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No progress at Drumcree talks

The representatives of the Orange Order who took part in the so-called "proximity talks" at Hillsborough Castle, near Belfast, refused even to respond to any communication made by the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition, according to a reliable source. The talks took place on Friday (27 June) and involved negotiating teams from both sides to the parades dispute at Portadown as well as Mo Mowlam, the British Secretary of State and her officials. Whilst the talks did not officially break down, there is little prospect of an agreement between the Residents and Orange Order. The Orange Order have steadfastly refused to meet the Residents' Coalition.

A decision by the British authorities as to whether or not the Orange Order will be allowed to parade down the Garvaghy Road is expected to be taken by Wednesday. Despite assurances by Mo Mowlam that no decision has been made, there is an growing view amongst the various Residents' Groups that a decision has been taken to force through an Orange Parade, probably at Garvaghy on 6 July but possibly at the Lower Ormeau Road on the 12 July.

A group of USA people, including a senior New York police officer, are expected to arrive in Belfast on Monday (30 June) to act as observers in the lower Ormeau Road during the Orange marches on 12 July. They will also include John Timoney, New York city controller.

Bogsiders call on Mayor to convene meeting

The Bogside Residents' Group has written to the Mayor of Derry, SDLP councillor Martin Bradley, urging him to convene a meeting of civic, community, religious, political, trade union and business leaders to discuss the Orange Order's planned parade in the city on 12 July. The Chairperson of the Group, Charles Lamberton, said in their view it was in the best interests of the community if the controversial annual march was relocated. The letter stated: "Given the events of last year and the fact that Drumcree remains unresolved, it would have been in the best interests of the entire community in Derry for the Orange Order to relocate their parade this year." This the Orange Order have refused even to consider. In the light of this the Residents' Group had asked the Mayor to convene a meeting "with a view to ensuring that the potential for conflict is reduced, that disruption is minimised and the rights of the local community are upheld. The convening of such a meeting would be a small step towards implementing some of the concepts of the recently published proposals for a city vision, particularly with regard to the concept of a shared city and inclusive democracy."

In a surprising statement the Mayor expressed himself lukewarm to the proposal. Speaking to the Derry Journal councillor Bradley said that " I have concerns about this letter. Whilst I have no problem with setting up a meeting I am concerned that other groups would see this as purely a response to the letter. I hope that other groups would not use this as a reason not to attend any meeting." The Mayor then went onto say that he had been in contact with the Parades commission to see what suggestions they had. He also wants to involve Mo Mowlam in the discussions too.

American company devastates Derry

United Technologies, a company based in the USA, has devastated the Derry economy when it announced that it was closing down leaving over 600 people unemployed. The factory owned by the firm is situated between the Creggan estate and the Bogside and is the only significant employer in the area. It makes electrical wiring systems for motor cars. It is estimated that closure will mean a loss of more than £7 million to the local economy.

The move by United Technologies is seen as a cynical move to transfer work to areas such as Poland and Spain where labour costs are lower and the potential for profits greater. The local development organisation Creggan Enterprises Limited has said that "the closure once again demonstrates in the cruellest terms possible, the fickle and transient nature of multi-national corporations. It is not good enough for United Technologies, given the profits they have made over the years as a result of their activity at Bligh's Lane [where the factory is situated], plus the considerable investment of public money to this particular company, to simply say that they can walk away by just paying the minimum entitlements of redundancy pay to the workforce.

Meanwhile the local communities in Derry are organising to fight the closure. An organising committee comprised of the Creggan Neighbourhood Partnership, the Bogside and Brandywell Initiative, Sinn Féin, Creggan Enterprises Limited, St Mary's Youth Centre and the Creggan 50th Festival have come together and are organising a public meeting for tomorrow night at St Mary's Youth Centre, Fanad Drive, Creggan at 7.30 pm. (30 June).

Bloody Sunday evidence sent to UK Government

The outgoing Taoiseach, John Bruton, spoke this week of the "double injustice"suffered by the victims of Bloody Sunday as the Irish Government handed over its dossier of new evidence to the British Government. The government document comprises of a study of the significance of the new material and a detailed analysis of the failings of the Widgery Report. Mr Bruton said the fate of those who had been killed on 30 January, 1972 had been compounded by the unsatisfactory nature of the Widgery Report. In a covering letter, submitted with the document, the outgoing Taoiseach said: "The Irish Government shared the widespread concerns expressed at the time, both nationally and internationally, that the report of Lord Widgery was deeply unsatisfactory and did not represent the truth of what happened. It has remained a source of distress to the relatives of the victims since then. With colleagues in government, I have myself met the relatives on a number of occasions and have seen and heard, at first hand, how they continue to suffer the effects of that terrible day. Successive Irish Governments have supported the wish of the relatives of the victims of Bloody Sunday to establish the truth of what happened." Mr Bruton said that the emergence of new material lent considerable weight to the argument that a new independent inquiry was needed to establish the innocence of the victims. Forensic and tape-recorded evidence, which emerged in January, suggested that hidden British Army marksmen, other than members of the Parachute Regiment, were responsible for several of the killings. An investigation on Channel Four News claimed the Widgery Tribunal of Inquiry into the shootings suppressed, ignored or rejected crucial evidence on the culpability of the British Army.

The Taoiseach's letter continued: "The victims of Bloody Sunday were a unique group in that the injustice of their fate - at the hands of those whose duty it was to respect as well as uphold the rule of law - was compounded by a second injustice arising directly from the Widgery Report. I believe that establishing the truth about what happened on Bloody Sunday will represent a major step in this direction, will make an important contribution to the cause of peace and reconciliation and offer hope to all those who grieve as a result of the violence of the past three decades......I believe that your approach to this issue can help remove a source of profound distress not only to the relatives but to the nationalist community generally. There is now an opportunity to lay to rest this most disturbing episode of the terrible history of the past 27 years."

Relatives of those killed on Bloody Sunday are expected shortly to go to London to hand in a petition calling for a new and independent inquiry into the Bloody Sunday killings as well as to lay a wreath for the Bloody Sunday victims at Westminster Abbey.

In a short statement issued by Robin Percival, Chair of the Bloody Sunday Trust, he said that "everybody associated with the campaign concerning the issue of Bloody Sunday welcomes the content and tone of the Taoiseach's letter. It establishes clearly that the Irish government accepts fully that what is required is a new and independent inquiry into the events of Bloody Sunday. "

Judge reports on Shanaghan killing

A public inquiry which was presided over by retired US judge Andrew Somers has published its findings into the murder of Peter Shanaghan who was killed almost six years ago by loyalists in the Castlederg area of Tyrone. The report claims he was killed with the support of the British Government and the RUC.

The report has been published by the Castlederg/Aghyaran Justice Group. At the publication of the report this week Judge Somers described the inquest into the murder of Peter Shanaghan, a Sinn Féin election worker, as a "sham" and "insult" to the family. The Shanaghan family, who walked out of the inquest in disgust, have welcomed the inquiry's findings and called on the new British Government to reopen the case. The family have also said that they will send copies of the inquiry report to the US Congressional sub-committee on International Operations and Human Rights. The report will also be forwarded to the British and Irish Governments and President Mary Robinson.

Peter Shanaghan had survived a previous attempt to kill him. He was killed by a single gunman as he travelled to work in his van on 12 August 1991. The UDA subsequently claimed responsibility. At last year's inquest Peter's family accused the security forces of collusion with loyalist paramilitaries. During the hearing it emerged that a file containing Peter Shanaghan's photograph had been "lost" from a British Army vehicle months before his death. It also emerged that the RUC refused a doctor access to Peter as he lay dying on the roadside. The priest was also delayed by the RUC.

The public inquiry was organised by family and friends last September. In the report launched on Monday (23 June) the former Wisconsin judge said that all the evidence pointed to one conclusion. "Patrick Shanaghan was murdered by the British Government and more specifically with the collusion of the police. " Judge Somers said that Peter had been subjected to ten years of "surveillance, threats and brutality. He was a lawful man whose passive resistance was more hurting to the ruling authorities. The inquest was an insult to Patrick Shanaghan and his family. It was reasonable for the family to refuse this hearing and prepare for their own review."

Caitriona Ruane, who took part in the inquiry said that there had been a " cover up over Peter Shanaghan's death which went right up to the higher echelons of the RUC. It is obvious from listening to witness after witness that the judicial system has failed us all."

Catholic unemployment still the highest

A report published on Thursday (26 June) by the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights (SACHR) has shown that Northern Catholics are still twice as likely to suffer from long-term unemployment as Protestants. However the report states that s survey of employment and unemployment figures for the past five years in the report found that the position of Catholics in employment had improved as a result of fair employment practice. The report is entitled "Employment Equality: Building for the Future." SACHR is a Government appointed body established to advise the Government on human rights concerns.