Irish Republican Information Service (no. 208)Teach Dáithí Ó Conaill, 223 Parnell Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.
Date: August 5, 1997 saoirse@iol.ie |
BRITAIN'S BLITZKRIEG -- OVER 2,500 PLASTIC BULLETS FIRED CROWN FORCES ATTACKED IN BELFAST CAR BOMB ATTACK IN FERMANAGH BRITISH FORCE LOYALIST PARADE THROUGH NATIONALIST VILLAGE QUINLIVAN APPEAL CASE SET FOR OCTOBER |
Nowhere in this widespread use of plastic bullets has Britain's favourite control weapon been used against the loyalist community. 'Parity of esteem' in the light of British jackboot tactics is meant only for the former revolutionary political playboys who are on the road to Stormont Mark II, and the rest of he nationalist community will simply be bullied into fitting into a reformed Six-County colony.
A unit of the 3rd Battalion opened fire in the Oldpark Road-Cliftonville district on the same day and claimed that one member of the RUC was hit.
At Stewartstown Road, Andersonstown a unit of the 1st Battalion opened fire also but no hits were claimed.
It was also learned that on Monday, July 7 Volunteers from the South Antrim Brigade left a booby-trap device aimed at British Crown Forces at the bandstand in the field at Edenderry. Due to the risk to civilians in the area the media were informed. Because the British Crown Forces refused to act a second warning was given.
Colin Beattie, owner of the Carrybridge Hotel, said he received a warning call immediately after the bomb was planted at 9pm. The caller simply said "there is a massive car bomb in the car-park and you should get the place emptied". "This is for real" the caller said about three times and the hotel was cleared. The British army carried out a controlled explosion on the vehicle which burnt out the car and is said to have caused superficial damage to the hotel.
Rumours that the bomb was the work of the Continuity Irish Republican Army were carried in the media who once again tried to link that organisation to Republican Sinn Féin by the device of saying "Gardai believe it to be the paramilitary wing of Republican Sinn Féin". Republican Sinn Féin has stated on a number of occasions that it is a purely political organisation and is not the "political wing" of any military group, neither does it have any "military wing".
No claim of responsibility has been made for the Fermanagh bombing.
All traffic coming into the village apart from that belonging to loyalists attending the parade of bigotry was re-routed by the British colonial police (RUC). Despite the fact that Newtownbutler is an almost entirely nationalist village with only four Protestants living in its environs, this did not stop loyalist supremacists from surrounding areas from converging on this small nationalist community.
As over 100 Royal Black Preceptory members paraded from the local Orange hall to Galloon parish church, the British colonial police moved to clear the road of over 100 residents who had mounted a picket against this annual loyalist onslaught on their town. The colonial police (RUC) chopped and hacked their way through protesters as if involved in a forest clearance.
Residents retaliated by stone-throwing. A large number of the inhabitants were injured in this stampede of hatred. Many of the injured were brought to a house for safety and first aid treatment. Six people were taken to hospital, five with head injuries and one with a suspected broken wrist.
Late into the night the Parades Commission, a body appointed by the British to decide who and who should not be allowed to march through the streets of Occupied Ireland, arrived in the village under the leadership of the Rev Roy Magee and held a meeting with the Newtownbutler Area Residents Association (NARA). The 'Black' men, however, refused to meet with NARA.
A further two marches are scheduled for the town on Saturday, August 9, and residents have demanded a meeting with parade organisers beforehand.