Cllr Ruane's comments on policing 'Revealing'.

32 County Sovereignty Movement
03/04/2010

Cllr Ruane’s comments on policing ‘revealing’.

Comments made on the transfer of policing and justice in a recent pre-election newspaper are both a revealing insight into the real nature of devolved policing and justice and the ideological summersault that has taken place within certain sections of constitutional nationalism on the issue of policing.

In a statement made in a free newssheet ‘NUACT an Dúin’ Cllr Mickey Ruane states that “Republicans on the Policing Board and the DPP’s… means there is now an unprecedented level of accountability and transparency on issues of policing” however contrary to Mr Ruane’s faithful repetition of the party line the truth is very different.

The devolution of policing and justice, far from giving locally elected representatives control over the totality of both merely gives limited power over aspects which the mandarins at Whitehall deem acceptable. Devolution will not affect MI5’s ability to operate at will anywhere in the 32 counties nor will it affect the colonial police chiefs ability to act unilaterally when he deems fit. Special units of the British Army and undercover police units are able to act with impunity outside the control of the PSNI/RUC never mind the toothless policing board or DPP’s. Any query or attempt to hold the police in the six counties to account can be stopped dead in its tracks by the words ‘National Security’ which of course is British national security.

Mr Ruane also goes on to state that “Devolution should ensure greater stability across the island thus undermining the actions of people who have no political mandate or strategy yet are determined to destabilise this society at every opportunity” This is a frank assessment of the real role of devolution in the six counties. The devolution of policing and justice is nothing more than a political confidence trick that aims to deflect the nationalist population away from the reality of British policing of its interests in Ireland by creating the illusion that policing is controlled by Irishmen and women, this is a classic tactic of colonialism. Ruane’s statement begs the question, given that his party publicly denounces British anti terror legislation how do they suggest that police deal with Irish insurgents?

The Republican community in South Down will not be taken in by the blatantly disingenuous portrayal of policing and justice in Ireland propagated by Provisional Sinn Fein nor will the 32 County Sovereignty Movement ever accept the lie that British policing has a stabilising effect on Irish society or indeed any role within it.