Andersontown News, 16.8.2001

Media coverage of pogrom playing into hands of loyalists: Maskey

A top Sinn Féin spokesman yesterday took the media to task for portraying the latest loyalist pogrom against Catholics as “tit-for-tat violence”.

“Despite what some sections of the media would have us believe, the recent violence has not been tit-for-tat,” an angry Alex Maskey told the launch yesterday of a detailed dossier on the loyalist pogrom. “The violence has been part of an ongoing loyalist campaign. Those who would portray it as anything different are playing into the hands of those opposed to the peace process.”

200 sectarian attacks — including pipe and petrol bomb attacks, murders and stabbings — are listed in the bulky briefing document which will now be presented to TDS, MPs and human rights groups.

“Last night another nationalist home was attacked by loyalist pipebombers,” said Alex Maskey. “Earlier in the afternoon, two lorries were hijacked by loyalists and used to cause widespread chaos in North Belfast. This is further evidence that the UDA’s campaign is continuing unabated. This year alone, there have been more than 180 reported loyalist attacks against nationalists in the Six Counties.”

The West Belfast MLA says the ferocity of the attacks has increased in the past two months.
“It is now widely accepted that these attacks are part of the UDA-orchestrated pogrom against the nationalist community. They are a consequence of the political vacuum opened up by the British Government’s failure to safeguard the full implementation of the Agreement.”

Alex Maskey said Sinn Féin was working “on the ground” to defuse tension along the interfaces in Belfast.

“We have initiated a series of contacts with political representatives, clergy, community organisations, trade unions and others, aimed at pressurising the UDA into ending its campaign,” he added. “To date, the unionist leadership has failed to do all in their power to end these attacks. They are failing to face up to their responsibilities in bringing an end to these attacks.”