LCR.a. Denial

Loyalists (this is based on the grand assumption that Loyalist power derives solely from their oppsotion to the Free State government) and allow for the emergence of a ‘’non-Loyalist Protestant vote’’ which would be much more amenable to the ““Suningdale-type solution”. O’Brien ability of anyone to effect such a situation — the politics in his‘secret document’ consist of bowing to a Loyalist state victory before it even manifests itself. Objectively, he must be seen as peddling the same line as those Loyalist politicians and para-military groups themselves. THE DUBLIN COMMITTEE OF THE IRISH CIVIL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION WISHES TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT DISASSOCIATES ITSELF FROM THE ICRA (BRITAIN) CAMPAIGN TO RUN CANDIDATES IN THE BRITISH GrcNERAL ELECTION. WE ARE INFORMED BY OUR EXECUTIVE THAT THIS ACTION WAS TAKEN WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH THEM.

The protests and demonstrations of the past few weeks have highlighted what most of us have known for some time — that conditions in Long Kesh Internment Camp are deplorable and that the prisoners’ food is not only inedible but also completely insufficient unless supplemented by food parcels from outside.

However, we are able to report that one group at least is quite content with the present system in Long Kesh and have no desire to see any changes. That group is the legal profession — namely the Long Kesh Commissioners, and the lawyers who ‘represent’ the internees at the farcical showpiece ‘reviews’ of their cases.

The Long Kesh ‘Commissioners’ are judges imported from England and Scotland to give the barbarous system of internment some show of legality and respectability. They are given huge salaries and free trips home every week, and are also allowed a blank cheque for entertainment during whatever little time they have to spend inside Long Kesh. This is how they have used and continue to use that blaink cheque: * When they first arrived in Long Kesh they found that the dining-room table seated six people (that is the dint; 2g room for the Legal profession etc.). The *¥ immediately bought a table seatin, 9 twenty-six people — and invited th '@ whole of the Officers Mess for drinks!

In three nights lavish entertain emer. 't they spent £600 of public money i.t ?as much as would ‘‘feed” 300 pri. sone ‘rs for a week. * The Long Kesh Commissioners and whiatever Lisburn Army H.Q. friends hap,pen to drop in, drink on average 27 tiottles of brandy per week. * The Long Kesh Commissioners live on a diet which consists almost exclusively of caviar and avocado pears — yet these are the people who are first to tell you that the prisoners’ badly prepared inedible food is quite sufficient.

The lawyers who represent the internees at the reviews of their cases, do not perhaps live as surnptuously as the Commissioners, but if they don’t it isn’t for want of money. They, like the Commissioners are imported Englishmen. They are induced to come and work in Long Kesh by the simple expedient of adding a nought to their normal salary. Thiey have been known to earn as STRUGGLE CO jobs. 26-Count'y collaboration.

much as £210 for three hours work;

Prosecuting councils earn even more.

Every time a solicitor visits a client in Long Kesh he receives £7, and most solicitors visit up to twelve clients at a time.

And the money is certainly easy. The charge against the defendant is usually very vague, the evidence is hearsay from hidden Special Branchmen or paid informers who cannot be cross-examined, and so a defence is impossible in any case. Needless to say, the supposedly ethical lawyers are tripping over eath other trying to get these profitable It should be obvious that Long Kesh is sot only inhuman and barbaric, but also e» (tremely corrupt. The Commissioners and so, licitors in Long Kesh, have, for money, giv en their support to the British gove ?rnment in maintaining the evils of intes ment, torture and repressive courts.

Bvt it is important that the endiing of inter, ‘ment and repression should not be seen a: $ Objectives in themselwes.

Internn Vent and repression are only symptcims of the root cause of Ireland's problen.'s — British imperialism and Pa In the last three weeks we have seen further evidence of the total retreat of the Catholic middle-class politicians from the threat of loyalist reaction.

Mr. Paddy Duffy of the SDLP speaking at a meeting in Cookstown, declared that as far as he was concerned, a United Ireland was “’a million light years away”. He also called for the 26 Co. government to recognise the 6 County state.

Mr. Paddy Cooney, Minister for ‘Justice’ in the Dublin government, promptly leapt up to prove that when it cames to licking loyalist/boots, he would not be outdone.