Political censorship at The Kerryman

Saturday April 26, 2003 18:18

by Ailin

The media is an arm of Government - and nothing illustrates the point more than the act of the Kerryman newspaper in its issue of 18th April last when it featured a front page story on how Provo TD Martin Ferris was aware of an alleged threat against a mother by a gang of drug dealers from Limerick.

The interesting aspect of this story is that the woman and her family who were threatened lives two doors away from the Provo Deputy - yet it was local officials from Republican Sinn Féin who first raised the issue with the media. In fact on Monday 14th April Republican Sinn Féin chairman in Tralee John Mangan issued a statement to the Kerryman newspaper outlining the threats against the woman and her family and calling on the police to tackle the drug gangs instead of harassing Republicans. Of course his statement was a truthful one - and truth is not of interest to the news journalists on the Kerryman judging by the way they featured the story. After contact with RSF North Kerry spokesman John O'Shea, the newspaper asked for contact to be made with the woman.

The resulting story however played up the role of the Provo TD and failed to mention that Republican Sinn Féin has first alerted interest in the story. In fact the efforts of Republican Sinn Féin officials to alert the media was not even mentioned in the article. Such is the freedom of the press in Kerry!

The claim by the Provo TD that he had been aware of the threats against the family is interesting - as the woman at the centre of the story says: "If he was so aware of it why did he not take any action - why did he not come to me and offer assistance - it was only when Republican Sinn Féin stepped in that the newspaper took an interest."

The episode illustrates how the so-called free press plays puppet to the politicians - and will not embarrass politicians like Ferris with stories on their doorstep exposed by Republican Sinn Féin.

While Republican Sinn Féin engages in a widespread campaign of media relations and issues statements almost every week on issues of local and national importance, the censorship imposed by newspapers like the Kerryman indicates how the media fear an alternative political viewpoint. The act of political censorship by the Kerryman shows the petty steps they will take to suppress any view contrary to that pushed by the politicians they support.

In future when people buy newspapers like the Kerryman they should bear in mind that such organs are serving and subservient to the ruling class - readers should consider again what has been ignored or suppressed by the so called free press! Let those who connived in this distasteful censorship examine their role - and let them ponder the meaning of freedom of expression and upholding the public's right to know - another Kerry joke!

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Original News Release

Sat Apr 26, 2003 19:02

Kerry drug threat highlighted by Tralee RSF
John Mangan, Kerry Republican Sinn Féin
April 13, 2003
A threat by drug dealers from Limerick to burn out a Kerry housewife from her home because of alleged debts by a member of her family should be fully investigated, the local branch of Republican Sinn Féin said today.

RSF spokesman John Mangan from Tralee said the terrified woman had contacted local officials of Republican Sinn Féin to highlight her plight and a death threat against her.

"The woman is in a state of fear over these threats," he said. "She has been told that drug dealers from Limerick are seeking two thousand euro from a member of her family over an alleged debt. The woman has been warned that if the money is not paid then she will be burned out of her house. She is taking the threats seriously because these people who threatened her are said to have links to serious crime in Limerick.

"The woman lives only a few doors away from the Provo TD Martin Ferris yet he has not stepped in to protect her. We are concerned for her safety and that is why we are making this situation public.

"There cannot be any place for such threats and intimidation in a normal society and people should be allowed live their lives without fear or harassment. The fact that the drugs problem has reached such a crisis point in Kerry is an indictment of the failure of policing in this area. If the police devoted adequate resources to tackling such crime instead of harassing Republicans the drug problem could be solved over night.

"Instead the state directs the political police to campaign against those who politically oppose the continued British presence in Ireland. The result is the only people suffering are those like the unfortunate mother in Ardfert."

Don't worry

by josef

Sun Apr 27, 2003 11:20

The Skibereen Eagle is keeping a beady eye on them. Yawn.

Republican Sinn Fein would want to look in their own backyard

by C. O'Shea

Mon Apr 28, 2003 12:12

It came as a surprise to see this in the news. While Republican Sinn Fein claim to have higlighted the issue of threatening behaviour of Limerick Drug-Pushers in Kerry, they seem to forget that their own members are up to their necks in this sort of activity in Limerick City. As well as being closely assosiated with the feuding currently going on in the City between the Keanes and the Ryans.

Handy journalism

by Janus

Mon Apr 28, 2003 13:48

The RSF know the family being threatened by drug-dealers and they probably know the dealers as well as they could be one of the many families, factions, scumbags and thugs that they occasionally give shooters on a loan.

The Provos might have sold out on a few things but at least they never sold drugs, or armed those that do.

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Political censorship at The Kerryman

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