For
30 years the people of the Short Strand have stood
strong and united in the face of loyalist aggression
and police brutality.
Every
man and woman stood side by side with their neighbours
and defended the area. Amongst these stood Robert
McCartney. Like many men Robert was not a member
of any organisation but when it came to protecting
his community and family he did so with passion,
conviction and fearlessness.
Throughout
history nationalists and republicans have withstood
abuses of power from those with the authority and
means to strip them of justice and equality. They
have never lain down in the face of intimidation
or death and have triumphed through truth.
Now,
however, the community stands in fear – not
of loyalists, Shankill Butchers, the RUC or the
British army but of republicans.
For
the past few years individual members of the IRA
have controlled this area with an iron fist. Not
for them freedom of speech, equality and justice
but more ‘croppie lie down’.
Just
as the people of the Short Strand and the whole
nationalist community resisted and rejected this
sentiment for centuries, so we ask you to reject
it today and demand justice for Robert.
