8 November 2001 Edition
Crossmaglen: What demilitarisation?
A cross-party delegation of Flemish MPs and human rights activists, including barrister Piet de Pauw, travelled to South Armagh last Friday, 2 November, and criticised the slow pace of British demilitarisation in the area.
The delegation visited Crossmaglen, where the British Army still occupies part of Crossmaglen Rangers football ground, before travelling to Glassdrummond, where a British Army watch tower is located.
Speaking to An Phoblacht, Piet de Pauw, a human rights barrister based in Ghent, said that after the IRA decision was announced on 23 October, he would have hoped for "a speedier and more substantial response from the British".
So far, the British have committed themselves to dismantling only two watch towers, attached to observation bases on Sturgan and Camloch mountains, respectively.
Among the delegation were three members of the Flemish parliament, Dany van den Bossche, Stefaan Platteau and Kris van Dyck. The fifth member of the Flemish delegation was Paul Pataer, a former member of the Flemish parliament, now the President of the League for Human Rights in Flanders. While in South Armagh the group met with Sinn Féin councillors Jimmy McCreesh and Colman Burns.
Toni Carragher of the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Committee (SAFRC), who facilitated the visit for the Flemish visitors, was present along with other SAFRC members including chairperson Declan Fearon. She told An Phoblacht that her group remains unhappy with the British response to the 23 October announcement from the IRA.
"The British Army have removed towers from the Sturgan and Camloch Mountain bases. The main bases remain untouched and this isn't good enough for the people of this area," she said. "We intend working with European politicians and human rights activists in our effort to have the whole South Armagh area demilitarised."
DELMILITARISATION PROTEST
80th Anniversray of Partition - Send their troops home
Assemble 1pm, Sunday 9 December
Camlough village,
County Armagh
The delegation visited Crossmaglen, where the British Army still occupies part of Crossmaglen Rangers football ground, before travelling to Glassdrummond, where a British Army watch tower is located.
Speaking to An Phoblacht, Piet de Pauw, a human rights barrister based in Ghent, said that after the IRA decision was announced on 23 October, he would have hoped for "a speedier and more substantial response from the British".
So far, the British have committed themselves to dismantling only two watch towers, attached to observation bases on Sturgan and Camloch mountains, respectively.
Among the delegation were three members of the Flemish parliament, Dany van den Bossche, Stefaan Platteau and Kris van Dyck. The fifth member of the Flemish delegation was Paul Pataer, a former member of the Flemish parliament, now the President of the League for Human Rights in Flanders. While in South Armagh the group met with Sinn Féin councillors Jimmy McCreesh and Colman Burns.
Toni Carragher of the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Committee (SAFRC), who facilitated the visit for the Flemish visitors, was present along with other SAFRC members including chairperson Declan Fearon. She told An Phoblacht that her group remains unhappy with the British response to the 23 October announcement from the IRA.
"The British Army have removed towers from the Sturgan and Camloch Mountain bases. The main bases remain untouched and this isn't good enough for the people of this area," she said. "We intend working with European politicians and human rights activists in our effort to have the whole South Armagh area demilitarised."
DELMILITARISATION PROTEST
80th Anniversray of Partition - Send their troops home
Assemble 1pm, Sunday 9 December
Camlough village,
County Armagh