North Belfast Sinn Féin councillor Tierna Cunningham was part of a Sinn Féin delegation which met with the Parades Commission to discuss the proposed Belfast City centre British army parade on November 2nd and the application for a Sinn Féin protest march and rally focusing on the legacy of the British army here in Ireland.
“Sinn Féin plans to hold a peaceful and dignified protest in Belfast city centre during the so called 'homecoming' parade for members of the British armed forces including the notorious UDR/RIR,” said Tierna after the meeting.
“We made the commission aware of the fact that the protest rally will highlight the legacy of the RIR and their predecessors the UDR here in Ireland as well as opposition to the wars inAfghanistan and Iraq where thousands of civilians have been killed.
“Our right to protest should be respected and we welcomed the chance of being able to put our case forward.”
5 comments:
I trust that the protest against this legitimate parade will indeed be peaceful. The British people of Northern Ireland do have a right to support their troops, just as you have the right to protest at a parade by them. That is what the implication of the peace process is. Unionism is as legitimate a political ideal as nationalism is. That was recognized in the Belfast agreement.
Unionists tolerate seeing people that you would consider to be PIRA soldiers being honoured by parades, so they expect that they will be allowed to honour their soldiers in peace.
So protest all you want, but keep it peaceful.
I agree that this protest should be peaceful and that Unionism is a legitimate political ideal, however in the genuine interest of tolerance I would ask you to consider a number of points relating to this parade.
This parade unlike any republican commutation is being paid for by the ratepayers of Belfast, I included, this implies that the people of Belfast support these troops, and the mass carnage that they have inflicted while illegally occupying another country.
Many ratepayers, families of innocent civilian murdered by British state forces during their illegal occupation of Ireland will be subjected to more yet glorification while the British state have yet to acknowledge the fact that they had a policy of killing civilians simply because they could, whilst the Queen pins medals on the brave TROOPS who murder the innocent
You should also reflect what this murder machine has left in its wake, over 1,000,000 people, men, women and children butchered in this war in 6 years, an average of 500, people per day, well as Ian óg compassionately said “It’s a war, people die” it would appear that ‘Thou shalt not kill’ does not apply if your wearing a British uniform in the dirty war for oil! Oh and by the way still no weapons of mass destruction, enjoy the homecoming, you must be so proud
Yours in eternal tolerance
Can Non Sinn Féin Members take part in the macrch?? There is a number of Students who wish to do so. Dont know anyone active in Sinn Féin to ask and there is a limited amount of info about the official March online. Opposition to this March should be the perogative of a larger part of the student population rather than being confined to those alligned to mainstream or anti-agreement Republicans. Where is Amnesty International's input? Polarized at the protest has become in the media,The issues are too important to not publicly oppose. What about the Student voice? So, Sinn Féin members only?? Hope not.. óg
'Non Sinn Féin members take part in the'Counter Demonstration?'
Sorry for vandalising your Blog..óg
Good to see that the parade passed off peacefully. Unfortunatly I think the whole thing added to Éirígí's regressive agenda.
I like the blog! Well done.
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