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Date Posted: 09:27:04 02/05/02 Tue
Defence of nationalist north Belfast continues (Jan 14-26)
Monday, January 14, 2002
Loyalist threats to murder nationalist teachers in north Belfast were very much in the minds of both the teachers and children.
The threats from the UDA/UFF using the cover name RHD said they would murder nationalist teachers and post office workers.
The post office workers went on strike in protest against the murder of Danny McColgan and the loyalist threats against them.
At schools, nationalist teachers all turned up for work. It was reported by teachers that there was a high attendance at all Catholic schools in north Belfast.
Turning up for school on this Monday morning was eerie for both parents and children alike.
They would have to pass armed RUC and armoured Land Rovers in the school grounds.
This was the case at all Catholic schools in north Belfast.
Children, parents and teachers, under loyalist threat, forced to pass armed RUC and armoured cars to get to school.
The thought of many was that if this was anywhere else in the world it just wouldn’t be tolerated.
Although tension was high there were no reports of trouble.
Tuesday, January 15, 2002.
Once again nationalist school teachers would turn up to their classrooms with the loyalist threat still over them and likewise the children and arents would turn up for school with the same threat from loyalists over them.
With the RUC at all Catholic school gates and armoured Land Rovers Tuesday was a repeat of Monday; the terrible eerie feeling and high tension noticed by parents and children alike.
12 noon. The funeral of Danny McColgan took place with hundreds following behind the coffin and lining the route. Hundreds of post office workers were in attendance.
9pm. Reports that armed UDA/UFF men read out a statement in a club in the Shankill area, ordering their cover-name the RHD to lift threats against nationalist teachers and postal workers, was treated by nationalists as some kind of sick joke.
Nationalists told SAOIRSE the general feeling here in north Belfast was that these murderers were adding insult to injury.
The dogs in the street know the RHD is nothing more than a cover name for the UDA/UFF. They also ordered their cover name to disband. Do they mean they’re going to disband themselves? Or do they just mean the old cover name is gone and we’ll soon know their new one after the next bombing, shooting or murder?
Do these murderers really believe that nationalists are such fools to fall for this stage-managed show? Does anyone really believe the UDA/UFF have all of a sudden started caring for the nationalist people? Have we forgotten Danny McColgan already?
The fact is the UDA/UFF were under pressure from within their own community. Because of their threats towards nationalists there was a postal strike. Benefit payments were upset. They needed to take the pressure off so we had this act. It wasn’t for the love of nationalists or Catholics. It was to save face. Don’t think it was anything other than that, because it wasn’t.
Tension was very high in north Belfast over Tuesday.
At around 12am there was a bomb scare at York Gate shopping centre near to North Queen Street. It is believed to have been a hoax. The area close to York Gate shopping centre was closed for a time.There were no other reports of trouble as Tuesday came to an end.
Wednesday, January 16, 2002
UDA/UFF carried on with their fable claiming to be the RHD and stating that they would disband by 12am on Wednesday night. Again the UDA/UFF failed to fool anyone.
Wednesday afternoon. Belfast postal workers, after a meeting at the GPO, voted to return to work but stated that they did so under protest as they had no faith in the UDA/UFF statement. They also attacked the post office management for not standing up and giving the workers their full support.
One postal worker said she was scared to return to work and added: “It was the UDA who murdered Danny McColgan. I have no reason to believe anything the UDA say. I still believe my life is in danger. But I’ve no choice but to go back to work and to be truthful I am scared even at the thought of it.”
Thursday, January 17, 2002
No reports of trouble on Thursday but tension stayed high.
Friday, January 18, 2002
Most Catholic schools stayed closed in north Belfast on Friday as teachers joined a march to City Hall.
The march, that was believed to be against loyalists threats on teachers and postal workers, as well as other workers, was soon used to unjustly attack Republican resistance to British occupation, injustice and terrorism. It was also used to show support for the RUC, a force that only a few days before had beaten nationalists with batons, shot them with plastic bullets and ran them down with armoured Land Rovers.
Members of the Provisionals on news reports stated that they supported the march. It didn’t bother them that Brit/RUC terrorism and British State-sponsored violence was not even made an issue.
Once again the real cause of Irelands problems were brushed under the carpet.
The Provisionals were quite happy to be a part of this crime.
Saturday, January 19, 2002
It has become clear that a body of a man found at the bottom of Cavehill was that of UDA man Stephen McCullough.
The UDA man had been questioned about the murder of Danny McColgan by the RUC but released. It is believed that only hours before his body was found, he had gone to an RIR patrol and ended up in Mustgrave St RUC station. The rest is unclear.
The general feeling is that McCullough could have been ready to spill the beans on the murder of Danny McColgan and no doubt the possible collusion of RUC members in the McColgan murder.
What is clear is the fact that McCullough was questioned about the murder of Danny McColgan and the last people to see McCullough were the RUC.
His body would be found on Wednesday afternoon. The RUC claimed he had left Mustgrave St station only a few hours before.
It was first reported that the UDA man had fallen from the cliff at Cavehill, off the Antrim Road in north Belfast.
About 10pm loyalists attacked nationalist homes in the White Well area.
A number of homes were damaged in the fighting that went on for a time. Nationalist street fighters and loyalist rioters attacked each other as both sides sized up to each other. Homes on both sides were damaged.
Contrary to reports, the trouble started after nationalist homes were attacked. The trouble subsided after some time and Brit/RUC occupation forces flooded the area.
Sunday, January 20, 2002
A petrol bomb factory was found in the loyalist White City close to the nationalist Whitewell.
Around 9pm loyalist once again carried out attacks against nationalist homes in the Whitewell area sparking off yet more trouble in the area which went on for some time.
Burning cars were used as barricades in a number of areas and houses on both sides of the so-called peace line were damaged by stones and petrol bombs.
Nationalists in the Bawnmore estate used petrol bombs and a number of blast bombs against Brit/RUC occupation forces.
During the trouble it was reported that a fire crew was stoned, with claimed this was done by stone throwers from Bawnmore Estate. If this is indeed the case Republican Sinn Féin understands only too well the frustration of nationalists with constant occupation forces and loyalist attacks on the nationalist community.
We support the right of nationalists to resist Brit and loyalist terrorism but we call on them not to become involved in stoning of fire crews. The Brits, unionist and their counter parts will try to use such stonings to take away the legitimate right of nationalist resistance to Brit and loyalist terrorism.
The trouble that went on for some time went on at the Shore Road, Mill Road, Dandy Road, Whitewell Road, Longlands and the Bawnmore Estate.
Subsiding after some time, tension stayed high as Brits/RUC occupation forces flooded the area.
Monday, January 21, 2002.
Although there were no reports of trouble on Monday, there was still many members of the Brit/RUC occupation forces on the street with Brit armoured cars and RUC Land Rovers sitting at interface areas.
Tuesday, January 22, 2002
Reports of a bomb hoax at a leading Provisionals home in west Belfast.
Wednesday, January 23, 2002
Report of minor stone throwing at Whitewell coming from the loyalist White City.
Thursday, January 24, 2002
A post man from west Belfast was driving down the Ligoniel Road towards the Crumlin Road after finishing his post round when he had to stop at traffic lights at the part of the road known locally as the ‘turn of the road’. This was at 12 noon. As he sat in his car waiting for the light to change a loyalist gunman walked to the car and pointed a gun at the postmans head. He fired but the gun didn’t work. The gunman then ran off.
This makes a lie of UDA/UFF claims that post workers would no longer be made targets. There’s no doubt that this nationalist post man is very lucky to be alive and should open the eyes of those who were foolish enough to believe the loyalist murder gangs.
Friday, January 25, 2002
More trouble at the Serpentine Road, Whitewell and White City after loyalist rioters attacked the nationalist Serpentine Road from the loyalist White City.
Fighting also broke out on the Whitewell Road as nationalists took to the streets in defence of their area and community, subsiding after some time.
The trouble went on into the small hours of Saturday morning.
Saturday, January 26, 2002.
At around 4.30am in the small hours of Saturday morning on the nationalist Whitewell Road a lorry parked at the side of the road was set on fire.
As the Brit/RUC occupation forces went to the scene of the lorry fire a nationalist threw a blast bomb from just yards away.
The bomb went off and five members of the occupation forces were injured, two RUC and three Brits.
The bomber made a good escape.
After the attack more occupation forces flooded into the area, no doubt more fearful after this show of resistance to enforced Brit occupation.
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