South Derry anger at slow pace of Brits
Speaking at a picket outside Magherafelt British Army barracks, Vice-Chairperson of Magherafelt District Council Séamus O'Brien said this week that republican and nationalist anger at the slow pace of demilitarisation is growing.
This has been compounded in the area by the return of British Army patrols on the streets of Magherafelt, after the announcement by British officials earlier this year that all such patrolling in South Derry would end.
O'Brien said that in conjunction with the failure to implement the Patten Report proposals on policing, the absence of demilitarisation poses a serious threat to the integrity of the peace process.
``Demilitarisation should not come about on the whim of British securocrats or be based on the subjective political opinion the British Secretary of State. The time is long past for the removal of not only Magherafelt British Army Barracks but all other similar istallations that blight the occupied six-counties.''
The Councillor said that Sinn Féin in the area will continue to mount pressure on the issue. ``Anything short of a comprehensive demilitarisation process will be insufficient.''
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