A very enjoyable evening yesterday with the St Matthew’s/St John’s group - visiting an exhibition in Belfast City Council Hall, followed by a meal together afterwards before a very enjoyable meeting with Lord Mayor Ryan Murphy. Tracey McRoberts Rev Shona Bell Dr Hedley Abernethy Corrymeela

The latest security statistics on paramilitary-style shootings & beatings show significant rises. Anywhere else, this would be headline news, but somehow, the abuse of our citizens' human rights is "just what happens". These are the mechanisms of control by criminal gangs.

These statistics show 48 victims of human rights abuses carried out by paramilitary/criminal gangs in 2023. How many unreported victims are there? How many other victims are recorded as incidents of "aggravated burglary"? How many live in fear of serious reprisals if they report?

Important statement from police about young & vulnerable people being groomed into criminal behaviours. Paramilitary crime gangs are exploiting young people in the very communities they claim to be defending & protecting. Trapping young people in abuse. itv.com/news/utv/2024-…

D.I. Maguire, a spokesperson for the Paramilitary Crime Task Force said: “The fact that young or vulnerable people may be groomed and recruited, over months and years, into criminal behaviours is hugely concerning”. I couldn’t agree more. Not the time for a societal shrug.

Whilst this is an important statement - it needs close attention. Will the teenager now be viewed as a victim? Will those who coerced, groomed and enslaved him into criminality now be viewed as abusers & charged as such? Abuse is abuse and we all need to call this out.

Saddened to see these statistics are rising.

Today's article captures the despair felt by young people on the significant increases in paramilitary-style human rights abuses. Collectively, we need to find our civic courage to call these beatings & shootings what they are. Abuse & control. newsletter.co.uk/news/crime/no-…

Young people actively coerced into criminal behaviour on our streets. Adults actively grooming young people into violence. This is child abuse. We need the civic courage to call this out and need statutory authorities to act robustly in addressing this. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Strong leadership from Chris Quinn on this. "We need to call this out for what it is - child abuse." Now we urgently need to implement the statutory frameworks to address it & to protect children from coercion & grooming into violence, or we will see this again & again. #CCE

Barbaric! We need to develop the collective, civic courage to stand up against this; even small amounts of information can assist Police Service NI with their inquiries or Crimestoppers. StopAttacks

Another paramilitary-style human rights abuse carried out last night in Bangor. Another victim brutalised. Another life deeply impacted. Another community living under the control and exploitative influence of criminals, who claim to be protecting them. belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-…

Great afternoon and an amazing place to visit. Thanks to all for their generous hospitality.

This unfortunate victim's wording is wholly accurate when she refers to "criminal gangs". These threats are not about protecting a community or any political ideology - they are about control and domination. As one voice, we need to totally condemn the existence of these gangs.

Called into see Grand Central Station today - very impressed; yet less than half a mile away is Sandy Row, such a contrast, it seems forgotten.

Fernhill House played a significant role in its time. As we mark the 30th anniversary of the CLMC ceasefire it would be good to consider a new role for it in the Shared Space of the Forth Meadow Greenway.

Use of 'soft' language around these human rights abuses only contributes to playing down their brutality & significant traumatic impacts. The more our language fails to speak of abuse, coercive control & devastating trauma, then the longer these attacks remain part of our fabric.

Our campaign group highlighting the issue of paramilitary-style human rights abuses on The Nolan Show, BBC this morning. These attacks are a scourge on our communities. Support our stance with the civic courage to call these for what they are and to call for them to end permanently.@

So sad. Too many people invested in the peace industry but not in the peace.

Another young man brutalised, with all the hallmarks of a paramilitary-style human rights abuse. Gunmen 'randomly' on the street - were they waiting for him or arranged to meet him there in a premeditated organised attack? This is control, not protection. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…