Newsbriefs Gilman announces RUC hearings

Newsbriefs Gilman announces RUC hearings

By Ray O’Hanlon

Rep. Ben Gilman, chairman of the House International Relations Committee, has announced April 22 for a hearing by his committee on the need for “new and acceptable policing in Northern Ireland.”

In setting the date, Gilman also set out a list of discussion proposals for the House of Representatives with regard to the RUC’s “meaningful” reform.

“At a minimum, if the RUC is not disbanded, as many in the nationalist community are demanding based on years of harsh experience . . . we need real and concrete responses and a major change as soon as possible. At a minimum, there must be root and branch reforms of the RUC,” Gilman said.

Gilman’s statement was drawn up and released before Monday’s killing of attorney Rosemary Nelson in Belfast.

Big shows

The “Radio Free Eireann” show on WBAI radio in New York is planning a marathon St. Patrick’s Day broadcast on 99.5 FM from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The show will include previously recorded interviews with the late Rosemary Nelson. Broadcaster Adrian Flannelly is also hosting a marathon show which will be relayed throughout the tri-state area on stations WTBQ, WGBB,WNJR and WKDM.

Clinton St. Patrick’s message

In his St. Patrick’s Day message, President Clinton said the St. Patrick’s Day celebration “is a time to look to the future as well as to the past.

“Today as we pay tribute to Saint Patrick and his example of faith and determination, we rejoice that the faith and determination of the Irish people have brought about the promise of peace in Northern Ireland and the resolve to approach differences not with weapons, but with words,” he said. He described Americans as being “a vital part” of the peace process.

In the statement, which was actually written during the president’s visit last week to Hope, Arkansas, Clinton said he was proud to join millions of Americans “in remembering our Irish heritage.”