Rosemary Nelson: the latest in a long list
by Sean Marlow
This column has often referred to the growing evidence of collusion
between the RUC and loyalist death squads. This week, of all weeks, I
make no apology for returning to this crucial issue.
The cowardly murder of courageous solicitor, wife and mother,
Rosemary Nelson, is only the latest in a long list of killings set up
and/or carried out by the RUC.
Only last weekend the (anti-republican) Sunday Times published a
confession by ex-RUC Sergeant, John Weir, who admitted that;
- the RUC [in Armagh alone] were involved in a bomb attack on Tully's
bar in Whitecross;
- an attempted bombing of Renaghan's bar in Clontibret;
- killing two Catholics at the Step Inn in Keady;
- passing [decommissioned!] machine guns to the UDA and UVF with
assistance from RUC superintendent Harry Breen, who was later shot
dead by the IRA;
- killing John Francis Green near Castleblaney with UVF hit-men, Robin
Jackson and RJ Kerr;
- killing shopkeeper William Strathearn;
- The Dublin/Monaghan bombings, which killed 33 people and was the
worst action of the troubles, although the media seems to have
forgotten the victims and their relatives.
The same weekend, the Sunday Tribune and Ireland on Sunday revealed
British Forces colluding in 12 killings in Fermanagh, the killing of
Councillor Patsy Kelly in Trillick, Co Tyrone and the killing and
cover-up of Dundalk man, Seamus Ludlow.
Then we had the revelation from Paul O'Connor of the Pat Finucane
Centre that, not only did the RUC encourage loyalists to kill the
human rights solicitor Pat Finucane, but they knew exactly when it
was going to happen and did nothing to prevent it. Given this sordid
history of collusion by the RUC, it is hardly surprising that any
rational person should have strong suspicions about the killing of
Rosemary Nelson.
Paradoxically this barbarism is even more shocking because it was so
blatant and so clearly signalled in advance. Only last September, in
a hearing before the US Congress, Rosemary herself related how she
had been harassed, assaulted, spat upon
and threatened by the RUC. UN Special Rapporteur, Dr Cumaraswamy,
reported RUC death threats against several solicitors and warned that
Rosemary's life was particularly in danger.
Other aspects of this killing which point towards collusion include
the high level of British Forces activity near Rosemary's home before
the killing [as happened before Pat Finucane was shot] and the use of
a highly sophisticated booby-trap device when, before now, the RUC
emphasised that Red Hand Defenders' devices were very crude [echoes
of the Dublin/Monaghan bombs].
Despite all of these cases, the RUC and their fellow travellers in
the media claim there is no official collusion as many loyalists have
been jailed, and at worst only a few bad apples are involved. But the
fact that extreme white supremacists in South Africa were jailed did
not mean that there was not official collusion with state forces.
And, if only a few bad apples in the RUC were setting up nationalists
for assassination, why has no RUC member been charged with issuing
death threats against Rosemary Nelson or Pat Finucane or with passing
thousands of security files to loyalists? Why does the RUC routinely
take photos and make detailed drawings of nationalists' homes,
including security arrangements?
How should republicans react to these sinister developments? Well,
first of all, we should not leave it up to our overworked leaders and
press officers to respond in the media. EVERY republican activist and
supporter should immediately write to their local [and national]
paper and get on to their local radio to point out the facts of
collusion and the need for the RUC to be disbanded. YOU should point
out the absurdity of calls to leave the nationalist community unarmed
[Rosemary Nelson was refused protection by the RUC and British Government], when the RUC,
who carried out the first killings of the troubles under the
direction of the Unionist Party and who continue to set up
nationalists for assassination, are still carrying their lethal
weaponry on the streets where the relatives of their victims live.
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