Huge turnout for Crossmaglen demilitarisation rally

THE largest demilitarisation rally to date in Crossmaglen attracted several thousand people following reports of the birth of a two-headed calf in the area. Photographs of the calf were carried in newspapers last week and re-ignited fears of radiation contamination by British military surveillance equipment entrenched throughout South Armagh.

The protestors were entertained by musicians, Irish dancers and theatre form the Mummers of Camlough.

The rally was addressed by Cllr Terry Hearty of the South Armagh Demilitarisation Committee, Arthur Morgan, TD for Louth, and Conor Murphy MLA. More than 30 elected representatives from throughout Ireland also attended the rally.

Surprise visitors were Tony Blair and the British Queen, who arrived on the back of a Tricolour flying armoured car, to the delight of the crowd. The unwelcome guests were seen off by crowds of cheering children.

Conor Murphy addressed the issue of negotiations and Sinn Féin's continuing efforts to have the British presence removed from South Armagh. Terry Hearty highlighted the dangers of the British activities in this area, including near misses by helicopters on local homes.

Arthur Morgan said "the issues around demilitarisation are not merely political; they are in a very real sense, matters of life and death. For years the British Government has ignored the concerns of the people of this part of Ireland. They have lied about their activity levels. They have lied about the effect of their activities on the people of this area, the livestock and the environment.

"Last week we saw the terrible pictures of a mutated calf born in the shadow of a British spy post. The British Army's response was that it was 'ridiculous' to suggest that their activities in this area are responsible for this.

"If we weren't aware that all the 'ridiculous' allegations about British collusion with unionist death squads were proven true, that the 'ridiculous' allegations about British soldiers engaging in mass murder on Bloody Sunday were true, then perhaps we would take some comfort from British Army denials. Unfortunately, when the British Army claim an allegation is ridiculous, then you can be fairly sure it is true.

"The Department of Agriculture in the North have agreed that irradiation can cause the kind of mutation we saw last week in the newspapers. But the British Army have said this is 'ridiculous'. The incidence of cancer in the border areas of the country in much higher that anywhere else in Ireland — 15% higher in North Louth and the border areas adjacent. Cancer is the biggest killer in West Belfast, another area saturated by British Military installations. No doubt the doctors who regard these installations as responsible for this are being ridiculous.

"The British Army tell us they are a responsible employer and would not subject their troops to such risks. There have been a number of reports into the high level of cancer deaths among crown forces. In one report, the communications equipment carried by RUC men in the 1990s was identified as the reason for the cancer related deaths of almost half the members of an undercover surveillance team.

"If they would do this to their own, what would they do to us?

"But of course, we are being ridiculous.

"In any other country in the world, government departments and health agencies would be tripping over themselves to investigate. In this part of Ireland we are told we are being ridiculous.

"For far too long, the people of this area have put up with harassment and intimidation from the crown forces. Their environment has been destroyed and their health placed at risk. This must stop. It must stop now. If they think we are going to allow them to continue contaminating our homes and our countryside, jeopardising our children's health and harassing us on our roads, then they are being ridiculous."