THE EXTRADITION SELL-OUT .......
Should it become law as intended on December 1 next , The Irish Extradition Act will adversely affect the rights of many Irish citizens in the future .
COLM KEENA examines the implications of proposed legislation .
From 'In Dublin' magazine , 1 October 1987 .

The Workers Party and the Progressive Democrats seem to be willing to indulge in the 'selling off' of the new arrangements in return for 'advances' in the cases of the Birmingham Six , the Guildford Four and Annie Maguire . Recently , Labour MP Chris Mullin , who has long been campaigning on behalf of the Birmingham Six , said that he was surprised that the Haughey government was going to implement the new extradition laws while there was still no significant progress in the three cases which have been of concern to * the Dublin government for some time . ( * '1169...' Comment : a good example of their level of 'concern' . )

Chris Mullin said that he had discussed the cases with Charles Haughey and Brian Lenihan in October 1986 , and he was now surprised that they were "...so easily satisfied . I do wish the Irish government would be a bit more robust , " he said . Chris Mullin has long been campaigning to "...tip the balance of inconvenience .. " so as to make it more embarrassing for the British government to keep these people in prison , than it would be to admit that its courts got it wrong .

Professor Mary McAleese said - " The experiences of the Guildford Four , the Birmingham Six and Annie Maguire are precisely the sort of things that a country should worry about when extraditing its citizens to a jurisdiction with that sort of track record . I would be considerably concerned about these matters being outstanding , and the 'Act' going through . "
(MORE LATER).



ON THE TAKE....... !
The question is no longer whether there is corruption within our political establishment but whether the political establishment is itself corrupt .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , February 1998 .

The 'on the take' malaise is represented perhaps best by three extraordinary decisions taken by Fianna Fail-led governments in recent years : the first of these decisions was the tax amnesty of 1993 , whereby tax defrauders were given a total amnesty on payment of just 15 per cent of the tax they owed to the State and a guarantee of absolute confidentiality hereafter !

The scale of this benefit to the richest in society cannot now be quantified , but it may be assumed with confidence that it was massive - but of more concern is what motivated the introduction of the tax amnesty in the first place : was it done to accommodate a single mega-rich taxpayer who was in trouble with the Revenue Commissioners and whose generosity to Fianna Fail and perhaps to individuals within the party was considerable ?

So troubled was the then Minister for Finance , Bertie Ahern , with the proposal to introduce the scheme that he considered resignation , and he was talked out of it only by a representative of the Labour Party , which was then in government with Bertie Ahern's party , Fianna Fail ; how ironic that a Fianna Fail finance minister should be encouraged to accept a measure that was so manifestly unfair by a representative of a party that purports to represent the quintessence of fairness !
(MORE LATER).



LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

POINT 3 (b) : Work of the Republic -
" To show it was - and is - a reality . This is an antidote to the hypocrites who now pretend that it never existed . Some pamphlets have already been published by direction of the Dail last year showing how the Republic functioned - Courts , Land Settlements , Decrees etc . These were sold for 6d each , I think , and they could be reproduced or used again . The 'Bulletin' , published by D/Publicity all through the war up to the signing of the Treaty does , I think , contain heaps of dates .

POINT 3 (c) : Hierarchy -
Invariably wrong in Ireland in their political outlook ie against the people in 1798 . Frs. Murphy (2) , Roche , Kearns , excommunicated by the then Bishop of Ferns : against Emmet , "condoning outrage" . Against Young Irelanders , "Godless young men " , support of Sadlier and Keogh , against the Fenians - Dr. Cullen , Bishop Moriarty : "Hell not hot enough or eternity long enough ... " . Against Sinn Fein , against the Irish Volunteers . Supported England in European War , 1914 , morally to blame for the deaths of thousands of Irish youths in France , Flanders , Mesopotamia , Gallipoli , Macedonia etc : nothing can condone this - the European War was a hideous holocaust on the alter of Mammon , a struggle between Europe for power . "
(MORE LATER).

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THE EXTRADITION SELL-OUT .......
Should it become law as intended on December 1 next , The Irish Extradition Act will adversely affect the rights of many Irish citizens in the future .
COLM KEENA examines the implications of proposed legislation .
From 'In Dublin' magazine , 1 October 1987 .

The Fianna Fail government who , in opposition had stated that they were opposed to the Extradition Act , especially in regard to its not having a demand for a prima facie case , has not said that it will delay its implementation or amend it . To do either would require a vote in Leinster House . ('1169...' Comment - for Fianna Fail "to do either" would require Fianna Fail to take a principled stand , one way on the other , on the issue . An altogether alien proposition for them .)

In the last number of weeks the (Westminster-appointed) Northern Secretary , Mr. Tom King , has repeated his view that the number of judges sitting in the Diplock Courts is not to be changed from one to three ; the Dublin Administration has been pressing for this , but the 'British Council for Civil Liberties' sees little difference between three judges or one : they want more jury trials . Professor Mary McAleese sees little difference between one judge , three judges or sixty judges : 'the law is being implemented correctly , but there are problems with the law' !

The new rules in regard to the admissibility of evidence and confessions , which are 'peculiar' to the Diplock Courts , are the major problem , she says . The Workers' Party and the Progressive Democrats say that they dislike the Extradition Act , that they would like to see the inclusion of the prima facie requirement.......
(MORE LATER).



ON THE TAKE !
The question is no longer whether there is corruption within our political establishment but whether the political establishment is itself corrupt .
From 'MAGILL' magazine , February 1998 .

We know now what we purported not to know before : that senior political figures were 'on the take' and that at least one of them was 'on the take' for decades ; we now know that the manner in which this senior political figure , Charles Haughey , was 'on the take' involved the complicity of bankers , accountants and 'benefactors' .

We know now that it involved a complicated financial ruse ( the Ansbacher accounts ) that were availed of by many others as well : many of those others were associates of Mr. Charles Haughey .

But whatever the further revelations of the Moriarty Tribunal into these matters and whatever more emerges about the existence of similar financial ruses in other banks , these represent only the symptom of what seems to be a much deeper malaise.......
(MORE LATER).



LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

Point 3 : PROPAGANDA (a) - Imperialism .
" What the rejection of it by Ireland means , and what its acceptance by Ireland means - this should be fully explained . What imperialism is ; what Empires are - what the British Empire is - its growth , how it exists and maintains itself .

Colonies (Irish Free State as a colony) , India - how oppression and possession of it is essential to maintenance of the British Empire . Money , trade , power etc (Curzon on India) . Extracts from Roger Casement's articles on 'Ireland , Germany and Freedom of the Seas' , published first in 'Irish Review' , 1913 or 1914 : what Ireland's connection with imperialism , however much the apparent material gain , means to her future .

No use freeing Ireland to set her up as a state following in the footsteps of all the rotten nations in Europe today - what Ireland's rejection of imperialism means etc . "
(MORE LATER).

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THE EXTRADITION SELL-OUT .......
Should it become law as intended on December 1 next , The Irish Extradition Act will adversely affect the rights of many Irish citizens in the future .
COLM KEENA examines the implications of proposed legislation .
From 'In Dublin' magazine , 1 October 1987 .

Ireland was one of two countries which did not sign the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism in 1977 , because the provisions for allowing extradition for political offences was then repugnant to the State Constitution : this changed with the State Supreme Court rulings in relation to the McGlinchey case , where the nature of a political offence was 'redefined' .

Now , says Professor Mary McAleese , this 'Act' " ....copperfastens a process that has been diluting the extradition arrangements in this country . Five years ago this Act would have been an immense step . Now it is not . '

The 'Act' also far exceeds anything which would have been required by our signing the Convention Against Terrorism Bill ; in fact , as the Anti-Extradition Committee point out , the 'Act' is perhaps the most extreme in all of Europe - '...it is not at all unusual to demand that the foreign jurisdiction give prima facie evidence ; it would not have been outrageous for Ireland to do so . It might make the process of extradition a bit more difficult , but the highest possible rights should be given to the individual concerned . '

The 'Extradition Act' was drawn up by Garret FitzGerald's Fine Gael and Labour Coalition Government : now Fine Gael's Peter Barry was saying that there has not been enough progress in the North to justify the Act's coming into power .... !
(MORE LATER).


BILLY WRIGHT , LOYALIST VOLUNTEER FORCE .
" I have been prepared to die for long many a year . I don't wish to die , but at the end of the day no one will force their opinion down my throat . No one . "
On August 29 , 1996 , shortly before the 'Combined Loyalist Military Command's' death threat against him expired , EMER WOODFUL interviewed LVF leader BILLY WRIGHT in his Portadown home .......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , February 1998 .

Emer Woodful : " What do you hope for your children ? "
Billy Wright : " That there would be peace and reconciliation , and that this country (sic) would flourish . "

Emer Woodful : " Are you prepared for any compromise to get to peace , because I cannot see any in there at all ? "
Billy Wright : " Well , that's because you don't know me , dear , you don't know me . I lived in South Armagh ; I lived among nationalist people , I grew up with them , I had no difficulty with them . If only the IRA and Sinn Fein would recognise our right to exist , ('1169...' Comment - the loyalist/unionist 'right to exist' was not then , nor is it now , the issue : the claim from Westminster over part of this isle was , and still is , the issue . Billy Wright and those like him put themselves 'out on a limb' by , in some cases , attempting to enforce that jurisdictional claim by the use of force) to be British , ('1169....' Comment : they have always been free to , as is their right , consider themselves 'British' if that is what they want - but they fail to recognise that they are 'British' people living in Ireland , not living in a part of the 'UK' ) then I believe the two communities could come together , and a new form of life within a British context could evolve . ('1169....' Comment - the minority of people living on this isle who consider themselves 'British' are , as stated , welcome to continue to describe themselves as such , if they want . And if that is what they consider a 'British context' , then so be it . But the jurisdictional claim must be removed by Westminster , as that is a "British context" which Republicans consider repulsive) I understand when you say how the unionist community feels under threat , but at the end of the day you have the democratic process , and there is no threat if the numbers democratically say 'no , we don't want this' . ('1169...' Comment - ....by "the numbers" he means the majority of a minority) Now , please - don't insult us . We have the Framework Document , and we've had calls for it to be imposed , and indeed paragraph 47 states that it should be imposed . What's democratic about that ? Please don't tell us that nothing will be imposed . "

Emer Woodful : " You have told me that you are someone who could envisage compromise . Tell me where . "
Billy Wright : " Well , I recognise there are difficulties within Northern Ireland , (sic) and that if the constitutional issue was solved , that parade issue and similar things like that could be settled without the underlying threat of it being more devious than what it appears . "
[END of ' BILLY WRIGHT : LOYALIST VOLUNTEER FORCE']
(Tomorrow - 'ON THE TAKE' : from 1998.)

LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

" In our efforts now to win back public support to the Republic we are forced to recognise - whether we like it or not - that the commercial interest so-called : money and the gombeenman - are on the side of the Treaty , because the Treaty means imperialism and England . We are back to Tone - and it is just as well - relying on that great body , 'the men of no property' . The 'stake in the country' people were never with the Republic - they are not with it now and they will always be against it . Until it wins !

We should recognise that definitely now , and base our appeals upon the understanding and needs of those who have always borne Ireland's fight . Even though the decision of the election in 1918 stands ; even though the Declaration of Independence remains a fact ; even though the election of 1921 re-affirmed that Declaration ; even though the election of June 1922 was an 'agreed election' at which no issue was put or decided ; because of the interpretation put upon it by the Treatyites it is essential that the Republic be once again re-affirmed by the people , by vote , as soon as possible .

When that may be no one can tell , but we cannot look too far ahead . In the meantime the Provisional Republican Government should endeavour to carry-on . "
(MORE LATER).

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THE EXTRADITION SELL-OUT .......
Should it become law as intended on December 1 next , The Irish Extradition Act will adversely affect the rights of many Irish citizens in the future .
COLM KEENA examines the implications of proposed legislation .
From 'In Dublin' magazine , 1 October 1987 .

Some senior Irish politicians have defended the 'no prima facie evidence required' -aspect of the new Extradition legislation by saying that demanding prima facie evidence would make the legislation impossible !

The U.S. government demands prima facie evidence off us ; Margaret Thatcher has recently refused to allow citizens of her country to be extradited to the USSR under a system where the USSR would not provide prima facie evidence . Irish Professor of Law , Mary McAleese , told this magazine that she did not see how having to present evidence of having a case would be a problem - " Surely if you have sufficient evidence to justify bringing an individual from one jurisdiction to another , you have at least a prima facie case ?" , she said .

Although , once implemented , it will apply to our dealings with all countries of the world , the new legislation is strongly connected with the creation of the Anglo-Irish Agreement/Hillsborough Treaty in 1985 : there was a strong element of quid pro quo in the discussions between the British and Dublin governments : Dublin was going to sign the European Convention on Terrorism and pass a new Extradition Act - Britain was going to 'improve the administration of justice' in the North of Ireland as it affected nationalists and look at some issues of concern in relation to Irish men and women incarcerated in British jails.......
(MORE LATER).


BILLY WRIGHT , LOYALIST VOLUNTEER FORCE .
" I have been prepared to die for long many a year . I don't wish to die , but at the end of the day no one will force their opinion down my throat . No one . "
On August 29 , 1996 , shortly before the 'Combined Loyalist Military Command's' death threat against him expired , EMER WOODFUL interviewed LVF leader BILLY WRIGHT in his Portadown home .......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , February 1998 .

Emer Woodful : " You have been given a warning to get out of here within 72 hours . What are you going to do ? "
Billy Wright : " What I'm not gonna do is buy a plane ticket . I'm here , this is my homeland . This is where my family's buried , and where my ancestors lived , and this is where I will live and die . "

Emer Woodful : " You give me the impression that you are just an ordinary loyalist . Many newspapers have described you as a leading , extreme paramilitary . Why would that be ? "
Billy Wright : " Well , I mean , I have had bad press for years and years . You grow to expect it . By and large the media is written by people favourable to nationalists . "

Emer Woodful : " And what of your being labelled 'King Rat' ? "
Billy Wright : " Well , I was labelled that by an ex-IRA prisoner , Martin O' Hagan of the 'Sunday World' newspaper . As far as that name is concerned , well , I've been labelled it , and it's stuck . There is nothing I can do about it . "
(MORE LATER).


LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

The first document from Liam Mellows , dated 26th August 1922 , reads as follows :

" Regarding the last paragraph in above programme - land - it is well to note that the IRA Executive had already taken up the question of the demesnes and ranches and had adopted a scheme for their confiscation and distribution . This scheme was mainly the work of P. J. Ruttledge . See Ernie O' Malley , Thomas O' Deirig and P.J. Ruttledge about this .

In view of the unprincipled attitude of the Labour Party , and because of the landless and homeless Irish Republican soldiers who fought against Britain , it might be well to publish this scheme in whole or part . We should certainly keep Irish Labour for the Republic : it will be possibly the biggest factor on our side - anything that would prevent Irish Labour becoming imperialist and 'respectable' will help the Republic .

As a sidelight on Johnson , O' Brien , O' Shannon and Co. , it will interest you to know that when they called on us in the Four Courts last May , they (particularly Johnson) remarked that no effort had been made by An Dail to put its Democratic Programme into execution ......."
(MORE LATER).

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THE EXTRADITION SELL-OUT .
Should it become law as intended on December 1 next , The Irish Extradition Act will adversely affect the rights of many Irish citizens in the future .
COLM KEENA examines the implications of proposed legislation .
From 'In Dublin' magazine , 1 October 1987 .

When the 'Irish Extradition Act' becomes law on December 1 , 1987 , it will mean that we have a process of extradition in this country which excels probably any other in the western world in its lack of protection for its own citizens .

After December 1 , 1987 , the British or any other government has simply to request the extradition of any citizen of this country which it wants to try for a 'crime' , and the Irish 'security forces' and courts will do so , even if the alleged 'crime' is claimed to have been political . And when that person is extradited to the foreign jurisdiction there is nothing to stop the other jurisdiction charging that person with crimes other than that or those mentioned during the extradition proceedings .

The foreign jurisdiction has simply to issue a warrant and request the Irish person's extradition : it does not have to show prima facie evidence ie it does not have to show that it has some sort of a case against the individual concerned .......
(MORE LATER).


BILLY WRIGHT , LOYALIST VOLUNTEER FORCE .
" I have been prepared to die for long many a year . I don't wish to die , but at the end of the day no one will force their opinion down my throat . No one . "
On August 29 , 1996 , shortly before the 'Combined Loyalist Military Command's' death threat against him expired , EMER WOODFUL interviewed LVF leader BILLY WRIGHT in his Portadown home .......
From 'MAGILL' magazine , February 1998 .

Emer Woodful : " So what drives you ? "
Billy Wright : " Well , I feel I live among people a great injustice has taken place against . I see their pain , I feel their alienation , and I am part of that , and that's my motivation . I want justice for the unionist people . "

Emer Woodful : " And at a time like this , what about your partner , and your children ? "
Billy Wright : " I hope that the people that issued this , at certain people's behest , understand what they have done to a family . My heart goes out to my family . They look at me and they say , you know , 'for a person who has worked so hard for the community , and someone that has run to the jails and looked after prisoners , for this to be done , and for the reason it has being done ...' . My family is totally disgusted with certain people in Belfast . "

Emer Woodful : " We are sitting here in your sitting-room , looking out the window , and every car that drives up , you're conscious of seeing who's in it . "
Billy Wright : " Well , I mean , I have done that for long many a year . I survived gun attacks , bomb attacks , I have had my home taken over by the IRA . Sure , common sense tells you that living in Northern Ireland (sic) you learn to look after yourself . "
(MORE LATER).


LIAM MELLOWS AND THE IRISH CIVIL WAR .......
This is the bulk of a public lecture given at University College , Galway , by Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle member and Deputy General Secretary of the 'Local Government and Public Services Union' , Phil Flynn , on December 8th 1982 , the 60th Anniversary of the Free State's execution of Liam Mellows .
First published in 'IRIS' magazine , March 1983 .

The first document from Liam Mellows , dated 26th August 1922 , read as follows :

Point 2 -
" The programme of Democratic Control (the Social Programme) adopted by the Dail coincident with the Declaration of Independence , January 1919 , should be translated into something definite - this is essential if the great body of the workers are to be kept on the side of independence . This does not require a change of outlook on the part of republicans or the adoption of a revolutionary programme as such .

The 'head-line' is there in the Declaration of 1919 ; it is already part of republican policy and it should be made clear what is meant by it . I would suggest , therefore , that it be interpreted something like the following , which appeared in the 'Workers Republic' newspaper of July 22nd last -

" Under the Republic all industry will be controlled by the State for the workers' and farmers' benefit . All transport , railways , canals etc will be operated by the State - the Republican State - for the benefit of the workers and farmers . All banks will be operated by the State for the benefit of industry and agriculture , not for the purpose of profit-making by loans , mortgages etc . That the lands of the aristocracy (who support the Free State and the British connection) will be seized and divided amongst those who can and will operate it for the nation's benefit . " "
(MORE LATER).

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