Plan is polarising communities say concerned ratepayers

We do not propose to suggest an alternative site for the UDR Memorial. There must be many more suitable places in Northern Ireland. What has been demonstrated by those who have written to the Star and the reports by the various journalists is the increasing polarisation of the communities on the subject.

Regrettably, it seems to be Unionism against Nationalism. Why is it in this country that we seem always to be rubbing each other up the wrong way? Is this not one area, though, where, if we all stepped back a bit, and reconsidered, no one should be offended?

At this stage, those who have been a party to this and the previous letter would like to state that they themselves are unionists. Some have friends who served in the UDR and some have lost friends during the Troubles. We do not, however, wish to perpetuate the animosity between the communities.

And to those on the Nationalist/Republican side we would also ask that they consider what they put in place to celebrate the lives of men who caused so much death and mayhem, pain and suffering in this country.

In an article in the last edition of the Ulster Star reporting on proceedings in a recent Council meeting where the UDR Memorial was discussed, it was mentioned that Councillor Jenny Palmer (DUP) asked the, no doubt, rhetorical question “Are we going to remove the Nicholson memorial because it offends people from the Indian Community?” This was a rather unfortunate analogy as anyone would see if they looked at the following website. http://www.azkhan.de/MyWebalbums_PhotosPakistan_NicholsonObelisk.htm .

It is little wonder that the Indian Community would be opposed to that memorial as Nicholson slaughtered droves of their people back in the 1840s in India.

‘Concerned Ratepayers’