Collusion: An Immoral Part of an Immoral Conflict
I don’t want to get into the ins and outs of collusion or make too much of a judgement without evidence, as many in Northern Ireland no doubt will or indeed have already done. I am not surprised by the supposed “revelation” of RUC collusion or that certain members of the old Police force colluded with paramilitaries. Nobody can claim that our conflict was in anyway clean, even the terrorists called it a “dirty war”, and so to claim surprise when a dirty little secret is revealed makes little sense outside of political point scoring. I am not attempting to justify the crimes of people in the past or excuse them but to highlight that they were not uniquely evil. Policemen, many of whom came from the communities targeted by Republicans could not have all remained as decent as the majority of rank and file officers did, its just the impossibility of human nature, just like those Catholics in 1969 who watched their homes being burned by Loyalist gangs could not all have remained decent as the majority of Catholics did.
Within the context of our conflict the informants system was tragically going to fall prey to the instances of murder highlighted, however collusion is different from turning a blind eye, in order to collude the officers in question would have had to set up or help organise the murders - which some may well have done - but I don’t possess the evidence. However accepting that terrorists are going to kill and turning a blind eye to those few murders may have prevented greater acts of terrorism. Within the context of the dirty war we cannot see what was necessary from what was morally unjustifiable and plain sectarian murder with regards to the RUC. If evidence suggests otherwise then no one can morally argue against it.
What I will say is I am not surprised by the Republican hypocrites reaction to the whole sordid affair who of course jumped on the moral high ground.
Calling for heads to roll, people to be fired, prosecutions, justice and using the murder of 15 people to excuse or justify the terrorism of Nationalists. In an ideally moral country yes, certainly evidence of murder and collusion should be fairly dealt with, in an ideally moral country paramilitaries who murdered innocent civilians for sectarian reasons would be jailed and serve their full sentences for those crimes…but you see, we don’t live in either an ideal or a moral country, we live in Northern Ireland.
I will agree with Martin McGuinness that ex-RUC members, Special Branch officers, former Chief Constables and the like be imprisoned for acts of supporting or overlooking acts of murder; when Mr McGuinness is put on trial for his crimes, when OTR terrorists are hunted down and locked up. When those who did not serve their full sentences thanks to the GFA are returned to prison or when Mr McGuinness gives up those members of his organisation who were not prosecuted for acts of sectarian murder. Until then Sinn Fein members and supporters have no moral high ground on which to stand to accuse others or hold people to standards of prosecution they themselves feel exempted from because of their ‘political idealism’ or supposed ‘cause’.
If I may indulge my own idealism: we should have an amnesty for all those involved in the 30+ year conflict, if we cannot be consistent with our standards, and should seek to build a better future for all of us and our future generations. I cannot change the dark days of what we allowed to occur in our country, nor do I wish to go on a moralistic revenge trip, rather I’d be happy to remember only so that it spurs us on to never again allow ourselves to return to such a dark place. I don’t believe a South African style “Truth & Reconciliation” commission would be anything more than a sop or a cynical exercise, but perhaps we require something similar, which allows a blanket amnesty for those who partake in it in order that it is firmly placed in the past once and for all, I believe it would be a welcome relief for many…apart from of course most Republicans and most Loyalists.
“If I may indulge my own idealism: we should have an amnesty for all those involved in the 30+ year conflict, ”
Sorry Mr Levee not much “ideal” about that!
“nor do I wish to go on a moralistic revenge trip, ”
me neither but Justice is not something to be given up on.
I identify with the thrust of your peice nonetheless
This is one of CJ’s posts, Aileen, although I agree with what he’s saying for the most part. I’ve never understood why Sinn Fein made such an issue over collusion when they happily took every opportunity to massacre people, innocent or not.
I think we need to draw a line in the sand for a lot of these issues and try to move on. The issue now should be lasting peace and developing politics that don’t rely on a traditional schism between people here.
“not much “ideal” about that!”
I understand that, but what in this country is ideal? What I meant was if there is no consistancy in anyones position in regards to dealing with these issues, then whats the point in digging them up, beyond political point scoring?
“me neither but Justice is not something to be given up on.”
Whos justice? Justice is as much a victim of the troubles as anything else; in Northern Ireland justice is either green or orange, so whos justice is more important? Obviously we can’t hold endless inquiries to satisfy every side and what conclusions will satisfy all people? We aren’t mature enough as a people to provide true impartial justice.