Of all the insults and humiliations Ulster people have had
to endure since our own Parliament was abolished and Direct
Rule imposed, are the oft-stated and inaccurate comments in
sections of the cross-channel media which make specific reference
to the role of the army in Northern Ireland.
The crisis in Kosovo provided some of these papers and commentators
with a field day, and time and time again people read that
the British Army was well equipped for the role it is fulfilling
in Kosovo because of the experience it has gained in Northern
Ireland.
That's fair enough, but what causes such intense anger among
loyal British subjects here is the suggestion that Ulster
is less British than England, Scotland and Wales.
Indeed, if one was to go by the reports in some cross-channel
papers Northern Ireland is not even regarded as a part of
the United Kingdom.
"Our boys are doing a wonderful job out there"
was one reported comment - the insinuation being that Northern
Ireland is a far-away place and an alien one at that as far
as the army is concerned.
It was ironical that one paper referred to the British Army's
peace-keeping efforts in "Ireland", separating two
warring tribes, at the very time two Irish regiments - the
Irish Guards and the Royal Irish Regiment were preparing to
go to Kosovo - regiments with a large proportion of men from
Ulster.
Listeners to BBC "Talkback" on Tuesday, June 15
will have heard Bro. William Frazer of the FAIR organisation
pull no punches as he told Prime Minister Tony Blair of the
resentment and hurt felt by loyal Ulster people who have been
victims of terrorism and now feel betrayed.
Bro.Frazer pointed out he belongs to a family which has given
some 130 years service to the British Army and he said this
applied to many families.
It certainly does and is a very highly sensitive subject,
especially at this time of the year. No true Ulsterman needs
reminding that 5,000 Ulstermen lost their lives at the Somme
in the First World War.
Only a handful of the Shankill boys serving with the Royal
Irish Rifles survived, and the same applied to the men of
Co. Armagh serving with the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Try telling the families of these men that their ancestors
were less British than someone from Surrey, Kent or Essex.
Ulster people have been patient and extremely brave in the
face of murder and terrorism - in fairness something recognised
by successive Prime Ministers - but their patience does not
extend to accepting a definition of an Ulsterman as being
someone less British than their fellow countrymen and women
across the Irish Sea.
Why should they have to accept such an insult? Too much Ulster
blood has been spilled in wars and in conflicts in this Province
in the struggle to remain British - the most loyal subjects
of the Queen - than to be forced to accept such rubbish printed
in some sections of the national press.
|
