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THE CELTIC CONNECTION • OCTOBER 1995
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New UUP Leader Elected at Ulster Hall in Belfast
DUBLIN — David Trimble was elected new leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), after receiving a surprising 466 votes of the 806 delegates at a convention in the Ulster Hall.
When former leader James Moly-neaux resigned, Ken Maginnis was immediately picked as favourite. This changed fairly quickly, with an easy victory being predicted for John Taylor.
David Trimble was considered too much of a hard-liner to be successful and was only mentioned as making victory a little more difficult for Taylor. When the result of the first count was announced, it became clear that Trimble, the Upper Bann MP, was the winner.
Trimble has maintained a hectic schedule since his victory, including a number of meetings, television appearances and an hour-long interview on BBC radio. In response to questions, he ruled out any cross-border cooperation involving "constitutional significance.
Trimble argued that both parts of the island are in direct competition for tourists and industrial investment and so he does not see any benefit in co-operating on these fronts.
He did say that he "would like to see the Republic become a good neighbour."
In another interview, Trimble responded to an accusation that he was sectarian with the retort, "I think I am right in saying that you will not be able to find any anti-Catholic religious statement by me."
Irish Minister for Social Welfare Proinsias De Rossa, on a previously arranged visit to Belfast,
requested a meeting with Trimble shortly after his election. The two met for 30 minutes at the UUP headquarters in Glengall Street.
Afterwards, the leader of the Democratic Left [De Rossa] expressed satisfaction with his discussions. He described the UUP leader as a man with whom the government can "do business." Trimble said the conversation, which touched on the peace process, was "useful."
The meeting between Trimble and De Rossa was greeted with dismay by the DUP, with party secretary Nigel Dodds saying it was very regrettable that the new UUP leader's first meeting had been with a member of the Irish Government.
At a press conference earlier in the day, the Reverand Ian Paisley had convinced himself, and had tried to convince others, that he had been the "king-maker" and that Trimble owed much of his success to his association with Paisley at the controversial Drumcree Orange march in early July.
The DUP leader conceded that serious differences existed between the two main unionist parties but hoped for greater cooperation in the future.
To this end, it was announced that Trimble was to meet with the DUP Deputy Leader Peter Robinson and the Independent Unionist MP for North Down Robert McCartney, to discuss the formation of a pan-unionist" alliance.
Trimble declined an invitation from Judge Catherine Mc-Guinness to attend the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in Dublin. He described the Forum as a nationalist body and saw no point in addressing it.
As part of a series of high-level meetings between Ireland, Britain and the U.S., aimed at restarting the peace process, Irish Taoiseach John Bruton met with Trimble in Dublin on October 2.
This meeting was viewed as historic, as it was the first face-to-face meeting between a pro-British Unionist leader and an Irish Taoiseach in almost 30 years.
After discussing key issues stalling the process, both men announced that they have now established "the lines of communication" after decades of virtual diplomatic silence.
Standing with Trimble on the steps of the Dail, Bruton said, "The fact that more people are talking to other people than was the case some months ago means inexorably that we are moving toward an all-inclusive dialogue."
Trimble, who backs Britain's demand that the IRA hand over weapons before all-party talks get underway, was more downbeat. Asked about Bruton's assessment the week prior that talks were "tantilizingly close," Trimble replied, "I wouldn't personally have used the word 'tantalizing' in that context."
Calling an End to Beatings
BELFAST — Joe Hendron, the SDLP MP, has appealed to Dublin to force republicans to stop the savage "punishment" beatings.
He said, "I believe the Irish Government must point out to the republican leadership that these sorts of savage acts are just not acceptable."
He accused republicans of hypocrisy in talking about the peace process. He said the leadership must realize that it cannot keep talking about moving forward while these attacks continue.
Henry Robinson of Families Against Intimidation and Terror called on the republican movement to "start respecting human rights." He said republicans are always very quick to publish leaflets and pamphlets about human rights abuses in other countries.
"What we want to know," he said, "is when Gerry Adams is going to encourage his movement to start respecting human rights?"
— From a report published in The Irish News
Child Terrorized in Brutal Attack
BELFAST — A seven-year-old north Belfast girl is too frightened to leave ner house alone, after hearing her mother being beaten by men claiming to be from the IRA.
Little Zara Harkin was watching television, when three masked men entered the house and ordered her and her father, along with her sister Maria (8) and brother Thomas (11/2), upstairs. They then assaulted her mother, Ann (34) for more than an hour.
Zara said, "I heard my mummy screaming: 'Please stop it, please stop', while I was upstairs. I wanted to go downstairs because I was worried about my mummy but my daddy wouldn't let me. The men had told us to keep the noise down.
"Three men came in and said, 'Irish Republican Army. We are taking over the house'. Then more came in. They had a pole and I think they were beating my mummy with it. I heard windows being smashed and mummy screaming and I nearly took faint," she said.
"When the men left and we went downstairs, there was blood everywhere and I was heart-scared," said Zara, who has a murmur in her heart.
"We were sent round to my granny's house, where my other brother and sister were. We all prayed that the men wouldn't come back," she said.
The Harkin household was in a state of shock after the attack. Windows were smashed, ornaments were broken and pink paint was thrown over the walls. Spots of blood could be seen on the fireplace and the carpet in the living room was lifted because of the blood.
From the hospital, Ann said she had never been threatened before and had no idea why it happened. "About seven or eight men came in and punched and kicked me with their hands and feet," she said. "I didn't see much because I was covering my face with my hands to fend off the blows. I was crying and screaming and thought I was going to die." —The Irish News