Child 100th victim of Ulster violence

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32706, 8 September 1971, Page 17

Child 100th victim of Ulster violence

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, September 7.

The Prime Ministers of Britain and the Irish Republic, Mr Heath and Mr Lynch, will resume their talks today amid hopeful signs that some mutual understanding has been reached in tackling the Northern Ireland crisis, but in the shadow of the hundredth killing in Ulster since October, 1968. The death of a schoolgirl, Annette McGavigen, aged 14, who was caught in crossfire last night between snipers and British troops in Londonderry, emphasised the urgency underlying the summit meeting.

The continuation of the Prime Ministers’ talks is being widely interpreted as meaning that a better relationship has been achieved between the two men after their sharp exchanges of last month—principally over the Northern Ireland Government’s move to intern without trial

suspected members of the underground Irish Republican Army;

Informed British sources indicate that Mr Heath insisted at the outset that Northern Ireland’s constitutional link with Britain could not be part of the BritishIrish summit discussions, and that any changes could be made only with the assent of the people of the province. Mr Lynch is said to have recognised that the border cutting off Northern Ireland from the republic could not be an issue in the talks; but' he is believed to have told Mr Heath that the republic could not abandon her longterm ambition of a unified Ireland.

All-day session

The two leaders conferred all day yesterday, breaking for lunch —at which the British Foreign Secretary (Sir Alec Douglas-Home) and the Home Secretary (Mr Reginald Maudling) were present—and continuing through the afternoon and evening.

British officials say that Mr Heath urged Mr Lynch to take stronger action against I.R.A. gunmen and bombthrowers who, the British Government says, enjoy virtually complete sanctuary in the South, although they are outlawed there, too. The sources say that Mr Heath indicated that one way of giving the Roman Catholic minority in Ulster a gfeater say in government might be the introduction of a proportional representation

system of voting for the Norther Ireland Parliament.

London arrests

But Mr Heath made it clear that there could be no question of abolishing the NorthSouth border and handing over the control of Northern Ireland to the Dublin Government without acceptance of a majority of the northern population.

Late last night, when Mr

Lynch arrived back at the Irish . Embassy in London from Chequers, policemen and demonstrators were involved in scuffles. Fists flew as the demonstrators surged round Mr Lynch’s car, shouting: “No sell-out Jack! No sell-out!”

Mr Lynch remained inside the car until policemen could escort him inside the embassy. The Prime Minister and the Irish Ambassador (Mr Donald O’Sullivan) then retreated inside the embassy and locked the doors, leaving detectives and uniformed policemen to grapple with the demonstrators outside.

Three men were arrested.

Responsibility denied

Meanwhile, in Belfast the British Army and the Militant Provisional Wing of the Irish Republican Army denied responsibility for the death of Annette McGavigen. The second child victim of shooting in 72 hours, she died in Londonderry’s Roman Catholic Bogside area. Sucking a lollipop when she was hit by a bullet, she had told friends that she was going to find a rubber bullet to add to her collection of riot souvenirs.

Two British soldiers were hurt in a machine-gun ambush in the Crumlin Road area of Belfast yesterday afternoon. Members of the Green Howards, they were on patrol when a burst of fire came from a Fairfield Street alleyway. One soldier was hit in the hand and the other in the shoulder.

Other troops returned the fire, and a crowd quickly gathered, only to be dispersed by soldiers firing rubber bullets.