Politicians Blaming Ballymena Youth for Violent Unionist Firebomb Attacks?

antrim | crime and justice | press release Thursday August 11, 2005 06:25 by orla

Ahoghill families fear for their lives

Longstanding violent Unionist onslaught against Catholic homes, property and Churches - bisarrely attributed to nationalist Youth living in Ballymena???

Five Catholic families in the predominantly Protestant village of Ahoghill were yesterday issued with fire blankets and smoke alarms after police feared they could be the next victims of loyalist attacks.

On behalf of the William Orr Commemoration Committee, May I express our sincerest thanks and also further acknowledge the efforts by the young people living in Ballymena’s North End who assisted, attended and acted as stewards at last weeks, Irish Republican Parade in Fisherwick.

The first Irish Republican Ballymena parade was initiated by young people, as a positive alternative and a response to what they themselves regarded as ending a negative absolute, bonfire culture.

The parade which remained dignified and violence free has already attracted highest praise from many in the community. The rich commendations belong to our fully entrusted, empowered, resourced and facilitated Ballymena Youth, who with resounding success expressed their cultural identity in a positive, non-threatening and meaningful manner. As capable and responsible hosts, the young people of Ballymena surpassed their own objectives.

The youth quite rightly, remain disappointed at politicians who not only sought to publicly denigrate their efforts from the outset rather than support an end to bonfire culture and any subsequent anti community behaviour, but also failed to meet with them.

Young people living in the community are also deeply perplexed by a recurring bizarre party political logic that seeks to justify all vilification of the youth and their project by offering as a replacement, no parade and no project. It is condemnation that the young people understand as politicians taking away from their lives without putting something better in its place.

Others question the motives of local SDLP, DUP, UUP and Sinn Fein politicians, who by implication and otherwise has suggested that any sense of community empowerment or elevating activity, no matter how mildly demonstrated by Nationalists in this instance, in Ballymena, can be attributed as responsible for the longstanding and ongoing Unionist, bomb and firebomb attacks against Catholic families, their property, memorials and churches throughout the North of Ireland.

Our group urges all political parties concerned to immediately retract any knee jerk condemnation and other attribution from the positive parade and the progressive Ballymena youth. Ends