A DERRY community worker who helps young people who have been threatened by the vigilante group Republican Action Against Drugs, said yesterday that five young men were forced to flee the city last week after they had received death threats.
Michael Doherty of the Peace and Reconciliation Group said one of the young men “wanted to get it over and done with” rather than leave his home.
“Eventually after some arguing and debating, we persuaded him that it was in his best interests to leave,” said Mr Doherty.
“He was the fifth young person we helped to leave Derry last week and since last February, we have facilitated the forced departure of 57 young people, almost all of them male.”
The group, which last February admitted the murder of Andy Allen in his home at Lisfannon near Buncrana, Co Donegal, has stepped up its campaign of violence against alleged drugs dealers in Derry.
In many cases they obtain details of their victims such as an address or age from court reports carried in local media outlets.
Journalists covering local courts which involve drugs cases are now being regularly asked by members of a defendant’s family not to publish details of the defendant’s address, otherwise it could result in the defendant being threatened by the group.
Last Thursday night, a woman accompanied her 18-year-old son to be shot by so-called appointment by some people attached to the group in the Creggan area of the city.
The youth sustained flesh wounds to both legs.
Mr Doherty said the five young men ordered to leave Derry last week had been informed that they would either be beaten or shot if they refused to leave.
“They all fled in fear of their lives. It’s a terrible situation but that’s the way it is at the moment. And we are not the only organisation working with such people so you could increase our figure of 57 since last February by several multiples.
“People used to talk about the brain drain of our young people from this city because of lack of employment prospects,” Mr Doherty added.
“Now they’re leaving in their droves just to stay alive.”