Capitol Hill, Washington DC. October 4, 2002 --
" New beginning'
where are you"', about sums up the
Irish-American reaction to the
police raid on Sinn Fein offices.
" The new beginning to policing, promised by
Patten, clearly has not
happened", said Father Sean Mc Manus,
President, of the Capitol
Hill-based Irish National Caucus. " Rather, it
appears that the old,
sectarian and anti-Catholic RUC never went away,
you know."
" If there was any doubt among Irish-Americans
about the wisdom
of Sinn Fein's judgement in not joining the Police
Board, then there
can be little doubt left now", explained
Father Mc Manus explained
."The shocking police raids will demonstrate
to Irish-Americans --
and their friends in the US Congress -- that the
police in Northern
Ireland continue to be a major danger, and threat
to the
peace-process. Instead of protecting Catholics from
the systematic
campaign of violence and murder, which is incited
by the extreme
positions of Unionist leaders , the police , ever
true to form,
launch raids on Sinn Fein.Can anyone miss the irony
here?"
" 'PSNI/RUC must go', will now be the call of
Irish-Americans",
Father Mc Manus concluded.
