22nd May 2003

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Omagh Protest at local DPP meeting

 

Commenting on the protest and the Omagh District Policing Partnership last night, Sinn Fein West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty said:

 

``There is anger on the ground around the issue of policing and the confirmation of collusion between the RUC and Loyalists by the Stevens Report and continued evidence of spying on Sinn Fein. On top of that you have the cancellation of the democratic process by the British government at the behest of David Trimble,

 

``People have the right to protest. This was a local Sinn Fein initiative but the intention was not to force the meeting to be abandoned.  People should have gone along and made their feelings known and the meeting could have gone ahead.

 

``But let's put this into perspective. This was a local meeting of the District Policing Partnership that was abandoned. The British government cancelled an election, which derives directly from the Good Friday Agreement, which was endorsed by the people of Ireland north and south; they have put the Good Friday Agreement on ice. The British government has no right to over-ride the democratic wished of the Irish people,

 

``That is why we have a political vacuum, that is why we have deep and justifiable anger, but I would appeal to people to protest in a peaceful and disciplined way.''

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