10 September 1998 Edition

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Workshops on policing submissions

Two workshops designed to support individuals and those from the community and voluntary sector wishing to make submissions to the Patten Commission on Policing are to be held in Derry next week. They will be held at 4pm and repeated at 7.30pm next Wednesday 16 September at the offices of the Northwest Community Network, 10-12 Bishop Street, Derry.

The workshops are to be jointly run by the Derry-based human rights organisation, the Pat Finucane Centre (PFC) and the Committee for the Administration of Justice. A spokesperson for the PFC said the initial 15 September deadline ``excludes too many people, everyone must continue to make submissions right up until the end of September''.

He added, ``it is imperative that our view of the RUC is expressed.''

The PFC is also launching a petition in conjunction with the North Belfast News calling for the Scots Guards convicted of the murder of Peter McBride, to be dishonourably discharged from the British Army. The two soldiers were released last week. The call for signatories will run for one week only, and individuals, families, clubs, businesses and community and voluntary groups are urged to support the declaration to put pressure on the Army Review Body which is due meet within the next two weeks and decide on the issue. The PFC also urged anyone concerned to complain to the British Minister for the Armed Forces, Dougie Henderson.

Meanwhile, Gerry Adams responded to the remarks made by the Deputy Chief Constable of the RUC, Colin Crampton, who said the RUC was going ``through a period of change''. Adams said, ``changes to the RUC are not enough. The RUC is unacceptable. Reform is not an option. An entirely new and real policing service is required.''


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