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>Subject : Dissidents roar 'No, no, no' to SF policing >plans > >Derry Journal > >Dissidents roar 'No, no, no' to SF policing plans >19 January 2007 > >RAPTUROUS APPLAUSE from a crowd of around 600 people >greeted one hardline republican's emotive chants of >"never, never, never" at a Derry meeting to oppose >Sinn Fein's plans to back policing this week. > >Although billed as a 'debate' on Sinn Fein's plans to >accept and work with the PSNI, Wednesday night's >gathering in the Tower Hotel turned out to be more a >one-sided lambasting of the mainstream republican >party, who rejected an invitation to attend. > >A large number of disillusioned former Sinn Fein >activists, ex IRA prisoners and volunteers, as well as >elements from dissident republican paramilitary groups >and concerned members of the public, turned up to vent >their anger at the Sinn Fein leadership's new >departure. > >Many had made the journey to Derry from throughout the >North but there was also a substantial local turnout. >Rousing speeches delivered on how Sinn Fein had >abandoned dedicated and true republicans and calling >for a new movement to bring an end to British rule in >the North and unite the 32 counties of Ireland. > >Former Sinn Fein MLA, John Kelly, chaired the >gathering and the ex-republican prisoner accused his >former comrades and political party of selling out the >republicans who died for their country. > >The meeting, organised by republican umbrella group >'Concerned Republicans' - which is made up of the IRSP >(the political wing of the INLA), the 32 County >Sovereignty Movement (the political wing of the Real >IRA) and independent republicans - was addressed by a >number of high profile dissident republican figures. > >The panel included Francie Mackey of the 32CSM, >ex-prisoner and IRA activist Gerry McGeogh, >ex-prisoner and former Sinn Fein member Tony Catney, >Eddie McGarrigle of the IRSP, and Tony McPhilips of >Republican Sinn Fein. They voiced their staunch >opposition to any backing of the "RUC/PSNI" now or at >any time in the future. > >Gerry McGeogh's verbal attack on the Sinn Fein >leadership, which he branded "inept" and bungling", >was greeted with cheers by those in the packed hall, >many of whom seemed eager to jump-start a new era of >struggle for a united Ireland. > >And the hall erupted in applause at the following >emotive oration from Mr McGeogh, delivered in manner >of a call to arms: "This is where the real Irish >people are tonight mo chairde . . . we are going >forward and we're going to build a great political >movement which will sweep the British out of Ireland >once and for all." > >Eddie McGarrigle of the IRSP urged that the debate not >be "sidetracked" to a discussion on which group had >the best stratgey for achieveing a 32 county republic >and so "further divide" republicans. > >He said that from his party's point of view on backing >for the PSNI would serve only in "the restructuring >and upgrading of British rule in Ireland". He said >that Sinn Fein's attempts to change the criminal >justice system and the police in the North "from >within" had failed. > >"No amount of party spin or honeyed words can stray >from the fact that the British Government have >ultimate control in relation to policing. In the real >world, by signing up to and endorsing the policing >structures republicans will not make the law, they >will administer it and it will be British law," he >said. > >During his address, Francie Mackey added that the >history of policing "whether it be the RUC or the RUC >with a new name" was always and will continue to be >political policing. He said that while the sovereignty >of Ireland "is in doubt" all aspects of policing are >be political. > >"They have no right in this country whatsoever," he >said. And he accused Sinn Fein of "dishonouring and >criminalising" republicans who had fought and died for >their country. > >The comments of Tony McPhilips of RSF echoed much of >what had gone before. > >"The message today in Derry is the same message that >has come throughout the history of our movement and in >republicanism, and it is this - 'that we want an end >to British rule in Ireland and we will never accept >any half way houses'." > >And in relation to Sinn Fein's call to republicans to >back the police, Mr McPhilips borrowed a phrase from >the North's troubled past, from a now infamous >rabble-rousing speech made by then fresher-faced DUP >leader, Ian Paisley, at the height of the Troubles: >"Never, never, never."

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