South Armagh residents meet Ahern
By Michael Pierse
A delegation from the South Armagh Farmers and Residents
Committee met Bertie Ahern on Wednesday morning and were told
that their concerns would be represented to Tony Blair at the
first available opportunity.
Committee chairperson Declan Fearon expressed dismay at the fact
that there has been ``no change whatsoever'' in British military
tactics in South Armagh since the beginning of the ceasefire last
July. ``The British Army are still as agressive,'' he said, and
pointed to the continuation of harassment, especially of those
who dare speak out about the menacing presence of troops in the
area.
Local farmer Henry McElroy is one of those to have suffered most
at the hands of British Army manouvres in South Armagh. Over 50
of his sheep were stampeded through wire bordering one of his
fields by low flying British army helicopters. He spoke
emotionally of the cruelty caused to his animals; five of his
sheep were killed in the incident and 17 lambs were aborted due
to the stress induced by the army incursion. An average of three
animals per week are still being killed directly as a result of
the military agression in South Armagh.
Toni Carragher, the committee's secretary, spoke of the flagrant
waste of £1.45 billion that was the expenditure budget on crown
force activities in the north for the 1997/'98 peroid, while
health, educational and social facilities are grossly
underfunded. There are a total of 31 look-out posts and five
extensive British Army/RUC military bases in the 20 mile radius
of South Armagh. Helicopter activity is persistent, with an
average of approximately 187 flights into each post per month. At
Glassdrummond alone there have been 87 flights since the Good
Friday agreement and 1,864 flights since last July's ceasefire.
The rampant TB situation in the area has been facilitated by
British Army foot patrols carrying the infection from farm to
farm.
Local undertaker Michael McConville's livelihood has not emerged
unscathed. Funeral proceedings are disturbed on a weekly basis by
the overbearing noise of helicopters hovering directly overhead.
He said this is ``very disturbing to the relatives.''
Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín O Caoláin, who arranged and hosted the
meeting with An Taoiseach revealed that many more farmers are
``intimidated into silence.'' five animal killings in the last week
were not reported due to such fears.
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