Relieving Garvaghy
Sean O Tuama describes the harassment and attacks as eighty cars
resupplied the Garvaghy residents
The humanitarian aid convoy from Belfast to the residents of the
Garvaghy estate in Portadown was due to depart from the Falls
Community Council at 10am on Friday 10 July.
But such had been the generosity of the people of Belfast that it
took almost an hour longer to pack the donated food, clothes,
medical supplies and toys into the eighty vehicles involved.
The convoy eventually left with over four hundred people,
including residents, community workers and international
observers. It had been organised by the Belfast Concerned
Community whose chairperson is Gerry McConville.
The mood of the convoy jovial but tinged with the realisation
that our reception approaching Portadown could be less than
friendly.
We were not wrong.
The convoy was stopped on the Dungannon Road by a gang of RUC men
and British troops mounting a checkpoint beneath a Union Jack
which fluttered from a telegraph pole.
The twenty RUC were in full riot gear while four landrovers were
backed up with two British jeeps. Overhead three Chinooks
helicopters flew. The RUC alleged they were stopping the convoy
to carry out a random search because part of one of their
`stingers' (a vehicle immobiliser) had gone missing.
Part of this `search' included ordering the driver of a large van
to unload all the boxes. When this was done, an RUC man merely
glanced at the assembled boxes, did not open them, said ``alright''
and walked off.
Dara O'Hagan, the Sinn Fein Assembly member for Upper Bann, said
the RUC action was ``ridiculous''. She said ``it is an absolute
disgrace that this community is placed under siege in the first
instance. The inaction of the RUC in stopping Orangemen and
loyalists, some carrying bombs, from gathering at Drumcree is in
stark contrast to the treatment of those bringing humanitarian
aid to this beleaguered community.''
During the search the RUC confiscated a toy baseball bat and two
hammers. The latter items were to be used for a children's
activity weekend being organised by the Garvaghy residents.
After over half an hour the convoy was allowed to continue but
was stopped again at St John's chapel, at a checkpoint further
along the Dungannon Road. This time there was no `search', each
vehicle was stopped and then casually waved through.
The convoy was met with cheers and applause from the residents as
it made its way along the Garvaghy Road and into the nationalist
estate to the community centre.
However, as the front of the convoy reached the centre word came
back that the end of the convoy was being attacked by loyalists.
Immediately residents and those in the vehicles ran back along
the road to give assistance.
Around twenty loyalists had attacked the last half dozen cars
with bricks and cudgels. Fortunately, the swift action of convoy
stewards in telling drivers to just drive on through the RUC
checkpoint ensured that only minor injuries were sustained by
three women. The loyalists ran off when they saw the approaching
throng from the Garvaghy estate. The crown forces stood idly by
during the attack.
It took over an hour and a half to unload the supplies into the
community centre. But such was the volume of the provisions that
some of it had to be ferried to another venue as the community
centre was not large enough to hold it all.
The residents kindly provided sandwiches and refreshments to
their visitors which were much appreciated.
One resident, who did not wish to be named, told me of the
nightly attacks and taunts the residents had to endure at the
Obins Street side of the estate. Loyalists had hurled bricks and
bottles over the wall which separated the nationalist area from
the surrounding loyalist estate. Nevertheless, the mood of the
Garvaghy residents, although tense, was resolute, he said.
It was decided that the convoy would take an alternative route
out of the estate to avoid another loyalist attack. But this was
blocked by three British army vehicles which forced the convoy to
leave via its original route. There was thus an air of tension
among the drivers and passengers as we drove back along the
Garvaghy Road.
The tension travelling out of the Garvaghy estate was eased by
the supportive cheers and applause of the residents waving us
good-bye, including a white haired, middle aged man who gave us
the `thumbs up' whilst brandishing an orange, yellow and pink
banner emblazoned with the logo ``The Gay Foundation''.
The return journey passed off without incident, except for two
RUC patrol cars which followed the convoy all the way back to
Belfast.
The courage and fortitude of those who organised, participated in
and contributed to this convoy are a shining symbol of the
nationalist people of the north's belief that Orange might shall
never be right.
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