WE'RE MAKING IRELAND AN ISSUE. GIVE GENEROUSLY The role of the British Army in the North of Ireland became most obvious in the streets of Derry on 30 January 1972, The occasion was Bloody Sunday, when Parachute Regiment shot 14 in cold blood.
Ar the time the deaths in Derry were microteied by many as a product of the selective repression theories of Brigadier Frank Kilson, counter-insurgency expert then high up in the Army command in Belfast, Just six weeks after Blood:
Sunday, Philip Goodhart MP Mood up. the House Commons and proclaimed:
"In his admirable book Low Intensity Operations Brigadier Frank Kitson has underlined •problems and has called for a great effort.
delighted Brigadier Kitson should at this moment be in a responsible role in Belfast, This is very much a case of the right man being in the right job at the right time.
Goodhart appointed by Thatcher as a unior Minister at the Northern eland Dffice. As the only one the appointees who poken at any length about the North of Ireland, his utter indue abour the type of policies perhaps the Tories will try to implement in Ireland A former member of the Parachute Regiment, Goodhart has always himself in military affairs. first appointment after being elected to the Commons in 1957 was as a private parliamentary ecretary to the War Office It was not long before he was addressing himself problems of the British Army - in particular, the fall-off in ecruitment.
In November 1960 Goodhart argued that "a small colonial disturbance would, I think, have a stimulating effect, oddly cnough, on recruitment' when such 'colonial distur hances" started to break out, he was only too keen to welcome hem and pertorm the usual whitewashing job of British politicians.
In November 1966 Goodhart informed the Commons that 'relations berween ervicemen and civilians over5 have been remarkab lod, in the face of gre other parts of the Middle Fast?.
But it was when the British Anny went onto the streets of the North of Ireland in August 1969 that Goodhart really came into his own.
In those carly months the Army was being portrayed as the saviour the entire citizenry North of reland, the good guys who were there to be friends to everyone.
Goodlart wasn't so sure. In October 1969 he noted that all the poor soldiers had to defend themselves with was CS gas. He demanded to know from the Minister for Defence:
for the soldiers carrying out internal security duties in the • North of Ireland.
That set the tone for the next ten years. In December 1969 Goodhart paid what be called "a very special tribute to the B Specials of the Uister Special Constabulary.
In 1974 be called for the introduction of identity cards the in the North of Ireland and Great Britain, and repeated the demand two years later. the same demanded that the Defence Regiment be of full-time basis. He added that if there might not Willing to serve ment is a great sergeant.
Goodhart's attitude can be summed up by a statement he that made in June 1975:
military pr esence in Northern will he need for time. deplore rumours of premature with drawal of the Army from was Northern Ireland.
Apart from Goodhart, the only other Tory allocated to the His the North of Ireland who has some previous knowledge of the arca is Humphrey Arkins" second-in-command, Michael Alison, Alison has a military background. A former officer in the Coldstream Guards, Alison is a member of the Guards Club in London, an exclusive drinking den for the military establishDuring his time in Parliament, Alison has gone out of his way to endorse the views of toe most extreme Lovalst MPA | ln a debate on the Prevention of Terrorism Act in November 1975 he said: *The note from the House tonighs is the will to combat time he that kind of criminal gang (the Ulster (RAJ. belseve that the will has put on a been sounded in the speeches of the hon. Member De: cRouch North (Paisley) and "unemploy- hen. Member for Down South (Powell)... the will to criminal gangsterism sent."
Alison has been
'A UK spokesperson for the Tories on PTA occasions. In the he demanded an increase in its powers, and in January 1976 he called under the Act The new Secretary, Humphrey has to such Like Goodhart, Old Etonian the Admiralty, naval collegs, Interestingly, person Such is Tor Antrim background the + right combat preThe chief Catholic), number of November 1975 Army major).
for increased penalties possible re-introduction internment, another Northern Ireland Atkins, cards.
experience As Tory Chief Whip he did not, bs TRIBUNAL tradition, make speeches Nevertheless Atkins too has an armed forces background. His first post in government was in the Ministry of Defence, where from 1959 to 1962 he was Secretary to the Civil Ford of Atkins was even educated at which and his various attachment to the forces was niost notably acknowledged in 1965-7 when he was secretary of the Conservative Parliamentary Defence Committee.
Atkins was civil succeeded in that post by Philip Goodhart, who went on to become the committee's chairthe military the of the chief members of the Tory adminis- ruled tration in the North of Ireland. The team is made up by Hugh NOTICI Rossi (whose only qualification hearing. seems to be that he is a former Rowntree director Giles Shaw, and Old Etonian Lord Elton (a former With rumours sweeping the North of Ireland about the of military solution appears to be on the the SOLIDARITY INVITATIONS are now being extended for delegutes lo the Internationul Tribunal Britain's Presence in Ireland.
The tribunal will have its ing final hearing on 7/8 July at the Conway Hall, London. The delegates will make up a jury will adjudicate SHOLE presence in Ireland.
The final bearing follows s preliminary one in January of this year af which three judges Elienne Bloch, a judge of Ron Knowles, national officer of the NUJ and editor of the Journalist, and Philip Flyan, Deputy General Secretary of Irish Local Government and Public Services Union — that organisers hud made out Case for -full tribunal will hear evidence on a variety of matters concerning Britain's presenc • Ireland, incleding Britis attitudes to civil liberties, crimes against women, and the economic consequences.
Delegates are invited from Labour parties, trade union branches, trades councils, and women's and student movements. A letter inviting delegates for the tribunal is now available from the Listernutomal Tribenal at 47 Wilsham St, London WIl. Entrance wil he El a delegate.
LABOUR MOVEMENT theme CUNFERENCES A NUMBER of regional labour Ireland are being plansed. The most immediate are ones in Oxford and South London.
The Oxford conference is for by branch of the National Union Joumalists and E.
Oxford Trades Council. Speak ers include Brendun Gallagher.
Tom Litterick, an ex-soldier and to discuss media censorship a mumber of prominent journalists, includthe editor of An Phoblacht/Republican News, The conference is open to all trade unionists and admission is 50p. It is being held at Buston Hall, Walton Street, Saturday 19 May, starting 10am.
The South London confer cace ls also on 19 May and speakers there will include Michael Farrell of Peoples Democracy. The confercace is sponsored by Lambeth Trades Council and is being held st Goldsmith's College, Lewisham Way, SE14.
MEDIA PAMPHLET LAST week's review of The British Media and Irelund, published by Information on omitted mention that it was produced by the Campaign for Free Speech on Ireland. The review also got the postal district wrong: the excellent pamphlet is available North End Road, London Wi4, price 50p plus 15p pop.
ANTI-ERISH RACISM DEMO A UNIQUE demonstration Is scheduled for London on 16 June. It will seek to combine anti-racist and Irish solidarity struggles the general of anti-racism/untiracison agalast the Irish.
The demonstration hus already attracted the sapport of Enst London United Troops Out Movement and branches of Nazi Lengue.
Provisional arrangements are the demonstration proceed from Speakers Corner. More details later.
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ocialist Challenge 17 May 1979 page 10 appointments to the Northern Ireland Office. The Army and the gentlemen concerned are old friends. What plans he has for issuing additional anti-riot equipment