6 December 2001 Edition
Brits spread disease
Sinn Féin councillor Terry Hearty describes British Army patrols on farmlands in South Armagh as something akin to 'bio-terrorism'.
At the monthly meeting of Newry & Mourne District Council on Monday 3 December, Councillor Hearty proposed a motion calling for a halt to British Army and RUC/PSNI military patrols in order to stop the spread of various diseases, eg. Foot & Mouth or brucellosis. This action, he said, "will prevent further serious economic hardship to large numbers of farmers who have already suffered significantly over the past number of years".
Hearty drew attention to the strict guidelines and restrictions on movement of people in the countryside. "Every day," he said, "the British Army and RUC\PSNI ignore all these restrictions and continue to patrol through farmlands in South Armagh. They are walking through fields recently spread with slurry and they are in contact with livestock on every farmland that they enter."
He quoted a report from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development which found that there has been an upsurge in brucellosis levels in the Six Counties.
"The indifference and uncaring attitude of the British Army to the spread of disease throughout South Armagh leads me to conclude they are engaging in some form of 'bio-terrorism'," said Hearty. "No one knows what contact British soldiers have had with animals and farmlands in England before they arrive here.
Hearty's party colleagues Councillors Colman Burns and Brendan Curran also spoke in support of the motion, citing similar concerns expressed in a report by the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Committee.
There was a heated debate between Ulster Unionist Councillor Danny Kennedy and Terry Hearty. Kennedy described the motion as laughable and pantomine time again. Hearty explained that several of his neighbours who have contracted Brucellosis were certainly not laughing and was supported by UUP Councillor H Reilly, who said that the human form of this disease has an extremely serious and devastating effect on people who are suffering from it.
Danny Kennedy proposed an amendment, which was refused by Terry Hearty and defeated by a vote of councillors. The motion was put to a vote and passed, supported by Sinn Féin and SDLP councillors. Two UUP councillors voted against and one abstained.
At the monthly meeting of Newry & Mourne District Council on Monday 3 December, Councillor Hearty proposed a motion calling for a halt to British Army and RUC/PSNI military patrols in order to stop the spread of various diseases, eg. Foot & Mouth or brucellosis. This action, he said, "will prevent further serious economic hardship to large numbers of farmers who have already suffered significantly over the past number of years".
Hearty drew attention to the strict guidelines and restrictions on movement of people in the countryside. "Every day," he said, "the British Army and RUC\PSNI ignore all these restrictions and continue to patrol through farmlands in South Armagh. They are walking through fields recently spread with slurry and they are in contact with livestock on every farmland that they enter."
He quoted a report from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development which found that there has been an upsurge in brucellosis levels in the Six Counties.
"The indifference and uncaring attitude of the British Army to the spread of disease throughout South Armagh leads me to conclude they are engaging in some form of 'bio-terrorism'," said Hearty. "No one knows what contact British soldiers have had with animals and farmlands in England before they arrive here.
Hearty's party colleagues Councillors Colman Burns and Brendan Curran also spoke in support of the motion, citing similar concerns expressed in a report by the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Committee.
There was a heated debate between Ulster Unionist Councillor Danny Kennedy and Terry Hearty. Kennedy described the motion as laughable and pantomine time again. Hearty explained that several of his neighbours who have contracted Brucellosis were certainly not laughing and was supported by UUP Councillor H Reilly, who said that the human form of this disease has an extremely serious and devastating effect on people who are suffering from it.
Danny Kennedy proposed an amendment, which was refused by Terry Hearty and defeated by a vote of councillors. The motion was put to a vote and passed, supported by Sinn Féin and SDLP councillors. Two UUP councillors voted against and one abstained.