Anger as O’Neill honours British Army dead

Sinn Féin’s leader in the North, Michelle O’Neill has come in for widespread criticism after she became the first Sinn Féin leader to attend an event to commemorate British military forces.

More than 100 close relatives of IRA members and civilians killed by the British Amy and their loyalist death squads in Tyrone have signed a public statement voicing their anger at Ms O’Neill’s participation in a Remembrance Sunday event in the grounds of Belfast city hall.

A banner carrying the word ‘traitor’ was also placed outside Ms O’Neill’s constituency office in Cookstown, County Tyrone.

In a sign of the seriousness of the situation in Tyrone, the PSNI moved to describe the banner as a ‘hate-motivated incident’, effectively moving to outlaw public criticism of Sinn Féin in the area.

There was little support and no sign of a reciprocal gesture from the British military chiefs and unionist political leaders who looked on as the First Minister laid a laurel wreath at the Cenotaph.

During the conflict hundreds of Catholics, including a relative of Ms O’Neill herself, were directly murdered by the Crown Forces in targeted ambushes and assassinations, while hundreds more were killed as a result of collusion with loyalist murder gangs.

The signatories of the statement included a sister of Ms O’Neill’s relative, Tony Doris, and Paula McElduff, the wife of Tyrone based Sinn Féin councillor Barry McElduff.

Her brother Patrick Kelly was one of eight IRA members shot dead along with civilian Anthony Hughes, during a SAS ambush at Loughgall, County Armagh, in May 1987.

Relatives of IRA hunger striker Martin Hurson have also endorsed the statement along with the families of three republicans and a civilian killed in Cappagh in 1991.

The family of civilians Charlie and Tess Fox, who were killed by loyalists near the Moy in September 1992, also opposed Ms O’Neill’s attendance at the commemoration.

They are joined by members of the McKearney family who lost several loved ones during the conflict, and the family of 76-year-old Roseann Mallon, who was gunned down by the UVF as she sat in her sister-in-law’s house near Dungannon in May 1994.

Ms O’Neill has repeatedly said her attendance reflected her desire to be a “First Minister for all”.

On Tuesday, Ms O’Neill said she appreciated some republicans would be “uncomfortable” with her attending the event, but she insisted it was the “right thing to do”.

“Back in February, it was a moment of progress and equality here when I became the first nationalist, republican First Minister and I made very firm pledges at that time that I would represent everybody in society,” she said.

“So when I got this invitation to attend remembrance events this weekend, I thought it was important to take that invitation up because that for me is the fulfilment of my commitment to those people out there from a British and unionist identity who hold this important Remembrance Day very carefully to their own heart.”

“I’m a First Minister for everybody in this society,” she added.

But in their statement, the relatives asked if it was about holding power “at any cost”.

“For many families throughout our county, and beyond, this will be devastating,” they wrote.

“It is heartbreaking when we consider that Michelle O’Neill and Mary Lou McDonald determined several years ago that rather than offend the sensitives of their unionist and British colleagues, and media, they would not attend key republican commemorations.

“Their absence for all to witness.”

They said it was “beyond belief” that any “so-called Tyrone republican” would wish to lay a wreath in honour of the forces who caused mayhem and murder on “the killing grounds of Tyrone”.

Earlier this week, Aontú representative Denise Mullen, who has also signed the statement, urged Ms O’Neill to reconsider attending the event. Her father Denis, an SDLP activist, was shot dead by British and loyalist forces at the family home in September 1975.

Mid Ulster independent councillor Barry Monteith, who is based in Dungannon, County Tyrone, also voiced his concern.

“Sinn Féin are joining their constitutional nationalist colleagues in Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the SDLP in endorsing and celebrating British crown forces,” he said.

“The same crown forces that have murdered, starved, tortured, imprisoned and exiled our people for centuries.”

Saoradh said the move came as no surprise, and urged traditional republicans to “come together to protect Republicanism”.

Sinn Féin “now not only take the soup, but proudly wear their sackcloths and ashes to be accepted by their British paymasters”, they said.

“The attendance at state or local British terror commemorations justifying imperialism is in itself unjustifiable for anyone claiming to be an Irish Republican, but this is also happening at a time when the same party winds down and disassociates themselves from traditional Republican commemorations that honour Irelands freedom fighters and martyrs.

Republican Sinn Féin said it was a symbolic gesture, but “symbolic gestures have meaning”.

“This again shows how far they are prepared to capitulate in their lust for political prestige and power.”

In a letter to the Irish News, Francis Mackey of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement said it had become clear the British “wrote the script and laid out the narrative” for Sinn Féin to follow.

“It was written in 1998 when Sinn Féin leaders betrayed the republican position and failed to uphold the sovereign rights of the Irish people.

“No one should be surprised today what Sinn Féin will do to honour their commitment to the British government, however, for Republicans our thoughts are with the families who lost their loved ones at the hands of the colonial power.”

In a statement, Lasair Dhearg said Sinn Féin were turning their backs on all of the victims of state murder and repression here in Ireland.

“She has said that Republicans will feel uncomfortable, but ‘uncomfortable’ doesn’t begin to describe the anguish that will be felt by the victims of British imperialism here in Ireland when they watch her kneel in honour of those who murdered their family and friends.

“Were it not just the latest in a decades long shedding of Republican principles it would be quite rightly seen as a betrayal.”

Urgent Appeal