13 August 1998 Edition
Hamill family attends conference
Diane Hamill, sister of Robert Hamill, was in London last weeek to raise the profile of her family's campaign and to establish links with other families whose situation is similiar. Together with Rosemary Nelson, the Hamill family's solicitor, Diane addressed a seminar titled `Who are the Real Terrorists?' on 13 August which was organised by the London based Institute for Independence Studies.
Also addressing the meeting were representatives of the Juistice for Diarmuid O'Neill Campaign and the Stephen Lawrence family campaign as well as human rights lawyer Gareth Pierce and Labour MP John McDonnell.
Sukhev Reel, the mother of a young Asian man Ricky Reel, was also there for police recognition of her belief that her son was killed in a racist attack.
Throughout the evening the Metropolitan police - responsible for the extra-judicial execution of Diarmuid O'Neill - emerged as a force with almost as little credibility amongst many of those it is supposed to serve as the RUC.
Around 200 political and human rights activists listened intently as Diane recounted the events of April last year, telling the audience, ``the RUC sat in their heavily armoured and equipped van but refused to get out and help my brother. They didn't even fire into the air to disperse the murderers because they thought his life wasn't worth one bullet. He was just another Fenian to them and didn't deserve to be saved''.
Diane said the family had ``struggled to get some answers - we have approached Mo Mowlam and Ronnie Flanagan, but they have not given us any satisfactory answers.
Rosemary Nelson explained in stark terms the conditions in which nationalists in Portadown have to live and that the murder of Robert Hamill was in no way a unique event. ``Garvaghy Road is basically a township'', she said, ``the people who live there don't venture outside that area because if they do they could die. Even now the area is still under siege by loyalists intent on marching down the Garvaghy Road''.
Both Gareth Pierce and John McDonnell commended the Hamill and O'Neill families in pursuing justice for their sons.
The representative of the Stephen Lawrence family campaign expressed solidarity with the families, but he said, ``a few peole outside here just said to me `why are you associating yourself with Diarmuid O'Neill, wasn't he just a terrorist? I said to them that we are proud and privileged to link up with that campaign because we understand and recognise the oppression that Irish people have suffered anfd why they have struggled against it''.
A massive march through central London has been organised for 24 October under the banner `National Civil Rights March' and it is hoped that as many Irish groups and individuals as possible join the demonstration on that day.
Also addressing the meeting were representatives of the Juistice for Diarmuid O'Neill Campaign and the Stephen Lawrence family campaign as well as human rights lawyer Gareth Pierce and Labour MP John McDonnell.
Sukhev Reel, the mother of a young Asian man Ricky Reel, was also there for police recognition of her belief that her son was killed in a racist attack.
Throughout the evening the Metropolitan police - responsible for the extra-judicial execution of Diarmuid O'Neill - emerged as a force with almost as little credibility amongst many of those it is supposed to serve as the RUC.
Around 200 political and human rights activists listened intently as Diane recounted the events of April last year, telling the audience, ``the RUC sat in their heavily armoured and equipped van but refused to get out and help my brother. They didn't even fire into the air to disperse the murderers because they thought his life wasn't worth one bullet. He was just another Fenian to them and didn't deserve to be saved''.
Diane said the family had ``struggled to get some answers - we have approached Mo Mowlam and Ronnie Flanagan, but they have not given us any satisfactory answers.
Rosemary Nelson explained in stark terms the conditions in which nationalists in Portadown have to live and that the murder of Robert Hamill was in no way a unique event. ``Garvaghy Road is basically a township'', she said, ``the people who live there don't venture outside that area because if they do they could die. Even now the area is still under siege by loyalists intent on marching down the Garvaghy Road''.
Both Gareth Pierce and John McDonnell commended the Hamill and O'Neill families in pursuing justice for their sons.
The representative of the Stephen Lawrence family campaign expressed solidarity with the families, but he said, ``a few peole outside here just said to me `why are you associating yourself with Diarmuid O'Neill, wasn't he just a terrorist? I said to them that we are proud and privileged to link up with that campaign because we understand and recognise the oppression that Irish people have suffered anfd why they have struggled against it''.
A massive march through central London has been organised for 24 October under the banner `National Civil Rights March' and it is hoped that as many Irish groups and individuals as possible join the demonstration on that day.