Andersontown News, March 7, 2005
On the ground in Short Strand
The fallout in East Belfast since the murder of Robert McCartney
Short Strand is a community on the ropes. It finds itself at the epicentre of
a national tragedy and the focus of unremitting media attention. But the
Ballymacarret spirit which has seen the embattled nationalist area emerge
unbowed from 30 years on the frontline is serving it well today, say
prominent community activists.
On Friday last, the Andersonstown News visited area to allow locals to speak
for themselves.
Everyone, without exception, who spoke to us, stressed the sorrow they felt
for the McCartney family.
However, there was a fear that the media was using the ordinary people of
Short Strand as “A whipping boy”.
“There is not one person from this entire area who doesn’t feel for the
family and think that it was disgusting,” said well-known community activist
and Aisling Award winner Bernie McConnell. “It was wrong and needs to be
dealt with.”
Witness intimidation has featured heavily in the press coverage of the
recent events. Bernie said that if this is happening it is unacceptable.
She said that republican famlies are also on the receiving end of hostile
media attention. One family named by the media as being involved are, she
said, receiving threats through messages on the internet, being spat at on
the street and being ignored.
Speaking as a member of the community sector she also called on anyone who
is being intimidated to come forward and to let them know.
“I’m calling for all intimidation to stop whether it is intimidation of
witnesses or whether it is intimidation against people who were in
Magennis’s that night.”
She is worried that the tension in the Short Strand could spill over and
result in another tragedy.
“I just fear that because this is such a close-knit area with extended
families that there will be another life lost over this whole media frenzy.
“Because of the lies that are being printed in the media, people are getting
hyped up within the area. There have already been families fighting with one
another over accusations in the media.
“I am also very angry at the likes of the SDLP and the Alliance Party and
other unionist parties jumping on the bandwagon here. They are politicising
it. They have never done anything for anybody in the Short Strand,” adds
Bernie.
Local woman Patricia Johnston was angered at the targeting of houses
belonging to republicans by the PSNI. “This was for no reason other than
gathering intelligence,” she claimed.
Patricia believes that amidst the whirl of news stories the real issue has
been lost. “It is very much politicising the agenda and taking away from the
issue here which was the killing of Robert McCartney and making it more
about trying to get Sinn Féin to come to the table on the policing issue —
getting them to say openly that their electorate or people in the
nationalist community should approach the police.”
In the run-up to May’s local election she did not feel that the Short Strand
would experience a change in political allegiance after recent weeks.
“This is still very much a staunch republican area for all the hype that’s
in the media. Most of the area do support tMcCartneys in terms of getting
justice for their brother, but they certainly don’t support the
anti-republican agenda, and that’s what this seems to be developing into.
“I think that there are people in the background that are manipulating this
situation to suit a much wider agenda.”
Both Patricia and Bernie felt that the Short Strand had been criminalised in
the press since the killing. “Everyone in this area has been demonised and
vilified,” said Patricia.
One local man told the Andersonstown News that recent events would damage
the republican vote in the area.
“Most people are disgusted by Robert’s death. It will hurt Sinn Féin’s vote.
Ex-republican prisoners who I’ve spoken to are disgusted too. The general
opinion is that most people would be disillusioned with Sinn Féin in the
area because of the murder and what happened after the murder.
“Sinn Féin had a strong vote but people’s opinions will have changed.”
Another community activist held a different view. “People are 100 per cent
behind the family but there is a ‘but’ there.”
He went on to say that the week after the killing a vigil for Robert – which
was well attended – was portrayed by some of the media as an anti-republican
protest. This persuaded a lot of people who had been at the vigil to remain
away from last Sunday’s protest, he said.
Referring to the possibility of one of Robert McCartney’s sisters standing
in the May elections, he said that he would expect the SDLP to tactically
stand aside as they could never win the seat. “However, the republican vote
will stand up,” he said.
Another local man said that unionists have just jumped on the bandwagon and
have “no real compassion for the family”, but was also critical of
republicans. “I knew Robert McCartney from no age and have grown up with him.
“In my book there is a simple solution and that is that the IRA to give up
those responsible. There is no point expelling them. They can expel them now
and in two or three months they could be back in. That is what people here
feel.”