Which unionist politician is able to count?

Editorial Department • Published 15 Jul 2010 16:00 0 Comments

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Dear Sir, - Following last Friday nights' (July 2) Newtownbutler Border Defenders band parade in the village of Newtownbutler, it has become obvious that Unionist politicians have huge difficulty with their counting skills.

UUP MLA Tom Elliott raised his concerns that the number of protesters, organised by the NARA strongly exceeded the restricted number placed upon them by the Parades Commission, of 100 people. Arlene Foster, DUP MLA however highlighted that there were only 75 protesters present. This is an alarming discrepancy between the two elected representatives. If we can estimate Tom Elliott's count of 'strongly exceeding 100 people' at even 150 people, this leaves a double or half of a difference between both politicians. So, which one was seeing double or indeed halves?

The reality is that Tom Elliott's count is in fact far more accurate. This leaves the question then why did Mrs Foster only see half or less than half of the number of protesters, who were only 30 metres away from her?

Of course, Mrs. Foster had another motive with her count of 75 protesters. Her ploy was an obvious attempt to play down the support of opposition to loyalist band parades in Newtownbutler. This objection to such coat trailing loyalist parades is strongly supported in Newtownbutler and Mrs. Foster's attempts to play down this opposition are feeble attempts at best.

Besides from the numerical differences of the number of protesters present last Friday night, the real issue is why were the number of protesters capped at 100? The village of Newtownbutler has a population of 4-500 people. If every individual in the village had have opened their door and walked out on to the street of their own village, effectively approximately 400 people could have been arrested for breaking the terms of the determination set out by the parades commission. This is an absurdity, residents of their own village prevented from going out onto their own street. On the other side of the fence (or road as was the case), loyalist band participants and supporters faced no restrictions on their numbers. In essence, the Parades Commission gave a green light for hundreds of loyalists to be bussed into a small Nationalist village and make it their own for one night!

Continuing with the numbers theme. How many armed policemen/women were present in Newtownbutler and the surrounding areas on last Friday, July 2? Police were present in large numbers long before and long after the loyalist parade which lasted from 7.30-10.30 pm. How many young nationalists did they also turn away from the Residents Association's protest by issuing threats of trouble and arrests? Newtownbutler residents remember all too well just a year ago when the same police took over 12 hours to call out to Newtownbutler after an ATM robbery in the village.

To finish up, the only real number that matters in relation to the Border Defenders band parade in Newtownbutler is that the village of Newtownbutler has a Nationalist population of over 95% and that this parade is unwanted by the overwhelming majority of this population. This is the real number unionist politicians, loyalist band members and the parades commission should really remember!

Yours faithfully,

Newtownbutler

Nationalist Resident.

This letter appeared in Impartial Reporter 15 Jul 10

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