The Flag in the Wind
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It is not possible for anyone who reads newspapers, watches television or listens to the radio not to be aware of the progress of the war in Iraq. We have the world’s media sending us images of battle almost as they are happening. We have the world’s experts analysing, commenting and telling us what they think is going to happen next. We have the world’s politicians still divided in their attitudes. Never have people been so well informed about war.

I am not competent to comment on any military aspect of the war. I am not a pacifist but I am against this war and have been protesting against it at every opportunity. I know that Saddam Hussein is a brutal dictator who has killed and persecuted his own people but I don’t believe that we had exhausted all the options before going to war and thereby threatening the lives of Iraqi citizens.

Something happened the other day that made me think that I would like to tell you a story. A true story about a good friend of my husband’s and mine. His name is Kamal.

Kamal is an Iraqi Kurd. His family home was in Baghdad. He came to Glasgow in 1979 to study for a Ph D at the University Chemistry Department. In 1980, while he was here in Glasgow, the present Iraqi Government, without any warning, declared thousands of Iraqi citizens (Kurds and Arabs) to be Iranian, and deported them to Iran. The Government confiscated all the property and belongings of the deportees including their savings and bank accounts, took away their passports and stripped them of their Iraqi citizenship.

Many of these were well off, well-educated people so, to make sure they did not resist or make public protest about this incident, the Iraqi Government took hostages, mainly younger men between the ages of 16 and 40 years of age. Kamal’s brother, Jamal, recently graduated and then doing his national service with the Iraqi army, was taken. His family and friends managed to track him through a number of prisons and even arranged for some relatives to visit him in 1981. It was promised that the hostages and detainees would be released after the Iran / Iraq war. But that didn’t happen and he was transferred to an unknown destination. From that time till about 1989 there was the odd whisper that Jamal was being held in an un-named prison in Iraq and then nothing more was heard.

Kamal’s brother was not alone. Many hundreds of people were taken hostage or detained. A Committee was set up and support was sought to try to put pressure on the Iraqi Government to release the hostages and detainees. International human rights agencies tried to do what they could with no success. Questions were asked in the Westminster Parliament and many politicians tried to help. The Scottish National Party were helpful and supportive. But nothing more could be discovered and the Iraqi Government would not respond to any of the questions being asked.

Imagine our feelings when we received an e-mail message from Kamal two days ago. He said

"Last night I got the news from KURDSAT TV that the Iraqi government has released all the remaining Iranian prisoners of war in Iraq and sent them to Iran but the Iranian authorities have refused to accept a group of Iraqi prisoners among whom were these Iranian POWs and handed them to the PUK authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan. KURDSAT TV has shown these released Iraqi prisoners and when we looked at them we recognised four of them to be our hostages in Iraq most of whom have been kept in detention since 1980."

Kamal and his Committee have written to the authorities seeking information about the released prisoners. They know that the chances of survival of most of those taken in 1980 are slim but they are hoping against hope that some families may be about to be re-united with loved ones.

For information about these hostages please visit the hostages web site:
www.geocities.com/iraqi_hostages  & e-mail: iraqi_hostages@hotmail.com.

Monday saw the end of the first four-year term of the first Scottish Parliament of modern times. The Parliament has had more than its fair share of criticism over these years. Some of it has been deserved. The cost of the new building, for instance, is a disgrace. But it has also achieved successes and it could do so much more if it had the same powers as normal independent parliaments elsewhere.

So the race is on and SNP political activists are into election mode. Ready to deliver leaflets, chap doors, put posters up on lamp posts, talk to electors in the shopping centres and try to persuade folk who haven’t yet made up their minds that the best way to take Scotland forward is to vote SNP on May 1^st.

There are three votes to be cast by each elector. One for the Constituency Member of the Scottish Parliament, one for the Party of choice for the Regional list and one for the local Councillor.

I hope that most people will vote. I am amazed at the number of people who tell us that they have never voted. It may be a bit daunting to cast your first vote and the schools and church halls used as polling places may not be the friendliest venues. However it’s getting easier all the time and now that people can choose to vote by post if they so wish it’s never been easier to play a part in deciding the future of your council area and your country.

Since 1990 I have fought election campaigns at a national level from SNP Headquarters – not quite from behind a desk but certainly removed from the day-to-day practicalities on the ground. In my retirement I am back to reality.

I have discovered muscles in my legs that I had forgotten existed. Some people pay to go to "step classes"; my colleagues and I deliver leaflets in tenement blocks in Glasgow. Some people get up early to go jogging; I get up early and go leafleting while the postman delivers the mail. Why? Because that’s the time when the secure entry systems are switched off to let the milk and papers and mail be delivered without someone having to open the door.

There’s a fun side to elections. There’s always a laugh to be had even while you’re working hard. But there’s a very serious side too. Presenting to electors the SNP vision of an Independent Scotland, explaining how our policies on Health, Education and Crime would greatly improve their quality of life and comparing what the SNP has to offer with the policies of other parties. The SNP is asking for the chance to prove what we can do for the people of Scotland within the limited powers of the Scottish Parliament and to persuade them that it is only with Independence that we can release Scotland’s potential.

John Swinney promised a referendum on Independence, if the SNP come to power.

The SNP leader outlined his belief that Independence is necessary to equip the Scottish Parliament with the powers to meet expectations.  But in re-affirming the SNP's commitment to an Independence referendum within four years, he promised that Scotland would only move on with the permission of the Scottish people and urged people to vote SNP on the 1st of May.

Mr Swinney also outlined his thinking on when the referendum should be held stressing the need to put public services at the top of the agenda and give sufficient time for the process of Independence to conclude prior to seeking a second term.

Mr Swinney said:

"When the Parliament opened four years ago expectations were high. Since then, Labour's message to the people has been clear:  You were wrong to have such high expectations. In Labour's view the Parliament should stay the same, should stand still.

"By contrast, I believe that the people were right to have high expectations of their national Parliament. And my message to the people is this: if you want your Parliament to meet our expectations you must give it the powers it needs to do that job.

"That is the decision for everyone who lives in Scotland. I believe passionately in Independence. I believe it will be good for Scotland. More than that, I believe it is essential for Scotland. But it's not for me to decide. It is for you, the people.

"Scotland will only move on to Independence - with the permission of the people.

"The election of an SNP Government on the 1st of May, will not automatically lead to Independence on the 2nd of May. The choice will be made by the people of Scotland.

"But we will give the people the opportunity to move on. The opportunity to vote for Independence in a democratic referendum within the four year term of the Parliament. It is an opportunity I am confident the people will take.

"The referendum will be held within our four year term at a time I believe as First Minister is appropriate for our country.  Those who ask for a fixed date need only look at the current international situation to see how inappropriate that would be.

"So I will not give a specific date. But I will say this. To win a referendum, we must first win the case for Independence and we will not do that unless we first win the trust of the people in our abilities as a Government. So we will make a start on sorting out the mess in the public services that we will inherit.

"The patients in our hospitals, the pupils and parents in our schools, and our communities fed-up with crime, can't wait any longer. So we will deliver progress on our public services - to build the bond of trust with the people.

"That means a referendum will not be held in our first year.

"And it will not be in the final year. If Scotland votes yes, and I am confident that it will, we will need time to ensure a smooth transition of power from London to Scotland. Because that's what Independence is - transferring economic, tax and other powers from Westminster to Scotland.

"Independence is equipping our country with the powers it needs to make it the successful and prosperous country it has the potential to become."

April 6 in the year 1320 was the day when the Scots nobles appended their seals to the Declaration of Arbroath. The date has been chosen for celebrations in America and Canada of Scotland and all things Scottish. They call it Tartan Day. The Scots Independent Tribute to Tartan Day in America and Canada features poetry, song, music and prose. It is well worth a look – and a listen! Enjoy.

Cunningham attacks McConnell's hypocrisy over drugs pledge
Sunday 30th March 2003

Offences up, Convictions down under Labour

Commenting today [Sunday] on Jack McConnell's pledge to scrap parole for drug dealers, SNP Shadow Justice Minister, Roseanna Cunningham, attacked Labour on their abject failure to convict those committing drug offences.

Ms Cunningham pointed to the Executive's own official figures which show that since Labour first came to power proceedings taken against drug dealers have decreased and the number of convictions secured have decreased.

Ms Cunningham said:

" McConnell wants to scrap parole for convicted drug dealers - that is all well and good, however the problem is that not enough drug dealers are being locked up in the first place - under New Labour the number of convictions has dropped as drugs crime has increased.  You can't scrap the parole of someone who isn't in prison in the first place!

" Since New Labour came to power recorded drugs offences have increased by 6,789 yet the number of convictions has decreased by 1,351.  So we have more crime, but fewer convictions.

" The police are clearly doing their job - they are clearing up 99% of recorded offences - yet Labour have failed to deliver on their pledge to tackle crime in 1999.

" The key issue which an SNP Government will address is how we insure that drug dealers get the sentences they deserve and how we build the capacity within our prison service to make sure that we can lock up those who pose the greatest threat to our communities.

" We are still waiting for Labour to deliver on their 1999 pledge. We can't wait any longer."

Russell accuses McConnell of breathtaking arrogance over Gaelic Bill
31st March 2003

Speaking further to the announcement by Jack McConnell that Labour will implement a Gaelic Language Bill if elected on May 1st, SNP Shadow Gaelic Minister, Michael Russell, accused McConnell of breathtaking arrogance on the issue and said that a Gaelic Language Bill could already have been in place, had Labour not blocked the SNP's attempt to introduce it.

Commenting Mr Russell said:

" For Labour to spend four years arguing against a Gaelic Language Bill and to then repeat their failed promise that they have dishonoured makes a mockery of politics and shows breathtaking arrogance.

" There will definitely be a Gaelic Language Bill if the SNP is elected on May 1st. The Bill is ready to re-enter Parliament quickly.

" To get a Gaelic Language Bill under Labour means trusting Jack McConnell, something many of us, and especially the Gaelic-speaking community, have learned the hard way not to do."

SNP PUBLISH LABOUR'S 'RECORD OF SHAME'
Tuesday 1st April 2003

SNP Campaign Co-ordinator Nicola Sturgeon this morning (Tuesday) published a campaign calendar illustrating 30 Labour failures - one for every day between now and polling day. Ms Sturgeon said:

"This campaign calendar is a graphic illustration of Labour's appalling record in office. Under Jack McConnell violent crime is at its highest level for a decade, class sizes are too large, NHS waiting lists have risen by 10,000 and waiting times are longer. Scotland has the worst economic growth rate in Europe, and one in three children live in poverty.

"After four years of devolved government, these five facts alone deliver a damning verdict on Labour's record. And it is a record of shame the SNP will expose every remaining day of this campaign. The question is why should anyone believe the promises Labour makes in this election when they have not kept the promises they made in the last election?

"Yesterday they unveiled posters bearing the slogan, 'Just the beginning', but everybody knows it's not just the beginning. Labour has had six years to show they can get things right and they have failed. We simply can't wait any longer for Labour to deliver.

"The truth is McConnell's Labour Party cares more about privatisation than patients and pupils, more about fiddling figures than reducing waiting lists, and more about jobs for the boys than creating jobs for Scotland.

"Over the final 30 days of this campaign we will show how people can translate their disappointment and frustration with Labour into a positive vote for an alternative approach with the SNP.

"It is now time for a positive policy agenda for public services. On the key issues of crime, education and health it is the SNP who have the policies that address the concerns of the public.

"So the choice on May 1 is vote for Labour and to wait. for nothing.  Or to vote for change and an SNP government which has focus, drive and vision to make a real difference."

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