26 May 2000

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British Army's Irish Guards Band to play in Dublin

Commenting on reports that the British Army's Band of the Irish Guards is play in Dublin with the 26-County Army next month (23 June), Sinn Fein Dublin City Councillor Christy Burke said:

``Sinn Fein is very concerned that charity events involving the Gardaí and the 26-County Army are increasingly being used in a public relations campaign to politically rehabilitate the RUC and British Army, organisations that have spent the past 30 years suppressing the Civil Rights movement and nationalist communities across the Six Counties.

``It is disturbing to see the Irish Government allowing its military and police service being used as public relations pawns by the RUC and Britain's Irish Guards, which includes former members of the discredited and disbanded Ulster Defence Regiment.

``The Irish Guards band is the PR front for their regiment and the wider British Army which have been responsible for raiding people's homes and harassing and arresting Irish nationalists.

``Would the 26-County Army play host to the band of the Parachute Regiment, the Royal Irish Regiment or the SAS?''

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