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SEA condemns sectarian attacks

Thursday 21st October 2004

  The Socialist Environmental Alliance has said that the recent sectarian attacks in Derry are wholly to be condemned, "irrespective of which community is targeted".

Speaking to a meeting of SEA activists on Thursday night, Eamonn McCann argued "The point was repeatedly made at the civil rights rally in Guildhall Square on October 2nd that the people of the Fountain have a civil right to live without fear of attack. The same applies in equal measure to the people of Long Tower Court, or of Gobnascale, Irish Street, Bond's Hill, the Triangle or anywhere else.

"Most of these attacks have been carried out by young people. This reflects the dismaying levels of sectarianism in the rising generation. Of course, they don't take it from the back stone", says the SEA spokesperson.

"It is important that these attacks are unequivocally condemned, particularly by the people of the community in whose name they are carried out. People in each community need to show solidarity with one another.

"What's most urgently needed is politics which aren't based on the notion of communal identity, but on the common interests of both sections of the working class. For example, when it comes to water charges, working class people will have to stand together or be forced together into deeper poverty .

"Communal politicians typically disown the attacks, then go on to make subtle apologies for the attackers---suggesting that they were understandably angry at attacks somewhere else, and so on," according to Mr. McCann

"People who believe that each community has different interests are naturally inclined to emphasise the "threat" from "the other side." Thus we have had DUP spokesmen suggesting that stone attacks on the Fountain are part of a well-organised Nationalist plan for the "ethnic cleansing" of  Protestants. And just last week, we had a Nationalist alleging that a stoning attack on the Long Tower had been got up by Loyalist paramilitary organistions out to divert attention from a feud.

"Of course, neither the DUP man nor the Nationalist activist offered a shred of evidence for these scare stories. Because there is no evidence. It's pure nonsense. But the effect is to demonise and boost fear of "the other side."  

"Now we have a crude and disgusting plan by the UDA to draw an "Orange line" around Protestant areas. How would this solve any of the problems afflicting the working class pepole of the areas concerned? All it would do is increase fear, division and poverty. But Gregory Campbell managed to think up a watery excuse for the UDA, saying that they were really reacting to attacks on Protestants in Belfast.

"The relationship between the UDA and working class Protestant communities is one of fear. It is unreasonable to expect individuals to stand up on their own to UDA threats. This makes it all the more important that trade unions, community groups and all organisations of influence should speak out and give people confidence. And it means politicians like Gregory Campbell making a conscious effort not to play the Orange card at every opportunity.  





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