RUC irreformable
Recommendations by the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs
Committee on the future of the RUC will be deeply disappointing
to nationalists. The report amounts to nothing more than a failed
attempt to restore the RUC's tattered image internationally.
The authors of the report did not address the glaring issues of
concern in relation to the RUC, such as collusion with loyalist
death squads, the leaking of countless intelligence files to the
UDA and UVF, the Stalker/Sampson enquiry, the Stevens report, the
United Nations report on RUC intimidation of solicitors and the
plethora of investigations by human rights groups condemning the
RUC.
The fact remains that the Royal Ulster Constabulary is an
entirely discredited organisation among the nationalist community
in the Six Counties, to a majority of people in the 26 Counties
and among informed opinion across the world.
It has been exposed over the years as a partisan force in the
conflict in the Six Counties and has been associated with
political assassination, torture, sectarian harassment and
numerous cover-ups.
The problems with the RUC are not that of imagery, they are real
problems requiring real change. They will not ameliorated by
ending the flying of Union Jacks on RUC barracks on the Twelfth
of July or by preventing new recruits from being members of the
Orange Order. Sectarianism is endemic within the RUC. Indeed the
force was established and has operated as an armed Unionist
militia. One only had to listen to the Orange Order's Grand
Master, Robert Saulters just two weeks ago decrying attacks on
``our'' police force.
As a force created to defend the Orange state against the
realisation of Irish nationalist aspirations, the RUC has
naturally been imbued with an anti-nationalist ethos. It can
never be acceptable to nationalists. It can never operate as a
force serving all sections of the community equally and
respecting all traditions. It is inextricably linked to one
particular political tradition and is associated with everything
that has been wrong with the Six County state. For those wrongs
to be removed so must the RUC. Yet the House of Commons Committee
refused even to recommend a name change for the force.
The report will be submitted to the Independent Police Commission
which is to be established as a result of the Good Friday
agreement. If the Commission adopts the minimalist approach
represented by this report it will have failed in the critical
task of creating ``a new police service that can enjoy widespread
support from, and is seen as an integral part of, the community
as a whole'' as stated in the Good Friday document.
Orange reactionaries
It was perhaps too much to expect the Orange leopard to change
its spots. The Order's Grand Master, Robert Saulters, may be the
sort of indecisive, disorganised leader who will never be able to
move his organisation out of the Dark Ages, but his apparent call
for dialogue with residents offered a glimmer of light.
The snuffing out of that light a few days later perhaps shows the
real Orange Order. And shows that it will be a long time before
the Orange Order will be a force for positive change.
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