Six
women whose brother/fiancee, Robert McCartney, was
slaughtered by high-ranking members of Sinn Fein’s
military wing, allegedly aided by SF election workers,
have turned out to be more trouble than the republican
leadership is used to. Strong, articulate, and independent,
the McCartneys remain determined to have the veil
of silence surrounding their loved one’s brutal
murder lifted.
This
seems to be rattling SF leaders, despite their self-serving
proclamations of support, albeit belated and hypocritical,
for the women’s peace and justice campaign.
Thus
the SF-led whispering crusade – designed at
undermining the McCartneys’ quest for justice
– began a week or so ago. My only surprise
is, it didn’t start sooner.
Now
to the IRA’s Easter statement, which mentions
my nephew Robert’s slaughter.
I
find its omissions more interesting than its inclusions.
For example, it states that it “moved quickly”
and “tried to assist in whatever way we can”.
Indeed!
Omitted
was the fact that the quick movement and assistance
was by an IRA clean-up squad, called in to forensically
cleanse the mess left in the bar by the IRA and
SF psychopaths who slaughtered Robert that awful
night, thereby assisting the butchers, not the family.
Nor
did it mention that IRA personnel removed all the
CCTV tapes and intimidated the witnesses into silence.
This
operation removed all evidence vital for a speedy
and just conclusion of what the IRA rightly calls
a crime.
By
continuing with: “Unfortunately, it would appear
that no matter what we do it will never be enough
for some” – a pointed reference to the
McCartneys – the IRA showed its true face.
This is a face that is ugly and malevolent and deeply
involved in the whispering/smear campaign against
the grieving family, a member of which some of its
personnel slaughtered.
The
statement went on to declare: “Those in the
political and media establishments, who have been
so quick to jump on the bandwagon, have again laid
bare their own
hypocrisy.”
This
leads me to ask, was hosting the McCartneys at their
Ard Fheis not a (failed) SF party political damage
limitation exercise? And what of the meetings with
the family, carefully choreographed to ensure maximum
photo opportunities to “demonstrate” the
SF leaders’ so-called “commitment”
to helping the family?
They
were certainly instances of jumping on the bandwagon.
More importantly, they were sheer hypocrisy, considering
the difference between what Adams et al were telling
the family and what they actually knew – that
the majority of people in the bar that night were
IRA and SF members. Then the republican leaders
had the audacity to publicly call on witnesses to
“come forward”, while warning those, forced
through exposure to do so, to say nothing. Hypocrisy
epitomised!
On
“Our patriot dead are not criminals,”
I
tend to agree. Most fought and died, perhaps misguidedly,
for what they believed was a just cause.
But
the SF and IRA thugs who murdered Robert McCartney
and others who either disagreed with the party’s
recent policies, or refused to bow to republican
bullies, undoubtedly are. Yet the organisation continues
to shield them, thus tainting “our patriot
dead” by association.
As
for, “we demonstrated our continuing support
for this process” – indeed it has.
In
my view, the IRA, led by SF fascists, is turning
a once honourable and respected organisation into
gangs of cigarette and diesel smugglers, bank robbers,
mutilatisers of nationalist youth etc, in addition
to a “safe-house” for murderers. Moreover,
in the past ten years it has metamorphosised from
an organisation that protects its own communities
into one that polices and oppresses them, all to
ensure the continuation of the lucrative ‘process’
without bringing peace.
Do
you not feel the earth move beneath your feet as
“our [numerous] patriot dead” collectively
turn in their graves?!
Returning
to my nieces, armed only with their love for Robert,
a thirst for peace and justice and steely determination,
they battle on. For them, justice for Robert will
signal that peace has become a reality where it
really matters, on the ground in the north of Ireland.
Against them is a huge, powerful, well-financed
political and paramilitary machine just as determined
to demonise the women and have them ostracised by
their community and supporters through innuendo
and smear tactics. The longer it goes on, the more
sleazy the smears will become.
Who
will win is, at this stage, anyone’s guess.
However, I think I know which side “our patriot
dead” would be cheering for – not the
butchers and criminals but those fighting for the
ideals for which they gave their lives.
