Andersonstown News
(March 29 2004)
183 loyalist attacks in one year... but British government obsessed with
alleged republican acts – Gerry Kelly
The bringing down of the Assembly in the infamous Special Branch raid and
other alleged republican activity continues to be the obsession of the
British government despite new figures that link the loyalist killing
machine to almost 200 violent attacks in the past year, according to Sinn
Féin’s Gerry Kelly.
His comments come after shocking figures this week revealed unionist
paramilitaries murdered seven people, carried out 135 shootings and left or
exploded 41 deadly bombs.
The figures according to British minister Jane Kennedy came in the 12 months
to January. But it is just a week after startling claims recently made by
the PSNI boss that republican and loyalist violence was at the same levels.
Gerry Kelly said the figures were a reminder of where the violent threat to
the peace process came from despite a continual focus on alleged republican
activity.
"Unionist politicians and the British government are continually focused on
allegations of IRA activity,” he said.
“They have used unsubstantiated allegations to defend the collapse and
suspension of the institutions and as the rationale for their failure to
implement large parts of the Agreement.”
But the treatment of the loyalist paramilitary godfathers went conveniently
unnoticed, he said.
"At the same time they have turned a blind eye to the ongoing activities of
the unionist paramilitaries,” said the Sinn Féin MLA.
“All this has passed without little more than comment from either of the
main unionist parties or indeed the British government,” said the local MLA.
“We have not had special review meetings to discuss these attacks. We have
not had determinations from PSNI chief Hugh Orde. We have not had commentary
from the IMC.
"People within the nationalist and republican community are sick of the
hypocrisy of unionist politicians and the British government.
“They are frustrated at the obvious toleration of what is seen as an
acceptable level of unionist violence against Catholics while at the same
time threatening the process over allegations from securocrats over IRA
activity."
Journalist:: Staff Reporter