16 October 1997 Edition
Garvaghy Residents Coalition snubbed
By Catherine O Hagan
Breandan MacCionnaith, chairperson of the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition, was manhandled and prevented from handing a letter of protest to the British Prime Minister at Craigavon Civic Centre on Monday 13 October. Earlier a unionist councillor had handed a letter to Blair without interference. ``When a reporter tried to report the incident an RUC man struck her across the face,'' MacCionnaith said.
Blair earlier curtailed his Civic Centre visit when it became clear to him that two councillors, MacCionnaith and Joe Duffy, representing the Garvaghy Road area would be present. Blair, accompanied by Mowlam and Trimble, had been due to meet all councillors and members of the Craigavon District Partnership.
MacCionnaith later said that it was clear ``that Garvaghy Road is an issue that the British Government wish to run away from. The very least that Blair could have done was to have the courtesy to accept our letter. Instead he chose to depend upon similar tactics that forces under his control employed on the Garvaghy Road in Portdown on 6 July. If they believe they can sweep the events of this summer under the carpet, then they are sadly mistaken.''
In the letter the residents said the decision to force the march through was ``morally wrong and totally unjustified''. It expressed the community's lack of confidence in the Secretary of State and in the parades commission. It also called upon Blair to institute an independent investigation into all the events and circumstances surrounding this year's march along the Garvaghy Road.
By Catherine O'Hagan
The Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition have condemned the arrest of a local man after his home was raided by the RUC. In the early hours of15 October the RUC arrested the man and questioned him for four hours on the events of the Garvaghy Road on 6 July. A spokesperson for the residents told An Phoblacht, ``we believe that this morning's raid and arrest is an indication that nationalists in Portadown can expect widescale arrests over the coming weeks.'' He asked if the RUC Chief Constable can say how many of the RUC members who ran amok on the Garvaghy Road on 6 July this year are to face arrest and interrogation.
Breandan MacCionnaith, chairperson of the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition, was manhandled and prevented from handing a letter of protest to the British Prime Minister at Craigavon Civic Centre on Monday 13 October. Earlier a unionist councillor had handed a letter to Blair without interference. ``When a reporter tried to report the incident an RUC man struck her across the face,'' MacCionnaith said.
Blair earlier curtailed his Civic Centre visit when it became clear to him that two councillors, MacCionnaith and Joe Duffy, representing the Garvaghy Road area would be present. Blair, accompanied by Mowlam and Trimble, had been due to meet all councillors and members of the Craigavon District Partnership.
MacCionnaith later said that it was clear ``that Garvaghy Road is an issue that the British Government wish to run away from. The very least that Blair could have done was to have the courtesy to accept our letter. Instead he chose to depend upon similar tactics that forces under his control employed on the Garvaghy Road in Portdown on 6 July. If they believe they can sweep the events of this summer under the carpet, then they are sadly mistaken.''
In the letter the residents said the decision to force the march through was ``morally wrong and totally unjustified''. It expressed the community's lack of confidence in the Secretary of State and in the parades commission. It also called upon Blair to institute an independent investigation into all the events and circumstances surrounding this year's march along the Garvaghy Road.
Garvaghy residents expect more arrests
By Catherine O'Hagan
The Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition have condemned the arrest of a local man after his home was raided by the RUC. In the early hours of15 October the RUC arrested the man and questioned him for four hours on the events of the Garvaghy Road on 6 July. A spokesperson for the residents told An Phoblacht, ``we believe that this morning's raid and arrest is an indication that nationalists in Portadown can expect widescale arrests over the coming weeks.'' He asked if the RUC Chief Constable can say how many of the RUC members who ran amok on the Garvaghy Road on 6 July this year are to face arrest and interrogation.