Republican News · Thursday 10 October 2002

Armagh residents demand demilitarisation

On Monday 7 October, the Sinn Féin Demilitarisation Committee and the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Committee organised a demonstration on the main Newry to Dublin road to highlight the need for the immediate demilitarisation of South Armagh and the rest of the Six Counties.

The demonstration took the form of a two-hour traffic go-slow and was organised to highlight the continued destructive impact the British military presence has on the social, economic, physical and psychological wellbeing of the community.

Local Assembly member Conor Murphy said: "Since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, the British government has increased its militarisation both on the ground and helicopter activity. The main purpose of today's demonstration is to highlight and inform everyone of the level of British military installations throughout the North:

• 58 fixed military installations
• 14 hilltop forts in South Armagh
• 31 hilltop spyposts
• 4 Intelligence and GCHQ substations
• I RAF base
• 2 Royal Navy installations
• 158 PSNI installations (approximately 50 of which are also used by the British Army)
• Increased foot patrols and helicopter flights

"This protest has been organised to remind people that these issues affect each and every one of us and also to demonstrate the community's anger and frustration at the slow pace of demilitarisation as promised under the Good Friday Agreement.

"Is this the type of environment we want for ourselves and our children to grow up in? The patience that these communities have shown under extremely difficult circumstances is to be commended but should no longer be abused. We apologise for today's inconvenience but feel we have to highlight these major issues to their highest capacity.

"Many things have been achieved to date in the Peace Process. It is now up to the British government to publish and deliver a practical and timed programme for demilitarisation and enable us to begin to rebuild some sense of normality within our community."