An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Sruth > Volume 2 > No. 60, 10 July 1969

Sruth, Di-ardaoin. 10 latha de'n luchar 1969
Three
A look at Alba—Breizh—Cymru—Eire—Kernow—
Manrin
By P. Berresford Ellis
July 1 was a sad day for Wales. I am reminded of
the last days of the Roman Empire when the people
of Rome were starving and it was debated whether to
give the people bread or circuses. The emperor opted
for circus—so did the English. “ Y Pantomime” or the
investiture of Prince Charles was a circus staged to
distract the Welsh people from seeking bread.
It is sad that, perhaps, some Welsh people might
be taken in by it. The investiture was Wales’ a‘ cheal^
mhor (great hypocrisy) . . . but sooner or later the
Welsh people must choose between circuses or bread.
It was a sad day inasmuch as three people were
killed for “y pantomime”—two Welshmen (blown up
by their own bomb) and one English soldier. There
were explosions and demonstrations (eggs, rotten
apples and bananas were thrown at the royal pro¬
cessions and, despite the ban on demonstrations, there
were plenty of slogan shouting and placard waving
Welsh en-route). As for the reception given by the
Welsh people when Charles was brought out on the
balcony, even the arch-Tory “Daily Telegraph” had to
admit “ The cheers were rather ragged and more or
less confined to a party of schoolchildren.”
“ Y pantomime” was a contemptible political
move and it seems that the Welsh people have received
it as such.
On the same day, the Free Wales Army trial. ~
came to an end. This “mini pantomime” cost £200,000
(as much as the investiture), lasting 53 days, and
resulting in three of the accused getting acquitals,
three suspended sentences of 3 to 8 months, and three
more terms of imprisonment of up to 15 months.
★ ★ ★
The Breton political prisoners, now held in Prison
de la Sante, have gone on hunger strike “in protest
against the oppression of Brittany by French imperial¬
ism and against the silence maintained around the
Breton claims.” The date of the last communication
smuggled out of the prison announcing their intention
was June 7. Since then nothing has been heard from
the prisoned, alleged members of the Front for the
Liberation of Brittany.
It is estimated that there are now 16 Breton
political prisoners left in prison. Of the 60 alleged
FLB members arrested, 53 were charged, 51 imprisoned
and the use of torture and drugs to make them talk
has been confirmed. Two previous hunger strikes by
the prisoners, in February and March resulted in 35
prisoners being released “pending trial,” which is
expected in September.
Throughout Ceitica, committees have been formed
to aid the prisoners and their dependents, demonstra¬
tions were held outside French Embassies in London,
Dublin and Brussels, Gwynfor Evans (Plaid Cymru
M.P.) asked, in the House of Commons, that an inter¬
national commission be set up to investigate alleged
torture, and token hunger strikes have been held
throughout Brittany to express solidarity.
Skoazell Vreizh, a committee to aid the prisoners,
has been active since the arrests and donations can
be sent to it at C.C.P 30 186, 45 Centre de la Source,
France.
★ ★ ★
Results of the Irish General Election are:—
Fianna Fail 75; Fine Gael 50; Pairti an ludht Oibre 18;
and independents 1. Despite the pundits, Jack Lynch
is back as Taoiseach and Fianna Fail are firmly in the
saddle for another term of office. What does this do
for that all important aim, the restoration of the Irish
language?
Nothing at all! Lip service will continue to be
paid to it while Fianna Fail continue with their policy
of making Ireland a reservoir of cheap labour for the
English speaking world.
Mind you, at least Fianna Fail pays lip service—
if Fine Gael became the government they’d probably
legislate against Irish as their recent courting with the
English “ Language Freedom Movement ” showed.
★ ★ ★
Another move by Mann for “greater independ¬
ence.” A select committee of the House of Keys has
recommended that the island start minting its own
coinage. The new money would include a 100 penny
decimal coin—the equivalent of the £1—which will
probably be the only one in the English Common¬
wealth. Recommendation is that the coins will bear
- today
Manx symbols. The committee proposes to start with
a ngn-decimal issue of silver crowns next year.
The move Jo establish a separate currency is yet
another move m the gradual progress that the Manx
Government has been making, to separate itself from
Westminster. The process began four years ago.
The first Cornish national political party (as
opposed to Mebyon Kernow, which is an all embracing
national movement) has been launched called Keneth-
lek Kyfvewy a Kernow (Cornish National Party). The
aims are:—
1. To seek self government for Cornwall and to
secure the rightful recognition of Cornwall as a Celtic
Nation and not an English county.
2. To re-establish the Cornish Nation, culturally
and spiritually.
3. To harness the economy for the benefit of the
people of Cornwall.
The General Secretary of the CNP is Mr Leonard
C. Trelease (a former national secretary of Mebyon
Kernow) of 15 Clinton Road, Redruth, Kernow.
Last week the Cornish M.P., Peter Bessell, laid a
wreath at London’s Marble Arch in memory of An
Gof who led the Cornish national uprising of 1497
and Who was defeated and executed at Tyburn. Simi¬
larly, another commemoration took place in St
Keverne, Cornwall, where An Gof was born.
North-East by Nor’East
The halting of population de¬
cline in the North-East of
Scotland, which loses 4500 per¬
sons a year, should be the imme¬
diate objective for the region,
the Gaskin Survey say in their
report.
While recommending growth
areas based on the Aberdeen
city region and Elgin, the sur¬
vey makes it clear that stopping
migration should be the prune
aim for the mid 1970’s.
Until this happened labour
would continue to be used in low
produaivity occupations, the
unduly low activity rates in the
area would persist, and the
structure of the population
would continue to be adversely
affected.
Aberdeen city, Aberdeenshire,
and Kincardine) to cover the
North-East, Professor Gaskin
does not favour the establish¬
ment of a statutory board like
the Highlands and Islands
Development Board.
Highland
Research
Agency
The Highlands Area Council
of the SNP, whose main func¬
tion is the generation of specific
policy ideas for the Highlands
area in general, is now .perform¬
ing a new role as a High¬
land research and fact-finding
agency. This new role is based
on the Council’s unique fund of
factual information on virtually
all aspects of the Highlaids and
Islands of Scotland: social,
economic and cultural.
The Council also has avail¬
able a small team who have the
ability to research in depth
specific subjects, in particular
those relating to development
progress in other countries in
the world.
Faced with Problem
This new role of the Council,
while mainly for the use of pro¬
spective SNP candidates in
Highland constituencies, is being
placed at the disposal of all
SNP prospective candidates
throughout Scotland who may
be faced with the problem of
answering with some reasonable
degree of authority questions
on Highland matters, yet lack
the necessary background infor¬
mation.
The decline in population has
two harmful effects, the sur¬
vey states. It impairs the econo¬
mic attraction of the area and,
falling mainly on the vital
20-40 age group, contains the
seeds of even steeper decline.
To stop the drift of popula¬
tion, Professor Maxwell Gas¬
kin, of the chair of economics,
Aberdeen University, estimate
that 8000 new jobs will have to
be provided by 1976, over and
above those likely to be created
by foreseeable trends. Between
6000 and 7000 of these jobs
would have to be imported into
the region.
Science-based industries with
a biological content, the manu¬
facture by the G.P.O. of its
own equipment, and the location
of Government offices are given
as examples of new industries
which could be attracted to the
region. Other suggestions for
attracting industry include a
single North-East tourist board;
more publicity; better recrea¬
tional facilities; improved roads
and bus and rail services; better
water supplies; and more ad¬
vance factories.
While recommending a more
comprehensive body than the
present North-East Develop¬
ment Committee (it covers only
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