17 July 1997 Edition
Lurgan residents stand firm
RESIDENTS OF LURGAN'S KILWILKIE ESTATE confronted a large force of crown forces intent on curfewing the area last Wednesday 9 July.
According to residents who spoke to An Phoblacht the British Army, RIR and RUC invaded the area and tried to clear residents out of their homes after claiming there was a bomb in the area near the railway lines.
However, the residents didn't believe there was a bomb and accused the crown forces of harrassing the community. People living near the scene said the RIR were in the area prior to the bomb alert and some people took it on themselves to persuade residents to stay home. At no time were bomb disposal units brought into the area.
One of those involved in challenging the crown forces was then surrounded by RIR soldiers and assaulted. ``I was head-butted,'' the man told us, ``and the RIR threatened to have me shot. They named a well known Loyalist gunman, a leader of the LVF, and said they would give my details to him''.
At this point about 150 people gathered and protested at the crown forces' aggressive behaviour.
``The RUC then drew their batons and aimed plastic bullet guns at the crowd,'' said another man.
He added, ``I approached the RUC and told them there was a serious situation developing and said I would go and check their so-called suspicious object. It was a box taped up and looked ridiculous. I lifted it and it was clearly empty.''
After this the RUC agreed to leave the area although some RIR units remained and directed sectarian abuse at residents, calling them ``fenian bastards''.
Sinn Féin councillor John O'Dowd accused the crown forces of ``setting the community up for a night of harassment and intimidation. The fact that residents resisted them and forced them out is a credit to their resilience''.
According to residents who spoke to An Phoblacht the British Army, RIR and RUC invaded the area and tried to clear residents out of their homes after claiming there was a bomb in the area near the railway lines.
However, the residents didn't believe there was a bomb and accused the crown forces of harrassing the community. People living near the scene said the RIR were in the area prior to the bomb alert and some people took it on themselves to persuade residents to stay home. At no time were bomb disposal units brought into the area.
One of those involved in challenging the crown forces was then surrounded by RIR soldiers and assaulted. ``I was head-butted,'' the man told us, ``and the RIR threatened to have me shot. They named a well known Loyalist gunman, a leader of the LVF, and said they would give my details to him''.
At this point about 150 people gathered and protested at the crown forces' aggressive behaviour.
``The RUC then drew their batons and aimed plastic bullet guns at the crowd,'' said another man.
He added, ``I approached the RUC and told them there was a serious situation developing and said I would go and check their so-called suspicious object. It was a box taped up and looked ridiculous. I lifted it and it was clearly empty.''
After this the RUC agreed to leave the area although some RIR units remained and directed sectarian abuse at residents, calling them ``fenian bastards''.
Sinn Féin councillor John O'Dowd accused the crown forces of ``setting the community up for a night of harassment and intimidation. The fact that residents resisted them and forced them out is a credit to their resilience''.