We look at the stories that were making the headlines this week in 1984
‘Ban plastic bullet’ meeting is set to take place
AN unprecedented meeting, sponsored by a wide range of political parties and civil rights groupings, will be convened in the Conway Mill this weekend to launch a campaign against plastic bullets.
Groups as diverse as the meeting, British Labour Party and the Association for Legal Justice, have agreed to sponsor the initiative which comes hard on the heels of the RUC’s attack on peaceful demonstrators at the annual anti-internment rally.
According to People’s Democracy who have called the meeting, participation is solely on the basis of opposition to plastic bullets. “All our lives are at risk because of disunity on this issue,” said PD spokesman John McAnulty.
The meeting will be held on Sunday August 27 in the Conway Mill, starting at 2pm.
With nany replies still expected, sponsors include the Association of Socialist Lawyers, Concerned Teachers Organisation, Bernadette McAlliskey, Concerned Community Organisations, Sinn Féin, Association for Legal Justice, Silent Too Long, IRSP, Labour Committee on Ireland, British Labour Party, Kathleen Stewart (mother of plastic bullet victim Brian), Fr Des Wilson, Dr Nugent (A Derry-based expert on plastic bullets) and National Council for Civil Liberties.
In a message to the meeting, Labour MP Clive Soley says: “We will support any democratic action designed to bring about the withdrawal of plastic bullets in Northern Ireland.”
A spokesman for the influential National Council for Civil Liberties in a message of support, described plastic bullets as “totally unsuitable and unacceptable”.
“Even the regulations which do govern their use, appear to have been grossly breached by the RUC in Andersonstown on Sunday 12 August.”
Members of the public are also welcome at the Sunday meeting, and creche facilities will be provided.
According to Peoples Democracy, invitations have also been sent to the SDLP, Workers' Party, NICRA, the campaign for Administration of Justice (Peace People, Senator John Robb) and two prestigious medical critics of plastic bullets, Dr Rock and Dr Rutherford. Both the SDLP and Workers’ Party told the Andersonstown News last night that they had yet to take a decision on participation in the meeting. Commented John McAnulty:
"We hope every group invited will be in the Mill on Sunday. Those groups who refuse to participate in this campaign will answer to the anti-unionist population. Meanwhile, the Springhill Community House has announced its intention of holding a public inquiry into the RUC's actions on August 12th.
Editorial
IN this week's Andersonstown News we again give prominence to readers' views on what happened on the Sunday Seán Downes was killed.
We do this because we think it is important that the people have a public forum to express their views, even though it be restricted by the size of the paper. Over the years we have endeavoured to print as many letters from ordinary people as possible, and many have come to realise that one doesn't have to be an expert in grammar or spelling to have opinions which other people wish to read, and which may be more original in content than those from the more articulate members of the community.
We therefore welcome the setting up of a ‘People's Inquiry’ into Seán Downes' death, and the circumstances leading up to it. Not only is it advisable that such an inquiry should take place, but it is absolutely necessary that the ordinary people (who were the sufferers in this case), should have the opportunity to put their views on record as a counter-balance to the establishment whitewash that will emanate from Michael McAtamney's ‘Castle-Catholic’ enquiry. It has often been said that if the establishment wants to delay action on something, it appoints a commission to look into the matter. The same can be said about enquiries. They are nothing more than a gimmick to defuse an awkward situation and are never meant to come up with anything worthwhile. It therefore calls into question the credibility of some of our public figures who called on the establishment to institute an inquiry into Seán Downes' death, in the full knowledge that absolutely nothing would come of it.
After fifteen years of Scarman, Hunt, Compton, Bennett, etc., etc., any intelligent individual who would call on the Government to hold an inquiry into anything to do with its own misrule, needs his head examined. For any government body to hold an inquiry into the behaviour of the RUC would, in our view be a ridiculous gesture, but to appoint the Commander in Chief of the Mobile Support Unit who stated in open court that his men were told in training that if they had to shoot they were to "take their opponent out," to head an inquiry, is an unmitigated insult to the Nationalist people, which has to be recognised as the raw act of cynicism that it is.
Calls grow to ban plastic bullets
IF plastic bullets had been banned in Northern Ireland, Seán Downes would not have died.
Despite a campaign for their banning which has involved two international tribunals in Belfast organised by the Association of Legal Justice, the European Parliament which called for their prohibition in all member states, an oral submission by the Organisation of Concerned Teachers to the United Nations Sub-Commission on Human Rights in Geneva 1983, numerous condemnations by medical, scientific, civil and human rights' groups, bishops and parliamentarians, the Secretary of State, Mr. James Prior, and the Chief Constable of the R.U.C., Sir John Hermon, have insisted on holding on to this murderous firearm. The death of eleven-year-old Stephen McConomy of Derry and the distress of his mother on 19th. April, 1982 would have drawn tears from a stone. This death by a plastic bullet took place under the regime of both these men. Nine northern bishops made a special appeal for the withdrawal of this firearm as a riot control weapon after the boy's inquest. Mr. Prior and the Chief Constable would not listen so they must share the corporate responsibility for Seán Downe's death.
Under Chief Constable Hermon the followng have been killed by plastic bullets besides
60 seriously injured and 200 badly injured – Michael Donnelly (21), Paul Whitters (IS), Julie Livingstone (14), Carol Ann Kelly (12), Henry Duffy (45), Nora McCabe (30), Peter Doherty (33), Peter Magennis (41), Stephen McConomy (11) and Sean Downes (22).
FATHER RAYMOND MURRAY
ENJOYING THE CRAIC: Liam Shannon, Pat McNally, Fra McCartan and Brendan Brannigan back in August 1984
