10 September 1998 Edition

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Electoral register examined by RUC

An employee of the electoral offices has been accused of passing electoral register forms to her RUC partner in Aghadowey, Co Derry. Two witnesses, who wish to remain anonymous, approached An Phoblacht with the claim, after the woman was seen handing completed forms to her partner, an RUC man.

This clear breach of data protection guidelines has serious implications beyond the potential erosion of the democratic rights of nationalists. One caller to An Phoblacht said, ``this is a bad enough area [for nationalists] but I'm very concerned about what happens to this information after someone from the RUC has sat there and read it.''

The RUC man, who wears an earring and is believed to live in the Knockaduff area of Derry, has been identified as a regular drinker in pubs in the Macosquin area. The area is said to have been the base for loyalist death squads involved in the killings of nationalists in attacks in Castlerock and Greysteel.

The electoral office said that the return rate of register forms varied from area to area, from 60% to 98%. But the office refused to be drawn on which areas had low levels of compliance or the reasons why.


An Phoblacht
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Ireland