Sinn Fein: Real police change need to break peace deadlock

The UK Government must provide republicans with a script of any amendments to policing legislation in Northern Ireland if the problems in the peace process are to be resolved, a senior Sinn Fein source claimed today.

As British and Irish officials prepared to present the province’s parties with proposals to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Fein stressed they needed proof that there would be legislative change on policing if the problems in the peace process were to be smoothed over.

Outlining 20 areas in the Police Act which needed to be amended in line with the Patten Commission’s recommendations on reform, the source insisted: ‘‘There needs to be legislative change.

’’The reason why there has to be legislative change is that we do not trust the word of the British Government.

’’Patten was reneged upon. If you realise what the securocrats did, you will see there were 175 recommendations on Patten and on each recommendation, they tore a piece out of it.

’’So we need legislative change and it has to be transparent.’’

Sinn Fein is pressing for movement from the Government on:

:: Greater powers for the Policing Board which will hold the new police service accountable, giving them access during inquiries to information which under the Police Act can be withheld from them by the Chief Constable because it is of a sensitive security nature.

:: The lifting of hurdles to inquiries conducted by the Board such as the Chief Constable being given the right to refuse to report to the board, the Northern Ireland Secretary’s ability to uphold that decision and the Government’s ability to overrule any decision to conduct an inquiry.

:: The removal of the ban on ex-paramilitary prisoners participating on local police partnership boards .

:: A ban on the use of plastic bullets.

:: The down-sizing of Special Branch and erosion of its dominant position in police culture.

:: The phasing out of the full-time Police Reserve with a date for its commencement.

:: The use of the police’s title, The Police Service of Northern Ireland and disappearance of any reference to the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

:: All officers taking the new human rights oath recommended by Patten rather than the Police Act’s insistence that only new officers should swear it.

The Sinn Fein source continued: ‘‘We are trying to overturn the ethos of the RUC.

’’If republicans get a proper police service then our job will be to persuade people they should join.’’

He said with no script of legislative changes having been presented to the party, there was not much optimism among republicans about whether the government’s package of proposals could succeed.

’’We are hoping to bring the present Bill towards Patten. That is what is needed,’’ he said.

’’At this point, I have to say I have no faith that we have got to that point.’’

The source also said in his view failure to deliver on policing and other issues was impacting on arms decommissioning.

’’What is not helpful is when commitments are given on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and are then reneged upon,’’ he argued.

’’What is not helpful is (Ulster Unionist leader) David Trimble saying the only way to deal with republicans is to put them under pressure. What is not helpful is his resignation unless he says he is going to get a, b, c.

’’The IRA has set out the context of putting its weapons beyond use. The IRA has also said it will not do that on British or unionist terms.’’