Robert Hamill Case

A chara, - In recent days Britain has witnessed a tremendous outcry over the case of the murdered black teenager, Stephen Lawrence…

A chara, - In recent days Britain has witnessed a tremendous outcry over the case of the murdered black teenager, Stephen Lawrence, with rightful calls for the dismissal of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Paul Condon, for failing in his duties.

However, just one-and-a-half hour's drive from Dublin, we had the case of the Portadown man Robert Hamill, kicked to death by a mob of 30 loyalists as four RUC men sat idly by, watching from just 15 feet away, and ignored frantic pleas for help from two girls who were accompanying the young nationalist. Two years later, Robert's family is still crying out for justice, but to no avail.

Why have politicians not suggested that the RUC Chief Constable be forced to resign or that members of his force be brought to justice? Why the wall of silence surrounding ongoing events in that nationalist hell called Portadown, where the Garvaghy residents have now spent 240 days under siege and have been terrorised and confined to their estate by 160 loyalist marches to Drumcree since last July? Many have been violent and have clearly breached the guidelines of the Parades Commission. Yet the RUC allows this intimidation to continue.

If the Garvaghy nationalists were an ethnic minority community in Britain, would Tony Blair allow them to be subjected to organised right-wing terror? Or do we have to wait until the next "Fenian" ends up in Portadown's St John's Cemetery before public representatives take notice? - Is mise, Fionntan O Suilleabhain,

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Teach Ruari Ui Chonchubhair, Baile Atha Cliath 1.