THE GENERAL election in the 26 Counties takes place on 17 February. Sinn Fein will be running 27 candidates in 24 constituencies. John Joe McGirl Amongst the 27 is John Joe McGirl, a lifelong republican 1983. MeGirl has served on Leitrim County Council for 20 years and was elected a member of the Leinster House parliament in 1957, but refused to take his seat as part of Sinn Fein's abstention policy.
This will be the first 26 Counties election since that policy has been removed. The party considers that it will be the election after this that will be the first real test of the new policy. But the major parties will be doing all they can to ensure as small a vote as possible this year.
Prime minister, Garret FitzGerald has called for a united campaign against Sinn Fein and the government has ruled that Sinn Fein's candidates will be denied access to the Dublin broadcasting company, RTE.
Sinn Fein has issued a manifesto, out Sinn Fein's policies on unemployment; the debt crisis; agriculture; social justice; women; youth; culture and the environment.
It explains that these policies are 'sensible short-term steps' but emphasises that 'neither this full economic and social potential separately'.
The manifesto prioritises the policy of British withdrawal and the right to self-determination for the Irish people as a whole.
'We stand on our record as the only party which has consistently asserted and worked for the right of the Irish people to national reunification and freedom' it states.
S and Sinn Fein's vice-president since 14-page For real change. The manifesto spells forestry and fisheries;
the Six-County statelet can reach their Farm Estate in Tottenham which follwed the death of Cynthia Jarrett. But it is not only the six youths, three of whom are juveniles, who are on trial there — it is the whole of the Broadwater Farm's black community. As the regular press releases from the BWF Defence Campaign point out, the state is 'not concerned with justice but with revenge on a community which defended itself'.
Many people Have already appeared in court on trame-up charges arisi98s uprising. the 6 October Of those, many have been charged on the basis of 'confessions' made while in police custody immediately following the rebellion.
some cases, the police simply haven't been able to make the charges Muller, Stephen Edwards, INCILY. Hassan Chris Newell Peter Gray, all charged with affray on the basis of confesNOTa evidence. found not guilty. In fact, one of them was first named in an elaborate 50-page another youth who was later proved to be outside London on the night concerned.
But other verdicts show the truth of the BWF Defence Campaign's claim stallesanctioned revenge. Simon MacMinn, for callulc. got seven years for 'throwIng untret stones' His sentence was reduced to three yals on appeal.
Jason Cobham was fined £200 for 'threatening behaviour'.
Many of those already brought to trial for such offenses were first charged Take the example of twins Douglas who four and three and a half were sentenced years respectively for atfray and burglary.
The Douglases were arrested one month after the tricked Earl into writing a note wile was tick bass ed to Mark after which the 'confessions' were made that the teo Douglases that two Douglases had anything to do with the death of Blakelock, the police then charged them with the offences they were eventually tried and found guilty of.
Or take the example of Simon Planter, a 20 year old who was sentenced to three half years for 'admitting' his role during the uprisings. He too was initially arrested for the murder of Blakelock. Planter's 'admission' was made to Detec. tive Constable Rex Sargent Ilas a record violently assaulting a youll What emerges in this series of trials is that the method of getting many of the Broadwater Farm def the threat of their being charged with murder.
But the details of these frame-up trials hardly compare with the treat ment of the six currently in the dock at the Old Bailey Already the press has had a field-day. following the first day of morning their trial, the scab Sun carried a front-page headline "Face of man or riot PC murder charge' together with a half-page picture of a smiling black Group News:
been taken against papers like the Sun. Even the so-called liberal Guardian has carried the sort of gores blow-by-blow accounts of te proseculon cviacice that are only a thinlydisguised racism.
In this climate it has been necessary to vet 40C potential jurors before 12 acceptable to all parties be found. Out of those 400, only two black people were found. They have now been reduced to one black on a technicalily The six on trial for Blakelock's murder have faced the same problems as other BWF defendants in relation to confessional legden batles After all the legal between defence and prosecution at the outset of the case, the judge has ruled that 'confessions admissable evidence.
What has emerged from the proceedings IS Photograph reproduced from the February issue of Campaign Joan Maynard addresses the Old Bailey picket on behalf of the Campaign Group on the first day of the show trial ing the death of Cynthia Jarrett was planned for a long time That is why the 3WF Defenc , Campaign and their supporters called tor a public enquiry on the events of 6 October 1985, and why the police were so opposed to one.
Superintendant Couch has now admitted court under oath, that such a police action as the one that followed Cynthia Jarrett's death was Dann ed for at least a year. This has been corroborated by the evidence of other police officers.
that the Broadwater Farm Defence Campaign called or an enquiry was to brin • light the lac of cover said which eatend the • le raid, conditions wnich Blakelock's death. That too has been brought out during the trial of the six.
officers have testified that their manoeuvres on 6 October ting that aspect of the trial.
The outcome trial of the six Broadwater them yours charged wit murder Foregone conclusion. her foregone conclusion. proceeding at the Bailey should be called by their name: they are a show trial.
Martha Conore Tole Socialist Action Broadwater Farm trials actually show that black people have waltitud years is coming to light The thing we have to learn is that the brutality and injustice that has been dished out to black people over the years is being dished out to th whole abour movement the miners to the print workers. We hope that these experiences will be used in a positive way to oppressed people against our oppressor.'
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A SHOW TRIAL on a grand scale is taking place now at the Old Bailey. It began on 19 January, when six youths were charged with the murder of PC Blakelock during the uprising on the Broadwater