RNU Response to North Belfast S/F

national | miscellaneous | press release Saturday September 19, 2009 16:29 by Ardoyne Republican - Republican Network for Unity (RNU)

I would like to respond to a number of Sinn Féin driven articles, letters and texts printed in the North Belfast News last week that included spurious claims against the Republican Network for Unity (RNU). The RNU is an Irish political pressure group with organised branches nationwide. We are not a political party and are not constituted as such. RNU subscribe to the 1916 Proclamation and the attainment of a 32 County Democratic Socialist Republic. Our goal is to promote and maintain core republican values and achieve our objectives by strengthening partnerships with strategically allied organisations, including Republican political parties, trade Unions, socialist and ex-prisoner groups.

A Chara,

I would like to respond to a number of Sinn Féin driven articles, letters and texts printed in the North Belfast News last week that included spurious claims against the Republican Network for Unity (RNU). The RNU is an Irish political pressure group with organised branches nationwide. We are not a political party and are not constituted as such. RNU subscribe to the 1916 Proclamation and the attainment of a 32 County Democratic Socialist Republic. Our goal is to promote and maintain core republican values and achieve our objectives by strengthening partnerships with strategically allied organisations, including Republican political parties, trade Unions, socialist and ex-prisoner groups.

On July 13th 2009, the RUC/PSNI was responsible for shooting eleven people, including children with lethal plastic bullets and was involved in repetitive baton-charges against local people. The paramilitary police also enforced a curfew around Ardoyne and neighbouring communities to support an anti-catholic march through the area.

Contrary to Mr. Kelly’s claims, the Republican Network for Unity (RNU) organised a protest as a dignified response to the above issues. That was due to take place outside Ardoyne Community Centre in opposition to the presence of RUC/PSNI personnel at the meeting inside. However we deferred holding a rally as it would have been inappropriate to upset children attending classes in the same building.

Hence, two (RNU) members including myself met with the Centre’s Manager and informed him about our intention to hold a protest outside. We also conveyed the amount of local anger at the inclusion of the RUC/PSNI given its recent hostility against residents in the Short Strand and Ardoyne. Finally, we asked could he notify those attending the meeting that if political police persist in using community facilities, future disruption and protest are inevitable.

With the help of shrewd propaganda, Sinn Féin has been responsible for attempting to elevate the RUC/PSNI in working-class areas as community orientated Police service. Far from being a civil police, they are managed by the British Security Service MI5, from Holywood Barracks. Who gave SAS assassins permission to operate with impunity. As well as, using special powers to imprison Irish citizens for 28 days and intern them by remand. Rather than acting as cheerleaders for political policing, it would be much more productive for Provisional Sinn Féin to re-engage with the majority of republicans and reject the above shameful human rights abuses.

On Monday 7th September, I also attended a meeting in Holy Cross Hall with many others to establish a non-party political residents’ organisation to replace the now defunct Ardoyne Parades Dialogue Group (APDG). Unlike Gerry Kelly, we went along as Ardoyne residents concerned about the amount of conflict spawned by regular sectarian parades and RUC/PSNI abuses against our community.

We did not disrupt or prevent a residents group from being formed. A working committee was indeed formed to represent those living in the Crumlin, Ardoyne Roads, Balhome Drive, Ingledale, Somerdale and Mountainview areas. RNU welcome this and offer the group our full support.

What surprised many there was the choice of the Chairperson, predictably a Sinn Féin activist. Who asked us to read the agenda and Constitution which had been drafted by the Safer Neighbourhood Ardoyne Project (SNAP) of which he is a senior member. Furthermore, the Chair conveniently disclosed that only residents from designated streets were entitled to join the new committee. What's more, Gerry Kelly MLA stated that, in future the group would deal with vandalism, burglaries and contentious parades.

Given the number of previous meetings held to discuss the actions of the RUC/PSNI, parade and subsequent rioting in July. Residents were rightly confused and expressed a number of reservations about the nature of the meeting and the committee’s structure and composition. The Sinn Féin politician intervened and reminded us again that the group’s constitution had already been agreed. As a result, more than half of those in attendance left the meeting including, a well-respected eighty year-old resident.

As soon as the others left, nominations for the committee were taken and a number of residents who live within the catchment area, reluctantly agreed to join. With the new group now formally established, a former political prisoner asked for minutes of the last meeting to be read out. However, his request was met with some hesitation by the Chair. After Gerry Kelly said it no longer mattered and was irrelevant. The Republican was then verbally abused by the Sinn Féin MLA. Unsurprisingly, he also proceeded to shout a number of accusations at myself.

In recent years, local republicans, socialists and democrats have grown accustomed to incessant and dangerous vilification emanating from the North Belfast Executive of Sinn Féin. Therefore, Kelly’s juvenile behaviour witnessed by two dozen residents was of little surprise. I guess this is what he and his colleagues mean by an ‘Ireland of Equals’.

Is Mise,
Martin Óg Meehan
Cathaoirleach
North Belfast RNU