failte!
Who are they fooling?

Irish Tourist Board,
Castle Street,
Belfast

Please bring banners/ placards and noise!!

Speakers: Mick O’Reilly TGWU
Davy Carlin Chair ARN
Jon Glackin Co-Ordinator Street Seen
Paddy Hughes Dep. Pres Queens University

Co-inciding with protests occurring in Dublin, Belfast, Derry, London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Amsterdam.

DUBLIN –

Press Release from Residents Against Racism in Conjunction with Palmerstown Community School
Stop The Deportation of Children

Demonstration 23/3/05 @ 12.30 Outside the Dáil

Residents Against Racism have called a demonstration for Wednesday 23rd March at 12.30 to protest at the governments continued policy of deporting children. Spokesperson Rosanna Flynn said: “Speaking in December the Justice Minister Michael McDowell stated that he recognised the moral force of allowing those asylum seekers who have children here in school for a lengthy period of time to stay. In March of this year his response has been to deport those very people. Many of these children and their families had integrated very well into their local communities, which are meant to be taken into account when casting judgement on their cases. A picture quickly emerges of a Justice Minister who says one thing and does the exact opposite. On the recent mass deportation there were several mothers who had been separated from their children; these children now remain in Ireland parentless. Also on the last deportation at least one of the passengers was sedated and a needle attached to them with a drip for the duration of the deportation. There was also a teenage boy due to sit his leaving cert deported leading to protests from his classmates in Palmerstown Community School. These cases are only the tip of the iceberg as there were many deported who we had no contact from before or after their deportations, many of these could have similar stories to tell”.

The Support forthcoming to our call was superb, given it was called at very quick notice in the afternoon.

Report -

‘Over sixty people attended the Belfast picket today seeing representatives of twenty-five to thirty of the major organisations from around Belfast standing in a firm show of solidarity.

Those in attendance included various leading trade union, student union, and political representatives.

Also where many of the major human and civil rights organisations that stood with representatives of major solidarity, women’s, community and campaign organisations from around the city.

Several political parties showed their support from Sinn Fein councillors to SWP activists, Anarchists groups stood beside key environmental groups. Human rights organisations stood beside the various Minority Ethnic campaign groups - from the ARN to the MCRC.

Those involved at the forefront in major progressive social projects stood beside key anti poverty campaigners - and many more.

Everyone was appalled at the Deportations and where asking for these protests to intensify.

The representation at the picket was superb and sends out a very clear message.

The phones have not stopped ringing from the media and TV stations looking interviews.

This issue is on the map - big time in the North -with many raising the issue and the comparison of the Southern government with the British Conservative Parties now intensified attacks in relation to Immigration.’ -

- The impact of the International mobilisation was three fold, firstly we seen the unprecedented such backing down and the overturning of a decision made by the Minister of Justice, Michael McDowell.

Secondly we also saw the continued momentum building, as reported in a National Daily {in an article I had written for Indymedia at the time, which included quotes from the paper}.

‘The Power of Protest - Build the momentum -Build a movement.

’Today’s Daily Ireland {March 26th} again does another excellent front-page story {there was another front-page story yesterday}

-this time on the Six Nigerian children forced to go ‘on the run’ against deportation.

With the campaign under way in Castleblayney - a campaign has also been organised in Athlone.

Spokesman for Athlone Friends Against Racism, Mr Denis Rohan said,

‘It was only last week Bertie Ahern was in America asking President Bush about ‘illegal’ Irish in America’.

He went on to say, ‘that they hope to co ordinate with other people across the country - in terms of developing a movement,

- ‘we have tremendous support from the people of Athlone’, Mr Rohan added.

Earlier this week {Daily Ireland} –

‘Michael McDowell was forced to allow 19 year old Palmerstown Community College student Olunkunle Eluhanla to return to Ireland after hundred of protesters flooded the streets of Dublin and Belfast in protest at his decision to deport the teenager at just months before he was due to sit his Leaving Certificate examinations’-

Much more in the articles - today and yesterday - good stuff’.

Like Denis says - A movement and momentum needs to be built around this issue - similar as was done to stand against the raise of brutal racist attacks in the North. We need to push this issue forward’ -

-The third impact it was to have was on Street Seen itself again as I had written at the time -

‘’ Getting absolutely loads of enquiries - re - Street Seen - from all around the country.

Promise we will reply to you all in time.

Just to let people know such is the interest in the Ideas and Ideologies column that it may be a regular feature.

Already people have come back wanting to reply to my article. This is what we are about and welcome such open debate and welcome those who want to make a point or reply to something raised.

Also we will now have a person specifically working on the poetry section -such is the interest.

Keep the e-mails and phone calls coming to Street Seen - We promise we will be to a street near you soon’.

- Therefore Street Seen was now firmly on the map as we continued to reach out, while discussing debating and providing solidarity and initiation on vital issues. At the start of the year we had also been invited to the public launch of Make Poverty History {MPH} in the North of Ireland which took place in January at Stormont. The Make poverty History Campaign had got criticism from some aspects of the left, yet once again I had come to my own understanding of working within such campaigns.

The SWP for example firstly argued against a rally, and it seemed to some at the time, it was because it was I who was arguing for mass mobilisation of Catholic Protestant and Dissenter. They then criticised MPH for only focusing on International poverty, this while not organising anything similar on such an issue they aspired to themselves or indeed never once even raising such on the committee at the time in their capacity as NGO. {I had raised such criticisms of others who had done this in the past, while in the Belfast SWP}. They then stated it failed to Make Poverty History and so it was a failure {which if taken to its logical conclusion so would have been the Anti war movement which failed to stop the war - although no similar extensive criticism there}.

Yet I have moved on from such. I remembered when in the SWP we at times had real problems in supporting some calls for anti sectarian rallies etc, simply because clergy or politicians were on the platform, yet as I develop my politics I see how abstract that was.

Yes I would have had problems at times with similar, but the fact is and was, was that thousands of citizens would still support that call. {Indeed although I would hold problems with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions I nevertheless had argued for their inclusion on the MPH rally platform, as I had seen it as beneficial, which was supported and agreed}

Yet do you stand outside or aside, or do you go inside with those that make that call and stand beside those who answer that call?

Similar with MPH I knew the possibilities were endless in relation to awareness rising on such an important issue. More especially I believed we could effect some change while working with yet some more progressive forces {some change is better than no change – small steps -while focused on the bigger picture}. As stated such purism of politics does, has, and will continue to make such groups irrelevant. Therefore for Street Seen, it had seen Jon and I at the very heart of the MPH, on the North’s committee. After having won the argument for a rally, I was then Chair of the Events Committee for the rally, while Jon was one of the key press officers, for MPH. We had also started to get involved at a later stage in the South.

Although I knew I would face some opposition {although genuinely surprised at the SWP’s stance} the reason that I had put the argument for that rally was threefold. Firstly if we wanted to raise awareness such a mobilisation would create media and public momentum. In doing so our voices would be heard not only on our shores {but given our recent history, far from our shores}. Secondly it would put us in a really strong position after the rally, with creating an activist network with many new activists working, engaging and networking with each -other. Thirdly such a united and International call I believed would have more of a chance of effecting some change, however limited.

The MPH in the North I found has many good, genuine hard grafting activists within in, and we work on a democratic and consensual basis. I of course had and have some problems with the overall campaign similar to many on the left. Yet my difference to some was that I like Jon and others in Street Seen rolled up our sleeves and got stuck whole heartily into it. In doing so we won respect both for our work and for our calls of various forms of actions. This meant that we won the call for mass mobilisation and therefore had, in part, radicalised the MPH campaign in the North to a further extent.

Indeed if other Socialists had of taken the same approach within their trade union, NGO or community and Voluntary sector roles, a similar situation could have happened elsewhere.

The Movement is made up of many Movements, some more radical than others. It is not those that are convinced of fundamental change that we should only work within or lend support to {however comforting that may be to be around like-minded people}. Success can be judged on bringing other parts of the Movement closer to our understanding and that cannot be done on the outside simply criticising or through ‘step in step out’ politics.

It will be done only by putting the shoulder to the wheel behind such movements and driving them forward with us, and towards us. Those organisations that fail to do that I believe they do so either due to not fully grasping the understanding of the diverse Movements within the Movement, through purist politics or through a lack of confidence in their own politics.

It is not those who are convinced who need to be convinced it is those who are not.

And that will only be done through being at the fore to and within the heart of such movements earning that respect, support and solidarity in the course of common struggle.

Indeed while thousands rallied in Belfast, from the NGO sector, from the Voluntary and Community Sector, from the Student Movement, faith groups, from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and some of its affiliates, from political representatives such as the President of Sinn Fein Gerry Adams to the Leader of the SDLP Mark Durkan, amongst others. Many persons though of such organisations stood ‘literally’ outside of the rally – a symbolic yet very visual message – ‘that they were outside of the Movement and therefore not part of it’.

Indeed such was our united forces that some change was effected and indeed one of MPH’S advertisements was censored for being too political. Yet we had delivered both the largest such rally seen in the North and with it had both organised and gave inspiration to seeing the largest ever such mobilisation to such a rally away from this island. The MPH Movement also delivered the largest political demonstration in Scotland’s history.

Poverty was not Made History, but another step forward was and is being made.

Below are just some of the press releases, and a few of the articles I had written during the course of the Movement.

Press releases 1} –
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY
MOTIV8 4 G8

2pm - Saturday - June 4th

Customs House Square, Laganside, Belfast
(Please note change of venue)

Saturday June 4th, Custom House Square, Laganside in Belfast will be the scene of a major Make Poverty History rally, one in a series in the UK entitled ‘Motiv8 4 G8’ in the run up to what promises to be a mammoth gathering in Edinburgh on July 2nd just prior to the G8 Summit.

Celebrities who have directly endorsed the event or will be appearing include Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, Ronan Keating, Graham Norton and Natasha Bedingfield.

“We expect thousands of people will want to come to Belfast to show their solidarity with the world’s poorest people,” said Lawrence McBride, spokesperson for the Make Poverty History coalition in Northern Ireland.

“It will be a day to focus on the fact that a child dies needlessly of poverty-related hunger or disease in the third world every 3 seconds- the equivalent of the death toll of the Tsunami every single week,” he continued.

“We have 3 demands: Trade Justice, Dropping Debt, and More and Better Aid. By simply agreeing to do so, it is entirely possible world leaders could reverse these startling statistics this year. We do not lack the physical resources.”

“The people of Northern Ireland want to see the G8 leaders put promises into action when they meet in Scotland in July. By coming to the rally and wearing something white or a white band, people can support the world’s poor and help bring about real change.

-Tony Blair will be under immense pressure to secure a deal at the G8 table.”

For further information please contact:

Jon Glackin

Lawrence McBride

www.makepovertyhistory-ni.org

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORYNI is the NI coalition of the Make Poverty History campaign.
2} Press Release

2 June 05
Immediate Release

Wide-ranging agency support for

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY rally at Custom House Square

An unprecedented coalition in Northern Ireland of all the Aid and Development agencies in co-operation with the entire community and voluntary sector and Trade Union movement are calling on the public to come out and support this Saturday’s MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY event in Custom House Square, Laganside (adjacent to the Albert Clock) on Saturday 4th June at 2pm.

Gary Lightbody, Lead Singer of Snow Patrol, will be at the event. He said, “We’ve been heavily involved in Make Poverty History for the past year. We were told about the poverty still happening - you can’t believe that it’s still the same situation 20 years later. The reason is these countries are being crushed under the weight of debt. There is a solution and it’s a simple one. We have to take responsibility. Our governments have to say ‘no more’. We can’t go on like this. As a generation, we have to stand up and say ‘no more’. When our leaders go into the G8 summit, they have to know the whole world is demanding they pay attention to Africa and all the Third World countries.”

Deborah Doherty, a spokesperson for MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY in Northern Ireland said, “Our campaign is about the fact that a child dies from poverty every 3 seconds. It is a scandal and it is a scandal that we all can do something about. I’m delighted Snow Patrol, Brian Houston and many others are coming on Saturday. It is Northern Ireland’s chance to do something positive to alleviate world poverty.”

Saturday’s event comes on the back of the recent announcement that Bob Geldof will organise a Live8 event, 20 years after Live Aid. Like Live8, MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY is not looking for financial donations but is calling for policy change by calling on G8 leaders to cancel the debt when they meet in Scotland in July.

Binnie Mwakasungula, from the Presbyterian Church of Central Africa in Karonga, Malawi, will be speaking on Saturday on his experience of how debt affects his country. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa with a rural population 100% dependant on agriculture. In 2002, when the country was facing starvation, the International Monetary Fund was criticised for allegedly persuading the government to sell off its grain reserves to repay international loans.

-Ends-

Note to Editors: MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY in Northern Ireland is a broad coalition of agencies comprising Christian Aid, Trócaire, Oxfam Ireland, NICVA, War on Want NI, Tearfund, Concern, Save The Children, Centre for Global Education, Help The Aged, Street Seen, NI Anti-Poverty Network, NI Anti-Racism Network, NIPSA, QUB Campaigning Group, ICTU, Comhlámh, the Bishop’s Church Appeal, CADA

Jon Glackin, Press Officer, MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY NI,
Lawrence McBride, Press Officer, MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY NI,

My articles at the time- 1} –

Friends,

One of MPH NI primary objectives was to raise awareness both of the G8 and our goals, and to get people to the G8, and this has been achieved in a huge way through the MPH NI rally.

In both the National and local papers we got excellent coverage -from the Newsletter who did a page and a half to the Andersonstown news who did a full page. Then we had all the TV and Radio coverage of the rally as well as participating in current affairs TV and radio shows - and now we are seeing columnists in many newspapers and editorials {The Belfast Telegraph Yesterday - the Daily Ireland and the Irish News today} all voicing support for various aspects of the campaign

Friends we are now seeing debates and full page articles for debate {today again in the main morning dailies} all now being opened up in the papers in the North about the G8 in general, as well as Live 8, MPH, activists travels to Scotland etc - this on the back of a brilliant rally.

. In doing so many many more are now looking to go to the G8 from the North while more are now looking to get engaged in the debate on the G8 - this a month before the G8.

So activists may they be Grassroots {and Revolutionary Socialist} like myself, who chose to also work within MPH NI Coalition, or may it be others who chose to work outside MPH {or indeed those toe in toe out organisations} -

- and whatever one thinks of MPH NI -

a greater space nevertheless has now been opened where the debate is beginning within the wider media {and thus the wider public} -who are now focusing on the G8.

Thus providing a wider audience for us all.

Whatever people think of MPH, MPH NI have ensured now that by mobilising thousands onto the streets of Belfast that a focus is now on the G8 both in greater activism terms and the opening up of wider public and media debate.

This situation shows that when we come together on a ’specific’ and work together on something like this then greater things are possible.

2} - The rallies impact felt and reported far and wide
With seeing the Largest such rally {Pre summit} ever seen in the North - now

- that magnificent Rally is being reported far and wide - from Revolutionary websites - to even at the United Nations!!! -

United Nations website attached gives a report under the title - —.

‘Colourful Northern Ireland Poverty Rally is Biggest in Recent Memory’

http://www.millenniumcampaign.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=grKVL2NLE&b=219263&content_id={3756072C-9F6E-4FC7-9C7A-222

3} Dear friends below I give some final press quotes in relation to the MPH coalition in the North over the last while. We had started of with no press coverage and through creating public momentum we had then created extensive media momentum. Indeed to an extent that many of the main TV, radio stations and newspapers had contacted us to send crews over with us to Scotland, which we divided up on various buses as so they could a get a real flavour of the Movement in its entirety.

We had also seen then the issue making front-page news over that time and indeed seeing Daily Ireland carrying the MPH logo front page for two days {fair play to them}.

Friends the MPH coalition in the North is a bottom up organisation with open, collective and consensual decision-making - {as I heard others are very top down} and holds many excellent activists. I, as stated before will detail the development of the MPH movement, which will be incorporated into the Street Seen article I am working on {Street Seen - from the beginning}.

I write such from the Knowledge and friendships I had found from working within the MPH Northern coalition, and from the inspiration I had found with working with some such dedicated activists from many organisations - I do it also within that personal setting and the view point of being Chair of the MPH Event committee {The event being the Rally}

The MPH coalition in the North had not only mobilised the largest such demo against Global poverty ever seen in the North, but as stated, had mobilised the largest contingent of hundreds ever to travel to such a demo -.

- therefore it showed again as with the Anti War and Anti Racism mobilisations in the North that unity {presently} on specifics is possible. So to finish of, here are some quotes re - the MPH coalition actions to date in the North all taken from the press and media.

‘The MPH rally in Northern Ireland was the largest demonstration against Global poverty ever seen here.’

‘Colourful Northern Ireland Poverty Rally is Biggest in Recent Memory’

‘The MPH rally was the largest Anti Poverty rally seen in Northern Ireland, with thousands in attendance’

Hundreds travel with MPH NI to Scotland in the largest mobilisation from the North to this kind of demonstration’

MPH spokesperson says ‘that up to 1000 will travel from the North to the G8.

‘A Movement to raise awareness, to eradicate poverty, has taken to the Streets of Northern Ireland’

‘An unprecedented coalition in Northern Ireland of all the Aid and Development agencies in co-operation with the entire community and voluntary sector and Trade Union movement has been formed in Northern Ireland’

‘Will you join us in the Revolution to bring down Poverty’? {Those Street Seeners} This was the title used by the Irish News to a letter send out by Jon Glackin on behalf of the MPH NI Coalition {Jon like myself is also a Street Seen Activist}.

In conclusion

MPH NI still has a lot of work to do and we in Street Seen work to the fore in many such campaigns around the island. Street Seen is an activist’s grassroots paper as is its methodology of seeking to work {and seeking to win others to work similar}.

Street Seen is the paper of the local Movement on the island, as virtually all such visible campaigns and Movements sees many activists involved in, or are supportive of Street Seen. May that be in local community, solidarity or trade union campaigns, or may it be in larger Anti Racism, Anti Poverty, Anti Privatisation, Anti War or Anti Capitalism Movements and Campaigns – Street Seen is on the Street

Therefore all those who agree with our statement as above contact us at the Street Seen Network, to get involved or simply to discuss further our aims and beliefs to see if we can find common bonds of Support and Solidarity. -

-Yet while working within MPH Street Seen also worked with the Belfast Grassroots crew, made up of Anarchists, trade unionists, Peace activist, environmental campaigns and much more, and I had spoke at the launch of the press Conference.

Press release –

Call for Belfast’s Citizens to Join G8 Summit Protests in July

Belfast Grassroots Against The G8 a network the groups and activists in Belfast opposing the G8 held a Press Briefing this afternoon in the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre . The Briefing was an opportunity for journalists to interview individuals and learn their personal reasons for going from Belfast to Scotland this summer.

Community Activist Ann Patterson & Davy Carlin of the Anti Racism Network gave brief statements about why it’s important for people from Northern Ireland to resist the G8 Summit.

Resources for Journalists

More detail is available at http://www.g7.utoronto.ca/

Other Journalist Resource Links

Dissent!: http://www.dissent.org.uk/
Make Poverty History: http://www.makepovertyhistory.org
G8 Alternatives: http://www.g8alternatives.org.uk/
Faslane Nuclear Submarine Blockade: http://www.faslaneg8.com/
Make Poverty History (local): http://www.makepovertyhistory-ni.org
GrassrootsGathering(local):http://www.mallusk.net/grassrootsgathering
Dissent Ireland : http://www.dissentireland.org/

The other side of the story

Official G8 website: http://www.g8.gov.uk/

Notes:

The G7 (now often referred to as the G8 since Russia was invited) was formed in the 1970s during a period of economic crisis by Canada, Italy, the USA, UK, Japan, France, and Germany. Its express purpose at the time was to enable these seven countries to develop long-term strategies to maintain their position as the world’s dominant economic powers.

Among the strategies developed and employed by G7 countries were:

1) monopolizing and controlling the oil supply of other countries in the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific, and South America
2) loaning of money to corrupt dictatorships in Africa and Asia, causing third world debt
3) escalation of the nuclear arms race against the USSR, and the export of conventional weapons to client regimes such as Iran and Iraq.
4) making third world agricultural system dependent upon Western oil and chemical industries

Russia, although much less economically important since the collapse of the Soviet Union earns its place because of its large oil and arms industries and its arsenal of WMD. The president of the EU is also entitled to attend, and sometimes selected African leaders or pop stars are invited as public relations gimmicks.

The G8 has no constitution, accountability or status in international law- there is no such thing as a ‘G8 presidency’. Some media commentators are confused on this issue. The substantial multi-million pound bill for the annual G8 meeting is, however, covered by the host country. Often many costs must totally be absorbed by the local government, which has already caused some complaints this year from the City of Edinburgh.

The G8 meetings rotate annually and this year is the turn for the UK to host the meeting. At the 1998 G8 meeting in Birmingham, Tony Blair promised to focus on elimination of third world debt. Each year since 1998, the G8 press conferences have contained announcements of debt cancellation. Every year, these promised measures have been delayed, reduced and then quietly dropped. We expect this year to be no exception.

Many people feel that there would be a better world if this meeting of elites from the eight most powerful nations in the world did not take place.

- Therefore Street Seen while working within the MPH Movement was also working with the Belfast Grassroots who where also organising for the G8.

Note - MPH in the North is now calling a large scale vigil in Belfast City Centre on the 9th Dec 2005. We seek also additional vigils which will be held around other towns and cities of the North for campaigners and the public to attend.

It seeks to bring hundreds of campaigners, activists and trade unionists together, Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter - . Details to follow.

Street Seen has been involved in many other issues of importance, both local and International with one again very prominent in the Southern media recently. It was that of the issue of the deaths on the streets of ‘homeless people and homelessness in general.

The original release in Full-

No More Deaths On Our Streets

Saturday 17 September @ 2pm
Central Bank
Dame Street
Dublin 2

Street Seen is calling on all those individuals, groups and organisations who wish to see the end of avoidable deaths on Irish Streets and homelessness to support this demonstration as a matter of urgency.

The recent tragic deaths of two ‘homeless’ people in Dublin highlights the Governments acute inadequacies in serving its citizens. On a weekly basis people die needlessly on Irish streets due to the acute lack of housing and lack of services to those in need. In response to these recent deaths Street Seen, Irish Anti-Poverty Paper, are calling on people to protest in Dublin saying clearly enough is enough: No More Deaths On Our Streets

Numbers of people sleeping rough in Dublin city centre remain at record high levels, according to a new survey conducted by homeless organisations. Two hundred and thirty seven (237) people sleep rough in Dublin on any given night. These people are vulnerable to changes in the weather, violence, abuse and sexual exploitation. The survey co-ordinated by the Homeless Agency was carried out by Focus Ireland, Dublin Simon Community, Merchant’s Quay Ireland along with Dublin City Council and other homeless services

It was only with the introduction of the Housing Act in 1988 that any kind of national assessments of homelessness by Local Authorities were carried out. Although the early assessments were deeply flawed the most recent one (2002) found that a record 5,581 people were homeless throughout the state (according to the Housing Act definition). The majority of these were in Dublin. The Homeless Agency also co-ordinated a separate assessment for Dublin. This counted 2,920 homeless people in Dublin in 2002. There are currently 48,413 households on the housing waiting lists nationally and 5,581 people who are homeless. The vast majority of these live in emergency hostels and B&B accommodation on a night-by-night basis

Not only has the number of homeless households increased substantially over the years but the crisis in social/public housing has also deepened. The slow-down in the construction of social housing by the local authorities in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the rise in the cost of renting private accommodation and the increasing cost of purchasing a property have lead to an increased demand for social housing.

Housing charity Threshold recently called on the Government to prevent the creation of modern-day slums by radically improving living conditions in private rental accommodation. Threshold in its 2004 Annual Report, showed the number of calls from people living in unfit accommodation had risen by more than a third last year. Conditions people were reporting included problems with hot and cold running water, mould growing on walls, vermin infestations and living in windowless rooms, Threshold claimed local authorities were failing in their duty to inspect privately-rented accommodation, with only 7,232 of an estimated 150,000 dwellings checked by inspectors. According to the report, almost 30% of inspected properties were found to be falling below minimum standards.

Homelessness means more than just sleeping rough. If you are living in Ireland in a hostel or bed and breakfast or staying temporarily with friends because you have nowhere else to go, you are homeless.

Street Seen is calling on all those individuals, groups and organisations who wish to see the end of avoidable deaths on Irish Streets and homelessness to support this demonstration as a matter of urgency.

No More Deaths On Our Streets
Saturday 17 September @ 2pm
Central Bank
Dame Street
Dublin 2

Further Details:
Jon Glackin
Mark Grehan

Supported by:
Street Seen
Fr. Peter McVerry
Mick O’Reilly, Reg. Sec. TGWU
Ray O’Reilly, Asst. Gen. Sec. IWU
International Homeless Forum http://www.forums.homeless.org.au/
Residents Against Racism

The response again to Street Seen’s call again was excellent – Reports as follows –

IRISH TIMES -

Over 200 people joined a rally in Dublin on Saturday to protest over the problem of homelessness in Ireland, particularly in Dublin city. The demonstration was organised following the death of three people sleeping rough within the space of a week in Dublin city a fortnight ago.

At the protest outside the Central Bank, Dame Street, Mark Grehan, of organisers Street Seen, said the rally signalled the beginning of a new campaign.

“In two to three weeks’ time we will hold a public meeting. Then we will have a mass rally before staging a sleep-out outside the Dáil,” he added.

A number of speakers voiced their concerns at the rally, including politicians and anti-homelessness campaigners as well as many homeless people. The key to this new campaign, Mr Grehan said, was the involvement of the homeless community towards solving this problem.

Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins said: “Homeless people are invisible at the present time. We are not short of resources, we are short the political will to provide housing and care to all who need it.”

He said that in the run-up to the next general election, the political parties should make “cast-iron promises” to eradicate homelessness. “The Government looks after the super rich, the very rich and not at all the poor,” he added.

Jeremy McHugh (32), originally from Kildare, is currently homeless and came out to support Saturday’s demonstration. “If all homeless people come together and sleep outside Dáil Éireann, that’s the only way this will be solved. We want the key to our own doors,” he said.

Sinn Féin Cllr Daithí Doolan said it was a disgrace that 5,500 people in Ireland were homeless while the country enjoys such economic prosperity. He called on the Government to immediately “establish a taskforce to tackle homelessness in our capital”. He also called on the Minister of State for Housing, Noel Ahern, to take responsibility and action. “People are dying for want of a home,” he said. “Shame on you Noel Ahern.”

The Labour Party, Residents Against Racism and other anti-homelessness campaigners also supported the demonstration.

At the end of the rally, Mr Grehan urged the assembled crowd to lobby their local TDs and councillors to take action on homelessness. A “street meeting” took place after the rally, which gave people from the homeless community an opportunity “to speak about issues that affect them,” Mr Grehan said.

DAILY IRELAND –

Daily Ireland Editorial – {In part} –

‘The evidence is that this approach {Global and Local}, combining glamour with grassroots action can work. It’s unlikely to deliver the entire shopping list of those fighting for a fairer world but, as with the debt amnesty won by the Make Poverty History cronners, it can deliver where traditional political approaches have failed.

What works on a global stage can work at home. On Saturday, campaigners for the homeless gathered in Dublin to {quite rightly} berate the powers- that- be after the series of deaths of people living rough in the capital. Next Saturday, Nationalists, will take to the streets to press Dublin for a United Ireland.

In both instances, we are seeing examples of traditional approaches to problems, come onto the streets, speak truth to power, pray that the government will act.

Daily Ireland salutes the organisers of both protests – and similar campaigns driven ay activist citizens seeking change’ –

-A further report at the time-

‘Grassroots activism that is beginning to affect real and practical change -

Street Seen’s campaign builds momentum -

RESULTS

After a very successful rally that was held on Saturday 17th September which was attended by around 300 people, the first homeless organising street meeting was held at St. Stephens Green Bandstand.

This was a new concept whereby homeless people came together to organise future activities in the Street Seen ‘No More Deaths on Our Streets’ campaign.

This was a new concept in so far that, for once, people directly affected by homelessness had a vehicle to communicate and organise. So far we have had 3 street meetings and will be holding them regularly

The Homeless Are Revolting!! Come Join Them..!!

It was decided that we had to raise the profile of our activities publically, loudly, and target directly the decision makers that have created the conditions that confines so many people to Irelands Streets.

- Therefore through such activism and actions - our group has been invited to address the Dublin Housing Committee meeting that will be held on Monday 26th September. Imagine that, - Homeless people actually communicating directly our concerns and demands for better funding of existing services and more funds to be made available to develop real solutions!! Whatever next, they might listen!!!

ALSO,

Street Seen — Irish Anti-Poverty paper has now been recognised by the Dublin City Council Community Forums as the official voice of Dublin’s Homeless Community.

We intend to make that voice heard loudly and clearly!!

CONTINUED ACTION

Simple solutions for Complex Problems…

On Tuesday 27th September Street Seen will be holding a Solidarity Sleep Out in front of the Dail (Parliament) as it reopens from another of their long breaks. We intend to be the first people those TDs (MPs) have to face at the Dail as they come back from their holidays…We will keep this campaign to the forefront of their mind.

Come and support us.

An update of the Dail sleep out at the time from Jon –

‘Around 50 people on sleep out. The spirit of solidarity is very evident on the street outside the Dail… some interesting visitors during the night so far…

A certain Senator Terry Leyden, Government Front Bench Spokesperson for Enterprise, Trade and Employment happened to chance on our protest. His surprise at the vision of so many homeless people gathered together was quite amusing. He maintained that in 2005 there was absolutely no reason why there where homeless people in Dublin or anywhere else in the country for that matter. This was a wealthy country and the money was there to end homelessness…

So we will take him at his word then …..

The people gathered in protest against the shortcomings of his government quite rightly pointed out to him, lucidly and vocally the continuing indifference of his party and government to those consigned to the streets…

Senator Terry Leyden publically pledged to those gathered around that he would meet me outside the Dail at 1pm to tell us the answers that he would seek as to why homelessness existed.

He has pledged that he will ask those ministers responsible why 237 people ‘officially’ sleep every night rough on Dublin’s streets…

We will await his answers with bated breath…

He is right that we are a wealthy country, he is right that Homelessness shouldn’t exist in Ireland…

Now it is the time for him and others in the Dail to make available adequate funding for existing services and to develop and support new initiatives in combating homelessness and houselessness in Ireland….

Senator Leyden made these pledges publically, recorded on Dictaphone and for Liber8 FM, we will transcribe these and broadcast his interaction with our homeless people ASAP. It certainly makes for an interesting encounter.

We would urgently appeal for anyone free at 1pm to come down to the Dail to hear his replies’!

- There has also been a rally at the Dail where Street Seen joined others from Residents Against Racism through to the shell to Sea Campaign; there has also been more street meetings, pickets, protests and now a motion being put to Dublin City Council. This campaign continues and can be followed in full on this link.

http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=72260

Again the response and support Street Seen has received has been excellent, and this struggle like others continues. Since Jon and I had sat in that café a year ago Street Seen has now been involved in many issues, bringing support and solidarity to many. Yet this would not be possible without the support and solidarity we have been given.

Street Seen are seeking to effect real change for the most vulnerable, may it be those suffering at the hands of racists or those eeking out an existence on our streets.

We seek to make the real issues of the invisible visible and to speak out with, and for, those who have little voice or who fear to speak out themselves. Yet within such stands and the continued struggle for a better, fairer and more equal society and world, I say this.

That is, that I believe that one must look outside the box that the ruling classes and its system attempts to confine us into. In doing so then I believe that that is a beginning, because if you do not begin to question, then how can you even begin to find the answer to a better world, the world of a once brutal Capitalist system that has seen fundamental and revolutionary change.