Whitewell residents attacked
While most commentators have portrayed this year's Twelfth as a
quiet affair, nationalists in the Whitewell Road and Bawnmore
areas of North Belfast have been on the receiving end of loyalist
acid and petrol bomb attacks since Saturday night.
d residents slammed an RUC decision to allow two bus loads of
loyalists bandsmen through the area on the 12th July, a move that
broke the terms of a locally brokered residents agreement with
Orangemen and led to the outbreak of violence that continued for
two nights.
Local residents speaking to An Phoblacht said that concerted
attacks were being launched by loyalists from White City area
that borders Whitewell. One man stated that loyalists had
initially thrown ammonia and acid bombs on the Twelfth night into
the street where he lives during the worst of the violence and
this was followed by ``innumerable petrol bombs being lobbed from
the other side of my back garden fence at Catholic houses''.
The man stated that many houses were vulnerable to attack in the
vicinity, and along with other residents he slammed the RUC for
failing to take action against the loyalists.
``The RUC prevented other nationalists from coming to assist us
during the attacks and at one point fired a plastic bullet at
residents from where loyalists had been hiding,'' added the man,
who didn't want to be named.
other resident described how a mob of around 50 men came into
peoples' gardens and broke windows for over an hour on Sunday
night, while the RUC watched from nearby Gunnell Hill. Local
residents are certain that loyalists are being bussed in from
nearby Rathcoole.
Residents also condemned earlier RUC actions at Arthur Bridge on
5 July, when loyalists gathered to attack residents in nearby
Longlands. One nationalist had his throat slashed by loyalists
and was left for dead, while another resident was hit by an RUC
jeep, and then battered about the head by golf club-wielding
loyalists.
Elsewhere in North Belfast over the weekend two Protestants
youths were slightly injured by gunfire whilst attending a 12
July bonfire sited next to the nationalist New Lodge Road.
Meanwhile North Belfast Sinn Fein councillor Mick Conlon has
urged community leaders to use their influence to try to halt the
sectarian attacks which have erupted throughout North Belfast
since early July.
Stressing the necessity for dialogue, Conlon said, ``marching
season difficulties mean cool heads and responsible leadership
are required to ease tension.'' He reiterated his appeal for
political and community leaders to combat sectarianism. ``Nobody
gains from sectarianism, and I urge the initiation of dialogue as
a matter of urgency to resolve this situation.''
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