Irish Republican Socialist Party Statement. > 14 June 2000 > > Sectarian flags heighten community tensions - IRSP > > The IRSP in Belfast have called of the DOE to remove the huge amount of > sectarian flags representing the UFF and UVF that have been put up around > the city. > > IRSP representative Fra Halligan calling for the offensive flags to be > removed said: > > "The flags representing loyalist murder gangs offer nothing but hatred and > sectarian division. These flags are not expressions of cultural identity > unless their culture is sectarian murder and intimidation,the flags are > flown most prolifically adjacent to nationalist homes and areas, their only > purpose is to intimidate. 'New working class loyalism' (sic) by its > involvement in this intimidation has shown itself to be unable to break > away from the Orange/Unionist ascendency it claims has mislead and > exploited the protestant working class for decades. > > "The IRSP are calling for a 'no flags flying anywhere' policy in line with > the Party's non-aggression charter that was launched earlier this year. As > part of the IRSP's contribution to lessoning community tensions we will not > be erecting or supplying flags to local communities." > > In conclusion Mr. Halligan called for: > > "all political groupings to use their influence to see that these flags are > removed, if people are genuinely serious about peace we all need to take a > mature viewpoint on the flying of offensive flags. The failure of the > loyalist and Unionist political representatives to tackle these problems > show that all talk about a new beginning is little more than empty rhetoric." > > > > > STATEMENT ENDS > >
