Adams and mcGuinness visit South Armagh
Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness were joined this week by Assembly Member
for Newry and Armagh, Conor Murphy, local councillors, members of the South
Armagh Farmers and Residents Committee and local people to view for
themselves some of the 31 look-out posts and five extensive British
Army/RUC bases within the 20-mile radius of South Armagh.
The first stop was at the extensive British army/RUC base at Forkhill,
situated directly beside a children's play park and built up housing
estates. The group inspected the installation before they were greeted by
locals from the nearby housing estate who explained to Adams and McGuinness
what it was like to live beside such a monstrosity.
The entourage then travelled on to Glassdrumond lookout post, where they
were joined by local farmer Henry Mc Elroy, one of those to have suffered
most at the hands of British Army manoeuvers in South Armagh. He told the
Sinn Féin leadership how many of his animals have been killed by low-flying
helicopters. He also cited the land and fencing destroyed due to increased
British army patrols in the area. An average of three animals are killed
per week as a result of the military aggression in South Armagh.
Helicopter activity is persistent with an average of approximately 187
flights into each post per month along with increased foot patrols in the
area and the extension of many of the military bases. The rampant TB
situation in this area has been facilitated by British army foot patrols
carrying the infection from farm to farm. Gerry Adams requested that all
this information be compiled in order for him to evaluate the extent of the
damage caused by the British army.
The final stop was Crossmaglen, to meet with those families living beside
the British army base. The gardens of these families were taken over by the
British army at the time when the land belonging to Crossmaglen Rangers GFC
was seized. Both Adams and McGuinness expressed their horror, stating that
the land must be returned immediately and vowing to highlight the campaign
of the families and that of the farmers and residents in the entirety of
South Armagh.
The group then split up with Martin McGuinness travelling to Culloville
while Gerry Adams stayed in Crossmaglen to knock on a few doors in the
Square and shake hands with some unsuspecting locals.
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