4 August 1999 Edition

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Blair extends use of plastic bullets

By Padraig MacDabhaid

NEW LAWS by Tony Blair's British government allowing the use of plastic bullets in England and Wales have been described by Sinn Féin's Mary Nellis as ``an insult to those who have been killed, injured and bereaved by these lethal weapons''.

The new regulations no longer allow the lethal weapons to be used to protect property.

Announcing the new regulations, British Home Secretary Jack Straw seemed more concerned with the effects the new rules would have on voters in England and Wales when he said, ``Misuse could lead to serious injury or worse.''

Straw is obviously not too concerned with the lives of the 17 people killed and the hundreds injured by plastic bullets in the Six Counties since 1972. The European Union wants their use banned.

Jim McCabe, spokesman for the Relatives for Justice, was scathing in his attack on the new rules.

``None of the relatives of those killed will be taken in by this blatant PR stunt by the British government. This is just an exercise to make the use of plastic bullets more acceptable. We have seen in the past that the rules set down for these deadly weapons have been ignored; it will be no different this time.''

He pointed out that plastic bullets have never been used to protect either life or property:

``All 17 people who died as a result of injuries sustained by plastic bullets were totally innocent people going about their daily business. This was proved in all their inquests.

``Innocent people have lost their lives because of these deadly weapons. The bullets were often shot at a range of less than the recommended distance laid out in the rules, sometimes even at point-blank range, in totally innocent non-riot situations.''

He added:

``We know from experience here that, often, these bullets have been doctored by those using them, mainly the RUC and the British army, who added nails, coins, batteries and razor blades to make them more dangerous.

``In the end it's not the plastic bullet that matters it's in whose hands these ruinous objects are put''.

All of these sentiments were echoed by Sinn Féin Assembly member Mary Nelis, who pointed out that the new regulations ignore the misuse of plastic bullets by the RUC and British army.

Nelis went further, however, and highlighted the wider political implications of the new regulations:

``This minimalist gesture also raises questions as to the British government's commitment to deliver on its demilitarisation programme, which should have been published nine months ago under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.''

 

RUC breaks own rules



By Pádraig MacDabhaid


North Belfast Sinn Féin Assembly member Gerry Kelly has called on the RUC to explain why it flouted its own new regulations on the firing of plastic bullets on Thursday night, 29 July, in the Clifton Park Avenue/Rose Street area of North Belfast.

``The RUC fired a number of plastic bullets at a group of young nationalists, while ignoring another group of loyalists who were cutting through nearby fencing with a grinder,'' he explained.

One eyewitness said that the RUC arrived in full riot gear and began to attack the nationalist youths with batons and plastic bullets.

Kelly pointed out that at the start of the week the RUC had announced that it would no longer fire plastic bullets in any situation other than to protect life.

``No police force, let alone the RUC, should be allowed to fire on young people with impunity,'' said Kelly.

Meanwhile, spokesman for The Victims and Survivors Trust, (VAST), Brendan McLoughlin has echoed the call for a banning of the use of plastic bullets.

Vast is a registered charity dedicated to the memory of all those who have lost their lives as a result of the ``Anglo/Irish war'' and is aimed at helping people in their transition from being a victim to becoming a survivor.

McLoughlin said: ``This lethal weapon has been used for the duration of the Troubles and has resulted in the deaths of 17 civilians, all of whom died in controversial circumstances. Most of these were children, while hundreds of people have been maimed and traumatised''.

The plastic bullet, he said, ``is not a tool that can be allowed in any society that purports to be civilised, it is not something which goes hand in hand with any normal human rights agenda''.


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