Sectarian campaign in Ballymena
by Michael McCracken
Loyalist petrol bomb attacks on two Catholic families in
Ballykeel estate, Ballymena on Tuesday 9 September were just the
latest attempts to cleanse Ballymena of Catholics.
The attacks came in the early hours of Tuesday morning, on a
middle-aged family, and a young couple with children. The
livingrooms of both houses were gutted, and the residents were
fortunate to have detected the fires so early.
Sinn Féin Northern Chairperson Gerry O hEara called on the
Ballymena MP Ian Paisley to urge Ballymena loyalists to stop
their campaign of sectarian attacks on Catholics in his
constituency. ``It is unfortunate that the area's MP has once
again remained conspicuously quiet about these sectarian murder
bids on his Catholic constituents.''
The targeting of isolated Catholic families in north and east
Antrim, and Ballymena in particular, has resulted in many being
intimidated into leaving their homes, so that the staunchly
loyalist Ballykeel estate has few or no Catholic families left.
It has emerged that one family targeted on Tuesday have decided
to leave their home on the estate after having lived there for 34
years. These attacks have come just a week after the Harryville
loyalist mob announced their intention to resume their picket of
Harryville masses.
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