STOP 96
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This article is part of SpinWatch's Northern Ireland Portal. |
STOP 96 (Solidarity To Organise Peace) is an Irish peace group.[1] Gary Kent and Harry Barnes have described it as an umbrella organisation, "whose supporters were antagonistic to Sinn Féin-IRA."[2]
According to the Belfast Telegraph, the original STOP 96 rallies were organised by Women Together in February 1996 to demand the restoration of the IRA ceasefire. Events were planned in Dublin and Belfast, and a number of other towns and cities in Ireland, as well as in London, Warrington and New York.[3]
Some 25,000 people attended the Dublin rally along with representatives of the main political parties and the US ambassador Jean Kennedy-Smith.[4]
In February 1997 the IRFU turned down a request by STOP 96 for a minute's silence at an Ireland-England rugby international.[5]
In 1998, STOP 96 called for 2 minutes silence across the island of Ireland at 11 a.m.on 12 February. All the main political parties in the Dail supported the call.[6] Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam also backed the event, although it was comparatively poorly supported in the North, with fewer than 20 people, including Shankill community worker Baroness May Blood, attending a rally at Belfast City Hall.[7]
- Mr Paul Burton, co-ordinator of STOP 96, said: "We are very happy about it. We got a great response, but it was muted in Northern Ireland. That is because we haven't got a branch there. I have been getting calls all day supportive of the event. We are all very proud."[8]
Contents
Funding
The Belfast Telegraph reported in November 1997 that STOP 96 was supported by the Ireland Fund of Great Britain.[9]
In 2003, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs awarded STOP 96 a grant of €19,000.[10]
People
Affiliations
Notes
- ↑ Paul Cullen, SF members heckle trade unionists as 25,000 people march in Dublin, Irish Times, 26 February 1996.
- ↑ Harry Barnes and Gary Kent, Ceasefires and elections, Conciliation Resources, December 1999.
- ↑ Gail Walker, Call to support peace rallies, Belfast Telegraph, 21 February 1996.
- ↑ Paul Cullen, SF members heckle trade unionists as 25,000 people march in Dublin, Irish Times, 26 February 1996.
- ↑ Emmet Oliver and Patsy McGarry, English fans beef at failure to discover some prime roast, 15 February 1997.
- ↑ 2-minute silence for peace called, Irish Times, 6 February 1998.
- ↑ Theresa Judge and Frank Kilfeather, Peace event gets little support north of Border, Irish Times, 13 February 1998.
- ↑ Theresa Judge and Frank Kilfeather, Peace event gets little support north of Border, Irish Times, 13 February 1998.
- ↑ Desmond McCartan, Fundraisers eat out on Ireland at Whitehall.
- ↑ Minister Cowen announces €912,300 for Reconciliation Groups: Part II, Department of Foreign Affairs, 29 December 2003.
