To Irish nationalists and many Catholics throughout this island, the Loughinisland report will hold no surprises but does mark a key change in attitudes as for the first time in the north anyway, collusion has been proven beyond all doubt in an official state inquiry and that is something new. We shouldn’t be surprised that in the southern state the development has not made media headlines. After all, they did nothing for the 34 Irish citizens killed by the British state in the Dublin Monaghan bombings despite British state collusion being proven in the Barron Report. Sure what is another six Irish citizens?
The truth is, the British state was directly and indirectly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Irish citizens throughout the conflict either through collusion with loyalist paramilitaries or through their own MRF and FRU who operated out of uniform and used terrorism tactics without as they claim, to have had any guidelines on what was or was not allowed, a fact they also openly claim means they did not break any laws.
Indeed, collusion was rife and the state operated with duplicity, on one hand acting as the legitimate government enforcing law and order and criminalising those involved, and on the other running a covert dirty war and protecting those who worked for or with state backing.
To cover their tracks, the British state killed with impunity and killed people on both sides ,including RUC officers such as Sgt Joseph Campbell in 1977, as well as many civilians, in particular solicitors who shone a light on the dark reality of the conflict. Most of the evidence has been destroyed and no effort has been made at getting statements or even releasing the names of the vast list of informants many of whom are still active in criminal gangs today.
It is time greater pressure was applied to make all such evidence available to the courts and for all security forces members, ex RUC, Special Branch, even MPs to be brought to justice and to see the inside of a cell for their past actions, and for all state protection towards criminality past and present to cease once and for all.
This must happen and we must strive for and encourage as much international pressure to be put on the British state as we can muster in this regard.
The fact that Irish citizens cannot count on our own so-called state to help, is a damning indictment of the two pathetic little artificial statelets on this island. The Dublin led statelet is not much better than the northern statelet and cares nothing for its citizens. For them, this report and the north in general is a toxic subject they just want to go away.
But the Brexit referendum may yet offer an opportunity in particular should the Remain camp win.
The UK and in particular the conservatives have damaged their relationship with the other EU leading nations in particular Germany who even should they remain will make the UK pay with every chance they get.
Could this be an opportunity to persuade the EU to put more pressure on the UK to step up to the mark in dealing with legacy issues and its own human rights abuses in Ireland which are ongoing, with evidence still being denied to the courts under the false pretence of national security?
It would be an opportunity for them to show the EU is more than simply open borders, mass movement of people and an open market for the wealthy international traders. That human rights are valued and will be enforced within the EU.
Let us support the families of Loughinisland to get the names released and evidence pursued and let us see what the EU can do for us.
Richard Feldman, President of the Independent Firearm Owners’ Association says there would be a civil war in America if an effort was made to take away their guns. Mr Feldman said there are 300 million fire arms in the USA owned by 100 million people. According to Mr Feldman:
“It is not about the power of the gun, it is always about in whose hands are the guns…
A gun is merely a delivery device. Putting it in the hands of people who misuse is the problem…”
Who put assault rifles into the hands of the gang that attacked the Heights Bar in Loughinisland?
I agree justice should be given to anyone who loss loved ones due to collusion.
I also think the same pressure should be put on the Republican side to achieve justice for people killed due to the IRA terror campaign.
Unfortunately this piece by Jessica only calls for justice if the state was involved, which is a one sided corrupt form of justice.
“I also think the same pressure should be put on the Republican side to achieve justice for people killed due to the IRA terror campaign.”
You are forgetting, Scott, that the Republican Movement, represented by SF, supports the establishment of an effective independent and international truth recovery process. Do the British Government? Gerry Adams made this very clear in 2010 in an oration in Milltown Cemetery. SF was committed to seeing the implementation of a body to deal with the past and agreed this in the Stormont House Agreement to be reneged on, by the British in Fresh Start – The British Government using their “National security” excuse are allowing the past to remain our present. The British Government don’t want the truth to come out as it exposes a litany of their wrong doings – their narrative that the Troubles was simply the fault of the PIRA has been exposed to be completely and utterly nonsense. This was the same British Government who denounced collusion as a conspiracy, as Republican propaganda, as an illusion! Was the British government, the RUC, special branch etc not meant to be upholding the law? No words are as true as ” when those who make the law, break the law, in the name of the law … then there is no law.”
Added to this Loyalist combatants need also to engage in a process of truth recovery. Until such a process takes place, where all those involved, from all sides, come out and speak the truths of all that happened, the past will always be and the present will always suffer.
“…a one sided corrupt form of justice.”
The state had a duty of care for all its citizens prior to 1969. Had the state administered justice on an equal and impartial basis, many lives would have been saved, injuries avoided and millions of pounds could have been used to promote and develop decent standards of living for all citizens.
During July, August and September 1969, 1,820+ families were forced to flee their homes, including:
1,505 Catholic families
315 Protestant families
Successive British governments have used military might and covert means to address social and economic problems associated with poverty and chronic unemployment. The state continues to prevaricate on legacy issues.
“Unfortunately this piece by Jessica only calls for justice if the state was involved, which is a one sided corrupt form of justice.”
I am calling for evidence already found to be released and to stop the denial of justice through the abuse of national security to protect British interests.
If you don’t see how that is wrong then don’t talk to me about being one sided.
So to be consistent you would also call for high ranking members of SF or anyone else for that matter to hand over any known information to the police which could help bring IRA killers to justice then?
“So to be consistent you would also call for high ranking members of SF or anyone else for that matter to hand over any known information to the police which could help bring IRA killers to justice then?”
Of course.
All of the truth needs to come out, every bit of it.
There will be no reconciliation without it, I assure you of that.
Well seeing as how the UK state purusued convictions against Republicans for 40 years while refusing to pursue crimes by the state during that same period.
So 40 years of focusing almost exclusively on state crimes will restore that balance you claim to be so eager for. But you’re not, just throwing chaff to distract from the UK state’s murder of civilians in Ireland and abroad.
The EU has never shown the slightest interest in holding the British to account for anything that they may have done here or elsewhere, and remain or not that won’t change as many within the EU France, Spain and Germany to name but a few have their own secrets to hide.
Belfastdan you are spot on. The EU is a corrupt entity led by former European imperialists. Colonies like Ireland are an after thought. In the past the European court has ruled in favour of British human rights abuses but inevitably they are reversed in appeals, also known as back room discussions.
WT please name one imperialist country in the EU?
UK, France, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Denmark.
You know the ones still with colonies. You don’t seem to know that much about the world which as usual goes along with fiercely held opinions about it.
Hardly imperial powers in this day and age. What’s there Empires consist of today, tiny specks of islands or artic wasted.
In future can you alert us when you are using your own definitions for words. It will let us know not to waste our time.
Without France and Germany Europe is nothing. Germany can hardly go high and mighty against GB given it’s WW2 past and the last mass killing France took part in was in Paris in 1961 against Algerians. Hardly two countries to be giving lectures out on, on how not to kill, when they’re adapt at that themselves.
I agree Scott. Jessica, once again shows her narrow minded view of the issues Northern Ireland has had in the past. Suppose an Ex Ruc officer is convicted of collusion. What sentence does he get, considering all the provos were let out on license? A few years in prison maybe? Is that justice? Was there any juctice for Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan when collusion existed between the provos and the Garda? Time to take those green, white and gold tinted glasses Jessica!
You’re just trying to shift the goal-posts here. A damning report has just been issued detailing clear collusion between the so-called guardians of law and order and loyalist terrorists. Loughlinisland is just one of multiple instances of such nefarious criminality and it blows the myth of Britain as a referee holding the ring between different factions out of the water.
What does green, white and gold refer to?
@fiosrach – Whatever they are, they’re hardly the Hi-focus Super-prejudist lenses which enable willie frazer to see fenians at the bottom of his garden
https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2016/02/10/fenians-at-the-bottom-of-willies-garden/