Bombscare pranksters need to wise up - McCabe

Oldpark councillor Gerry McCabe called on those responsible for planting a deliberate hoax device and causing disruption to the community in Ardoyne to ‘wise up’.

A controlled explosion was carried out on the object that was taped to a lamppost on Jamaica Road yesterday morning.

Dozens of residents were evacuated but they were able to return to their homes yesterday afternoon after police declared the object, which is believed to be baked bean cans taped together, a hoax.

“This prank is totally unacceptable because of the disruption caused to residents in Jamaica Road,” said Gerry.

“There are a lot of elderly people and young families living in this area and the last thing they need is to be put out of their homes because of a prank. I would call on the people who done this to wise up because it could very easily have been members of their own family that they are disrupting.”

A sloppy mistake says Kelly

Gerry Kelly has dismissed the SDLP's description of Irish electoral registration leaflets being in a foreign language, as rather funny.
"I suppose the SDLP are cringing at their description of Irish as a foreign language.

I'm sure it was a sloppy mistake which they wish they could take back. However it isn't exactly out of sync with recent remarks from Margaret Ritchie about not interfering in Irish politics," said Gerry.

"There must have been some red SDLP faces as they gathered in Belfast this week to stoop before British Royals. The SDLP are a party in search of an identity.

"Their current strategy of attacking Sinn Féin and getting into bed with the UUP/Torys will baffle most nationalists who want to see a united front on all equality campaigns.
First it was the oath to the British Queen now Irish is a foreign language, dear oh dear, a Freudian mistake perhaps?"

Concerns for Royal Exchange project are another SDLP distraction - Ní Chuilín

Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín, has stated that the concerns raised by Alex Attwood into the delay of the Royal Exchange project are a distraction to the SDLP’s failure to endorse the budget.

“Alex Attwood is attempting to distract in any way he can from the SDLP’s failure to endorse the budget by utilising any argument he can. He flags up irrational fears about a delay to this project while stating that the project will still go ahead in the same statement. His concerns for the Royal Exchange project are clearly being exaggerated to suit," said the member of the Social Development Committee at the Assembly.

“In reality this project has been moved back by only one year, a project which his party leader, Margaret Ritchie, as Social Development Minister, wanted to scrap and move the money into social housing.

“Sinn Féin as a party saw the merits of this project, stood up for it then and protected this vital regeneration scheme. We remain committed to this project.

“What Alex Attwood is not stating is that the money which has been re-allocated has been moved to meet the short fall within health and education. Is he now saying that he disagrees with this approach and would rather see these two key areas suffer as a result?

“The SDLP have been negative for negative sake on this budget and this is another glaring example of that approach.”

Peter ‘Skeet’ Hamilton

Republicans all over Ireland were saddened to learn of the death on Friday 25 February of IRA Volunteer Peter ‘Skeet’ Hamilton in County Louth.

Peter joined the the ranks of the Third Battalion’s ‘A’ Company in early 1971 at the age of 17 in his home area of Ardoyne. During the course of the struggle Peter spent more than 20 years in British jails.

He enjoyed only a few months of freedom after his first spell in prison between 1971 and 1975, before spending more than 17 years in jail from 1975 until his release in the early 1990s.

During his time in prison Peter was one of the Republican prisoners who fought hand to hand with the British army during the burning of Long Kesh.
Peter was a determined volunteer who was much admired by his comrades both inside and outside the prisons.

He attempted to escape on at least three occasions, once from a Belfast Courthouse and twice with local Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly, including the Great Escape from the H-Blocks in 1983.

Peter reported back to active service with the IRA despite his long spells of imprisonment and had to leave his home again in 1994 after escaping arrest in Ardoyne.
He moved to Dundalk in County Louth and immediately became a well known figure in the town, earning the respect and affection of his comrades.

Peter worked until shortly before his death at the ex-prisoners’ centre in Dundalk, Fáilte Abhaile which provides support and care for former Republican prisoners in the border area.

Last year he campaigned for his old friend and comrade Gerry Kelly in the Westminster elections and on the morning of his death he was one of the first people in County Louth to cast his vote for Gerry Adams.
North Belfast Sinn Féin offers its condolences to Peter’s grieving family and we will carry a more complete obituary in our next edition.
Óglach den scoith ab ea é.

Sudden death of respected Whitewell Republican

Tributes have been paid to a committed Whitewell republican Jim Gillen who died suddenly in late February after suffering a heart attack.

The former republican POW was well known in the Greencastle/Whitewell area. His daughter Mary is preparing to stand for Sinn Féin in the upcoming council elections and the father of three and grandfather of six recently became a great grandfather.

Chair of the local Sinn Féin cumann Conor Cunningham paid tribute to the 66-year-old who, he said, was at the forefront of republican activity in the area.

“Jim was a very valued and respected member of the cumann. He was active in the 1970s and 1980s and was instrumental when the area became a target for loyalism in bringing people together and organising,” he said.

“Everyone looked up to him. I was actually on my way to see him on Tuesday night when his daughter called with the news, it is a very sad day. He will be greatly missed.”

Former councillor in the area Tierna Cunningham said the respected great grandfather will be sadly missed.

“Jim was an inspiration to me personally, someone who I admired and respected for his dedication to our struggle. Jim was a republican activist from before I was born, and right up until he died he was at the forefront, providing energy and driving forward Republican politics,” she said.

“Jim had a great political analysis. He was extremely proud of his history as an IRA volunteer and former POW and he brought that proud tradition into his work as a party activist.

“His point of view carried authority, we all respected Jim and listened to what he had to say. He was such a character too, brilliant company always up for a bit of craic. I can still see him now marching up the road with his stick and aul’ Sanchez in tow.

“Very recently he was filled with great pride as his daughter Mary had been selected to stand as a candidate for Sinn Féin in the upcoming elections.

“He was looking forward to getting out on the campaign trail to support her.

“We will miss him greatly, all our thoughts and prayers are with Gillen family at this time.”

Jim Gillen was buried in Our Lady’s Acre cemetery at Longlands after Requiem Mass in St Mary’s Church, Greencastle. Thug sé a raibh aige ar son saoirse na hÉireann.

Building an Ireland of Equals

By Carál Ní Chuilín
There's no doubt in my mind that Sinn Féin's performance in last week’s 26-County election was highly significant.

More than trebling our representation from the previous general election was remarkable. But like every other milestone, typical of Irish Republicans, it's banked, and our sights are set on the next objective on the road to Irish Unity.

That is the nature of building an All Ireland strategy based on core republican principles of equality. Sinn Féin is now the second largest party across Ireland. We are committed to using that mandate to challenge the politics of exclusion, be that for the vulnerable who never even saw the benefits of the Celtic Tiger in the south, or in the north those that still battle daily for social justice in education, housing and jobs.

Unfortunately the new Fine Gael/Labour coalition appears committed to implementing the anti-worker policies of the previous administration.
Sinn Féin will be an effective and radical opposition to that with such a strong team. Gains across Ireland will enable us to extend our representation.

Sinn Féin's 14 TD’s, like our MLA’s in the North will be getting an industrial wage as using our resources to build campaigns for equality is the key to breaking the mold.

Political power for Irish Republicans is about change. The greater the political strength the quicker those necessary changes can be made. We set out a positive, clear vision for the way forward and that message was supported and we will treat that mandate with respect.

This week 30 years ago Bobby Sands began his hunger strike. For many of my generation that period was the defining point in modern republicanism. On May 5th it will be 30 years since Bobby died. It will also be Election Day in the North. I'm no different from any of my neighbours; I get frustrated at the pace of change.

However, if the results of last week’s election teach us anything, it's that through hard work and building communities and equality campaigns, we will deliver our political objectives.

In North Belfast just as across Ireland we will be standing on our track record of dedication and hard work. We will be presenting our vision for the way ahead based on challenging inequality and improving people's daily lives.

We will not be taking one single vote for granted. But be assured, if you are a pensioner that can't afford to heat your home - a student facing huge debt to be educated - a family stuck on the housing waiting list for years - or having your benefit slashed to force you into jobs that don't exist, Sinn Féin will always be your voice in every elected chamber in Ireland.

On your watch

Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín has slammed the failed North Belfast housing policy.
The party’s Social Development spokesperson hit out at housing chiefs and the SDLP Minister after alarming figures disclosed that up to 95-per-cent of the North Belfast waiting list will be Nationalist by 2012.
“These figures are alarming and totally disgraceful,” said carál.

“The SDLP have abolished vital equality protections on their watch, resulting in this deepening crisis.
Gerry Kelly and I are meeting top Housing Executive chiefs this week to ask where are the houses?

“We will be challenging them strongly, on behalf of this community. The SDLP are quick to wrap themselves in the politics of civil rights and speak the language of equality. However, when it comes to delivery their record in the Social Development Ministry is pitiful.

“The fact that up to 95-per-cent of people waiting for homes will be nationalist by 2012 is abject failure in anyone's language," said Sinn Fein MLA