|
||||
Home | Campaigns | photographs | international | join | news | executive | discussion forum | contact us |
||||
Please click on image above to see (better quality) poster.
You are invited to a public meeting to discuss the current chaos in our education system.
Balmoral Hotel, Dunmurry
Tuesday 30 June
6.30pm
Panellists:
REMINDER: Impending Event on Monday 22nd September
SDLP in West Belfast have organised a public forum discussion addressing the issue of All-Ireland Politics, the changing face of politics in the North, the impact of the credit crunch and if the executive is measuring up to the needs of the community.
The debate will also consider the SDLP and potential realignment: what this will mean for unionists, what effects it will have on politics in the north. But most of all, it is a chance for you to tell the SDLP and other politicians what you are thinking.
The Panel will be:
* Alex Attwood SDLP
* Basil McCrea UUP
* Edwin Poots DUP
The evening will be a short introduction to the issues from all panellists followed by a question and answer session.
It will take place on 22nd September in Forthspring Community Centre, Springfield Road, West Belfast at 7pm.
All members of the public, party and press welcome.
For more information contact, Matthew McDermott 028 9080 7808/9
SDLP in West Belfast have organised a public forum discussion addressing the issue of All-Ireland Politics, the changing face of politics in the North, the impact of the credit crunch and if the executive is measuring up to the needs of the community.
The debate will also consider the SDLP and potential realignment: what this will mean for unionists, what effects it will have on politics in the north. But most of all, it is a chance for you to tell the SDLP and other politicians what you are thinking.
The Panel will be:
* Alex Attwood SDLP
* Basil McCrea UUP
* Edwin Poots DUP
The evening will be a short introduction to the issues from all panellists followed by a question and answer session.
It will take place on 22nd September in Forthspring Community Centre, Springfield Road, West Belfast at 7pm.
All members of the public, party and press welcome.
For more information contact, Matthew McDermott 028 9080 7808/9
West Belfast girl, Emma Rainey has had a very interesting and enjoyable three days of work shadowing both Matthew McDermott, SDLP councillor for Lisburn, and Alex Attwood, SDLP MLA for West Belfast.
Emma attends St. Louise’s Comprehensive College, and is in her lower sixth year studying ‘A’ Levels in History, Politics and Sociology.
Speaking about her work experience Emma said, “Ever since I started studying politics at the start of September, I gained a great interest in political issues and knew that I wanted a career in politics. My Sociology has also come useful too, as it has taught me a lot about family and social policy, which has inspired me to take a career path in policy making.”
“During my work experience with both Alex and Matthew, I saw the work that elected representative do to help their constituents. I sat in meetings with the Educational Library Board, Antrim Road Police and also sat in a committee meeting in Stormont with Alex, which showed me the other side of politics that it’s not all about legislation.”
Concluding Emma said, “The experience has most definitely encouraged and made me more determined to go into politics. Being with the SDLP, I’ve got to know what their all about, and they’ve certainly impressed me, so when I’m the next future MLA for West Belfast, I hope to be from the SDLP.”
Commenting on Emma’s time in the West Belfast Constituency Office SDLP MLA Alex Attwood said, “Emma experienced first hand how politics works at Stormont and in the constituency. She is a very committed and bright girl and I look forward to seeing her career progress, as I’m sure it will be a very successful one.”
Speech to Ogra Sinn Fein Forum, Omagh – 7/10/2006
Given by Matthew McDermott, SDLP Youth West Belfast Representative
First of all I’d like to thank OSF for inviting SDLP Youth to speak at today’s event, I believe that this is a weekend program for activists and gives you an opportunity to discuss the hunger strikes and that period in our history, and I wish you all the best with the rest of the events on your schedule.
There are two main reasons for the theme of my speech, firstly, coming from West Belfast – which I’m sure you are aware, is SFs strongest and safest constituency – I developed a different reading and understanding of our history and continue to do so to this day of our present political atmosphere,
so the theme of the speech will be quite different to many of you. Secondly I wanted to give a different perspective so that we can hopefully spark a lively debate and we can have an opportunity to engage in discussion, as I’m sure many different viewpoints will be heard.
Well, If you state that you believe in a truly democratic, free society that nurtures all its citizens needs, and if that is what you are fighting for, then the preservation of human life should be paramount. Preserving human life is a precious thing, a vital value to hold and should be at the forefront of any truly democratic party – preserving human life, whether it be by lifting the disenfranchised out of poverty, providing top quality health care or giving all an education for them to havethe best opportunities, is vital – its vital that all the citizens of a nation have these and this is what the SDLP, SDLP Youth and socialist democrats everywhere are fighting for and will continue to fight for.
For me it seems, to celebrate the death of anyone, for any reason, seems to be in direct conflict with this ideal. Its important to remember that families, wife’s, mothers, sisters, brothers and children suffered greatly, suffered the worst pain of all and this is never to be celebrated – anyone suffering is a terrible thing and we as a society should never highlight suffering and pain and should do everything in our power to prevent this pain.
That I suppose brings us to the point of who was to blame for the hunger strike, where the provisionals forced by the British government or did they believe that they could undermine that government and gain from the strike?
Well, firstly the strikers knew that they were going to their deaths and there’s no denying that this must have been a severely heavy burden on them. The previous strike had failed and ndermined their fight for political recognition and this strike had to be sincere, had to ‘go all the way’ for a lack of better words.
That implies that these men chose to go to their deaths – and it’s important to remember of course, that it was only one wing of the prison that participated in the blanket protest and subsequent hunger strike.
Why did the other prisoners not participate? Why did they seek to gain political recognition by disobeying prison rules and making it ungovernable - And not go on hunger strike?
That I’m afraid is a question that only those men and women can answer.
That’s not to dispute the fact that these men were treated harshly, demeaned, beaten and humiliated– but taking your life is an extreme, an extreme that many other prisoners felt was unnecessary and even futile.
There are two important factors that we should carefully consider when we’re analyzing the hunger strikes.
First of all, were these men political prisoners?
In my opinion, there’s absolutely no doubt that these men were political prisoners, men who were fighting for a political belief and strong political ideals – how those ideals were going to be reached by violence is to me however an alien concept. I’m not a pacifist by any stretch; I do believe that violence is justified, justified as a last resort and only as a last resort. But personally I don’t fell that the PIRAs campaign was taken as a last resort – diplomacy could have prevailed and there are too many different traditions and factors in our history for violence to have achieved anything – that should have been recognized.
Its well documented that the prisoners best weapon against the prison authorities and the ammunition that kept them going was their sense of brotherhood at the harsh, degrading treatment that they received at the hands of the wardens, they were more determined to stick together and continue the protest.
If that’s the case, which I don’t doubt, is it then conceivable that Unionists felt the same way when they saw the IRA kill their loved ones, kill, who they believed and saw as their kin, the British? - could they have felt a sense of togetherness, kept going? Absolutely – if the provisionals knew that receiving
harm made them determined, why then did they believe that bringing harm to the Unionist/British would force them out?
The second factor is the question of whether these men died for their country?
I admire any man who truly gives his life for his country. I admire James Connelly, I admire Pearse, Clarke and the rest that came out in 1916 but to distinguish between these men and the Provisionals it should be stated that the solders of 1916 tried a diplomatic solution, they tried alternative means
and the resulting violence was a last resort, a very last resort. Moreover they called the uprising off after
a week to preserve human life, so that no more Irishmen would die – the provisionals however engaged in a ‘long war’ that resulted in the death of many, many innocent people .
I do believe that when the HS died, that they died for their country. They died for what they wanted to see, a better Ireland, a 32 county, socialist republic and Bobby Sands is on record as saying just that – saying that the partition of Ireland and capitalism forced on the people is unacceptable and he most
certainly was not fighting for capitalism and partition.
Although I fundamentally disagree with their chosen means to achieving this I do believe that in prison, in the political atmosphere in the North at that time, those men died for their country.
However if you believe that, then you also cannot fail to believe, as it goes in tandem with today’s political atmosphere, that SF have undermined and raped those men of their ideals, of what they died for – SF have accepted partition and the ‘illegitimate’ parliaments that are on this island and are also accepting capitalism and working with it, taking donations off of big businesses in America, Europe and at home. Accepting exactly what these men believed to be unacceptable.
However, don’t get me wrong; I’m glad that SF is no longer engaged in physical force republicanism and has now accepted diplomacy as the way forward. SF have now recognized that saying ‘brits out’ and bombing them is no longer viable, that the different diverse traditions on this island have to work together for a common, shared future.
* SF have now recognized that working within the institutions and safe guarding the rights of everyone is a lot more productive for uniting Ireland than waging war on those different traditions and institutions.
* SF eventually recognized that working with the unionist tradition was the best way forward.
* SF recognized that working with both governments was the best way forward.
* They recognized that civil and human rights are fundamental to a democratic society, and
* SF now recognize that, when a united Ireland is achieved, the Unionist tradition will have to be a part of that united Ireland and need to feel safe and secure.
SF have in summary, now recognized just what John Hume was saying 35 Years ago and what the SDLP have been saying and doing for over 35years.
Constitutional Nationalism has prevailed over physical force republicanism, partnership and power sharing is the best way forward and to quote John Hume,“ It is only by spilling our sweat and not our blood that we will unite our people and our province”.
So on behalf of SDLP Youth and the SDLP I welcome SF to the political stage.
However the SDLP also recognize the perverse results that paramilitaries have on society and that accepting law and order and proper policing is the best way forward to a peaceful, democratic and better Ireland, along with these other necessities I’ve just mentioned. SF hopefully will catch up to that last reality and move forward with us.
Thank you.
“On 20 June some 2,000 athletes, 500 coaches and delegates, 5,500 volunteers and 4,000 families, friends and guests will begin arriving in Belfast for the Special Olympics Ireland Games. Started in 1998 the Special Olympics Ireland Games have gained a very high profile. In 2003 Ireland was the host nation for the Special Olympics World Games which was an enormous success. This year Belfast is proudly hosting the Games for the whole island.
“Special Olympics help young people with learning disabilities take part in an immensely fulfilling and worthwhile event. The athletes taking part are highly talented and dedicated to the Games, and the Games also provide a huge social benefit for all who take part, making it an enjoyable occasion.
“5,500 volunteers are giving their time and putting a great effort in to make this a tremendous year for Special Olympics. Guests from all over the world will be in the city.
“SDLP Youth wish all the athletes great success in the Games. We are delighted that Belfast has the opportunity to host Special Olympics Ireland. SDLP in West Belfast are holding a Fundraiser event, being held on Friday 9 June 2006. We hope to see a large turnout and raise lots for Special Olympics.”
SDLP West Belfast Fundraiser for Special Olympics
Pat’s Bar, 19-22 Princes Dock Street, Belfast.
There will be music and a barbecue from 7.00pm onwards.
£10 minimum donation.
SDLP Youth today urged young people across the north of Ireland to avoid the ‘blues’ drug which has left six people hospitalised.
SDLP Youth Belfast Member Peter Armstrong said, “It is extremely troubling that these ‘blues’ drugs were found lying in a street in West Belfast. Local community projects are particularly worried for young people who might experiment with them. They are reportedly being sold for as little as 50p and they have already hospitalised six people.
“Hospitals aren’t familiar with these drugs which makes them even more deadly. Batches that have been tested contain dangerously high levels of tranquilizers making these blue drugs potentially lethal.
“The tablets affect different people in different ways, leaving them unconscious and causing serious damage. Young people should protect themselves and their mates as the side effects could be extreme. It isn’t worth risking your life.”
Irish News