Return of stolen land
The announcement of the decision to close Fort Jericho, the
British Army base on the Springfield Road in West Belfast, has
been greeted as ``long overdue'' by Sinn Fein President and West
Belfast MP Gerry Adams. Adams called for ``the British government
toimmediately publish an `overall strategy' dealing with
demilitarisation, as it is committed to doing as a result of the
Good Friday Agreement''.
Adams also pointed out that; ``The closure of this base will be
largely irrelevant to nationalists living in the greater
Ballymurphy, Moyard, New Barnsley, Dermott Hill, the Whiterock
and the Turf Lodge areas. It must be set against the recent
construction of a multi-million pound new RUC/British Army
barracks within sight of this base.''
The new barracks is the single largest barracks in Western Europe
and was controversially built against the back drop of the IRA
cessations of 1994 and 1997.
Adams also said; ``The British Army stole this land from the
local community and forced the closure of the industrial
enterprise site which had previously occupied it. Local people
lost their jobs.''
Initially the site had housed the Whiterock Industrial Estate
(WIE) with community businesses initiatives pioneered by
community activists Frank Cahill and Fr Des Wilson.
Adams has called for the ``decontamination and return of this
land to the people of the area for industrial development''.
The need for an outdoor pursuits activity centre or a Black
Mountain environmental centre have also been previously raised by
local community activists. Other uses such as a people's archive
as promoted by Fr Des or a comprehensive arts resource centre
have also been suggested.
Des Wilson is now calling for bondholders who bought a stake in
the land when the WIE was on it to establish their ownership and
is asking, ``Did the British army pay any rent during their
occupation; is the British Army required by law to return the
site in the condition they got it; is any compensation due; and
do the trustees of the land still have power over the use and
disposal of the land.''
Meanwhile the announcement of the closure of the barracks has
prompted Sinn Fein Assembly member for North Belfast, Gerry
Kelly, to call for the closure of the Girdwood Army Barracks on
the Antrim Road in North Belfast.
Kelly said, ``The people of North Belfast are eagerly anticipating
similar demilitarisation in this part of the city''
He added: ``North Belfast is an area of great social need. The
lack of public housing is an issue which needs addressing. The
Girdwood site could be developed in a number of different ways,
the area is in desperate need of major social and economic
regeneration.''
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