BORDERPROTESTSEES CHECKPOINTSRETURN
A MAJOR PROTEST AT CARRICKARNON HIGHLIGHTED REAL FEARS OF A RETURN TO A HARD BORDER OLIVIA RYAN REPORTS
IT was a familiar sight for those who lived along the border during the ‘ Troubles’ but the return of a ‘checkpoint’ at Carrickarnon last weekend raised real fears of how Brexit could impact on the area once again.
A protest organised by the local lobby group Border Communities Against Brexit, it featured mock ‘customs’ checkpoints, in a scene reminiscent of the 1970’s and 80’s.
Organisers even went as far as putting ‘ troops’ at the mock border wall to illustrate their concern that Ireland could be heading back to the days when there were border checkpoints.
‘It was a manifestation of what it used to look like and we don’t want to go back to that time,’ said Declan Fearon, spokesman for Border Communities Against Brexit.
A mock eight-foot wall and army watchtower were built to make what protestors called ‘a stand against Brexit, against borders, against division.’
Hundreds of people gathered where the main crossing point between Dundalk and Newry once lay to protest against the prospect of any type of border in the outcome of a hard Brexit.
Border Communities Against Brexit (BCAB) had encouraged people from cross-border populations to come and express their ‘fears and concerns’ about the potential for a hard border in Ireland.
‘ The message which came across from the protest was that people never want to see a border on this island again,’ said Declan.
It was important, he added to show the reenactment of a border checkpoint ‘ because there are so many people who do not remember how it was when checkpoints were in place.’
It was an opportunity too, he pointed to demonstrate the real fears of people living and working in border communities ‘ that we could be heading back in that direction.’
‘Our children don’t know where the border begins and ends. And that’s the way we want it to stay,’ added Declan.
‘But be under no illusion, if we crash out with no deal, without the protection of the Backstop, tens of thousands of jobs will be lost, right across this society, north and south.’
Indeed, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney admitted last week that it would be ‘difficult’ to avoid installing new infrastructure following a no-deal Brexit.
Meanwhile, the BCAB spokesman pointed out that the protest also reminded the policy makers that Northern Ireland had unanimously voted ‘No’ in the Brexit referendum- a clear message that people wanted to remain in the European Union.
‘Let us further remind them that the DUP does not speak for us, they represent less that 30% of the population, they are not our voice on Brexit.’
The demonstration saw dramatic scenes as a simulated ‘Berlin Wall’ structure was torn down to the loud cheers of protestors.
‘While local people here today have torn down this wall, in a ‘ Hard Brexit’ scenario we as a community and a society will have a very stark choice to make,’ said Declan.
He explained that the BCAB were founded by people living and working on both sides of the border and we have campaigned across Ireland, London and Europe.
Members of the lobby groups hail from the Dundalk-Newry area right along the border to Donegal
‘Amidst the Brexit chaos that currently dominates British politics, the people who live along the border in Ireland are being forgotten.’
‘It is clearer than ever that politicians in Westminster such as Reece Mogg, Boris Johnston and Sammy Wilson simply do not care about the impact that a hard border or a no-deal Brexit will have on our families and on our communities.
‘People living here are very worried about what the future holds,’ said Declan.
‘At the beginning many people did not believe it would come to this. That’s why we set up Border Communities Against Brexit.’
‘We wanted to ensure that the people of the border weren’t ignored. We wanted to highlight how Brexit could detrimentally impact on the border and on the North as a whole.’
He added: ‘We have worked hard in Ireland and in Europe to explain how Brexit will damage and undermine our communities and economy. Unfortunately, the people of this region are being written off as those in Westminster continue to squabble and jockey for position.’