Republican News · Thursday 21 February 2002

SDLP bows the knee in Craigavon

Sinn Féin councillor John O'Dowd has called on SDLP members of Craigavon Council to "publicly outline their position on the continued British military presence on the streets of Craigavon Council area".

O'Dowd was speaking after the SDLP supported a unionist motion giving the Freedom of Craigavon to the Royal British Legion in recognition of its work "with ex-servicemen and present personel of HM Forces".

"The SDLP is also involved in organising events for the British Queen's golden jubilee, which are quickly turning into a British military tattoo involving the RIR," said O'Dowd.

The Lurgan Sinn Féin councillor added: "Next to South Armagh, Lurgan and the central area of Craigavon have the greatest concentration of military patrolling and checkpoints in the North. Since the IRA initiative on arms last year, over 250 military patrols and checkpoints have been logged in this area. The British military have fired plastic bullets and the harassment of nationalists continues".

O'Dowd has accused the SDLP of backing the use of ratepayers' money to provide a support network "for these same serving forces who are guilty of harassment of the nationalist community".

"By participating in the British Queen's Jubilee celebrations, the SDLP is helping to promote the RIR, a regiment whose members have been found guilty of involvement in loyalist paramilitary activity time and time again," he said. "The nationalist community would like an explanation from the SDLP."