We look back at the stories that were making the headlines in the Andersonstown News this week in 1979
SDLP call for British withdrawal
FOLLOWING their complete isolation by the British Government and contemptible treatment by Roy Mason, a disillusioned SDLP have decided to resurrect their British Withdrawal Policy formulated at their last annual conference.
This policy places emphasis on a British withdrawal as a solution to Ireland’s and Britain’s problems, and downgrades their former rigidly held policy of a Six County solution. Immediately after the Westminster General Election, the party are geared to launch a vigorous campaign at home and abroad, to highlight the damaging aspects of British involvement in Irish affairs.
Party spokesmen and lecturers will tour American and British cities to get across the ‘British Out’ message, in a hope that this will force the new British Government to opt for open-ended talks between the British and 26 County Governments, and interested parties in the Six Counties, at which a British withdrawal would be high on the agenda.
A spokesperson for the SDLP has stated that an important part of their strategy would be a massive campaign in the 26 Counties, to make people aware of the negligent British attitude to the Six Counties in particular, and to Ireland in general. This campaign will again take the form of a vigorous publicity drive, coupled with official government contacts to extract a more positive and enthusiastic response from the Irish people as a whole, towards British withdrawal.
Mr Austin Currie, Mr Seamus Mallon and John Hume will spearhead this new offensive in the hope that it will inject some life into the beleaguered and disillusioned party.
Our political correspondent writes: “This ‘British Withdrawal’ policy is nothing new for the SDLP. What they are really doing is restating party policy which has been pushed into the background by party leaders, in the hope of gaining some short term political advantage in negotiating with the Loyalist politicians. Disenchantment at grassroots level, with the lack of achievement by the party big-wigs, and their continual failure to wrest any concessions from the British Government have forced the party to bring the British Withdrawal Policy out of the cupboard.
Enjoying the Robert Emmett/Francis Liggett Sinn Féin commemoration at the Crescent Community Centre
EDITORIAL
IT’S been a bloody Easter. Seven people have died by violence over the holiday period and the killings have been condemned by our public people including George O Simms, Kenneth Newman, Cecil Harvey and Roy Mason.
Tomás Ó Fiaich and Denis Faul have also added their condemnation; as they have condemned all killings and violence.
The others, however, are more selective in their condemnation. Kenneth Newman and Roy Mason, for example, lie openly about RUC crime; and George O Simms has never once opened his mouth about the legalised killing and violence of the ‘security’ forces, who are responsible for starting the violence and for bringing about the situation we now have.
No-one with any human feeling can be pleased about the death of a man at a wedding, or of four men in a Land Rover; just as we aren’t pleased about the murder of innocent people by soldiers or RUC; or a suspect strangled while in custody or torture during interrogation.
The Easter killings are another series of episodes in this war. The Provos have promised more of the same. The legalised violence of the ‘security’ forces continues unabated. In the flurry of condemnation and public hand-wringing that follows any IRA action the basic issues are in danger of being lost. There’s the Bennet Report for instance. The politicians, churchmen, policemen, media men, have decided, as if by common consent, to stop talking about it and to latch onto this latest blood-letting. That’s their business of course – to condemn one act and forget everything else. Ordinary people have clearer memories than that.
Enjoying the Robert Emmett/Francis Liggett Sinn Féin commemoration at the Crescent Community Centre
‘Wee park’ to be rebuilt
THE Willowbank Playground, known locally as the ‘swing park’ will be getting back its swings etc in the very near future. The park was built in the early thirties and remained in constant use until 1972, when after a lot of vandalism everything was removed from it by the Parks and Cemeteries Committee of Belfast City Council.
No attempt has been made to renew any of the facilities. The remnants are still there of the delightful sandpits and the paddling pool, which gave such pleasure to many generations of children and their mothers. Nothing at all remains of the rocking house, the witch’s cap, the Maypole, slides, swing-boats or swings.
It is now just one desolate area of space. Plans are now going ahead to revive the park with much more modern play facilities, and with co-operation between the Parks and Cemeteries Committee and the Eastern Education and Library Board, a full-time youth leader will be appointed and the premises on the site will be used as a Youth Club.
Councillor Liam Hunter hopes that when all the renovations are complete, the local children will gain as much from it as their parents and grandparents have done in the past.
Glen Bowling Club dinner and dance at the Glenowen
