THE SEEDS OF A POLICE STATE .......There is substantial evidence that a major crime was perpetrated within the Garda Siochana five years ago .
The evidence for this crime has certainly been available to senior Gardai ever since then , but no enquiry whatsoever has taken place , let alone any Garda being disciplined in connection with that crime .
By Vincent Browne and Derek Dunne .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , September 1983 .
After lunch , Nicky Kelly alleged , Detective Garda Michael Finn was responsible for him falling off a seat and stood behind him asking questions , slapping him on the ears when he gave 'unsatisfactory answers' : by late afternoon , Kelly alleged , Detective Garda Thomas Ibar Dunne punched him on the arms and suggested to him roles that he played in the Sallins mail train robbery .
Between the hours of 9.00am on the Tuesday (6th April , 1976) and 5.30pm on the Wednesday , Kelly underwent continuous questioning during which time he alleged that he was shouted at by Detective Garda Dunne and punched repeatedly on the arms by him , and that he was also beaten by a number of detectives whom he could not identify . Detective Garda Michael Finn and Detective Sergeant Patrick F. Cleary were accused by Nicky Kelly of beating him on three separate occasions with a black jack - Kelly alleged he was beaten under the arms and from the legs to the knees , that he was being punched and shouted at to sign a statement , and that Detective Garda Michael Finn threatened to break his nose .
On the third occasion when he alleged he was beaten with the 'black jack' by Detective Sergeant Patrick F. Cleary , a statement had already been written out , and it was his refusal to sign it which brought on the third , and according to Kelly , the worst of the beatings with the 'black jack' . He also alleged that during this period Detective Garda Egan slapped and punched him about the arms , ears and face , and that Detective Sergeant Culhane shouted and roared at him , and that Culhane punched him , causing him to fall to the ground . After the third beating with the 'black jack' , Nicky Kelly said he signed a statement at 5.15am in order to stop further beatings.......
(MORE LATER).
THE SEEDS OF ANOTHER BITTER HARVEST .......By STEPHEN GREER .
From 'FORTNIGHT' magazine , October 1983 .
The supergrass development has undoubtedly damaged the paramilitaries for the time being , but the long-term results could easily prove to be counterproductive as far as the establishment of peace , justice and stability is concerned . ('1169...' Comment - In relation to being "counterproductive as far as the establishment of peace justice and stability is concerned..." , one need look no further than the continuing claim of jurisdiction from Westminster over six Irish counties , and the enforcement of that claim by political and military methods . Any 'treaty' which disregards that fact serves only to prolong the struggle .)
The parallel with internment is disturbingly close : in the early 1970's , detention without trial was seen by those who advocated it as a potential panacea for the mounting disorder - it is now widely recognised , however , that this 'security initiative' served only to incarcerate many innocent men , thus further alienating large sections of the nationalist community from the legal process , and that this in turn dramatically increased the flow of recruits to the IRA and added fuel to an already bitter civil conflict . The supergrass strategy contains the seeds for a similar harvest .
[END of 'THE SEEDS OF ANOTHER BITTER HARVEST']
(Next - ' Beyond Breakouts And Supergrasses' : from 1983)
THE PROVOS AT THE BALLOT BOX .......By Michael Farrell .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , June 1983 .
'The Credibility Factor' :
Before October the Sinn Fein candidates and their policies were little known outside republican circles - ('1169....' Comment : ....as intended by those who introduced , supported and maintained political censorship) as their South Armagh Assembly member , Jim McAllister , puts it : " A lot of people thought we were just wild men , only good for shouting 'Brits Out!' ... " Since then ,they have got a lot of TV and press coverage in the North , emerging as just as articulate and able as their SDLP counterparts . A lot of the 'bogeyman effect' has been dissipated , just by public exposure .
'The Registration Factor' :
The (Six County) Assembly elections revealed that thousands of people had no votes : electoral officers have admitted that in a few areas like South Armagh up to 30 per cent of the population were unregistered - many of these were republican supporters who saw no point in voting or were suspicious of all forms of 'officialdom' . More were alienated youth . Sinn Fein have put in a big effort to get these people registered and it should have some effect on this election and a bigger effect in 1984 or 1985 .
The most significant factor in increasing the Sinn Fein vote , however , is likely to be constituency work ; they had gradually been getting interested in social and economic issues for some time but it has really taken off since the October 1982 elections , with Advice Centres/Clinics having been opened and staffed in West Belfast , Derry , Strabane , Fermanagh-South Tyrone and Armagh-Newry.......
(MORE LATER).
