The
National Irish Freedom Committee condemns the
arrest and detention of Gerry McGeough, Stormont
candidate for Fermanagh, South Tyrone. On the
day of the election count , McGeough was arrested
while leaving the count of the ballots, held for
several days, and subsequently charged with attempted
murder for an incident that occurred 1981.
This
arrest cannot be seen as anything but politically
motivated, in light of it's timing, which coincided
with the day of election count, as well as the
fact that new forensic tests have linked several
high profile members of Provisional Sinn Fein
with more serious allegations, yet they have not
been arrested. McGeough had based his campaign
platform on opposing Provisional Sinn Fein's decision
to encourage republicans to join the British police
force, ironically arguing that the police force,
functioning solely to further the British political
agenda, was so corrupt that it could not be fixed,
even from within. Unfortunately for McGeough and
his family, his arrest has demonstrated that his
concern was well-founded. Although the Provisional
Sinn Fein party has condemned the arrest, their
words are hollow, as they continue to urge republicans
to join this "impartial" police force.
This
St. Patrick's Day, the ironies continue.
While
Gerry McGeough will be sitting in jail, the people
in charge of the armed struggle in 1981, and the
Provisional Sinn Fein party today, will be feted
at the White House, and sitting in Madison Square
Garden, watching a boxing match in New York.
Their
job will be to provide a green wash for the ugly
face of the unchanged British occupied six county
sectarian politics .
However,
the ongoing protests for political status by Irish
political prisoners in H.M. Maghaberry Prison
in the six counties and in Portlaoise in the 26
counties because they oppose British rule in Ireland
shows clearly that the more things seem to change
in Ireland, the more they remain the same.
