Derek R Hussey Ulster Unionist Councillor Derg Electoral Area Sinn Fein Tyrone `volunteers` event - Castlederg, Sunday, 11th August, 2013 The Parades Commission have failed to recognise the basic issue in regard to the Sinn Fein Tyrone `volunteers`event in Castlederg planned for Sunday,11th August, 2013. In my written representation to the Parades Commission for their consideration I outlined that morally this event was wrong and should be banned. The Parades Commission stated that they could not ban an event but only restrict. My response to this was quite simple - defer the issue to the Chief Constable and to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. I know that representations made directly to the Parades Commission on 30th July echoed this logic. The Parades Commission, by making any determination in regard to this event, glorifying terrorists and their actions, have acquised to the suggestion of it`s legality without challenge. Myself and others vehemently refute this unchallenged implied legality of the event granted by the Parades Commission. Even within the present flawed determination the Parades Commission have failed to fully appreciate the anguish being perpetrated particularly on two families of victims created by those that this `volunteers event`seeks to glorify. This determination still allows 1) the event to assemble adjacent to the site of the murder of a serving Police Officer and then trample over the same site. Jacob Rankin attended my Church at Garvetagh, was known to me and indeed I taught his children in our local High School. 2) further - trample over the site of the shooting of Jackie Hamilton who subsequently died as a result of this atrocity. Again, Jackie`s Sister and family are close personal friends. I fail to comprehend how you as Commissioners, in your collective `wisdom`, can remain insensitive to the pain being inflicted on these two families in particular and more generally to the hurt being rekindled throughout our community by this event having ever been contemplated. In view of these ongoing concerns, I request that, at worst, you grant a review of your current determination on the event organised by Sinn Fein in Castlederg on Sunday, 11th August 2013 - at best - I would again urge that you immediately refer this issue to the Chief Constable and to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Posted on: Fri, 02 Aug 2013 19:18:49 +0000
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