Dy Geoff Bell A FEW years age some bright produced a sticker Maiming, changed the Guardian from pale pink to bright Orange'.
The Orange in referred to the colour of Northern Irish Loyalism, Guardian had become unrepentant supporter in terms of backing and advocating the link between Britain and Counties. Since most news from the North of accordingly bad news, little news appeared at all.
week the attempted to break from that history. In a special Ulster 80' series a score of articles attempted to contemporary North of Ireland as it really was.
There were limitations, wrong political notions in the series, but it was the first serious attempt by any Fleet Street newspaper to try to explain, describe and come to terms with the North of Ireland for many years.
Dramatic As such it was difficult to hide the were ty m acceptable face of terrorism and by Hugh Hebert thinking.
Tweedie outlined how the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the British Army were an 'alien occupying force' in the Catholic ghettoes, subsequently the IRA administered social order punishing rapists to running creches. Tweedie accepted that some of the punishments handed out by the IRA to ordinary criminals. were justice, asked options are there when, for whatever tason, official justice bas rejected?' article contained plenty of evidence as Complementing to why the RUC and Army had beent isjected. The •headline told it all;
Why the weary major believes in sclective assassination'.
Lawless But as well as quoting the lawless views of Army personnel, Hebert also testified to their demoralisation. He argued against giving the Army more nobody (in the Army) talks about is getting the troops out. The thing everyone talks about is the end of his tour.' Most surprising of Britain:
Abroad:
Name Address I enclose a donation for the Fighting Fund of *Ds and Money Orders should be made payable to alist Challenge has question of 'which the an the was Guardian tell mistakes, Агту and how has trough other BRITISH s been day of the Hebert's Enoch Paisley. and allowed to write in a Fleet Of the the * emphasised the English nature of the local diet all, the SUBSCRIBE NOW 12 months £12.50; 6 months £ 6.50 12 months - Surface Mail £12.50 Airmail £18.00 Multi-reader institutions: Double the above rate Dete and return lo: Socialist Challenge, 328 Upper Street, London. N1 21 February 1980 Page 10 Sers: The question they Guardina's Agenda' page on the first series gave Sinn Fein president Ruairi O Bradaigh space to air the views of the Provisionals.
John Hume Jan Ulster Defenc even with this balance it was the les Association had similar space, time a leading Provisional has been and Street score of others contributed to the series, only one or two sought to pretend that the North of Ireland was just like anywhere else.
article COULON special and unThe exceptional nature, by British standards, of the North of Ireland, was pointed out most strongly by When will my tour end!' Richard Gott:
'Anyone accustomed wandering round the countries of the World would find little that is unfamiliar. Guerrillas uspended democracy, armies tamach on the streets, unthinkable nour in prisons, questionable questioned frontiers, housiaz; grinding poverty, Inditferent multinationals, vibrant economies in visible decline — these are the essential characteristics of much of the contemporary world.
"The maqueness Northern Ireland is that it lies, not south of the equator but just off the shores of Britain.
Promise Gott went argue Britain's promise to stay in the North of Ireland as long as the majority of the population wished was 'not worth more and the pater it was vocated Northern Irish independence. tentatively advocated The 'Guardian's pólitical correspondent, Peter Jenkins; objected to this idea and the other 'fancy notion! of immediate who much of his time in the Houses of Parbarcat advocated the patching of some shady deal between Paisiey and Hume.
What Jenkins seems not to realise is that it might be easy enough in Britain for politicians to forget their promises and sell out constituents, but no such easy option exists in the North of Ireland. Because of the obsession with politics, those who betray tend to get kicked out.
to Leaving dominant tone of the articles bewilderment seould do. But because tae majoriy and of writers stressed character of the North of Ireland, the unpression given was squalid it would do Britain no once was found to withdrawal.
Milestone milestone not just appeared, but because it also avoided the usual British clichés. Perhaps that was because it is always easier for a visiting journalst to write the truth about the North when they are no dependent on relations with army and government sources.
of silence which closed in opions and news from the North of Ireland for so long has been well and truls breached. 'solution' began some time ago, but it spends is now gathering pace more quickly than many imagined.
Guardian scratch bewilderment as to naopen.. next. immediate and unconditional British their withdrawal shines brightness and clarity possessed by no other option. The arguments are there - all they need now is to be argued.
THE the Terrorism Stadents the possibility launch undertook initiatives.
step question building Jenkins aside, the was to what Britain different that, by and • harm Irelend some good if some way implement strategy Ent many waot just because i because teft of the drift to a пр future, establishing good But whatever the reason, the wall Political debate about the As the liberal bourgeoisie of the their heads in should the argument for paign, 25p decision of the nationa execiatve of the Natlonel Linter of Studentste postpone intelinitely demonstration that it ha called against the Prevention of Act (PTA) ta prodaced an immediate response from some of the nations studen! "organisstions.
On the original date of the demonstration on 20 February representatives • Alliance, the 'Socialisi Worker Student Organisation and National Organisation: of Labor Students met to discuss the of organising action the PTA dently of the executive.
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scabon PTA demo