Canadian anti-nuclear protestors received an unexpected and perhaps unwelcome bonus during recent cruise missile tests in the Cold Lake area which, the US government says, is an ideal site for simulating Russian conditions because it is covered in snow. The community of Wandering Valley, Alberta, were startled to see a missile going by at 1000 feet which should have passed five miles away. When testing ground it went down in almost inaccessible territory and it was three hours before the US Strategic Air Command could find it. This is the fifteenth missile to suffer a mishap during testing.
As Reagan steps up his war of nerves against Libya under the pretext that it is the world's LETOL CcIllic. establish that South neighbouring states have cost them more than $10 billion in the last five years. This is more than the total foreign aid these states period. The documents Southern African Development Conterence in Harare. missHę reacned une weapons Ic cascu documents were circulated at the Coordination LOYALIST LEADERS in the Six Counties will this week be under heavy pressure from the ranks to provide new direction for the campaign against the Anglo-Irish agreement following the results of the 'mini general election' held on 23 January. under a slogan of 'Ulster Says followed the resignation of 15 Democratic Unionist Party and Official Unionist Party MPs and was meant to indicate massive Hillsborough Castle Accords which they say undermine British sovereignty, allowing the government of the Irish Republic to interfere in the North. Paisley Signing the Accord Held No', the election rejection of the But when the VOLe were counted, it was abvious the campaign had backfired. Despite their parties failed to mobilise electoral extra votes required demonstrate rising hostilily to le British government and in the process a Unionist seat. Newry and Armagh — was lost to the social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP).
The total Unionist vote way million SNOIL target the mean a deepening of divisions in the Unionist ranks. Whereas the membership of the Ulster Defence Association, the legal paramilitary loyalist orgaisation, has swelled to an estimated 15,000 (about a 3,000 increase since the Accord) and more than 30 per cent of loyalists reported to believe that strike action would be justifiable tactic to influence the British government; the leadership of the Official Unionist Party is already distancing itself tron the often violent protests of Enoch Powell, unionist MP who stood for reselection.
the hardliners.
Whether they prepared to come to compromise WIll the British government If they were to offer a deal to the SDLP for involvement Devors or the new the powers the tergovernmental Conference, and Dublins' inreduced. They would only would reduced. do this if they calculated loyalist reaction against deal was the decrease the DUF would not make massive gains. Having been pushec anto the instance of inn LEC DUP, they are not going to be rushed into opting out oI ine british parliamen a tactic advocated by many in the DuP. The kind 'grand gesture' echoing the arming of the Ulster volunteers in 1913 to frustrate Home Rule, or the Ulster workers' council strike of 1974, which would not seem viable while the major political parties of loyalism were divided.
response likely to be one of the exacerbating. tensions, allowing unionists to froth at the mouth in the Six County Assembly and reassuring the 'integrationist' . wille that they have nothing. to fear from the Anglo Irish because even the minimal concessions propose probability end probability the Dublin government more than willing to go along with this idea. They have gone up in the opi nion polls ín the South. despite the fact they have failed to demonstrate their he w over the British But the British government relax. callul The only afford unionist party to support the accords the e Alliance suttered s a decline at the polls and the cent expected swing away Sinn Fein to the SDLP was only of marginal significance In the run up to the WHERE ARE THE WINNERS?
OUT NOW New Labour and Ireland latest issue: read all about leader, eight-page cultural supplement and much WCIN 3XX.
the SDLP re jected a pact with Sinn Fein I denied that the would on the Ac cord. It was relatively low key campaign.
To make sure there was focus for the nationalist discontent ove une ceramantercoves mental was work out Scene deal get the IRSP-led hunger-strike, in DI ULCOI sentences given to prisoners convicted on the evidence 'supergrass' Harry Kirkpatrick, called off.
Selective harassment of Sinn Fein by the army and the RUC was stepped up in a bid to disrupt their election campaign. Identity checks were made on all voters.
This was a measure supposedly introduced to prevent large scale per sonation (said to account for 50 per cent of the Sinn hein vote). These measure discriminate against Sinn Fein largely young unemployed working class voters In the whole Six Coun ty area only in Newry and Armagh, where the SDLP's deputy leader Seamus Mallon took the seat, was the turn higher than in. tne elections. Elsewhere nonalsis stayca away. large numbers. It was not seen an which they had any stake.
IF THE UNIONISTS HAVE LOSTreaction to the Anglo-Irish Accords, interview with rail more: send £3.00 for a five-issue sub, or 50p + 20p p&k to Labour and Ireland, c/o LCI BM Box 5355, Londor work. A fortnight ago Ms Aquino's godson Jeremias de Jesus and his driver died in a hail of automatic
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