family then proceeded more. We were in ed or Within a Lovanst gathered in housing estate into which we led by the RUC The RUC made no effort to protect "At the Randalstown slipway une KUL halted the hearse. and refused the family permission to accompan" ...
the parents, brothers and Francis Hughes, murdered by the British government. Wich protest strongest possible the manner in which. Fran. cis's body was hilacked by the RUC, who were oborders their political masters.
Throughout the North, the nationalist people saw the desperation of the motogans and are wi cIs Hughes, and they not soon forget it.
Even moderate Catholic are saying that 'DOlllicialls the will never tolerated Catholic neighbourhoods. Hero By the time Hughes' cóffin finally arrived his family home in south county huge crowd of mourners had assembled. More than 20,000 strong, it was the largest funeral ever held in this the nation istarea, crowd left doubt that Francis Hughes was a hero. As a reporter the Irish Times wrote:
'When three masked gunmen stepped out from the crowd and raised their cheers MUSE almost have reached the army helicopters swooping The government has always claimed tht Francis Hughes was a convided on Killing was COrViCIcu killing member of the Special Air services in gun battle which he tought against a whole squad of this terrorist counter-insurgency In the fighting he wore a military uniform. He was gravely wounded, managed to escape but lay under bushes, carly bleeding to days, nearly death.
for his adversary, following the gun battle ir which Hughes s wound ed they murdered at least a 16-year-old youth who was incautious enough to see if an arms cache he had found and reported had been taken away.
Even unwary Sulked and killed By thes hunters found military murder squad Jnlike the SAS. Francis Hughes did not kill for money or for a sense of powel uvei fellow humar beings, but to strike back against oppression He loined the IRA as a vouth systematically beaten uo ov me Dolict an experience suffered by ordinary Catholics crippled brutal and humiliating Hughes slowly starved to death to defend #is nonour anu inlal or tic people for whom fought.
for Hughes family, they are calm indignified, with a Lolacill. sense of humour I could see this riding weeKs a20 with one of the Hughes sisters, watching the way she talked herself through Dublin demonstration in support of the prisoners a police cordon that had blocked the road, leading To e one I could see it watching her mother serve tea to a large crowd when her son was already approaching death.
Monster The entire Irish people could see it when Hughes descroce brother's suffering when he had only a few hours to son and brother who prepared to give his life for his country.
The government continues to reject every altempt by the most respectable Irish politicians ic negotiate even purely that would throw a veil over the arrogance of the aulllullic. Pleas from both John Hume. leader the SDLP and Cardinal O'Fiaich been Ilave jecica by a sanchmonious Thatcher in the past week This small 'COUIlLI V where hundreds of people know the hunger-strikers They knew what Bobby Sands meant when in an essay smuggled out of prison he wrote:
'I fought a monster 1oday, and what's more defeated a monster's armonsier shrewd, it plays with me, it hummute. and tortures 'I'm like a mouse 10 this giant. comparison But when I repell the tor lure it inflicts in-lics upon me. 1. feel 'Wher resist You see it doesn?! even try anc comprehend why! resist Il says • "Give in to us," th monster's army jibes. My body say ''Yes". I am bearen, you have beaten me, spirit says "No... I refuse • Dearer 'This the monster. Ii gues mad.
Block campaign understand this problem and are trying to overcome il.
In particular, the Republican leaders in the campaign seem to be com, clear comprehension of ine need put pressure on the established political leaders in order to open the way to uniting the Irish people against British Imocklalsill There have been some riots in Dublin's city cenimmediate resul that suosecuchi demonstrations were smaller and made up almost entirely of young males This has enabled the pro-imperialists to the offensive, to claim that the h Block campaign promoting violence But the continued shift public opinion against th government indicates thai this setback will only be temporary.
In Derry, a major out ours l aneer amnone youth now seems evitable. . I arrived there a tew hours after Hughes Aller a snori vigi youth in sight allacked the police. Deadly They waged a bitter and deadly fight. Large numbers of petrol. bombs, blast and nail bombs were thrown, and there was shooting. Las week, three young people •O'Hara dies this week, as he is expected to, it will almost certainly be a signal for an eruption of thehat is needed is tof whole of Derry.
outbreaks esposation is an accelera tion of active international wich will make of this counter Thale lear to the youn cher cannot get away wit! her defiance of truth and human values; that the people of Britain and the world have the same sense of justice and humanity as they do And that they will join the protests of the people of Ireland if they are giver the time, and shown the way Socialist Challenge 21 May 1981
Party delegates to vote for Tony Benn at
----- pull-quotes -----
viously the
live: 'We are sad, but we are proud that we have a