Ending collusion through demilitarisation
By Caítlin Doherty
As the political party leaders gather in the White House, the savage
murder of Rosemary Nelson is a brutal reminder of the
responsibilities that face Unionism and the British and Irish
governments in making the peace process work. Decommissioning will be
no doubt flagged up by David Trimble and made a precondition for the
setting-up of the Executive. In the recent weeks, the agenda of the
pan-unionist front, formed by elements of the no-camp and the Ulster
Unionists has been helped by the failure of the British government to
establish the Assembly Executive and the governing bodies of the
All-Ireland institutions. However, these delaying and obstructionist
tactics only throw a shadow on the real issue: implementing the
Agreement. Let there be no mistake: the murder of Rosemary Nelson is
a tragic reminder of what the process, in the letter and the spirit
of the Agreement, entails. All guns must be taken out of Irish
politics. The British security apparatus must be dismantled from it's
roots.
The paramilitary RUC, and all the crown forces that colluded with
loyalist death squads in the assassination of Pat Finucane, those
that plotted and carried out Rosemary Nelson's murder and who killed
hundreds of nationalist with their legally-held guns, must all be
disbanded. It is not enough to acknowledge the grief of the
nationalist people. The collusion, highlighted recently by loyalist
prisoner Bobby Philpott, must be prevented, the British security
framework responsible must be pulled down and the securocrats
exposed.
If the peace process is going to work, the British and Irish
governments have to ensure that this issue is not pushed aside and
becomes the reality that was promised to the people of the island
since May last year.
In the past, the main-stream human rights agencies and the United
Nations have slammed successive British governments for their massive
abuse of human rights. It has been found guilty of collusion. Yet,
one year after the unveiling of the report of the UN special
rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, and a year
after the Good Friday Agreement, there has not been an inch of
progress on this issue. On the contrary, the military build-up
continues in areas such as Belast and South Armagh. The RUC is
actively attempting to recruit young nationalists on a daily basis.
In the past, cover-ups of collusion and the direct consequences of
the thousands of legally-held weapons have been a regular fact of
life in the Six Counties. Families of victims murdered by the state
and loyalist death squads acting on security information, many
directly with agents of the Crown, have a right to equality and
justice. Rosemary Nelson was among those who fought against the
silence surrounding collusion and the effects of militarism on the
island.
As a solicitor, she took it upon herself, despite death threats, to
passionately fight for the rights of the nationalist people. May it
be on the Garvaghy Road, or in the courts, her strength and
determination drove her to believe that justice would eventually
prevail.
Rosemary Nelson requested independent inquiries into the death of her
colleague Pat Finucane and the murder of young Robert Hamill. She
fought the British judicial system through the system, despite
discriminatory legislation and all the obstacles that lay in her way.
Her work was key in the quest for equality, rights and justice in
this island.
At this time of transition, the legally-held weapons and know-how of
the British securocrats cannot continue to be used to cover-up
loyalist murders, in an attempt to silence the nationalist voice.
There is much doubt as to whether the truth will ever be publicly
revealed about this latest murder. But there can be no doubt about
the urgent need for demilitarisation and the disbandment of the
British security apparatus. As anger fills the hearts of the
nationalist people, this must be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
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