THE bomb which blasted the Rose and Crown" bar in Belfast on Thurs day 2 May, killing six people and injuring 16 others, marked the resumption of the sectarian murder aspects of the situation in Ireland last year, It also blew away the last shred of illusion that Sunningdale could bring peace to the shattered Six Counties.
But unlike last year the link between the murders and a specific organisation is much clearer. On 27 April the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) published a warning to the IRA that their bombing campaign would lead to a resumption of LIVF military action. This was five days campaign, one of the most gruesome Service. used it on accusion.
Officials and the IRA.
Street, Stockholm, Sweden.
before the Rose and Crown' attack.
A number of the previous murders were claimed by an organisation calling itself the Uister Freedom Fighters (UFF), but there is abundant evidence that no such organisation exists. Statements by the UVF, the UDA and the Provisional IRA claimed that the UFF was really a front for the British Army's Special Air The Peoples Democracy news paper infree Citizen, in an article published on 6 May, examined the UFF. It came to the conclusion that the various loyalist organisations had committed murders using this name, although the SAS had also The article cited as evidence the crudity of many UFF bombs chemical fertiliser, with an unsophis ticated timing device-which makes it impossible to give a warning.
Most sectarian murders have been of catholics in isolated communities within mainly loyalist areas, while SAS operations have concentrated on the politically important ghettoes like Andersonstown or Crepgan This evidence establishes fairly clearly the existence of a loyalist murder campaign, linked to an increasingly effective and well organised political campaign.
WITH INTELLIGENCE The UVF's warning to the IRA was published in the first issue of their new paper Combat. Most loyalist newspapers are shoddy little rags, full of crude bigotry, and holiow braggadocio. Combat, in contrust, is well produced and written with intelligence. The warning to the Republicans. The murder to the Provos refers to them as be "Provisional Alliance', the ter used by the Officials, and calls on the Officials to drive the Provisionals out of the catholic areas.
The UVF knows that the Officials are in no position to do such a thing Labour Government has enabled its but the statement is designed to aggravate the friction between the The present-day DVF first came to nubic attencion when it issued o statement on 21 May 1966, declaring war on the IRA (which had then NOTTINGHAM RED CIRCLES: Wide rancis series ot discussions based on the politics of the Fourth International. Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday in the month at B pm in the Lion Hotel, Clumbe BENGALI FRIENDS in Europe and elsewhere, for Bengali books and Lara (Fourth International paperl, contact: Bengali, Mullvaden, Box 3274, 10365 LIVERPOOL RED BOOKS: RevolutionEastern Europe, Third World, Ireland, Women's Liberation, 8la Renshaw Street, Liverpool Tues-Fri: 12.30-3. Sat: 11-3. been passive for four years). The nature of that 'war" became clear when on 26 May John Scullion, a barmless drunk, was ginned down in the Clonard district of Belfist. Then, on 25 June, four young catholic barmen were shot as they left a pub. One of them, Peter Ward died of his wounds. This incident led to the imprisonment of UVF leader Gusty Spence.
BLACKMAIL
In 1966 the UVF was a gang of lumpen psychopaths; today they are a group of politically coherent psychopaths. The clandestinity of the UVF has hidden from view the changes which have occurred over the last eight years-but has also enabled it to resist the British infiltration and internal feuding which bas debilitated the UDA.
Towards the end of 1973 the UVF declared its opposition to the existing leaders of the protestant coumunity-backing Desmond Boal as the only leader with any perspective to resist Sunningdale. Like Boal they were willing to make a temporary accommodation with the IRA, in order to maximise the pressure agrinst Sunningdale. And also like Boul, they wanted to defend the protestant ascendancy in any future break with Britain.
Following the general election. the loyalists have found a new unity, and increased hopes of being able to smilash Sunningdale and force concessions out of the British Governnient. They do not need to continue their previous policy of concessions campaign is designed to blackmail the catholic population into ceasing their support for the IRA.
LABOUR COMPLICITY
Legalisation of the UVF by the spokesinen to appear publicly, be interviewed on television, and partic ipate in the councils of the antiSunningdale protestant organisations. This can only increase its prestige and influence amongst loyalists.
Similarly, the moves towards "Esterisation" of the war-and greater reliance on the loyalists to hold the line against the IRA-can only strengthen the hand of the UVF and the other ruthiess organisations of the protestant right.
Not only has the Labour Government increased repression against the catholic ghettoes, it has encour aged the loyalist murderers. Merlyn Rees and Stan Orme must accept responsibility for these latest innocent victims. The British labour move ment can only cleanse itself of their blood by taking up the campaign for a British withdruwal from Ireland.
BOB PURDIE