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Orange Order elects new leader.

An election was held last Wednesday by the Orange Order to select a successor to the outgoing Grand Master of the Orange Lodge, the Rev Martin Smyth M.P. At the bi-annual Grand Lodge meeting in Belfast the 200 delegates, representing 90,000 members, unanimously elected Mr Robert Salters, the current Grand Master of the Belfast Lodge, and supporter of the extreme rightwing Spirit of Drumcree faction, a confrontational grassroots grouping born out of the blockades of last summer.

Asked at a press conference to comment on the remarks he had made about the British Labour party leader Tony Blair for having married a Catholic, the incumbent Grandmaster denied that there was anything sectarian about calling Mr Blair a "Turncoat".

During the 12th of July parade this year Mr Salters said that Mr Blair, a member of the Church of England had "sold his birthright by marrying a Romanist and serving communion in a Roman Catholic Church. He would sell his soul to the devil himself. He is not loyal to his religion, he is a turncoat." The new Grandmaster, who is a member of the Ulster Unionist party has denied that he is a bigot. He says he will be at Drumcree next summer.

As prospects for a new IRA ceasefire grow slimmer the RUC have intensified their raids on nationalists throughout Northern Ireland over the last week. In raids described by the Irish News as stupid and vindictive, the police have stormed into houses, armed with crow bars, sledge hammers and hatchets ripping up floorboards, smashing walls open and destroying furniture in a supposed search for weapons. At least two young single parent families who were targeted by the RUC have had to find somewhere else to stay for Christmas. After one of the raids on a home where no weapons were found the commanding officer shook the hands of the raiders, congratulating them on a job well done. In this weeks raids the Irish News calculates the RUC have attained a raid ratio of six clear houses for every one in which something incriminating is found. Since 1970 there have been over 100,000 recorded house searches in nationalist areas in Northern Ireland.

An engineer was cleared last month by Belfast crown court for his part in a conspiracy to manufacture sub-machine guns. Mr Leslie Lindop, a former British Aerospace engineer, was fined £1,000 for having unlawful possession of Sten machine gun magazines, ammunition and primers. He had been arrested near the home of his brother, Desmond Lindop, where the RUC found what they described as an "Aladdin's cave" of arms, ammunition and gun components. Among the weapons found were two home-made sub-machine guns bearing the marking "UFF Avenger 1995". The UFF is a nom de guerre for the UDA. Leslie Lindop was found not guilty on three charges of consiracy to manufacture sub-machine guns, conspiracy to posess amunition and conspiracy to possess firearms with intent. His brother Denis is to be charged this month.

Roisin McAliskey was denied bail at Charing Cross magistrates court in London on Friday despite pleas on her behalf from her lawyer who asked that it be granted on medical grounds. A doctors report said that McAliskey showed signs of "advanced starvation" due to repeated vomiting, had no access to natural light and ran the risk of losing her baby. Despite finding that the doctors report made "disturbing reading" the magistrate ruled against bail. Ms McAliskey, who is also suffering from asthma, has been shunted from prison to prison by the British authorities since her arrest last month.

Her campaign can be contacted at:

Trimble criticizes RUC handling of Harryville 'protest'.

Ulster Unionist leader laswt week called into question the tactics of the RUC in their handling of the Harryville picketers. He also qualified his condemnation of the picket by making refernce to the banned Orange march in Dunloy. Mr Trimble's stance has been criticized for its hypocrisy by nationalists who point out that he was present at Loyalist blockades last summer. There is widespread belief that senior Unionists have been embarrassed into condemning the picket at Harryville after having encouraged it because supporting such a picket usually serves their electoral purposes.

Bloody Sunday programme for January 1997.

Friday 31 January.

.8.00 pm Annual Bloody Sunday Commemoration Lecture in the Guildhall. Prominent Speaker. Organised by Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign.

Friday, 31 January.

Fundraiser in the Gweedore bar. Organised by the Bloody Sunday Week End Committee.

Saturday 1 February. All events at Pilot’s Row Community Centre.

Please note that crèche facilities will be available.

10:30 am Alternative Tour of Derry for visitors.

11:00 to 5 pm: Bloody Sunday footage/documentary screening.

12 noon to 5 pm: Video voice box will be available to allow people to record their memories of Bloody Sunday. This will be added to the Bloody Sunday archive which is being collected.

12:00 noon -2:30 pm : Truth and Justice. In an event led by Eamonn McCann local people ‘remember’ Bloody Sunday, and give eyewitness accounts of what happened on the day.

LUNCH available at the Centre.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm : Secrets and Lies 25 years on why Bloody Sunday is still unresolved. Focus on how Bloody Sunday set the agenda for 25 years of state killing and how "official" history still deals with the event.

Saturday evening

8:00 pm Pilots Row Centre. "Who Fears Peace". Prominent speakers to include representatives from Loyalist/Unionist community and representatives of Progressive Democrats/Fine Gael, SDLP and Sinn Fein.

9:00 pm Fundraiser in Dungloe Bar, upstairs. Live bands. Organised by Bloody Sunday weekend Committee.

Sunday 2nd February

11 am Short service of commemoration at the Bloody Sunday memorial led by relatives of those killed.

2.30 pm 25th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday March and rally.

Sunday night. Dungloe Bar. Special session for stragglers.

For more information contact: Maeve McLaughlin at the Pat Finucane Centre. Tel: 01504 268846 Fax: 01504 266453

If you have suggestions or requests for news updates send email to PFC.