Brit Border health risk exposed

The South Armagh Demilitarisation Committee has responded to comments made by the British Army (Daily Ireland, Friday 25 March) regarding the danger to health posed by their Border spy posts.

The British Army claim their surveillance equipment is not responsible for the alarming increase in cancer of all types in the area. They claim that emissions from this equipment are "several thousand times within international safety guidelines".

They quote the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation as their standard. These standards are 300 times less safe than the standards in Australia and Scandinavia. They are 30 times less safe than the standards in Russia. In fact, there is no reason to believe they are safe at all.

Sir William Stewart was commissioned by the British Government to examine possible adverse effects on health as a result of use of telecommunication transmitters. He pointed out, in his report of 2001, that these guidelines were established before there was sufficient scientific evidence to prove their worth. He goes on to say:

"There is now scientific evidence, however, which suggests that there may be biological effects occurring at exposures below these guidelines." Perhaps the British Army are unaware of this government report?

The British Army statement asserts its responsibilities as an employer and claims it would not subject British soldiers to unsafe levels of radiation, "or indeed, any members of the public, for that matter". Nice of them to remember us!

Risking and, indeed, taking lives is the business the British Army is in. Their proven involvement in shoot-to-kill operations and collusion with unionist death squads, not to mention their conviction in the European Court of torture in Ireland over the last 30 years, their refusal to cooperate with investigations into the Dublin/Monaghan bombings and their cover up of Bloody Sunday is a fair indication of their concern for the welfare of Irish people.

Their concern for the welfare of their own troops is epitomised by their antics overseas. They lied their way into an invasion of Iraq, didn't equip their troops with flak jackets and more recently sent the Black Watch from the safe haven of Basra to the frontline of Baghdad to help George Bush win an election.

They have always shown this high level of regard for the lives of their employees. Gulf War Syndrome is one example of their concern, as are the numerous soldiers who died of cancer after their employer exposed them to nuclear fallout during weapons testing in Australia in the 1950s.

On the issue of environmental destruction, The British Army state that our claims of raw sewage flowing from hilltop spy posts is "nonsense and has no basis in fact". They claim raw sewage is "flown out of the sites". The South Armagh Demilitarisation Committee have made available to Daily Ireland photographs taken by demilitarisation activists over the past few months which contradict the British Army claims. One of these photos shows an open sewage pit inside the perimeter of a spy post. A warning sign was thoughtfully provided by the occupants. Obviously, they weren't expecting visitors.

The British Army go on to claim that residue is treated on site and emitted as a "clear harmless liquid through an outflow pipe". The Committee have also made available a number of photographs taken by environmentalists which show a wide strip of bright green grass running down the hillside, below a number of spy posts. The natural plant life, predominantly heather, is not in evidence. Close up photos reveal a putrid sludge below the unnatural grass. Pipes emerging from the post are seen to be emitting anything but a harmless liquid.

The death of livestock due to low flying helicopters is an everyday occurrence in South Armagh. The Department of the Environment would, I am sure, be happy to supply the British Army with figures, if they are interested.

Whilst it is reassuring to hear that "deliberate sheep scaring is not something the modern professional British Army would do", this claim must be seen in the context of their denials of everything else we know, and can prove, they are doing.

It is unfortunate that the British Army are continuing to rely on the "deny everything and attack your critics" tactic. Their track record in this part of the world should have suggested that the truth will eventually see the light of day. It would be a pity if a lot of innocent lives were cut short by life limiting illnesses before the British Army are forced to admit the truth on this issue.