JULY, 2003

TUESDAY, JULY 1, 2003: It was reported this morning that a number of pipe bombs were found in the Donegall Avenue area of south Belfast.

There were reports that a number of prisoners have started a dirty protest in Maghaberry prison. There were also reports that a number of cells had been wrecked.

A loyalist mini Twelfth parade in east-Belfast passed close to Short Strand where nationalists gathered to protest against the sectarian parade.

The nationalist protestors had to make their protest known from behind lines of riot clad occupation forces, as the loyalists passed by shouts went up from one side to another, nationalist anger was very clear.

The RUC/PSNI came under attack from nationalist youths in the Ballymurphy area of west Belfast. The RUC/PSNI later claimed they went to the scene after reports of a man being shot in the legs; and when they got there they came under heavy attack from nationalist youths who attacked them with bricks, bottles and stones.

It was confirmed that a dirty protest was taking place in Maghaberry prison.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2003: A number of raids took place this morning in north Belfast, some of which were ongoing in the Ardoyne area. There were also raids in west Belfast. Five people were arrested.

Also on Wednesday night trouble broke out in the Waterworks in north Belfast at around 7pm, when nationalist youths from the Cave Hill area confronted a crowd of loyalist youths from the loyalist Westland Road.

The writer of this report was witness to what took place. The crowd of around 20-25 loyalist youths, many of whom were carrying baseball bats and golf clubs came down the Green at the back of the Westland, when they got to the path way used mostly by nationalists, they started to throw stones and shouting sectarian slogans at people in the Waterworks, people walking with their children or walking their dogs, ran for cover. It should be pointed out that the crowd of loyalists now in the Waterworks were backed up by a crowd standing further up the Green at the back of the houses at the Westland Road.

It wasn't long before a number of nationalist youths went to confront the loyalists and bricks and bottles began to fly.

At one stage it was almost as if an invisible borderline had been drawn on the ground at the small bridge as the nationalist youths who were outnumbered stood their ground and the loyalist youths stayed put, not wanting to advance. A number of petrol bombs were used in the area.

After a time, Provo-police came into the Waterworks, pushing the nationalist youths out of the Waterworks onto the Lower Cave Hill Road; it should be pointed out that the Waterworks in north Belfast is a park; on good days the area is always crowded with people, young and old; people walking their dogs or parents with their children, going to the playground or feeding the ducks. Just over a year ago fish were put into the water there and many fishermen spent many hours there, any other part of the world a nice place to walk or spend a few hours, not so in north Belfast, where hate and bigotry rule the day.

All this against the backdrop of Cavehill with McArt's Fort overlooking the scene; where over two hundred years ago Tone and others stood looking out over Belfast with the thought of a united people.

Over two hundred years later how heartbreaking it would be for them if they stood on that same spot and viewed the scene; their people still not united and the hated connection still not broken!

Earlier on Wednesday there was a number of bomb scares; these centred on the York Gate Shopping Centre; these turned out to be a hoax.

There were reports of yet more raids in the Ardoyne area around 9pm on Wednesday night. There were no reports of any further arrests.

In the Whitewell area of north Belfast two Catholic children who had left their home in Serpentine Gardens, as the two boys David Calvert and his brother Andrew who is only a toddler walked down Voltaire Gardens they were confronted by four loyalist teenagers, who had been putting up loyalist flags. The loyalist youths also had an Alsatian dog that was used to give chase after the two Catholic brothers.

The young boys had to flee in terror, and were chased for a time. Their angry mother Theresa said later that her little boys were petrified. She said she was outraged at what had happened. "I don't know how anyone could stoop so low as to chase young children, as four teenagers with a big dog had done. My sons are only eight and four years old and are deeply traumatised. I reported it to the RUC/PSNI and they just fobbed me off and said they wouldn't be in a hurry to take a statement from an eight year old. Do they think an eight year old cannot tell the truth", she said.

THURSDAY, JULY 3, 2003: There was a bomb scare in the Castle Street area of west Belfast in the city centre. The scare closed off the area for hours before it was found to be a hoax, one of many in the past week or so.

Occupation Forces were once again heavy on the ground in many parts of north Belfast today. Brit army and RUC/PSNI mobile patrols were backed up by foot patrols also of Brit army and RUC/PSNI.

There were reports of two petrol bombs being found in a garden on the Cave Hill Road by a RUC/PSNI/Brit Army mobile patrol. The Cave Hill area was also witness to a very heavy Occupation Forces presence.

FRIDAY, JULY 4, 2003: Friday was also witness to a heavy presence of Occupation Forces in north Belfast. There's little doubt that this is part of the ongoing harassment that is constantly being carried out against the nationalist community.

There were reports on Friday night of a number of fires burning inside Maghaberry prison. It is reported the fires are burning in Lagan House in the prison. Protests at the prison have been ongoing now for more than a week and Republican POW's have started a dirty protest. Before the night was out there was another bomb scare in Maghaberry prison.

SATURDAY, JULY 5, 2003: Saturday afternoon was once again witness to raids being carried out by the RUC/PSNI in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast. As has been the case in recent days, the raids have been centred on the Jamaica Street/Jamaica Road area; the latest going on for some hours.

Reports on Saturday night were of groups of loyalists gathered in the Westland area of north Belfast. Nationalists who drove through the Westland said the loyalists are the worse for drink. There were a number of loyalist parades earlier in the day and there's little doubt that much of the drinking has being going on since then.

Nationalists living at the top end of the Westland Road and Cavehill Road are more than concerned that the brunt of trouble caused by the drunken loyalists will be targeted at them - as has been the case every other night in the area.

There was trouble at Alliance Avenue and Glen Bryn area; it is believed loyalist and nationalist youths confronted each other for a time; again there's little doubt that loyalists returning from an earlier Orange parade brought the confrontation about. There is an air of tension in north Belfast as is always the case, but, that tension is always higher in the run up to the 12th. The trouble subsided after a time and there were no reports of injuries at this stage.

Around 11pm a Brit helicopter set in the sky for a time, viewing the scene below and making sure people had to shout to be heard.

SUNDAY, JULY 6, 2003: There was a report on Sunday of another bomb scare inside Maghaberry prison. The scare later turned out to be a hoax. Apart from the usual presence of Brit/RUC/PSNI occupation forces there were no reports of trouble. Although there was a bomb scare in south Belfast, which closed part of the Ormeau Road for a time, the scare was centred on Annadale Avenue and Rosetta Park. The scare later turned out to be a hoax.

MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003: There were no reports of trouble on Monday, although in a number of "so-called" interface areas of Ardoyne groups of people stood around causing some tension in these areas.

TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2003: There were reports of a number of loyalists being arrested in the Shankill following a number of raids.

It was believed that those arrested may have something to do with the Shankill UDA; there are also reports of a number of men being arrested in England to do with the same matter.

There was concern in the nationalist community of Short Strand in east Belfast because of videotape being sold in loyalist areas of east Belfast. The tapes are of nationalist protestors named and pointed out in the video, as well as the address of those on the tape. In Maghaberry prison it was reported that a number of Republican prisoners have been beaten and hosed down by screws. Many of the prisoners have been on a dirty protest for over a week.

On Tuesday night around 9pm, 12-yeaar-old Shauna Millen, who has suffered from trauma during the loyalist sectarian campaign against the Holy Cross Girls Primary School was once again the victim of a loyalist force. Shauna was standing with some friends in the Clifton Park Avenue when a member of the RUC/PSNI, who was part of an Occupation Forces raiding party, moved towards the group of children, stamping his feet. All the children, who were mostly small girls, ran away - except for Shauna.

Shauna said later "I didn't run away with the rest of my friends because we hadn't done anything. It was then he (RUC/PSNI man) grabbed me by my arms from behind really hard and then pulled my head back. Some people were trying to get me away from him. It was terrible. I was crying and shaking all over; I thought I was going to die. I thought I was never going to see my mammy again."

One resident of Clifton Park Avenue who saw what happened and was witness to the attack didn't wish to be named but said; "It was an absolute disgrace. It was terrible what that peeler put that wee girl through."

Shauna's mother Jeanette, who took Shauna to the Mater casualty straight after the attack said she was disgusted. "I really can't believe this happened to my little girl; she's only twelve years old. She asked how could that big man manhandle her like that, and leave her with bruise marks all over her arms? Apart from the bruises the hospital said she had a staved neck and that lumps of her hair were missing. She really was in a terrible state."

Jeannette went on to say, "Shauna had to go through the Holy Cross dispute and now this has happened, it's a nightmare."

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2003: Mickey Loughlin, who owns Hill Cabs in Ligoniel, claimed the Ligoniel area of north Belfast is under a state of siege from the UDA. He said that the area has long suffered sectarian attacks on bus passengers, people walking in Ligoniel Park and up Ligoniel Road and cars driving through traffic lights at the junction of Ligoniel Road and Crumlin Road.

The traffic lights there were also the scene of a recent attack on an ambulance. Loyalists tried to stop the emergency vehicle and threw missiles at it in the terrifying scene. A UDA house on the Ballysillan Road was last year the base for the attacks.

The nationalist businessman went on to say it is impossible to work in this area when these attacks are taking place. "We are being ignored in Ligoniel and we are in a state of siege, because this area is not like the traditional interfaces where communities are living back to back; the attacks on our people and property are forgotten here". He said the UDA were behind the attack and that tensions were building in the area. Mickey Loughlin went on to say his own car had been attacked recently and had his windows broken.

"When you go to the RUC/PSNI they put it down as criminal damage and not the sectarian attack it clearly is. I can't let my drivers go down that road for their own safety. People can't walk down the road and the buses are taken off when the trouble starts. Taxi firms in Ardoyne and other areas of Belfast won’t come up either because of driver safety and people can't get to work. The UDA have Ligoniel in a state of siege."

Also on Wednesday Brit Security Minister for the Occupied Six Counties Jane Kennedy, rejected demands by protesting Republican POW's to have segregation as a right. Once again the folly of the past is repeating itself.

There were reports that the so-called Parades Commission, a group set-up by the Brits, have ruled that a sectarian Orange parade will be allowed to go through a nationalist part of the Crumlin Road at the Ardoyne shops, cutting off the nationalist Mountain View area from nationalist Ardoyne. The so-called Parades Commission once again insuring that sectarianism rules the day.

THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2003: There were reports of yet more bomb scares in a number of areas around Belfast; all of which turned out to be hoaxes. There were also reports today of what may be loyalist infighting. The reports have said that the trouble broke out in east Belfast after a UVF flag was put up in the Evelyn Avenue. It was believed that a crowd of men wrecked one house and also a number of cars parked in the area were damaged. There are claims that this fighting, in which a number of shots were fired, could be the start of yet another loyalist feud.

Loyalists started to build bonfires, many in north Belfast placed near to interface areas. These had a number of national flags placed on top of them; those would burn on Friday; the Eleventh night to the sectarian loyalist bigots; the Tricolour is a symbol of hate. Blinded by hate they are unable to see its true meaning, a symbol of hope, peace and unity.

One loyalist bonfire on the Ardoyne Road in north Belfast was placed close to Holy Cross Girls Primary School; this bringing fears that the school itself will become a target.

FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2003: Ardoyne residents, in what can only be a foregone conclusion, took their case to block the sectarian march that will be forced through the nationalist part of the Crumlin Road at the Ardoyne shops, to court. Later on in the day the Brit court system concluded the Orange march would go ahead. Would anyone really be surprised by that outcome?

A number of Ardoyne residents received death threats from loyalists. The threats came under the name of the RHD (Red Hand Defenders), a cover name used by a number of groups. There were no reports of trouble on Friday night as loyalists set about setting light to their bonfires. The smoked filled sky soon turned red and yellow, in the small nationalist areas; this scene is always remarked on as being like a scene from one of those western films. Tensions stayed high, and as always the shooting could be heard. This the usual show of strength by UDA/UFF and UVF gunmen, who show off their fire power to sectarian cheers and shouts, of ‘kick the pop’e and ‘the Fenian bastards will burn’ as well as a few other things from the hate filled drunken mobs gathered round the bonfires.

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2003: Hundreds of Occupation Forces took to the streets and laid siege to nationalist areas. From dawn, Brit army tanks armoured car land rovers and foot patrols backed up the RUC, who also took to the streets in their hundreds. Brits were also placed on the rooftops of the Ardoyne shops. As the morning went on thousands of Orange marchers took to the streets and the parades were in their usual shows of sectarian triumphalism.

As they came down the Crumlin Road and passed the Ardoyne shops a nationalist crowd protested from behind occupation forces lines.

And also under the watchful eye of Provo policemen and women, some of the protestors shouted slogans such as "no talking", "no walking". Some were holding up posters that read the same. It should be pointed out if it need to be; that the Provos aren't only policing the nationalist people at such protests, they are policing the nationalist community as a whole; keeping the lid on any resistance to this Orange statelet, to Brit occupation, to the Stormont set-up.

The Provisionals know very well any resistance from the nationalist community doesn't sit well for Stormont. It's clear then even to those who don't want to know it, that the Provisionals at the behest of the Brit government are policing the whole nationalist community. At one stage on Saturday morning north Belfast was cut off from west Belfast for two hours as the Orange march cut through most of Belfast and the city centre. There was a bomb scare on Saturday afternoon in Royal Avenue, which later turned out to be a hoax.

On Saturday night hundreds of nationalists were waiting at the Ardoyne shops for the return of the Orange march that would pass through the nationalist part of the Crumlin Road, and likewise as the Brit/RUC-PSNI Occupation Forces were out in force so too were the Provo-police.

As the loyalists passed around 8.15pm with Brit armour covering them nationalist youths threw bottles and bricks; loyalists too were throwing from between the Occupation Forces lines.

The Provo-police made sure this show of resistance was short lived; once again there were scenes of nationalist youths being pushed back; a number of youths who set about attacking Brit/RUC-PSNI armour at the top of Brompton Park were soon stopped by Provo-policemen and women, who took what was the weapons of resistance tonight bottles off them, once again the scenes of Provisionals standing between nationalist youths and the Occupation Forces, facing down the nationalists who would without a doubt would be attacking the forces of Occupationif it wasn't for the Provos. The Provisionals doing a good job, maybe the uniform this time next year; after all that's all that's missing today.

There was also a report of a child being injured after being hit with a brick. It was believed that the child was returning from a loyalist parade with his father when hit in the eye. The brick was said to have been thrown by children not much older than the injured child near the nationalist Markets' area, at Cromac Street.

This attack was due to the tension that build up and are brought about by the Twelfth parades, which goes right through the community with the kind of outcome that even sees children suffer, something well known to nationalists. For this attack and many others that take place over the Twelfth period the Orange Order cannot go blameless.

SUNDAY, JULY 13, 2003: There were reports of loyalist and nationalist youth confronting each other at the Cavehill Road near the Westland area. Bricks and bottles were used and this went on for some time. No injuries were reported.

MONDAY, JULY 14, 2003: There was more trouble in north Belfast, once again in the Cavehill Road/Westland Road area, most of which was centred around the Waterworks. It started around 7.30pm and went on for several hours. Groups of loyalist and nationalist youths faced each other and bricks, bottles and other weapons were used. Around 10pm there were reports of loyalist petrol bombers targeting a house on the nationalist side. No damage was done. The fighting subsided as the night went on and British Occupation Forces were heavy on the ground in the area. There has been trouble in this area for a number of weeks.

TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2003: There was some minor trouble around the Waterworks area again but for the most part it was quiet.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2003: There were no reports of trouble although tension remained high in the Cavehill/Westland area of north Belfast. Occupation Forces were again heavy on the ground in the same area.

THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2003: There was minor stoning near the Cavehill end of the Waterworks, lasting for a short time.

SATURDAY, JULY 19, 2003: A protest in support of Republican prisoners in Maghaberry prison took place in west Belfast in the afternoon.

There was a report of a bomb scare centred around a bus in west Belfast.

SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2003: It was reported that a nationalist man in his twenties was attacked by loyalists in the Dunmurry area. He was wearing a Celtic top when set upon and viciously beaten with golf clubs and iron bars.

MONDAY, JULY 21, 2003: It has now become clear that the nationalist man who was beaten in a sectarian attack was lucky to be alive after a gang of 20 loyalists attacked him near the Aberdelghy Golf Club.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2003: There was heavy British Occupation Forces activity around north Belfast. As is usual, British army foot patrols and Land Rovers were backed up by RUC/PSNI Land Rovers. As often happens, nationalist youngsters targeted the Occupation Forces with stones and the odd bottle as they moved around the Oldpark/Bone area of north Belfast. The same was the case in other nationalist areas of Belfast.

THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2003: There were reports of stone-throwing in the Waterworks area at the Westland Road end between nationalist and loyalist youths. It didn't last long, not on the level witnessed in recent days.

FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2003: No reports of trouble although Occupation Forces kept up patrols as usual around north Belfast.

SUNDAY, JULY 27, 2003: Three nationalists were set upon by members of the UDA/UFF loyalist death squad in the Dunmurry area. The gang, at least one of whom had a handgun, made their three victims lie on the ground. The three nationalists - a girl of 17, a man of 26 and a boy of 14 - were set upon by the UDA gang of up to 15 or 16 men. The girl had a gun put to the back of her head as all were beaten. The 26-year-old man got the worst of it, his foot was broken as well as many other injuries. The others were treated for cuts and bruising all over their bodies.

This attack took place in the car park of a supermarket which had been closed for some time and is also close to where another sectarian loyalist attack took place in which a nationalist was badly beaten on July 20. These loyalist sectarian gangs are able to move around as they like and attack their victims at will.

TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2003: A bomb scare was reported in south Belfast. It went on for some time but turned out to be a hoax.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2003: There were a number of bomb scares reported around Belfast. All turned out to be hoaxes and were cleared around 12.30pm.

Wednesday passed on with a heavy occupation force presence on the ground in many parts of north Belfast.

THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2003: There was another bomb scare in west Belfast on Thursday. The scare was centred round the Grosvenor Road area and turned out to be a hoax. There were also reports of trouble near Broadway, also in west Belfast, its believed there was a confrontation between loyalist and nationalist youths at the roundabout.

For the Record