Long Kesh Protests Must Not as a Sop 10 Loyalism

merely drifted away on being virtual extinction at the hands of — attention to the plight of those men at present incarcerated in Long Kesh. Initially the protests were by the prisoners themselves and were directly related to the enormous deterioration of the food being served to the men (often rotten and always stone cold) as well as to the general conditions within the individual huts (filthy bed clothes and ludicrous sanitary arrangements).

Within a few days the protests were taken up outside Long Kesh and a series of roadblocking operations mounted within the Belfast city centre areas at important road junctions seemed to indicate that a determined campaign in support of the internee’s legitimate demands was about to be launched.

To follow up the roablocking operations a march to the city centre of Belfast was organised. At first it wasn't clear who was behind this move but eventually it became obvious that the Official Republicans, through several Republican Clubs in Belfast, used the tense situation which existed then, to rally support for a march which everyone was led to believe would be as militant, vocal and successful as had been the roadbliockin operations.

As it turned out neither proved to be the case and the marches (there were eventually two of them) actually destroyed whatever faith. people had in the street protests helping the men in Long Kesh, at least for the present. To actually ‘lead’ the first march the Officials formed a ‘United Belfast Workers Association’ (an excellent idea: it consisted of most of the workers on sites and in factories around the Falls Rd. area). But although the idea of forming such a group to lead the protest march to Belfast City Hall was excellent, the actual tactics which the Officials advocated should be used by the ‘United Workers Association’ were disastrous. Taking into consideration the reformist nature of the Officials -and the fact that they have leaned over backwards to appease the sectarian thugs of the Loyalist para-military organisations like the U.D.A. and U.V.F. it is still hard to envisage why they should have ‘openly advocated the following tactics:

Both marches in many ways resembled funeral marches going down the Falls Rd. Not one slogan was raised apart from a few cries of CENSORED!

There are many things which aren't reported in the news media. Things which might embarrass the 26 Co. government and which might embarrass the British Army Press Officer. One of these occurred a fortnight ago.

Dublin Airport picked up an marchers were claimed as non-political by their organisers!!! (who were mostly Officials). No organisation banners were allowed } to be carried. Many P.D. members : on the marches were threatened by stewards for shouting political slogans and trying to raise the level of politics on the marches.

The first march was claimed-a success by the Officials because it reached its objective (the City Hall Belfast). But whatever success they felt had been gained didn’t certainly reflect itself in the eyes of the authorities who were surprised in many ways by the timidity of the marchers and their lack of political direction — given their large number and the obvious support they had among the anti-Unionist people. _ The reaction of the RUC and Army to the second march certainly proved that. The confidently blocked the march at Castle Street around % mile away from the City Hall knowing full well that there was little chance of.a confrontation between were the main organisers. The Officials themselves and the marchers. As it was the vast bulk of the march which numbered well over 1,000 workers however, the Officials WERE bothering but for the WRONG reasons blocked by the army. The general those anti-Unionists involved in the g attitude dominating the march was _ Protests and made a determined effort “Whats the bloody use of bothering , to lower the level of politics involved. when the organisers don’t seem to be 10 do all this at a time when the bothering themselves”. As it was anti-Unionist population is facing unfortunately ideologically disarmed Loyalist fascism is to say the least incredible for an organisation which claims to be pro-Republican and anti-fascist.