3 June 1999 Edition
Adams and mcGuinness visit South Armagh
Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness were joined this week by Assembly Member for Newry and Armagh, Conor Murphy, local councillors, members of the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Committee and local people to view for themselves some of the 31 look-out posts and five extensive British Army/RUC bases within the 20-mile radius of South Armagh.
The first stop was at the extensive British army/RUC base at Forkhill, situated directly beside a children's play park and built up housing estates. The group inspected the installation before they were greeted by locals from the nearby housing estate who explained to Adams and McGuinness what it was like to live beside such a monstrosity.
The entourage then travelled on to Glassdrumond lookout post, where they were joined by local farmer Henry Mc Elroy, one of those to have suffered most at the hands of British Army manoeuvers in South Armagh. He told the Sinn Féin leadership how many of his animals have been killed by low-flying helicopters. He also cited the land and fencing destroyed due to increased British army patrols in the area. An average of three animals are killed per week as a result of the military aggression in South Armagh. Helicopter activity is persistent with an average of approximately 187 flights into each post per month along with increased foot patrols in the area and the extension of many of the military bases. The rampant TB situation in this area has been facilitated by British army foot patrols carrying the infection from farm to farm. Gerry Adams requested that all this information be compiled in order for him to evaluate the extent of the damage caused by the British army.
The final stop was Crossmaglen, to meet with those families living beside the British army base. The gardens of these families were taken over by the British army at the time when the land belonging to Crossmaglen Rangers GFC was seized. Both Adams and McGuinness expressed their horror, stating that the land must be returned immediately and vowing to highlight the campaign of the families and that of the farmers and residents in the entirety of South Armagh.
The group then split up with Martin McGuinness travelling to Culloville while Gerry Adams stayed in Crossmaglen to knock on a few doors in the Square and shake hands with some unsuspecting locals.
The first stop was at the extensive British army/RUC base at Forkhill, situated directly beside a children's play park and built up housing estates. The group inspected the installation before they were greeted by locals from the nearby housing estate who explained to Adams and McGuinness what it was like to live beside such a monstrosity.
The entourage then travelled on to Glassdrumond lookout post, where they were joined by local farmer Henry Mc Elroy, one of those to have suffered most at the hands of British Army manoeuvers in South Armagh. He told the Sinn Féin leadership how many of his animals have been killed by low-flying helicopters. He also cited the land and fencing destroyed due to increased British army patrols in the area. An average of three animals are killed per week as a result of the military aggression in South Armagh. Helicopter activity is persistent with an average of approximately 187 flights into each post per month along with increased foot patrols in the area and the extension of many of the military bases. The rampant TB situation in this area has been facilitated by British army foot patrols carrying the infection from farm to farm. Gerry Adams requested that all this information be compiled in order for him to evaluate the extent of the damage caused by the British army.
The final stop was Crossmaglen, to meet with those families living beside the British army base. The gardens of these families were taken over by the British army at the time when the land belonging to Crossmaglen Rangers GFC was seized. Both Adams and McGuinness expressed their horror, stating that the land must be returned immediately and vowing to highlight the campaign of the families and that of the farmers and residents in the entirety of South Armagh.
The group then split up with Martin McGuinness travelling to Culloville while Gerry Adams stayed in Crossmaglen to knock on a few doors in the Square and shake hands with some unsuspecting locals.