Fishing in BC’s archives
By Ed Moloney and Anthony McIntyre
BOSTON GLOBE
August 23, 2011
BOSTON COLLEGE is currently resisting efforts by the security forces in Northern Ireland to force it to hand over part of its oral history archive on the Irish Republican Army, and as well it should. This attempt to violate the college’s files could have disastrous consequences for oral historians and their close cousins in the media. It also could be immensely destructive to the peace process in Northern Ireland.
The subpoenas that have been served are based on an unproven assertion: that an interview given to the college by a former Irish Republican Army activist, Dolours Price, could shed light on a 40-year-old murder and should be surrendered.
The truth, however, is that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), on whose behalf US Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz is acting, does not know what Dolours Price told Boston College’s interviewers. Neither does Ortiz.
They do not know because the legal basis for the subpoenas is deeply flawed, the result of either rank incompetence or sleight of hand. The authorities have justified the action by claiming that an interview with Price published in a Belfast newspaper in February 2010 about the murder was derived from her Boston College interview, when in fact it was based on a separate taped interview given directly to the newspaper. Price’s interviews have never been released by Boston College and never would be – because a guarantee of confidentiality was given to every interviewee.
What is happening is essentially an unwarranted fishing expedition into the college archives. It has been suggested that not to comply with the subpoenas could anger the British government, which might then raise obstacles in America’s fight against terrorism. Yet the subpoenas are not the work of the British government per se; its minister in Northern Ireland has expressed embarrassment at the move. Rather, they originate from a small number of PSNI detectives who can hardly be surprised if their motives are questioned. After all, the murder at the center of this case was largely ignored by the police for the best part of 40 years, and even when Price’s newspaper interview was published in 2010 they did nothing.
A whole year passed before action was taken. When the police service did move, it was within weeks of Sinn Fein’s remarkable electoral comeback in the general election in the Republic of Ireland. In that election, Gerry Adams was elected to the Dublin parliament and is well-placed to lead his party into government next time. Only then did the PSNI crank into action. Was that just a coincidence?
Irredentist elements opposed to the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland have long seen this case as an opportunity to bring down Adams for his alleged role in the 40-year-old murder – and, perhaps, to bring down aspects of the peace process they abhor. The stability of the power-sharing government in Belfast could conceivably be threatened by this case. The United States played a huge role in bringing about peace in Northern Ireland; wouldn’t it be ironic if now it played a part in undoing it?
The police and the British authorities in Northern Ireland do not come to this case with clean hands. Their track record in covering up official involvement in some of the most shocking murders of the Irish Troubles is well known, and they cannot be allowed to present themselves in America as an unblemished force attempting to get to the bottom of an awful killing.
Since this case could affect the stability of the peace process in Ireland, it is worth reflecting on recent remarks made in the wake of these subpoenas by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, a body set up at the suggestion of the Clinton White House to facilitate the disarming of the IRA: Peacemaking, the commission said, “means that however reprehensible some acts are that were committed in the past, at some point a line needs to be drawn under them – never to forget, but to be able to move on.’’
Ed Moloney was the director of the Belfast Project at Boston College. Anthony McIntyre was the project’s lead researcher on the IRA.
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A danger to the peace process? Peace processes are the danger it would seem.
ReplyDeleteHow ironic if Adams peace drive ends up kicking him in the balls. How wonderful, even.
He can empathise then with those 'good republicans' that were hounded from pilar to post whilst he was fetted in America.
A long chat with Gadaffi on the perils of peace and reconciliation with the Brits and Yanks might do the ball-bag some good.
Surrender and regrant, thanksgiving, Lybia becomes redemed a few years ago...anything look like a pattern?
Hope he gets banged up, who's going to protest...only the DUP I suspect.
Larry,
ReplyDeletecouldn't agree more. I actually hope they open up the vaults and it finally does him in. I could care less who in Sinn Fein it brings down.
Larry and Ryan,
ReplyDeletethe issue is much wider than this. It is about freedom of inquiry and the protection of sources. It is about ensuring the cops do not have the right to trample over every area of knowledge procurement they like and try to turn it into evidence for their own political ends. The work of journalists, academics and researchers would be wholly compromised. It would mean the version of historical events would be determined by the cops because nobody else would take a chance on getting a version out because of the very real dangers involved. Wanting some sort of embarrassment for Adams and SF is to completely miss the point. The oral history project was not about nailing Adams, and the vindictive cops should not be allowd to use it for that purpose or any other purpose. They should not be allowed to use it period.
When all the files relating to the war are made public in years to come i have no doubt that most of the sinn fein hierarchy will be shown to be deep undercover agents'
ReplyDeleteand that they are being played by MI6 still to the present day.
at the time i said Dennis donaldson was sacrificed for the bigger fish in the party and i have no reason to think otherwise now.
adams and mcguinness are fireproof along with quite a few of their comrades
While nothing would give me greater pleasure in seening Adams and his cronies being subject to that which Marian Price is now going through, I would be sick that this was brought through any of the archives from Boston college,those cops could do themselves and justice a favour if they are truley interested in getting at those who ordered the execution of Jean Mc Conville by having a word with the bold Scap after all there wasnt much happened during that period that he didnt know about, and I,m sure there is more than a few well placed agents in psf/prm who could furnish them with the details they seem to seek from the Boston tapes, I suspect this whole charade is more of a ruse in warning republicans and others about keeping stump that an evidence gathering exercise.
ReplyDeleteHow is it possible to subpoena these files when they don't have proof of whats in them?, for that matter how is it not possible to subpoena the brit government on the dublin/monaghan bombings when we do know whats in them?
ReplyDeleteAM,
ReplyDeletegood points made and you're probably right, I am just really tempted to hope they're turned over by the train wreck factor. How sweet it would be to see Gerry hauled away by the PSNI and be swallowed up by the phony peace process he helped create.
On a side note I had always thought that offenses committed prior to April 10 1998(GFA) were pardoned by the agreement. Only with the prosecution of Gerry McGeough and now this do I realize that this is not the case. I always thought the GFA was a worthless piece of crap but its actually even more worthless than I realized. How inept is SF that they couldn't get a pardon into the agreement in addition to prisoner releases. What a joke. So much for Chief Negotiator McGuinness's negotiating skills.
impongo2,
ReplyDeletethere is a lot of logic in what you say. Yet it strikes me that some element within the cops is trying to tease out stuff it feels might be embarrassing to SF. They must consider it likely that there is material embarrassing to SF yet they are pressing ahead anyway. They are certainly trying to kill off the notion that anybody other than officialdom will determine historical narratives.
Ryan,
However sweet it is to have their gander sup its own sauce, there are wider considerations and you seem to grasp them. Having people’s live destroyed to see Adams uncomfortable is not worth the candle. History projects are precisely that: the gathering of historical material not evidence for the prosecution. The Brit Secretary of State actually praised the BC project as an important means of establishing truth recovery and he suggested that it might be emulated.
The cops are being vindictive: never once have they charged anybody for Bloody Sunday or handed over their files on Dublin/Monaghan.
BKeane,
Very good points
Anthony,
ReplyDeleteIs there another possibility here? Could a fishing expedition into the archives be intended to intimidate and hopefully silence those critical of direction the republican movement has taken? I find it difficult to separate the focus on the Dolours Price material from her sister's prominent involvement in 32CSM. The timing is rather convenient it seems.
PF,
ReplyDeletesilencing critique is something they would want. While we can never be certain of motives I guess they do not want critiques like that provided by Brendan Hughes. However, in silencing critque other genies might be let out of the bottle.
And genies will keep coming out of the bottle as Kader Asmal has shown us. Even though I totally support the just cause of the anc, and totally support any help the provos gave the anc the question remains, how many genies in how many bottles will haunt Adams for the next 20 years?
ReplyDeleteBKeane I to would support the ANC but to be honest with you what Mandela and the chosen few have done to another just cause is so similar to whats happening here, ie, they have shafted the support base for a few personal perks,the bearded one may never have to face the consequences of his devious past, but maybe like Mandela he will see the people begin to ask the searching questions and turn their backs on psf,
ReplyDeleteTotally agree, Marty, have been reading about Mcbride since he took over as chief of police and some say the apartheid police were less brutal then what is in place now, amazing that revolutionaries, when they get a sniff of power, what they will do to defend it.
ReplyDeleteUpon reflection, maybe this development is a mere red herring. Adams 'handlers' trying to claw back some PR after the recent setbacks re Liam etc.
ReplyDeleteNothing will come of this, Adams and McGuinness wont be hung now at this stage.
Larry,
ReplyDeletebut it would be very short sighted all round to hang others just to see somebody else hanged
AM
ReplyDeleteAgreed. When did the RUC ever need evidence? All their cases should be under revue and the force scrapped, 'Patten'??
Instead, a few SF profile people get a conviction pardoned, all others get the usual fit-up.
Is it not possible to research past cases to highlight the disgusting antics in the courts past and present?
Some genuine journalists should perhaps consider that.
Larry
ReplyDeleteThe intellectual intricacies and extremely high level maneuverings of this case should awaken all republicans to the fact that the “dirty war” continues. It would be foolish to suggest this is a case to embarrass PSF.
The gravity and the legal complications of this action would weigh heavy on republicanism (not to ignore the loyalists) as they also should be weary of the PSNI intent at the behest of the higher level authorities pulling the strings and manipulating this for their own political ends.
It is definitely one case that needs to be kept in the public arena.
Instead of blank page speculating it would be wiser to engage in more productive debate. Those involved in the project clearly face an uncertain time.
All republicans should oppose this vindictive assault it is a time for political action and not self-serving reaction. Either we stand behind those involved in the project or we hand the rope to the government.