2 April 1998 Edition
The killing of Robert Hamill - lessons to be learned.
By Fr Joe McVeigh
Director of the Centre for Human Rights, Springhill, Belfast.
Many in our community were outraged at the brutal killing of Robert Hamill by a gang of pro-British loyalists in Portadown last year.
They were outraged especially about the inaction of the heavily armed RUC at the scene of the attack and about the misleading statements which the RUC issued afterwards. They were further angered by the remarks of the judge when he released five of the six loyalists subsequently charged with the murder. What chance of justice in this case? The family thinks none if it is left to the state and have instructed their solicitor to take civil action against the RUC. I think there are lessons to be learned from this case about the kind of changes that are needed in this society if Catholics are going to be allowed to live here as equals.
On 27 April 1997, Robert Hamill was walking home from St Patrick's Hall via the centre of Portadown along with three friends. Even though there was a crowd of Loyalists standing about, Robert and his friends felt it was safe to walk on when they saw an RUC landrover parked there. Eyewitnesses have described how the loyalist gang of about thirty attacked Robert and kicked him on the head for up to ten minutes. While they kicked they shouted ``Kill him, Kill him'' and while they continued to kick him and his companion, Gregory Girvan, they shouted, ``Die you Fenian bastards''.
And while the loyalists kicked Robert and his friend, the RUC sat watching in the landrover. None of those involved in the beating was arrested that night. Seven different RUC press statements were released in the days following. They gave conflicting versions of what had happened.
Robert was on life support for 10 days and died on 8mMay.
The day after Robert died five men from Portadown, Alister Hanvey, Wayne Lunt, Dean Forbes, Stacey Bridgett and Paul Hobson were charged with his murder. On 12 May, Rory Robinson was charged with the killing. A few months later five of the six were released by Judge McKibben, who sympathised with them on ``their ordeal''. One man, Paul Hobson, remains in custody.
On 24 November 1997, I accompanied Robert Hamill's four sisters and Paul Mageean of the CAJ (Committee on the Administration of Justice) to meet with Secretary of State, Marjorie Mowlam. Diane Hamill presented Dr Mowlam with 20,000 signatures calling on the British government to establish an Independent Public Inquiry into Robert's death and also calling for the suspension of the four RUC officers who watched as Robert was being attacked.
Dr Mowlam did not appear to be too well briefed on the case nor was she prepared to commit herself or her government to any kind of Public Inquiry. She told us that the Independent Commission for Police Complaints (ICPC) was still investigating and she was obliged to await the outcome of that investigation. Diane told her that she had no confidence in the ICPC investigation.
I referred to the remarks of Judge McKibben when the DPP dropped charges, he remarked that their detention ``must have been a terrible ordeal.'' Dr Mowlam said she had not heard these remarks and accepted that they should not have been made. I also asked Dr Mowlam what was stopping her from setting up an independent inquiry. She replied that the ICPC inquiry must first take its course and that her hands were tied. Her senior security adviser, Mr Steele, who was at the meeting, intervened to say that we need not have any reservations because the ICPC was truly independent of RUC influence.
Dr Mowlam expressed surprise when Diane Hamill asked if she was aware that the four RUC officers who were in the landrover were on sick leave and had applied for compensation for trauma. It has since emerged that some of the RUC were personal friends of some of those involved in the attack.
Dr Mowlam promised to seek answers to our questions and to write to Diane in two to three weeks. That was November. Four months later we are still waiting for a reply.
This case cries out for justice - but what chance justice unless all those involved are made accountable? What chance of the RUC being made accountable when the RUC is in charge of the investigation? And what chance justice when a member of the judiciary is openly sympathetic to those charged? And what chance justice when the securocrats in the NIO appear to have more power than the politicians and appear to obstruct a full and proper investigation?
An independent public inquiry into the death of Robert Hamill might examine the origins of the hatred and bigotry which led those loyalists in Portadown to attack Robert Hamill and his friends. There has been a long history of bigotry in this town. It is still directed at members of the Hamill family. Such an independent inquiry might examine the words and actions of certain Unionist politicians who have incited people with anti-Catholic bigotry over the years. The hatred directed at Catholics (referred to as ``Fenians'' or ``Taigs'') is nothing new in the North of Ireland.
Anti-Catholic bigotry and anti-Irish racism have to be confronted by political action and effective legislation. The Mitchell Principles on non-violence should extend to the words and actions of unionist politicians and Orange Order leaders. Any bigoted words or actions (like waltzing down the Garvaghy Road in July) should exclude these people from negotiations about our future until they change their ways.
When these politicians are confronted about the evil effects of their words and deeds we might see the end of the assassination of Catholics and the end of the ``Billy Boys'' who feel they can murder Catholics with impunity in this Orange statelet.
Meanwhile speaking to An Phoblacht, Diane Hamill said that the sectarian abuse that her family has had to endure since Robert's death has not let up. As recently as March Ms Hamill and her 13 year old brother were subjected to sectarian taunts while shopping in Portadown town centre.
As well as shouting, ``where's Robert?'', the loyalists told Ms Hamill, ``you're next''.
In a previous incident two fellows jumped up and down shouting, ``where's Robbie, you Fenian slut''.
Diane went on to express her appreciation at the response the family was getting to the appeal for funds for the private prosecution against those responsible for Robert's death. There are two bank accounts for the fund, one in the north and the other in Rathfarnham, in Dublin.
The account numbers are, Bank of Ireland, Rathfarnham Dublin Sort code 900201 Acc no 27757767. The other account is in the Bank of Ireland, in Portadown sort code 902354 Acc no 26672139.
Director of the Centre for Human Rights, Springhill, Belfast.
Many in our community were outraged at the brutal killing of Robert Hamill by a gang of pro-British loyalists in Portadown last year.
They were outraged especially about the inaction of the heavily armed RUC at the scene of the attack and about the misleading statements which the RUC issued afterwards. They were further angered by the remarks of the judge when he released five of the six loyalists subsequently charged with the murder. What chance of justice in this case? The family thinks none if it is left to the state and have instructed their solicitor to take civil action against the RUC. I think there are lessons to be learned from this case about the kind of changes that are needed in this society if Catholics are going to be allowed to live here as equals.
On 27 April 1997, Robert Hamill was walking home from St Patrick's Hall via the centre of Portadown along with three friends. Even though there was a crowd of Loyalists standing about, Robert and his friends felt it was safe to walk on when they saw an RUC landrover parked there. Eyewitnesses have described how the loyalist gang of about thirty attacked Robert and kicked him on the head for up to ten minutes. While they kicked they shouted ``Kill him, Kill him'' and while they continued to kick him and his companion, Gregory Girvan, they shouted, ``Die you Fenian bastards''.
And while the loyalists kicked Robert and his friend, the RUC sat watching in the landrover. None of those involved in the beating was arrested that night. Seven different RUC press statements were released in the days following. They gave conflicting versions of what had happened.
Robert was on life support for 10 days and died on 8mMay.
The day after Robert died five men from Portadown, Alister Hanvey, Wayne Lunt, Dean Forbes, Stacey Bridgett and Paul Hobson were charged with his murder. On 12 May, Rory Robinson was charged with the killing. A few months later five of the six were released by Judge McKibben, who sympathised with them on ``their ordeal''. One man, Paul Hobson, remains in custody.
On 24 November 1997, I accompanied Robert Hamill's four sisters and Paul Mageean of the CAJ (Committee on the Administration of Justice) to meet with Secretary of State, Marjorie Mowlam. Diane Hamill presented Dr Mowlam with 20,000 signatures calling on the British government to establish an Independent Public Inquiry into Robert's death and also calling for the suspension of the four RUC officers who watched as Robert was being attacked.
Dr Mowlam did not appear to be too well briefed on the case nor was she prepared to commit herself or her government to any kind of Public Inquiry. She told us that the Independent Commission for Police Complaints (ICPC) was still investigating and she was obliged to await the outcome of that investigation. Diane told her that she had no confidence in the ICPC investigation.
I referred to the remarks of Judge McKibben when the DPP dropped charges, he remarked that their detention ``must have been a terrible ordeal.'' Dr Mowlam said she had not heard these remarks and accepted that they should not have been made. I also asked Dr Mowlam what was stopping her from setting up an independent inquiry. She replied that the ICPC inquiry must first take its course and that her hands were tied. Her senior security adviser, Mr Steele, who was at the meeting, intervened to say that we need not have any reservations because the ICPC was truly independent of RUC influence.
Dr Mowlam expressed surprise when Diane Hamill asked if she was aware that the four RUC officers who were in the landrover were on sick leave and had applied for compensation for trauma. It has since emerged that some of the RUC were personal friends of some of those involved in the attack.
Dr Mowlam promised to seek answers to our questions and to write to Diane in two to three weeks. That was November. Four months later we are still waiting for a reply.
This case cries out for justice - but what chance justice unless all those involved are made accountable? What chance of the RUC being made accountable when the RUC is in charge of the investigation? And what chance justice when a member of the judiciary is openly sympathetic to those charged? And what chance justice when the securocrats in the NIO appear to have more power than the politicians and appear to obstruct a full and proper investigation?
An independent public inquiry into the death of Robert Hamill might examine the origins of the hatred and bigotry which led those loyalists in Portadown to attack Robert Hamill and his friends. There has been a long history of bigotry in this town. It is still directed at members of the Hamill family. Such an independent inquiry might examine the words and actions of certain Unionist politicians who have incited people with anti-Catholic bigotry over the years. The hatred directed at Catholics (referred to as ``Fenians'' or ``Taigs'') is nothing new in the North of Ireland.
Anti-Catholic bigotry and anti-Irish racism have to be confronted by political action and effective legislation. The Mitchell Principles on non-violence should extend to the words and actions of unionist politicians and Orange Order leaders. Any bigoted words or actions (like waltzing down the Garvaghy Road in July) should exclude these people from negotiations about our future until they change their ways.
When these politicians are confronted about the evil effects of their words and deeds we might see the end of the assassination of Catholics and the end of the ``Billy Boys'' who feel they can murder Catholics with impunity in this Orange statelet.
Meanwhile speaking to An Phoblacht, Diane Hamill said that the sectarian abuse that her family has had to endure since Robert's death has not let up. As recently as March Ms Hamill and her 13 year old brother were subjected to sectarian taunts while shopping in Portadown town centre.
As well as shouting, ``where's Robert?'', the loyalists told Ms Hamill, ``you're next''.
In a previous incident two fellows jumped up and down shouting, ``where's Robbie, you Fenian slut''.
Diane went on to express her appreciation at the response the family was getting to the appeal for funds for the private prosecution against those responsible for Robert's death. There are two bank accounts for the fund, one in the north and the other in Rathfarnham, in Dublin.
The account numbers are, Bank of Ireland, Rathfarnham Dublin Sort code 900201 Acc no 27757767. The other account is in the Bank of Ireland, in Portadown sort code 902354 Acc no 26672139.