Under the Geneva Convention of 1949,there are 34 categories of war crimes. Article Eight under the Agreement to establish an international war crimes court sets out as a war crime for an occupying power to "transfer,directly or indirectly,parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies, or to deport or transfer all or parts of the population of the occupied country within or outside this territory " .
The British have ,of course, ignored the rules before, and not only in relation to Ireland- before the end of the first'World War', the Indians were promised political progress in return for participation in the war on Britains side ;Gandhi was one of the leading nationalists who supported the British on this basis. The British later renaged on their promise and introduced the repressive 'ROWLATT ACT' which aimed to stamp out the Indian independence movement-in response, Gandhi brought India to a standstill with mass protests . The British responded on April 13 , 1919 , when Brigadier -General Reginald Dyer shot dead some 500 unarmed demonstrators at Amritsar in the Punjab .
The Czech writer, Milan Kundera, stated-- "The struggle of freedom against tyranny is a struggle of memory against forgetting. The people remember their cause is just while their oppressors try to induce them to forget and turn their backs on the struggle".
In this,the British have succeeded in Ireland many times but,as always,not all Irish people have been willing to "forget". And thats how it should always be!

On the 12th of January 2000, the Stormont Assembly members voted themselves a generous redundancy package of half their annual salary in the event that the Assembly closes down! The vote, under the 'The Office Holders Bill' , was the third stage(ie third discussion) on the issue-- in December 1999 ,the second 'stage' was held, when the Stormont members practically admitted that the whole show was shaky and took financial preparations to ensure that,no matter how things went,they had a cushion for themselves.
However,being career politicians , they later figured that they had sold themselves short : thus the January 12th 2000 'third stage' ,which agreed that "MLA's(ie the politicians themselves)who were not re-elected in future polls or who chose not to stand would be entitled to a "resettlement allowance"of £19,000 Sterling and a "winding-up allowance" of £11,617 Sterling.
Ex-Ministers,junior ministers and other Office holders would each receive an additional payment equal to a certain per-centage of their then salary ,and also decided that said additional payment will still be paid if a minister,junior minister or other Office holder simply lost their position and were demoted to the level of an ordinary member of the Assembly!
Certain members of the Stormont Assembly claimed they were going in to that institution to 'change/challenge the system' - however,a'good' apple placed in a barrel of bad apples will not arrest the decay but will itself be corrupted.

A poll carried out for the British 'Observer' newspaper late last year(and referred to in 'The Sunday Business Post','Agenda' section,page 2,June 9 last) showed that 57 per cent of the British public wanted the eight and a half million pounds sterling per annum which is presently spent via the 'CIVIL LIST'(the mechanism by which British taxpayers bankroll the extravagances of the Windsor family) reduced to five million pounds sterling or less, while more than a third of those asked thought the payments should be axed completely ! Tony Blair constantly refers to Britain as a "democracy" : here's a test,Tony-- put the so-called 'Royal' family question to the British electorate; after all,its their money.
And speaking of the Windsors...
....it is rumoured that Michael O Kennedy, a one-time high ranking member of the Fianna Fail party(an ex-mimister and cabinet member untill 1992) is in line for an 'Honour' from the English queen in next Januarys 'Honours List' ! Apparently, Mrs. Windsor is of the opinion that (Sir) Michael done a 'splendid' job as Chairperson of the 'British-Irish Parliamentary Body' , a group consisting of Free State and British career politicians which holds meetings to discuss how best to put a gloss on the continuing British claim of jurisdiction over the six north-eastern counties of Ireland. Congratulations, Michael - a sure sign of a job well done....

In June this year, the DUP's Willie McCrea became the first Unionist Chairperson of Magherafelt District Council in 20 years-thanks to the votes of Provo Councillors! And one of those same Provo Councillors, John Kelly, was elected as his Deputy...
The Council meeting where the dirty wheelin'-and-a-dealin' was done took place on Tuesday night,June 11 this year . In that same week,the Provos issued a statement to the media in which they described Willie McCrea as " one of the most biliously sectarian politicians in the Six Counties...it would be hard to find a Unionist politician less well-disposed to nationalists and republicans(see ap/rn 13-6-02) " -- yet, days previously,they voted for him as Chairperson !! What a tangled web we weave....
Quick note- Mayor Maskey laid a laurel wreath at the Cenotaph at Belfast City Hall on July 1 last "in memory of and tribute to all the men who made the supreme sacrifice at the Battle of the Somme and during the First World War"(see ap/rn,27-6-02).Can a man serve two masters?

Unfortunately ,I missed the party in Belfast City Hall on Monday November 4 last , organised and hosted by Provo SF Mayor Alex Maskey-and perhaps it's just as well....
....the reception was held for the 'Royal British Legion' !
Maskey,who did'nt wear a poppy(this time) was praised for holding the event by Brigadier David Strudley of the Legion . For those of you that did'nt know - Pearse and the other men and women of 1916 were in the GPO setting up a branch of the Legion when someone,somewhere,got their wires crossed and...well, you know the rest -all a terrible mishap,you know!
Seriously-The British 'Royal Legion' in Ireland should be tolerated by Republicans , but should not be supported or encouraged by us: tolerance does not mean the acceptance of the other persons point of view ,merely accepting that he/she has the right to hold that point of view.

I had the intention to write a few lines here about the latest arrest in the Six Counties of the 'civil servant' arrested by the RUC(PSNI) for what the Brits term 'spying' (and they should know all about that) but will just record how selfish they are -- they won't even let the Provos surrender with some diginity ! The remainder of the Provisional movement are now just hoping for an easy way out , a salary (with pension) and a cosy future , but the nasty Brits won't even give them that.... And if they gather their supporters and go back to an armed campaign , it will be seen as Irish people fighting to get a British parliament re-introduced in Ireland! Give it up , Gerry and Martin - you are in a cul-de-sac of your own making.

.....The 'old'(but often resurrected) 'PLAN B' for the British and their supporters in this country used to be "Re-Partition" ie if Westminster considered that it could no longer be guaranteed that a majority in one (or more) of the occupied Six Counties would vote in favour of maintaining the 'union' with Britain, that county(or counties) would be deemed to be no longer part of what the British refer to(wrongly) as 'Ulster'. And their 'loyal' supporters in that ousted area would be left stranded in a new 27 or 28 -County Free State. As the adage goes: "Britain has no permanent friends or enemies,only permanent interests" .

The latest 'Buzz-Word' to raise its head in this Country is "Dual Consent" - which means,in relation to our Six North-Eastern Counties,that a Nationalist majority in said area will not now suffice if a vote is called to determine the issue of Britains continuing claim of jurisdiction - if, or when, Nationalists 'outnumber' the pro-British element in the Six Counties (who are a minority on the whole island!) and vote for a British withdrawal it will mean nothing presumably(and apparently) untill the majority of the pro-British voters agree with it ! Talk about moving the goalposts.... So far,however, those in favour of this "Dual Consent" nonsense are just testing the water , flying kites etc -- but who knows ? They would certainly have their supporters in Leinster House and in the media - so we may here more from them in the coming weeks and months .....

I was watching the programme on BBC 1 TV last night(Wed 30 October,10.35pm) which concerned itself with the 'life and times' of one Martin McGuinness , ex-Republican hard man now , sadly , a "team player" with Stormont United(!) and paid accordingly(ie like Beckham). Martin ,who has taken to shrivelling himself up in the hope that he won't look too offensive to his British co-workers and pay-masters , recalled for the camera the time he was in his office when his then new best friend , Mo Mowlam , walked in : "What are they?" , said Mo ,pointing to a pile of Easter Lilies on the table - Martin , at this stage giggling to himself at the thought of it, replied that they were called Easter Lilies and were worn in memory of those that had died for ireland ; "I'll have one of those" ,said the British Secretary of State,and pinned one to her jumper before leaving the room . With that ,said the rebel McGuinness , ' I went out into the corridor after her and asked where she was going' -- " To meet the Unionists for an arranged appointment " , says Mo .... "Oh no no no ," said Martin - " I don't think so"~and then ,says he, ' I removed the Lily from her jumper' . AND MARTIN SERIOUSLY COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE! Is he really so friendly ,so pally, so much in awe of the British establishment that he will prostitute himself morally ,in such a cringe-inducing fashion , in the corridors of Stormont and then see nothing wrong in recounting the horrible scene ,in public, on TV? Why in the name of God do some people feel that they must atone for the sins of their oppressor? I used to meet Martin on occasion in Dublin ,in the early 1980's , regarding political business relating to the then Sinn Fein organisation and the man was nothing like he is now - back then he pointedly refused to hang his backbone up with his coat in the morning ~ shame , Martin ,the Brits have no respect for crawlers and lackeys - their former colonies are full of them ! True independance means setting your own limits - not having your new best friends ,no matter how courteous they appear , setting your agenda . Your mark on history , Martin,will be likened to the mark that froth leaves on a beer-glass .You made me ashamed and embarrassed for you -I can only hope that someone in your party brings you back to reality.

"Welcome" and "Good Luck" to Pat Rabbitte in his new position as leader of this States 'Labour Party' and Liz McManus as deputy leader. Pat and Liz were both members of the so-called 'Workers Party' which went into Leinster House in the early 1980's to "change the system" ; however,as human nature dictates, the system changed them ,much to the annoyance of their membership who cried foul and insisted that their elected representatives return to basics-- the elected suits,however, having tasted the gravy,wanted to stay on the train and a split developed--and 'Democratic Left' was hatched,only to be run-over by 'Labour' as it tried to cross the road! Paddy Rabbitte has a reputation as a " wit" in Leinster House and will now surely be laughing all the way to the bank.... And what to make of the new 'grouping' in Leinster House-the 'Technical Group'-formed specifically to outnumber Paddys Party (Labour) in that institution ; the Provos instigated the formation of that coalition Group and were happy to invite,amongst others, Michael Lowry (ex-Fine Gael,now Indp)to join,as they needed his support. The bould Michael L has been involved with three tribunals (Buchanan , McCracken and Moriarty) looking into "financial irregularities" in this little State -and no , he was'nt on the judging panel! What a tangled web we weave........ (Comment?-johnhoranrsf@eircom.net)

'Spud' Murphy started his new job today ,Friday 25/10/02 , in this troubled isle of ours. His predecessor , a Mr Reid , served his time in the Six Counties and thus was rewarded with a cosy(er) position back on the 'mainland'(!).The Brits apparently use the North-Eastern counties as a testing ground for those politicians whom their PM considers to be on the way up -you know, "Test their mettle and all that,what".... For once , Gerry Arafat SORRY Gerry ADAMS was right- it makes no difference who assumes the role of 'British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland'(sic) ; whoever it is can only hope to maintain the status quo and try to keep a lid on the whole situation .And we've had nearly a thousand years of that BUT WHAT THE HELL maybe Spud Murphy , a good welshman, will surprise us all and call for an immediate British withdrawal........

Well thank God for that - it's 'official' ; we ARE good europeans !! A 'YES' vote on NICE TWO means that we have not upset our friends in the rest of 'Europe' . . . Christ Almighty-the shame if we had! Our politicians in Leinster House can breath easy now and plan for the future--THEIR future....more jobs oops - I mean 'positions' will be available(or made specially) for them and their like , and they can visit other countries without feeling that they have let their new-found friends down. The state of this little State we're in .....

I voted today(Saturday 19 October) on the NICE TWO issue; a 'NO' vote ! Then went to the RSF Ard Fheis in Dublin - stopped by the Special Branch on my way in and questioned re my business in that area,then searched by same .On leaving ,some six hours later, stopped and searched again ! We must be putting their kids through college !! Great money if you can leave your conscience behind.... Anyway- hopefully ,the 'NO' vote on NICE will prevail(again) and the money-hungry politicians will not further enhance their careers and pensions in Brussels .We should know on Monday-Slan Anois.

1169 and counting-- from what and to what? Those familar with this island will also be familar with its problem(s) implied in the above 'BLOG' address ; those not familar will probably not be interested enough to read on . And those that are familar but would not consider the date in question to be a problem might read this far out of curiosity but will be logging out about now!
As I write , the Stormont Parliament has just collapsed ,again,and people in the 26 County State are about to vote , again , on the NICE treaty . The politicians , employers , business class , the church's and most of the trade union leadership tell us that their is no alternative to the Stormont set-up and no alternative other than to accept NICE ; the British funded 'government' in Stormont was put together in 1998 - the problem has existed since the twelfth century ,so what was the alternative before then?
The NICE treaty was already voted on by those that bothered to vote in June 2001 and the EEC/EU did'nt collapse simply because the majority voted 'NO' ; this time , apparently, it will , if the establishment are to be believed. There are many who think that the 'Peace Process' is the only game in town and a 'YES' vote on NICE TWO is the only honourable answer to our betters in Brussels . I am not one of those - what do you think?