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East belfast loyalists to take down sectarian murals/grafitti

girlfriend not in a coma | 21.01.2003 23:24

The 3 main loyalist paramilitary groups in east belfast, the UVF, UDA and red hand commandos, in a gesture of goodwill to the catholic and republican population of east belfast, are to take down any sectarian grafitti or murals in an effort to defuse any sectarian tension surrounding the republican short strand enclave.

The removal of offensive sectarian graffiti and murals is a big step in the right direction for working class loyalists, and is in essence a hand stretched out in friendship and reconcilliation. This move is to be commended, and will contribute towards repairing and mending the recently damaged cross community relations. Working class loyalist paramilitaries have also stated that they wish to resume cross community activities with their republican and catholic short strand neighbours. I believe working class loyalist paramilitaries are genuine in these efforts and are grateful to their catholic and republican counterparts for their support during recent feud with Johnny Adair/LVF. There are decent working class people on both sides of the divide, and with the removal of Adair and also the sectarian graffiti/murals, hopefully this may pave the way for our communities to come together again to fight other dangers which threaten the welfare of our working class communities. Remember sectarianism has been entrenched within our communities and institutions for many years, it is a big step to denounce it, reject it, and also to reform, espeacially for paramilitaries. There will be a lot of sceptism on both sides, but I believe it is possible to stand together against our common foes as we did in the 1930s and also recently during Adairs terror campaign.

girlfriend not in a coma

Comments

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all power to the people

21.01.2003 23:37

Our common foes, are nazis, big buisness, fat cat politicians and bosses. Rich bastards who would seek to take us to war, to distract from the fact that they don't want to pay proper wages for an honest day's work. George Bains earns over £200000 a year, a fireman earns less than £17000, you decide who is more worthy of a pay rise, lazy fat cat politicians and buisness executives or ordinary decent workers who risk their life, limb and sanity without prejudice or discrimination to save the lives of others.

**** *** probably the best war in the world


no surrender

22.01.2003 01:22

No Surrender to the IRA!

This is terrible news, the fenian IRA supporters from Short Strand and in fact from the whole of Ulster have been stirring-up trouble for years. Look at the IRA bombings and the fact that the IRA killed more of their own Catholics than anyone else. What about 300 RUC officers killed in the troubles, nearly all by the IRA. How can protestants forgive these IRA supporting catholics from Short Strand??? If this was a protestant enclave in the middle of a Catholic area this would not be happening, they would be attacking the area and driving people out of their homes, just as has happened before.

The IRA must be chuckling with glee to see this example of how low the unionists have gone. Why don't the IRA do something for US? They promised to decomission their weapons and nothing came of this except a few rusty rifles.

The IRA is a Marxist organisation that needs to be nipped in the bud once and for all. We need the co-operation of all sections of society in Ulster to achieve that. However, before we can start reconciliation we must obliterate the fenian scum IRA from the face of the earth with the co-operation of the catholics.

If we can't do that then nothing of worth will ever come of it. There's no use having a peace that won't last.

It's time to wipe the IRA out, THEN we can start building bridges.

PSNI


Shut it PSNI -you're really boring.

22.01.2003 14:41

You're like a stuck record, barking the same tune over and over. Your queen-loving loyalist comments sound like the whine of a lost dog. You're just like the rest of them, still fighting, causing trouble, fueling sectarianism, equating any catholic with the IRA and endlessly going on about marxism as if every fish n chip shop and supermarket held ranks of Irish Che Guevaras. Reconcilliation? not bloody likely when the PSNI have got attitudes like this.

dirty kid


PSNI - Prod seeks new intellect?

22.01.2003 16:42

PSNI - what a depressing little rant you posted. Despite the fact that the article reported on a gesture originating from within your own community (assuming that you actually are a NI prod and not just a random stirrer of sectarian hatred), you have seen fit to reduce this gesture to nothing.

"No Surrender to the IRA!" you begin, so in case anybody thought that securing peace was about open dialogue, you kick off with a battle cry - nice start.

"This is terrible news, the fenian IRA supporters from Short Strand and in fact from the whole of Ulster have been stirring-up trouble for years." Someone makes a gesture towards reconciliation, and you qualify it as terrible news? How can you even pretend that you are interested in building bridges, all you want are more sectarian enclaves where you and your like-minded bigots can maintain their rule of fear and paranoia. Have you ever been to the Short Strand? Have you ever met any of the people from there? On what basis can you characterise the entire community of the Short Strand as IRA supporters? I can safely assume that from within your community there will be supporters of the crypto-fascist Jonny Adair, but that wouldn't lead me to characterise a whole community as supporting him. Open your mind and move forward - yes, there has been a lot of injury & hurt on BOTH sides, but if we focus on the past then we will never lift our eyes to the future. Look around you, wake up to the reality that catholics and prods live together in NI and get on with making it a decent life. It's your responsibility. Peace.

Col_Buendia


NO platform for the IRA

22.01.2003 19:25

The IRA are a terrorist organisation and as such should not be given the time of day. Once you start using violence to try and secure political objectives then you lose any credibility you might have had were you a peacefull antagonist.

bad lieutenant


Yawn.

22.01.2003 21:25

mmm. (terrorists) (violence).mmmmmmmmmmm...

dirty kid


post this to ireland indy

23.01.2003 13:24

why not have this discussion on ireland indymedia?

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