Irish News, June 24, 2005
Kelly arrest a blatant act of provocation
by Jim Gibney
Sean Kelly was jailed in 1993 for the attempted bombing of the UDA leadership.
The bomb denoted prematurely in a fish shop on the Shankill Road
in still unexplained circumstances. Nine innocent civilians and his comrade,
IRA volunteer Thomas Begley, died.
He was released from jail under the Good Friday Agreement five
years ago and is an active supporter of the peace process.
On Saturday, June 18, he was rearrested.
British Direct Ruler Peter Hain claimed that Kelly had become "re-involved
in terrorism" but refused to outline any specific reasons.
The arrest followed heavy clashes in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast after an
Orange Order parade. Mr Kelly was not present.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern had asked officials at the Anglo-Irish Secretariat to
find the reasons behind Kelly`s return to prison.
Irish Senator Hayes said, "I've got the impression that it had to
do more with political expediency than with security."
The imprisonment of Ardoyne republican Sean Kelly is a blatant act of
provocation. It is aimed at undermining republican confidence in the peace process.
Sean Kelly is not a Johnny Adair figure. Those who put him in prison know
this.
He supports the peace process. He has worked tirelessly to defuse interface
conflict in Ardoyne. It is for this reason and no other he is back in prison
on a manufactured intelligence report. What sort of message does this type of
sinister manipulation of a man's liberty send out to republicans?
Evidence that this report is contrived to suit a political attack on the
peace process was revealed by news organisations. They showed recent
correspondence from the PSNI to a unionist representative
complaining about Sean Kelly's presence at peaceful protests.
In a curt response the PSNI stated that Kelly was not breaking the law.
In fact, Sean Kelly was defusing tension and preventing sectarian clashes.
Those responsible for his imprisonment are the securocrats, the DUP, some
sections of the media and a secretary of state, still wet behind the ears,
who thinks it beneficial to pander to the DUP.
Sean Kelly was easy prey for those who have tried many times to derail the
peace process.
Loyalist politicians opposed his release and demanded his re-arrest but took
a completely different attitude towards Adair-led loyalists when they were
creating havoc on the Shankill Road.
And this weekend as in previous years the same loyalist politicians will
walk in an Orange parade on the Springfield Road, which has for years been
imposed on the nationalist people of that area and in the past included a
banner glorifying a UVF man who killed a Catholic.
For many republicans, Sean Kelly's arrest confirms for them that the peace
process is in a crisis.
The implications of Peter Hain's decision to imprison Kelly are on a par
with Mo Mowlam's decision to force an Orange parade down the Garvaghy Road a
short time after she arrived here.
Mowlam's credibility among republicans never fully recovered from that
decision. I suspect Hain will suffer similarly.
The new British secretary of state shares the same Christian name with a
previous secretary of state, Peter Mandelson. He needs to be careful this
early in his tenure he doesn't end up being
viewed as negatively as Mandelson.
The news of Kelly's imprisonment was breaking as the people of Ardoyne were
dealing with the violence of an Orange parade forced past their district.
Ardoyne is a small community.
They suffered grievously and disproportionately during the conflict.
Ninety-nine people lost their lives.
Hundreds of men and women were in jail.
For 20 years the people lived under military occupation.
They have been traumatised as a result.
They must be wondering to themselves if they are ever going to live in a
society which respects and protects them.
If the comments of the PSNI officer in charge of the Ardoyne operation are
anything to go by then we are a long way from that.
He told the press his main concern was to "force the parade and supporters
through".
He said nothing about the effect of his actions on the people of Ardoyne nor
did he make a comment about the Orange Order insisting on walking past
Ardoyne.
Indeed this year there is practically no focus on the consequences of the
Orange Order's marching plans.
This anti-Catholic organisation is threatening violence if it is prevented
from marching where it wants to.
Their threats are being echoed by the DUP.
It is obvious the Orange Order and the DUP are out to test the resolve of
the British government.
The British government must stand firm against this sectarian intimidation.
Orange Order marches should be re-routed away from areas where they are not
wanted and where they cause – and are intended to cause – deep offence.
And Sean Kelly, a pro-agreement, pro-peace process republican activist
should be released immediately.