We look at the stories that were making the headlines in the Andersonstown News this week in 1985...
300 attend vigil on John Downes anniversary
AROUND 300 people attended a vigil at the Busy Bee Carpark on Monday, 12th August to mark the first anniversary of the killing of John Downes.
The rally was organised by the United Campaign against Plastic Bullets and was addressed by relatives of those who had been killed by plastic or rubber bullets.
Mrs Emma Groves who was blinded by a rubber bullet in 1971 and Fr Maurice Burke who gave the last rites to John Downes also spoke. Jim McCabe whose wife Nora died after being shot in the head with a plastic bullet in 1981 told the rally that the United Campaign stood for the banning of plastic bullets.
"We are gathered here tonight to remember the 15 victims of rubber and plastic bullets," he said, "all Catholics, all innocent civilians, all brutally murdered by these lethal weapons.
"Many victims and relatives of victims of plastic bullets are active in this campaign and it has the support of all the families of those who have been killed by these bullets. The campaign gives a sense of purpose to our lives as we unite to have this weapon banned from our country."
Jim McCabe also called on those present to petition members of the medical and legal professions to speak out against the use of plastic bullets. Other speakers at the rally were Emma Groves, Kathleen Stewart and Brenda Downes. Afterwards Jim McCabe told the Andersonstown News that he was satisfied with the turnout but felt it could have been better.
"I am particularly disappointed at the lack of response from the people of Andersonstown."
RVH workers petition local people
TRADE unionists in the Royal Victoria Hospital are set to launch a community campaign against the most extreme package of health service cut-backs to date.
And, in what is an unprecedented development, the union leaders are openly admitting that their campaign will founder unless the whole community rallies round.
VUP Shop Stewart Michael Keenan, who was one of the organisers of last week’s meeting against the cuts in Bostock House, believes the standard of the health service has already been affected by the British Governments 'penny-pinching policies’.
"The Eastern Health and Social Services Board plan cutbacks of £2 1/2 million start from September on,” Michael Keenan said.
"This would entail the closure of five hospitals in Belfast and the shutting down of wards in the Royal Victoria Hospital."
According to the NUPE spokesperson services have already been allowed to run down to dangerously low levels. He said: "Catering and health and safety, standards are way below standard. For example the Corridor Kitchen, which caters for the bulk of patients in the Royal is being run in conditions of very poor hygiene with in fact cats roaming around.
"Likewise the patients in the geriatric unit are not getting the care they should be getting because the nurses are under great pressure and the wards are understaffed. Nevertheless, about two months ago 60 nurses were laid off after finishing their training at the RVH.
"At the moment we are just scraping through, but if the latest cuts go through there is no way on adequate service can be provided."
At last week's meeting in Bostock House the RVH workers received pledges of support from 150 community groups in West and North Belfast – the area served by the hospital.
As a result of the meeting a rally in Belfast city centre and a march through Belfast in protest at the proposed cuts are now being planned.
Explained Michael Keenan: "It is everybody's health service and not just a question of jobs at the Royal. We are talking here about savage cut-backs to life-live services in areas like North and West Belfast which already suffers the worst deprivation in unemployment and poverty in all of Europe. If these essential services are chopped the people to bear the brunt of the cut-backs will be the elderly, the ailing children and handicapped.”
The Falls Swim Centre concluded its Summer Scheme back in 1985 with a party and prizegiving. Leader Frances Murphy presented Tracy McDonagh (Art), Bernard McKeamey (Art), Ciaran McAdam (Swimming) and Michael McCrory (Story) with their prizes
Editorial
THE black population of South Africa constitutes about 70 per cent of the total, yet it is prevented from exercising control in its own country by a very small group of well-armed and brutal white colonialists.
This is the root cause of the unrest in South Africa today, and no amount of ifs or buts about the situation can help excuse the immorality of the South African regime. The history of colonial rule in the world is both brutal and bloody, whether it be in Africa, Asia or Ireland. And the same pattern emerges as the native populations realise the immorality of their situation and attempt to remedy it.
What happened in Rhodesia is now happening in South Africa, and we have no doubt that black majority control cannot be avoided much longer. We have no doubt that the fight for basic human dignity and self-determination will cost the lives of thousands of ordinary black people,
Despite the pleas from the Reverend Desmond Tutu, violence will be the rule of the day until the evil regime exhausts itself and gives in to majority rule. Exactly the same situation pertains in Ireland and peace will only come about when the small clique of neo-colonialists (about 18 per cent of the total population) realise the immorality of their situation and stop preventing the self-determination of the Irish people.
