BY TONY HUNT
That confidence was echoed by the main speaker at the rally, Sinn Fein vice president Pat Doherty. He referred to the historic talks planned for May 10 between British government minister Michael Ancram and Sinn Fein leader Martin McGuinness. To loud cheers and applause, Doherty explained that McGuinness and Ancram "don't have much in common, but that doesn't bother us. All we want is the Brits out of our country."

The demonstration was disciplined and peaceful. Earlier in the day the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and rightists tried to stage a provocation. A blockade of RUC armored vehicles prevented a feeder march from Twinbrook - the housing estate where Bobby Sands had lived -from taking the route it had followed in previous years. Right-wingers living in a Protestant neighborhood on the edge of the march route called on the RUC to take this action.

This provocation was in response to a campaign by Catholics living in an enclave in South Belfast to reroute triumphalist marches by the rightist Orange Order. These have traditionally been deliberately staged through the Catholic neighborhood in order to intimidate working people living there. Maskey condemned the RUC, who had drawn batons and donned riot gear at one point. "We have never insisted on parading through someone's residential area but we will march through this city," he said. "We will march through this state. That's our right!"

On April 28 in Belfast and May 3 in Derry, the RUC attacked demonstrators staging "Equality Pickets." These actions are protests against the British government for its refusal to treat Sinn Fein equally with other political parties involved in talks about the future of Northern Ireland. The May 3 protest occurred during a visit to Derry, the second largest city in Northern Ireland, by British prime minister John Major. After the incident Major hinted at calling off the proposed ministerial talks with Sinn Fein but rapidly retreated from this.

Irish tricolors flew from many lampposts May 7, and placards promoting Saoirse - the campaign to free all political prisoners - lined the parade route. Saoirse is the Irish word for freedom. Painted murals and signs on the walls of houses and banners on the demonstration called for the withdrawal of British troops occupying Northern Ireland. Soldiers were not visible on the demonstration or are they patrolling the streets of Belfast any longer, but they continue to have a heavy presence in rural areas and other towns.

Others slogans targeted the police, such as "RUC: 93 percent Protestant, 100 percent loyalist, disband the RUC!" A traffic sign at the entrance to the Lenadoon housing estate said simply "RUC Keep Out!"

A group of marchers carried a huge tricolor while others carried black flags to commemorate the hunger strikers who died in 1981 protesting their denial of political status.

Many marchers wore a green ribbon showing their support for the prisoners and the Saoirse campaign. Contingents from local Saoirse groups were prominent on the march, including from the Irish Republic.

Two students, who were among many young people on the march, said, "We're having a day out to express our feelings at the British occupation of our country."

"The British government put in the troops, instituted the loyalist veto, instituted anti-Catholic discrimination, jailed the political prisoners, and armed the RUC as a sectarian force," said Tom Holland, in prison for 17 years until 1991. "They can put an end to these things and bring the Catholics and Protestants together."

Michael Doherty, aged 65 and a trade unionist for 45 years, said he was on the march because, "All my life I've been a second-class citizen." He explained the only jobs Catholics could ever get in Northern Ireland were those with the worst pay and conditions and longest hours. The struggle in Ireland, he said, "is not about guns, it's about the people of Ireland having a say in how Ireland should be run."

Brendan McAvoy, a flute player in one of the bands on the march, said, "I work, but I have six brothers who are unemployed. The only jobs they have had are government work schemes - not real jobs. I was lucky."

The mother of Gary Breslin, who is serving 18 years, was with several other prisoners' relatives from Strabane marching behind the Strabane Saoirse Committee banner demanding "Free the prisoners now!" Each relative carried a sign bearing a prisoner's name and their sentence. "There are marches every week," Breslin told the Militant. "I go on all of them." Her comment was a reflection of the increase in protest activity in Northern Ireland today.

Pat Doherty said in his rally speech that the 1981 hunger strike had sparked many demonstrations. "We had a visible sign" he said "that throughout Ireland people did care and wanted to get involved. That is something that is happening once again today."

Meanwhile, John Hume, leader of the predominately Catholic Social Democratic and Labour Party, called on Sinn Fein to "rethink" the holding of street demonstrations. Protest actions have increased since the declaration of a cease-fire by the pro-British loyalist death squads, subsequent to the ending of the military campaign by the Irish Republican Army (IRA). While some marchers disagreed with the IRA's cease- fire, many people welcomed the new situation. "There are more people taking to the streets today," said McAvoy. That was why they attacked the Equality Pickets he said.

A Catholic worker at a local auto parts factory who did not attend the demonstration told the Militant that the ending of the loyalist terror campaign meant that now he could walk to work early in the morning without constantly looking over his shoulder.

Other speakers who addressed the rally included Maura Pryers representing Saoirse, former prisoner Teresa McCardle, and Margaret Doherty, who's son Kieran Doherty died in the 1981 hunger strike. "Our resolve has never been stronger," Pryers said. "Our prisoners will be freed."

Tony Hunt and Ann Fiander are members of the Amalgamated, Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU) in Manchester, England. Paul Davies, a member of the AEEU in London, contributed to this article.  
 
 
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