Gerry Adams has unveiled a mural supporting the families involved in the Ballymurphy Massacre Campaign.  Article from Sinn Féin:

Sinn Féin west Belfast MP Gerry Adams today unveiled a mural in Beechmount Avenue in support of the campaign by the families of 11 people killed by the British Army in August 1971.

Speaking today Mr. Adams said:

“I want to commend the work of the families and their determination and courage in continuing to pursue this campaign over many difficult years.

The families have been engaged in a whole series of initiatives to raise public consciousness about those events.

The families of the 11 people killed by the British Army’s Parachute Regiment in the Ballymurphy area, in the three days following the introduction of internment in August 1971, want an independent international investigation into the deaths of their loved ones and an apology from the British government. The families want the truth.

We have met as a group with the British Secretary of State Shaun Woodward and we are seeking a meeting with the British Prime Minister.

We won’t take no for an answer. We think it’s important that the British establishment face up to what was done in its name in a little housing estate here almost 40 years ago.

All of these families deserve the full support and encouragement of the community, and of the Irish government, in their efforts to secure an independent international investigation in these deaths; and to have the British government acknowledge the truth surrounding the shooting dead of their loved ones.” CRÍOCH

Click here to download the full text of the agreement between Sinn Féin and the DUP over the devolution of policing and justice powers.

On Tuesday, December 8th the Irish Echo, in association with O'Dwyer and Bernstein will hold a special event entitled "Building on MacBride: Marking the 25th Anniversary of the MacBride Principles on Fair Employment" and New York City Hall. Members of the IAUC are encouraged to attend this important event, which will feature special guests such as Speaker and President of the New York City Council Christine Quinn, Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly MLA, Brian O'Dwyer and MacBride signatory Inez McCormick.

The IAUC has a long history of involvement in lobbying for the MacBride Principles in the US, and the success of this Irish American effort has built a solid foundation on which we have built our current targeted investment campaign.

For a list of speakers and honorees and information about getting tickets, please see the listing on our events page.

From the Andersonstown News:

As unionist calls for financial reparations from Libya goes into overdrive, the Director of Relatives for Justice is appealing to the families of nationalist and republican victims to keep their minds focused on uncovering the truth.

Mark Thompson was speaking after a delegation of MPs from the North, including the DUP’s Nigel Dodds and Jeffrey Donaldson, returned from Libya at the weekend hailing their mission as a success.
However, Mark says that he wouldn’t bank on the Libyan regime forking out for victims of IRA violence.

“The Libyans aren’t indicating that they are going to provide a compensation package,” he said. “If the Libyans are minded to do anything, and that’s a big if, it appears that it may be an overall general package aimed at the community, the business sector and victims and survivors, it would be available to everyone.”

RFJ have been inundated with calls about the Libya issue in recent weeks and they have in turn, been in contact with Libyan officials, says Mark.
“Only half of the truth has been going to Libya, we have been providing them with the whole truth,” he said.

“Ever since the news of this Libyan action entered the public domain after the release of Al Magrahi, families, rightly and understandably, were outraged at the hypocrisy and double standards of unionism and the British government – they quite rightly referenced the South African weapons and the role of the British in assisting the loyalists.

The Pittsburgh chapter of the Irish American Unity Conference is proud to announce their co-sponsorship of an upcoming event at the University of Pittsburgh.  "A Forum on the Conflict in Northern Ireland: Where We Are and Where We're Going" features Rita O'Hare of Sinn Fein and Dawn Purvis of the Progressive Unionist Party and is presented by the Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh's Center for International Studies, and Congressman Tim Murphy.

See our events page or the Ireland Institute's website for more information.

From Relatives for Justice:

Speaking in response to the DUP's motion concerning the re-definition of a victim of the conflict Relatives for Justice Chairperson Clara Reilly issued the following statement;
 
'Jeffrey Donaldson, and the DUP, are pandering to a very small constituency of people bereaved that are not representative of the broader community of those affected by the conflict who, unfortunately, have refused to move forward with the rest of us.
 
'Essentially this is an anti-agreement group - ironically created and exploited by the DUP during its opposition to the agreement.