American report slams RUC
by Laura Friel
One recurring theme of all our witnesses is the inescapable conclusion
that the police force in the North of Ireland, the RUC , has been at the
very core of the human rights abuses and civil unrest that has plagued
Northern Ireland for the last 30 years, perhaps even longer
- Congressman
Chris Smith
| |
The U.S. Congressional International Relations Committee has called on the
Patten Commission to back radical transformation of policing in the North
of Ireland. A delegation of American Congressmen arrived in Belfast last
week to hand over a highly critical report on the RUC. The report follows
hearings by the International Relations Committee held earlier this year.
The U.S. politicians presented a transcript of their hearings, which
included testimonies from the families of Rosemary Nelson and Robert Hamill
as well as submissions from international human rights groups, such as
Amnesty International and the British Irish Rights Watch.
A covering letter accompanying the report reiterating the call for radical
reform showed cross party support and was signed by influential figures
such as Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and Democrat leader Dick
Gephardt.
``Never before has such a letter on the RUC been signed by the entire
bipartisan top leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives,'' said Fr.
Sean McManus of the Irish National Caucus. ``It represents a scorching
indictment of the RUC and leaves the British government in no doubt as to
where the U.S. Congress stands.''
Ben Gilman, chairperson of the U.S. International Relations Committee,
called for ``root and branch'' reform. ``The historic
anti-Catholic/nationalist ethos of the current policing in the North of
Ireland must be totally eradicated. A new police force must be strictly
impartial, truly representative of the whole community and fully
accountable to all its citizens.''
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams welcomed the report, describing it as ``a
significant and timely contribution to the Irish Peace Process. The
hearings into the RUC, said Adams, represented a significant contributor to
the policing issue and to the entire peace process.
``Through these hearings, held by the International Committee, people here
in Ireland have had a democratic channel through which their views are
heard. These hearings are a reassurance to people who for years were
silenced, that the necessity for real change is understood and supported by
Congress, ``said Adams.
Responses by unionist politicians were less than welcoming. UDP leader Gary
McMichael expressed disappointment at American ``interference in internal
Northern Ireland matters'', sentiments echoed by Ulster Unionist Ken
Maginnis who accused Congressman Peter King of being ``partisan''.
Let there be no mistake, new and acceptable policing for the north of
Ireland must come, sooner rather than later. It must be root and branch,
not that which is politically acceptable to the ruling unionist majority
-
Congressman Ben Gilman
| |
In the Congress Committee report, the British government faced overwhelming
criticism of the RUC as committee member after member highlights the human
rights abuses perpetrated by the force.
``One recurring theme, `` says committee member Chris Smith, from New Jersey,
``of all our witnesses is the inescapable conclusion that the police force
in the North of Ireland, the RUC , has been at the very core of the human
rights abuses and civil unrest that has plagued Northern Ireland for the
last 30 years, perhaps even longer.''
The RUC is not only unacceptable, it is also unaccountable, acknowledges
Congressman Smith. ``The facts speak for themselves. Of the 2,540 complaints
notified to the Independent Committee for Police Complaints in 1996 only
one RUC officer was found guilty of abuse. Of the 16,375 complaints
submitted prior to 1994 not a single one resulted in any disciplinary
action.''
Recounting a meeting with the RUC Chief, Smith dismisses Ronnie Flanagan as
an ``obstructionist'', suggesting no reforms could be implemented while
Flanagan remains in charge. ``Sir Ronnie is in deep denial about the
problems in his police force and the international community's general
concern about RUC abuse,'' says Smith, adding that Flanagan ``is either
thoroughly uninformed about items under his supervision or he's hiding what
he knows. Neither possibility fills me with any confidence''.
Congressman Sam Gedenson from Connecticut criticises the British
government. Noting that the system of law and justice in America derives
much from Britain, Gedenson says: ``It is disappointing to see that the
British have failed to take their years and centuries of experience with
due process of law and use that in Northern Ireland.
``If it was another country involved in the situation, we could probably
excuse their failure to reform the system by saying they did not have the
institutions. The institutions exist in England. They ought to exist
everywhere,'' says Gedenson.
Congressman Robert Menendez from New Jersey questions the rationale of
trying to reform rather than disband the RUC: ``There can be no sense or
rationale for the continuation of a programme which trains a force, which
by the accounts of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United
Nations Commission on Human Rights, engages in gross violations of human
and civil rights. Despite good intentions and good will, you cannot
professionalise an organisation that is rotten to the core,'' says Menendez.
From New York, Congressman Peter King reiterates the point: ``We're not
talking about incidental violations of human rights, we're not talking
about accidents or mistakes.. We're talking about a police force which is
rooted in bigotry, rooted in violation of human rights and which has
systematically oppressed the nationalist community in the North of
Ireland.''
The RUC, says King, is a force which was ``created for the sole purpose of
oppressing the nationalist community, of keeping them down, of keeping the
North of Ireland in effect, a Unionist state, which does not understand the
concept of human rights.''
Congressman Joseph Crowley criticised Mo Mowlam's attitude when he
expressed concerns about the RUC to the British Secretary of State,
describing Mowlam as ``quite miffed''. ``She alluded to the fact that we have
problems in our country, we should focus on them.
``I said, with all due respect, we do have problems but they pale in
comparison to what's happening in the North of Ireland. The RUC is unfit to
serve as a police force and I've continually called upon Mo Mowlam and the
government of Prime Minister Blair to dedicate themselves to reconstituting
the RUC to become a police force which all communities can be proud of.''
``Rosemary Nelson's death is one of many that can be directly linked to the
RUC and their lack of police protection of Catholics in Northern Ireland,''
continues Crowley, ``The RUC has historically abused the human rights of the
Catholic minority in Northern Ireland and has a history of collusion with
loyalist militias and other groups who target Catholics in Northern
Ireland.''
Benjamin Gilman, chairperson of the International Relations Committee
points out: ``The RUC is not objective, is not impartial and lacks the
support of many of the people it is intended to serve... Many in the North
view the RUC as nothing more than an enforcement arm of the dominant
unionist majority. Not long ago, a woman from South Armagh told our
committee that the RUC, which patrols her community but does not live in or
work with that community, is `` a police force without a face.''
``The issue of RUC reform is not merely one of downsizing. Ninety three
percent of RUC's officers are Protestant. Just recruiting more members of
the minority nationalist community is not enough. We need to see a new
responsiveness and greater accountability to all of the people of Northern
Ireland, irrespective of tradition,'' says Gilman.
``Let there be no mistake, new and acceptable policing for the north of
Ireland must come, sooner rather than later. It must be root and branch,
not that which is politically acceptable to the ruling unionist majority.''
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