2. NICRA & 5 Point Programme Flashcards
When was NICRA set up?
1967
Who were the leaders of NICRA
Paddy Devlin, Eamon McCann and Michael Farrell
Describe two similarities between the American civil rights march and a NICRA march
- They were peaceful protests
- both marching to end discrimination against marginalised people
Name four other reasons for NICRA’s emergence
- Nationalist Party in Stormont weren’t taking action against discrimination
- Support for NICRA came from a new generation of catholics who decided to take action with their growing self confidence and unhappiness with their nationalist party
- MLK jr.’s campaign had employed non-violent methods of civil disobedience in an effort to achieve equal opportunities for black people and this inspired them
- the student demonstrations taking place on France during 1968 were another source of encouragement
Name NICRA’s aims (7)
- Achieve one man, one vote
- Ensure the fair allocation of council houses
- End gerrymandering
- Prevent discrimination in the allocation of government jobs
- Remove the Special Powers Act 1922
- Disband the B Specials
- Establish a formal complaints procedure against local authorities to report breaches
Name three reasons for opposition against NICRA
- Some felt that it was simply intent on causing trouble and just a front for IRA
- It was only interested in catholic rights rather than rights for all
- others thought that NICRA wanted a United ireland
Describe one of NICRA’s marches (4)
March date: 5th October 1968
Reason for March: To highlight seeming inequalities in Londonderry Corporations housing policy.
Stormont/RUC reaction to March: the Stormont government banned the holding or any march east of the River Foyle or within the historic city walls because the Unionist Apprentice Boys were threatening to countermarch
Outcome of March: Crowd was relatively small but four Westminster MPS and an RTE camera crew appeared at the March, showing the world the heavy-handed tactics of the police to break up the rally
What did the marches show?
The March showed that the Stormont/RUC Police used heavy handed tactics and that NI was on the verge of a crisis which they were not resolving
Influences for NICRA (2)
- student demonstrations that took place in France during 1968
- Martin Luther King ‘ s campaign had employed non violent methods of civil disobedience in an effort to achieve equal opportunities
Nationalist reactions to NICRA’s emergence (2)
- New Generation of catholic’s supported them because of their unhappiness with their own Nationalist Party
- the growing self-confidence of Catholic’s elsewhere, e.g USA where JFK had been elected as president in 1960
Liberal Protestant reactions to NICRA (2)
- Sympathised with some of NICRA’s demands
- Believed making NI fairer would undermine demands for a United Ireland
Where else did support come from for NICRA ?
Communists, academics and trade unionists
On what date were the 5 Point reforms issued?
22nd November 1968
The Reforms (5)
- the allocation of council housing on a points system
- the replacement of Londonderry Corporation by a development commission
- the removal of parts of the Special Powers Act
- Reforms within local governments, including the ending of extra votes for business owners
- the appointment of an ombudsman to investigate complaints
Two NICRA aims not granted
- Achieve ‘one man, one vote’
- Disband the B specials
