THE MACABRE harassment of the funeral of Larry Marley over a period of a week by the Royal Ulster since the Anglo-Irish agreement was signed. REDMOND O'NEILL reports.
Thousands upon thousands of eople liner he streets of West Belfas and followed the funeral Cordnesday 8 Aprill They Wednesday 8 braved RUC batons and a massive paramilitary police presence including dozens of armoured cars.
The Guardian described it as the highest display of republican support since the hunger strikes. In scenes reminiscent of the mid-1970s old shook their fists at soldiers leading a column ot so landrovers in the front of the funeral procession up the ralls koad. rauenis al lne Royal Victoria came out onto the streets to give support.
They were there to express their condolences for the Marley family and their outrage at the RUC's attempts terrorise demoralise republican families trying to bury their dead in peace and dignity.
The nightmare for the Marley tamil began when Larry Marley was murdered in his home by loyalist death squad. Gerry Adams, local MP, accused the kuc and British army of collusion in the murder:
No less than two weeks ago, a British army major him that he would make sure Marley would not live much longer and l licy courun do it then they could "get others to do it for them.
At the time of the murder the Greater Ardoyne area, where Marley lived, had been saturated by RUC British army patrols yet the gunmen escaped by the only route not covered by the army and KUL Marley was murdered just after 9pm on Thursday April. By the following day RUC landrovers had surrounded all of the approaches the Marley home. This seige was maintained throughout the Constabulary has provoked the most widespread mobilisations of the nationalist community in Belfast weekend.
On the Monday mornRu vehicles took up posit scores armoured tions at all of the access UC, in full riot gear, sur TOLe rounded the „calse.
Another force stood 20 feet trom the tront door As the coffin was carried out of the house, just after 10am, baton wielding RUC moved in around the hearse. A local priest's request that the RUC move back 20 feet either side of the hearse was refused.
JuSE pm the family announced the funeral would be postponed and announced: 'We are asking the Cardinal to intervene with Tom King on behalf that the SU Call tomorrow peacefully.
by the Belfast brigade of the IRA explained that the IRA had already paid its last respects to Marley when three men nrea a volley or snots over the republican memorial in bulludy night.
Local clergymen, behalf of the relatives, also made clear to the RUC that the family intended only to drape the coffin in the Irish tricolour. RUC's claim that its massive show or orce at mic lucial was to prevent an IRA salute to Marley was simply pretext.
That evening 2,000 people took part in a silent protest demonstration in Belfast. Fermanagh district council adjourned its meeting in at the RUC's action.
On Tuesday morning the doubled presence the Marley home. As the coffin was carried to the hearse the surgea lorward encircling the coffin, and the nearse, and nana to lana fighting broke out.
The body hadto be car. ried back to the house a second time. Once again the funeral had to be Addressing the 1,000 Sinn Fein spokesperson Martin McGuinness explained: looks as if we are going to have to make a stand on this otherwise SONICOIC will be killed at one of these tunerals That evening 3,000 people took part in a protest rally in Ardoyne. Omagh district council decided to halt business for a week in protest the RUC's envious Larry Marley's funeral finally took place, at the third attempt, on Wednesday 8 April. The cortege was preceded by more than 801 8791.
For the nationalist peothe supposed 'benefits' of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, which it was claimed was to end LIC nationalist nightmare, have been sharply exposed by the grisly scenes of the past few weeks.
Not onlv do no-lur Diplock courts, strip searching of women prisoners and massive discrimination against catholics remain but those who oppose these sectarian monstrosities cannot even bury their dead with a minimum of dignity!
What could more clearly snow lo unc grotesque character of that the Orange thern Ireland, than what Sundar reported as: "The pictures went around the world: 01 helmeted policemen with raised truncheons attacking American CBS called on funeral called the "why don't they let them Pots of the brange Orange Statelet denied most minimum standards justice in the courts and the but even their funerals are the objects of vindictive efforts to cow and crush them. Brum AAM youth FORTY is the regular attendance of the vouth committee of Birmingham Anti-Apartheid. Since its formation in November of last year, the committee has run street stalls, organised special street sales of Antiengaged in pickets of Shel petro stations and Marks and Spencer's, and build demonstrations local anti-apartheid demonstration in March in which youth were the largest contingent anc the demonstration in Wolverhampton protesting at the murder of Clinton McCurbin.
Laurie Matthews, a leading member of the committee explains that its importance 'is to get together youth, Black and white, to fight apartheid. It is essential because youth are the A young woman involved in the committee, Bharti Patel, describes how she became involved: 'My emotions were aroused about a year ago when the Soweto commemorated. I was determined to play a part in bringing to an end this absolutely took the next step and joined the AAM.' She appealed to all struggle.