Belgian minister backs Patten proposals
A group of Flemish nationalists who travelled to Belfast for Sunday's hunger strike commemoration march travelled on to South Armagh on Monday 13 August.
Human rights barrister Piet de Pauw, a consistent campaigner for prisoners' rights; Jan Roegiers, a member of the Flemish parliament; and his assistant Peter Craeyeveld were in Belfast to attend the national rally to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 1981 hunger strike.
While in the Six Counties, the trio travelled to South Armagh to see for themselves the extent of the military occupation of the area.
Speaking to An Phoblacht, de Pauw outlined the efforts being made by the Flemish nationalists to have Britain's role in the Six Counties scrutinised.
``We intend to start a campaign in Belgium against the militarisation of South Armagh. We believe the continued high military presence in the area is both a violation of people's human rights and of the Good Friday Agreement. The continued militarisation of the area is also a breach of the promises made by the British government in May of last year.''
Jan Roegiers, who was visiting the north for the first time, spoke of his determination to report to the Flemish parliament on what he had witnessed in the North. Roegiers said that he would be compiling a report that he would distribute to members of the Flemish, Belgian and European parliaments.
He revealed that a group of Flemish MPs had tabled a motion in the Belgian parliament questioning the Belgian government's decision to send two water cannon to the RUC for use in riot control.
In reply to questions tabled in the Belgian parliament about the supply of water cannon to the RUC, the Belgian Home Affairs Minister replied that ``if the 175 recommendations of the Patten Report were not implemented in full [by the British government] then all collaboration with `Northern Ireland' would be ended''.
As Belgium is presently the chair of the European Union, a number of summits are due to be held there in the next six months and according to de Pauw, ``we intend to raise a number of issues to do with the North''.
As one of the scheduled summits is a meeting of European Ministers of Justice, de Pauw has the support of Flemish parliamentarians to table a report on the use of plastic bullets in the North. Said de Pauw: ``We will also be raising the case of the Castlerea 5 at that summit''.
The Flemish lawyer also said he would be raising the case of 15 Breton nationalists who have been imprisoned by the French government for 18 months without charge. Their plight is compounded by the refusal of the French to allow them to communicate in their own language.
De Pauw also disclosed that Breton language activists are to embark on a hunger strike to highlight attempts by the French government to suppress their language. The fast, to begin on 23 August, is intended to challenge a French government that has continually denied Bretons the right to use their own language.
Messages of support can be sent to dihun.breizh@freesbee.fr
British moves not enough, says South Armagh
Toni Carragher, speaking on behalf of the South Armagh Farmees and Residents Committee (SAFRC), was dismissive of the British government's latest proposals on demilitarisation.
``This latest document speaks of the demolition of an observation tower on Sturgan Mountain - but there are two separate sites on Sturgan mountain, and it is believed that the small tower which is visible from Camlough lake is the one that is earmarked. Secondly, the demolition of one of the observation towers on Camlough Mountain - again, there a several towers on this site, together with 70ft high masts with countless infrared surveillance cameras spying on the local residents.
Furthermore, the document clearly stipulates that the use of British Army helicopters will remain for ``training purposes''. And who will fly these helicopters? The local residents? No. Sadly, the people of South Armagh are being forced to endue continued annoyance and daily disruption by the incessant helicopter activity.
``The British Army seem intent on being based primarily in the South Armagh area, given the infrastructure that they have established over the past number of years and continue to maintain which is costing in the region of many millions of pounds per annum.''
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