Reports obtained from:
(1) Daily Ireland, (2) Irish Republican News
Saturday, 13 January, 2007
Friday, 12 January, 2007
Sinn Féin publish words which the DUP had agreed to say before the New Year on policing and justice (2)
Wednesday, 10 January, 2007
Tuesday-Friday, 9-12 January, 2007
Friday, 29 December, 2006
Sunday-Friday, 24-29 December, 2006
Flash: SF Ard Fheis to go ahead
By Irish Republican News
Sinn Fein's ruling executive has decided to support a proposal for an Extraordinary Ard Fheis to go ahead on January 28th, despite the refusal of the DUP to commit to a deal on policing or power-sharing.
The Ard Fheis will consider the historic but controversial move by the party to support the PSNI police and recognise the courts while they remain under British authority.
The comprehensive motion still calls for the party's participation in the Policing Board and District Policing Partnership Boards, the acceptance of the ministerial Pledge of Office, and the encouragement of republicans to co-operate with the police and judicial institutions.
The motion will state that this new policy will be implemented in the context of the re-establishment of the political institutions of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and confirmation that policing and justice powers will be transferred from London to Belfast.
The motion will also allow for the historic policy shift even if the St Andrews process fails and the alternative 'Plan B' partnership arrangements are implemented.
"This is a hugely courageous decision and will ensure that the process continues to move forward," Mr Adams said.
"I believe that the new beginning to policing promised in the Good Friday Agreement is now within our grasp. Sinn Fein wants to get policing right. The Extraordinary Sinn Fein Ard Fheis is the important next step.'
The following is the full text of Mr Adams's statement:
Irish republicans and nationalists want, need and deserve proper and accountable policing. On Thursday, December 28, I said that I believe that Irish republicans need now to take the necessary next step on policing -- that it is the right thing to do. This was the position I put to today's meeting. In response, the Sinn Fein Ard Chomhairle today took the historic and courageous decision to proceed to an Ard Fheis on policing despite the failure of the DUP to respond positively. If the Ard Fheis adopts the proposed motion then we will have the potential, for the first time ever, for the full involvement by Irish republicans in policing structures across the island.
The Ard Chomhairle has decided to proceed with the planned Ard Fheis on January 28th and on the basis of the motion agreed by the Ard Chomhairle on December 29 which commits Sinn Fein to:
Actively encourage everyone in the community to co-operate fully with the police services in tackling crime in all areas and actively supporting all the criminal justice institutions
The Ard Chomhairle is proposing that an Extraordinary Ard Fheis adopts this motion and gives the Ard Chomhairle the responsibility and authority to fully implement all elements of it. The necessary context for this is the re-establishment of the political institutions and confirmation that policing and justice powers will be transferred to these institutions or when acceptable new partnership arrangements to implement the Good Friday Agreement are in place.
It would be entirely wrong to allow the most negative elements of unionism a veto over republican and nationalist efforts to achieve the new beginning to policing promised in the Good Friday Agreement. Sinn Fein will not be paralysed by rejectionist elements of the DUP.
There are also those within the PSNI who are opposed to change. In this context, I have been made aware of incidents in parts of South Derry, Castlederg and County Armagh where local PSNI units are involved in trying to destabilise nationalist communities. This is entirely predictable and needs to be stopped.
Our objective is to secure a proper policing service and to hold that policing service, once achieved, fully to account. We have already achieved enormous progress on the issues of democratic accountability, human rights protections and the ending of political and repressive policing. Over recent days, we have also seen progress and changes on the key issues of the removal of MI5 from local policing structures and on the use of plastic bullets. I believe that the new beginning to policing promised in the Good Friday Agreement is now within our grasp. Sinn Fein wants to get policing right. The Extraordinary Sinn Fein Ard Fheis is the important next step.
Policing at any price?
By Damian McCarney, Andersonstown News - Daily Ireland
We ask former republican prisoners to give their views on the subject that's got everyone talking
The highly divisive issue of policing has in recent months taken centre stage in determining whether the political structures of the North will stand or fall. Since the peace process commenced in earnest with the IRA ceasefire of 1994, there have been numerous points heralded as 'historic', but the importance of the decision on whether Sinn Féin should accept and support the PSNI cannot be over-estimated.
The Andersonstown News spoke to four former political prisoners to gauge their opinion on the current policing situation.
Jim Auld, Director of Community Restorative Justice Ireland, who was one of the 14 'hooded men', so-called because British Army and RUC men put hoods over their heads before subjecting them to prolonged periods of torture, said he had mixed thoughts on the matter. "The British government were found guilty in the European Court of Human Rights for torturing me. They used the same techniques as the Americans are using in Abu Ghraib prison today, and the people who carried those acts out on behalf of the British government were policemen. "I don't know if any of those people who carried that out are now senior people in the PSNI. So there needs to be a resolution of the past wrong-doings of the police. "In terms of the work I presently do, it is very clear there needs to be a civil police service that is working for a safer community and that is prepared to work alongside the community to create a safer place for me, my family, and my community to live in," said Jim.
Sinn Féin Dunmurry Cross councillor Jennifer McCann, who was imprisoned for a total of 10 years in Armagh and Maghaberry prisons from March 1980 until September 1990, emphasised the significance of the issue for republicans. "Sinn Féin is the only party that has brought the whole issue forward. Tony Blair made a statement today [Wednesday] saying that MI5 would no longer have a role in civic policing here and that has been won through Sinn Féin pushing that in negotiations. "The community needs a police service and I think everybody recognises that, but it can't be the same type of police force we had before, where people were murdered through collusion. There is going to have to be moves in terms of accountability and the transfer of powers by May 2008. "It has to be a transparent accountable police service and it isn't that at the moment, but that is what we need to be aiming for. "
Former Antrim Gaelic football manager Mickey Culbert, who was imprisoned in the H-blocks from 1978 until 1993, believes that the community is moving towards giving their support to the PSNI. "If all other considerations are put into place then it is time to support the PSNI. "Within the current context, if we have non-political policing I think there is quite a surge of opinion from our community in general to satisfy our needs for policing. I think we are moving towards that scenario but we must tie it into the broad political settlement - we can't have it in isolation, and I think that is what Sinn Féin are holding out for - to get the temporary political settlement here for localised government and accountability, and at least have policing done by somebody in the island of Ireland. "The PSNI have made considerable changes in their structures, but what I am very cagey about is the political policing which of course brings MI5 into the equation. "Their Prime Minister this morning issued a statement about it saying that there will be a degree of MI5 involvement here, and that is what they were initially set up for - to deal with the Irish," said Mickey Culbert.
Seán Osborne, a prominent community worker imprisoned for five years between 1978 and 1983, feels that the PSNI would be more acceptable to his community if those involved in collusion were held to account. "The community is crying out for a police service, but it is not crying out for a police service at any cost. The accountability issue is a major factor - ask Raymond McCord, who would have grown up with an allegiance to the Crown and the police force, and his opinions would probably be very similar. So families who have lost loved ones at the hands of loyalists and had the investigations into the murders covered up by elements of the RUC/PSNI would not accept the PSNI at this point. "Undoubtedly, elements within the PSNI would have been involved in the murder of nationalists, and it is not just a few bad apples as unionists would phrase it, so until those involved are made accountable for their actions, Sinn Féin's stance of holding out on policing is correct," said Seán.
Copyright © 2007 Daily Ireland
Sinn Féin publish words which the DUP had agreed to say before the New Year on policing and justice
By Irish Republican News
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams in a statement this morning said:
"In the run up to the meeting of the Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle on December 29th the DUP were given the text of the motion I was putting to the Ard Chomhairle calling a special Ard Fheis on policing.
"They said that the required words were in the motion and that if the Ard Chomhairle accepted the motion the DUP would respond to this in Ian Paisley's New Year statement."
The words given to Sinn Fein were:
"The DUP has always maintained that it will support devolution of policing and justice if there is sufficient confidence across the community. The words needed are those contained in the Ard Chomhairle motion. Provided Sinn Féin translate into action the commitments contained in that motion, the DUP will accept devolution of policing and justice in the timeframe set out in the St. Andrews Agreement or even before that date."
"This was acceptable to me and I proceeded to the Ard Chomhairle meeting.
"The agreed words were never said which is why there is now a crisis in the process.
"So the context has been changed completely. The DUP have refused to accept power sharing within the St. Andrews timeframe. The basis of the Ard Chomhairle motion has been removed. We have to find another basis to move forward. It will be very difficult but I see this as a challenge to be faced and overcome.
"Despite these very profound difficulties I stand by my remarks of December 29th. I put the motion on policing to the Ard Chomhairle because it was the right thing to do. It is still the right thing to do. Republicans and nationalists, like all other citizens, have the right to a civic, non partisan and accountable policing service. There is still an urgent need to get the power sharing arrangements in place, with the DUP in the Executive as is their entitlement.
"Tomorrow the Ard Chomhairle will have to judge all of these matters in the round. Our objective has to be to find a sustainable way forward."
Sinn Féin secure reversal of proposal to integrate PSNI and MI5
By Irish Republican News
Following intense and detailed negotiations between Sinn Féin and the British government in recent weeks Sinn Féin secured the reversal of the British government's proposal to integrate the PSNI and MI5.
In a written statement to MPs at Westminster about the future of MI5 in the Six Counties, the British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said MI5 and the PSNI will be completely distinct and separate bodies under new arrangements in the Six Counties.
Mr Blair said policing is the responsibility solely of the PSNI, and that the 'Security Service' would have no role whatsoever in civic policing.
Tony Blair has said MI5 and the PSNI will be completely distinct and separate bodies under new arrangements in the Six Counties.
Sinn Féin Policing spokesperson Gerry Kelly said today:
"Our objective has been to secure accountable and representative policing. We have made considerable progress in that over recent years. At St. Andrews however the British government proposed the integration of MI5 into policing structures in the north which the Irish government acquiesced to and which the SDLP claimed as a victory.
"This was a fundamental mistake on their part. Sinn Fein rejected these proposals and undoing the damage done has been a primary issue for Sinn Fein over the Christmas negotiations.
"Our objective has been to firewall local policing from the malign and corruptive control of MI5. The proposals today remove MI5 from policing structures in Ireland.
"For decades people across this island have suffered enormously as a result of the activities of MI5, which has been responsible for collusion and state sponsored killings in Dublin and Monaghan and across the north.
"The St. Andrews proposals would have embedded MI5 into civic policing with the real potential of again creating a force within a force.
"The fact that the Irish government did not oppose the inclusion of these proposals and did not assist in their removal is staggering, particularly given the extent of collusion which has now been confirmed by Justice Barron in his reports.
"The SDLP also publicly supported these proposals and bizarrely claimed them as a victory. Sinn Fein rejected the St. Andrews proposals on MI5.
"The new statement by the British government today abandons their proposals to integrate MI5 into policing structures. This means that there will now be:
No secondment of PSNI members to MI5 No PSNI members will be under the control of MI5 MI5 will have no role in civic policing All PSNI members accountable to the Policing Board and other Patten mechanisms and upon transfer to the Justice Ministers. All party representation on the Policing Board special purposes committee The Police Ombudsman will have statutory access to all information held by PSNI and statutory powers to hold PSNI members to account. Arrangements will be made that she will have access to information held by MI5 where this is necessary to the discharge of her duties. Annual Review role in the north for Lord Carlisle in consultation with the First and deputy First Ministers and future Justice Ministers. "Sinn Féin is determined to achieve a new beginning to policing. One of our key demands in these negotiations was to stop MI5 having any role in civic policing here. Today's proposals will go a long way towards achieving that objective and go far beyond the proposals agreed by the SDLP at St. Andrews.
Tony Blair's statement on MI5 in full
By Irish Republican News
Tony Blair's statement on MI5 in full The following is British Prime Minister Tony Blair's written statement to the British House of Commons today on the role of MI5 in the Six Counties.
"There has been some concern over the arrangements set out in Annex E, which was published along with the St Andrews agreement. The government is therefore issuing a new statement in relation to national security.
"This will help bring Northern Ireland into line with a European approach which would provide a consistent and co-ordinated response to the threat from international terrorism which concerns us all. The threat presented by international terrorism to citizens was graphically illustrated by the train bombings in Madrid and on the streets of London in July 2005. The loss of life was horrific and completely unacceptable. The handling of national security intelligence throughout the European Union, including Northern Ireland, is designed to provide a consistent and co-ordinated response to the grave threat posed by international terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda.
"The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Security Service will be completely distinct and entirely separate bodies. All necessary interaction between the Security Service and the PSNI, for example in response to the threat of international terrorism, will, as directed by the chief constable, by way of liaison. No police officers will be seconded to or under the control of the Security Service. The small number of police officers who act in a liaison capacity with the security service will be PSNI headquarters staff acting in that role for fixed time-limited periods to the extent that the chief constable deems necessary for them to perform their duties. Policing is the responsibility solely of the PSNI. The security service will have no role whatsoever in civic policing.
"Leadership and direction of all police work is the responsibility of the Chief Constable who will remain accountable to the Policing Board.
"All PSNI officers will be employed by the PSNI and will be accountable solely to the Chief Constable and to the Policing Board and upon transfer to the Ministers for Justice. The Patten policing reforms will be maintained and there will be no diminution in police accountability.
"When the Policing Board establishes a special purposes committee under section 28 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 the Government will make any necessary statutory provision to ensure it will be representative of all political parties on the Board.
"Future justice ministers will receive the same level of information as does the board and the special purposes committee.
"The Ombudsman will have statutory powers to hold to account all police officers. The Ombudsman will also have statutory access to all information held by the police. The Ombudsman's Office and the Security Service will agree arrangements for the Ombudsman's access to sensitive information held by the Service, where necessary for the discharge of the Ombudsman's statutory duties.
"Furthermore, I can confirm that the Government will invite Lord Carlile, and any successor, to review annually the operation of the arrangements for handling national security-related matters in Northern Ireland. In the course of his review, he will consult the Chief Constable, the Policing Board and the Police Ombudsman, as well as taking into account any views which the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister and, in due course, Justice Ministers may put to him."
"The ombudsman will have statutory powers to hold to account all police officers. The ombudsman will also have statutory access to all information held by the police.
"The Ombudsman's Office and the security service will agree arrangements for the ombudsman's access to sensitive information held by the service, where necessary for the discharge of the ombudsman's statutory duties.
"Furthermore, I can confirm that the government will invite Lord Carlile, and any successor, to review annually the operation of the arrangements for handling national security-related matters in Northern Ireland.
"In the course of his review, he will consult the chief constable, the policing board and the police ombudsman, as well as taking into account any views which the first minister and the deputy first minister and, in due course, justice ministers may put to him."
Tuesday-Friday, 9-12 January, 2007
Polish recruits to boost Catholic PSNI numbers
By Irish Republican News
The PSNI police may be able to meet the Patten requirements for increased numbers of Catholic recruits by drawing from the nearly 1,000 Polish people who have applied to join the force.
The huge number of applications from Poland comes amid growing evidence that relatively few northern nationalists are applying for positions with the predominately Protestant force.
In the most recent round of applications for the PSNI, which ended last November, 968 Polish men and women put their names forward.
It is not known how many were successful as trainee officers are listed only as either Catholic or Protestant. More than 95 per cent of Poland's population is Catholic.
A spokeswoman for the PSNI said: "We very much welcome the applicants for this competition and in particular the applications from minority ethnic communities.
"The large number of applications is indicative of how many people see the PSNI as a career choice."
Katrina Kordula, of the Polish Welfare Association in Derry, welcomed the news as evidence of migrant workers' increased integration into society.
"We think this is a great initiative because it breaks down the cultural barriers within the service," she said.
"The PSNI is now on its way to becoming multi-cultural and this is another step towards integration in the community."
Sinn Fein to hold Ard Fheis on policing
By Irish Republican News
Sinn Fein's national executive has backed the motion put by party President Gerry Adams to convene a special party conference on the issue of policing today.
Sinn Fein support for policing would satisfy Ian Paisley's DUP main precondition to sharing local devolved power by March 2007.
The development came after a 6-hour meeting of the executive [Ard Chomhairle] at the Great Southern Hotel at Dublin Airport this afternoon.
Full details of the actual motion to go before the party conference [Ard Fheis] will not be made available for a number of days.
It was reported that the motion will commit the party to appoint representatives to the North's policing board and district partnership boards.
It will also encourage everyone in the community to co-operate fully with the PSNI police in tackling crime and to actively support all criminal justice institutions.
Speaking after the talks, Mr Adams said the meeting would be held if the two governments and the DUP gave a positive response.
It was not revealed how many members of the Ard Chomhairle, if any, dissented with the Adams proposal.
It has also still not been revealed what agreement was reached, if any, with the British government and the other political parties in negotiations over the Christmas holiday period.
"We have just had a very good debate at our Ard Chomhairle," said Mr Adams.
"I put a motion to the party leadership and our party leadership endorsed that by more than the 2/3 majority."
Mr Adams said the debate had been "frank, comradely, and robust".
"We have a very united Ard Chomhairle facing into the challenges ahead.
"If the two governments and others including the DUP respond positively to today's developments, then the Ard Fheis will proceed in January."
Mr Adams said party officials would start to meet republicans, particularly veteran republicans, in the coming weeks to win support for the move.
Sunday-Friday, 24-29 December, 2006
Catholics quit PSNI
By Irish Republican News
Some 72 Catholic recruits have quit the PSNI, citing a range of reasons for dropping out, including work difficulties and republican paramilitary threats.
Catholic representation has risen to 1,574 officers under new 50/50 recruitment policies - 20 per cent of manpower.
Jane Winter, from the British/Irish Rights Watch pressure group, claimed the figure of 72 Catholic drop-outs damaged community confidence in the force.
"The PSNI have not been able to recruit enough Catholic police officers to the force; this is undermining the Patten recommendations and community confidence in the police," Ms Winter said.
"This failure is in part due to failings within the PSNI such as an absence of minority representation and partly to external factors such as the intimidation of new recruits.
"These are the sort of teething problems we would expect given the campaign that there's been on the part of republican dissidents to dissuade people from joining."
Some members of District Policing Partnerships -- boards which monitor policing performance across the North -- have been subject to intimidation.
Sinn Fein does not sit on the new policing structures but may yield to pressure to endorse them to allow a return to power-sharing government.
Meanwhile, President Mary McAleese has revealed she has relatives who joined the police service.
"We have seen members of the PSNI gaelic football team, on which I have members of my own family [and clan] coming down and playing with members of the Garda Siochana," she said.