Unionist anger as army installations to close
Unionists have reacted furiously to the decision to close an army watchtower in south Armagh.
The military base is to close as part of major new normalisation moves announced today in the wake of the IRA’s decision call a halt to its armed campaign.
But unionists were furious at the decision by Army chiefs, which also involved tearing down other military installations in the IRA’s south Armagh stronghold.
Lieutenant General Reddy Watt, the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland, confirmed: “In light of yesterday’s developments, the Chief Constable and I have decided that a further reduction in security profile is possible.
“I can announce that preliminary work is starting today in south Armagh on the removal of the hilltop observation tower at Sugerloaf Hill near Camlough, on the vacation and closure of the base at Forkhill and on the removal of a super-sangar (a lookout post) at Newtownhamilton police station.”
A revised security normalisation programme is also expected to be published soon, while plans are being made to allow on-the-run paramilitary fugitives to return home.
The authorities reacted swiftly to the unprecedented declaration by the IRA of an end to the armed campaign it has waged for more than three decades.
But Arlene Foster, a senior member of Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party, was incensed by the military scale down.
She said: “It’s criminally irresponsible of the (British) government to do that, given what has gone on in those border areas. The government seem quite happy to act on words alone.
“It’s startling that when the IRA give a statement saying they will stop what they should never have been doing that the government act so soon.”
