TOLL OF ULSTER'S YOUNG VICTIMS
Toll of Ulster's young victims
By GARY KELLY
MORE than 1,000 Ulster children were murdered, beaten, intimidated or exiled by terrorists this year according to Fait.
Statistics released by the anti-terror group claim that a total of 646 children have been subjected to inhuman treatment by terror groups supporting the peace process.
Of those, 604 have suffered at the hands of paramilitaries since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
The figures were compiled by Fait Development Officer Vincent McKenna, who pored through hundreds of cases referred to the group this year.
It is the first time the group has compiled a dossier specifically looking at child victims of the violence.
Fait's research found that:
127 children have been exiled from Northern Ireland with their families by the IRA in 1998, while 62 have been exiled by loyalists.
38 children were either beaten or forced to watch as the IRA beat up members of their family. The figure for loyalist terror groups was 17.
41 children were intimidated out of their own areas by the IRA while 54 were intimidated by loyalist groups.
15 children were either shot or saw members of their family shot in IRA punishment attacks, while seven children from Protestant areas endured the same treatment by loyalist groups.
In addition, Fait received help from the RUC and the DHSS in compiling the number of children directly affected by the Omagh bomb and other terrorist outrages throughout the year.
Mr McKenna described the figures as a "shameful indictment" of parties in the Assembly who are closely aligned to terrorist organisations.
"Seventy two per cent of the people in Northern Ireland voted for an end to human rights abuses when they voted for the Good Friday Agreement.
"Mo Mowlam admitted in the House of Commons on December 2 that there have been 458 terrorist incidents attributable to those organisations represented in the Assembly but then she went on to say that she accepted those ceasefires were in place.
He called on the Government to present the terrorists with two options.
"They can either travel down the road to democracy in which they will receive the support of the people of Northern Ireland, or continue down the road of terrorism, murder and mutilation at which point the full resources of the state should be used to suppress and annihilate them."
Fait Development Officer Vincent McKenna and director Sam Cushnahan are meeting Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan today to discuss the failure of paramilitary organisations to give up violence.
They intend to ask Mr Flanagan two questions: his definition of terrorism and whether it includes murder, intimidation and exile; and what is his definition of a ceasefire.
By GARY KELLY
MORE than 1,000 Ulster children were murdered, beaten, intimidated or exiled by terrorists this year according to Fait.
Statistics released by the anti-terror group claim that a total of 646 children have been subjected to inhuman treatment by terror groups supporting the peace process.
Of those, 604 have suffered at the hands of paramilitaries since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
The figures were compiled by Fait Development Officer Vincent McKenna, who pored through hundreds of cases referred to the group this year.
It is the first time the group has compiled a dossier specifically looking at child victims of the violence.
Fait's research found that:
127 children have been exiled from Northern Ireland with their families by the IRA in 1998, while 62 have been exiled by loyalists.
38 children were either beaten or forced to watch as the IRA beat up members of their family. The figure for loyalist terror groups was 17.
41 children were intimidated out of their own areas by the IRA while 54 were intimidated by loyalist groups.
15 children were either shot or saw members of their family shot in IRA punishment attacks, while seven children from Protestant areas endured the same treatment by loyalist groups.
In addition, Fait received help from the RUC and the DHSS in compiling the number of children directly affected by the Omagh bomb and other terrorist outrages throughout the year.
Mr McKenna described the figures as a "shameful indictment" of parties in the Assembly who are closely aligned to terrorist organisations.
"Seventy two per cent of the people in Northern Ireland voted for an end to human rights abuses when they voted for the Good Friday Agreement.
"Mo Mowlam admitted in the House of Commons on December 2 that there have been 458 terrorist incidents attributable to those organisations represented in the Assembly but then she went on to say that she accepted those ceasefires were in place.
He called on the Government to present the terrorists with two options.
"They can either travel down the road to democracy in which they will receive the support of the people of Northern Ireland, or continue down the road of terrorism, murder and mutilation at which point the full resources of the state should be used to suppress and annihilate them."
Fait Development Officer Vincent McKenna and director Sam Cushnahan are meeting Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan today to discuss the failure of paramilitary organisations to give up violence.
They intend to ask Mr Flanagan two questions: his definition of terrorism and whether it includes murder, intimidation and exile; and what is his definition of a ceasefire.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/150
Published Date: 15-Dec-98
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