QUB Students 'Rage Against RIR'

As the body of Royal Irish Ranger David Dalzell was flown home from Afghanistan this week, Sinn Fein has 'reacted with fury' to a Royal Irish Regiment recruitment stall being set up outside Queens University, Belfast (QUB).

Just hours after a coffin carrying the remains of the Bangor soldier arrived at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire accompanied by a second coffin carrying Company Sergeant Major Colin Beckett (36), of 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, republican students slammed the appearance of two soldiers outside QUB.

Queen's University has failed to make any comment - despite repeated requests - after a Sinn Fein statement said this morning: "These recruitment drives have been ongoing with the British Army having a stall at the Fresher's fair in September and recruitment posters advertised within the Queen's Students Union."

Although Irish soldier, Royal Irish Regiment Ranger Dalzell was killed last Friday in an 'operational accident' in the Nad-e-Ali district of Helmand province, the students branded the British army as "an illegal force of occupation".

They said this morning that it "should not be permitted to recruit on campus".

"A university should be a neutral environment free from offensive literature and posters that only serve to promote an atmosphere of exclusion and segregation," the statement continued.

Student and QUB Sinn Fein activist Megan Fearon continued: "I was appalled at the presence of the British Army at the university.

"The British war machine is an occupying force in Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, and should not be allowed to recruit young Irish students."

Bringing up a short Army parade in central Belfast over two years ago, she said: "It is a disgrace that following the outrage and controversy the RIR 'victory parade' caused, that they would choose to target vulnerable students, who in the current economic climate are faced with unemployment issues, this is taken advantage of.

"They promise students adventure, excitement and a good career prospect when in reality all they will be doing is giving their lives to an imperialist power that will use them to invade and occupy other countries.

"The British Army have no right to be in Ireland never mind our universities."

Apparently without any irony she said: "I call on all (the) Queen's students to reject the presence of this war force on our campus and for the university to no longer permit them to recruit."

Meanwhile, the latest casualties have been named as Pte Lewis Hendry, of 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, and Pte Conrad Lewis, of 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment, who both died in small arms fire.

Both soldiers had been patrolling in the north of Nad-e Ali district in Helmand earlier this week.

Pte Hendry, from Norwich, died at the scene after suffering gunshot wounds. He was three days off his 21st birthday.

Pte Lewis, from Bournemouth, was four months into his tour of Afghanistan when his patrol came under fire.

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