4 October 2001 Edition
British Army harassment
Down Sinn FÈin councillor Frank McDowell has hit out at the increased British Army activity in the Newcastle area after British soldiers spent a number of hours setting up checkpoints and harassing people.
Speaking on Thursday, 27 September, McDowell called on the British government to remove their soldiers from our streets".
His call comes a week after Sinn FÈin Assembly member for Upper Bann Dara O'Hagan met with Dublin Foreign Minister Brian Cowen to discuss the ongoing issue of the RUC and RIR activity in the Lurgan and Craigavon areas.
"During the meeting with Mr Cowen, the behaviour of the RUC and RIR in the Lurgan and Craigavon areas was raised. Over this past number of months, members of the RUC and RIR have been engaged in an ongoing campaign of sectarian harassment and intimidation against the nationalist communities," said O'Hagan after the meeting.
"This has taken the form of harassment, physical and verbal abuse, and death threats being issued. A Sinn FÈin councillor was physically assaulted by members of the RUC, while another member was threatened by an RIR man who warned him that he would be shot dead."
O'Hagan said people from the area have invited the Derry-based human rights group, The Pat Finucane Centre, into North Armagh to monitor and record RUC/RIR behaviour. A dossier has been compiled and sent to Dublin as well as to an international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International".
Speaking on Thursday, 27 September, McDowell called on the British government to remove their soldiers from our streets".
His call comes a week after Sinn FÈin Assembly member for Upper Bann Dara O'Hagan met with Dublin Foreign Minister Brian Cowen to discuss the ongoing issue of the RUC and RIR activity in the Lurgan and Craigavon areas.
"During the meeting with Mr Cowen, the behaviour of the RUC and RIR in the Lurgan and Craigavon areas was raised. Over this past number of months, members of the RUC and RIR have been engaged in an ongoing campaign of sectarian harassment and intimidation against the nationalist communities," said O'Hagan after the meeting.
"This has taken the form of harassment, physical and verbal abuse, and death threats being issued. A Sinn FÈin councillor was physically assaulted by members of the RUC, while another member was threatened by an RIR man who warned him that he would be shot dead."
O'Hagan said people from the area have invited the Derry-based human rights group, The Pat Finucane Centre, into North Armagh to monitor and record RUC/RIR behaviour. A dossier has been compiled and sent to Dublin as well as to an international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International".