Ógra Shinn Féin activists from throughout Ireland attended a series of public meetings in the Rural College, Ballinascreen, Co. Derry at the weekend. Issues discussed included the political context in which sectarian attacks led by the UDA are increasing across the Six Counties as well as the recent atrocities carried out by Israel against the Palestinian people.
A meeting addressed by residents from the small isolated nationalist community of Short Strand in East Belfast that has been enduring sustained attacks by loyalists, heard Dominic Corr criticise the actions of First Minister and UUP leader, David Trimble.
Corr accused Trimble of creating the political context in which the loyalist paramilitaries are attempting to justify their ongoing onslaught against the nationalist community. He was particularly scathing of the SDLP's support for the RUC/PSNI, who he accused of facilitating nightly attacks by loyalists against the Short Strand community, while unleashing brutality against residents.
A member of the Palestinian community living in Ireland provided a detailed historical analysis of the conflict before outlining what he believes to be required to establish a lasting peace in his homeland. Many of the young people, hearing for the first time of the conditions the Palestinian people are forced to live under daily, were truly shocked, while others expressed outrage at last week's bombing in Gaza. A discussion followed on the reporting of the conflict by the Western media.
Former prisoner Martin Molloy then outlined the history of Irish republicanism in County Derry from the formation of the United Irishmen to the period of the Civil War.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)
