IMC Provides Cover For Military Occupation
A body set up and funded by the British government to pass verdict on the ‘security situation’ in the Six Counties has surprisingly announced that the British government’s normalisation program has reached an acceptable conclusion.
The Independent Monitoring Commission is headed by John Alderdice, the former leader of the Six County Alliance Party – a party derisively known among Irish nationalists as ‘the political wing of the Northern Ireland Office’.
In a report released yesterday (Monday), the IMC commented favourably on the British government’s moves to reduce its military garrison and repressive powers in the Six Counties, in light of the reduced threat to its rule in the north-eastern part of the country.
However, the detailing by the IMC of the garrison and powers which the British government have maintained in Ireland somewhat undermined the ‘Northern Ireland is as British as Finchley’ tone of their message.
The IMC report confirmed that:
Somewhere in the region of 5,000 British troops will remain stationed in occupied Ireland. These troops are to be uniquely equipped with a series of wide-ranging powers, usually retained by the civil authorities.
The British Secretary of State has the power to take possession of land or close roads if and when she/he deems necessary.
Non-jury Diplock trials will continue at the behest of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
In relation to British army helicopter flights which have long been a source of ire for nationalist communities, particularly in rural areas, the IMC recorded that 3,918 hours of such flights had taken place between February 1 and July 31 of this year.
The British government have stated that the helicopter flights will continue in order to provide training and sustenance for their Irish based mercenaries.
Éirígí spokesperson Daithí Mac An Mháistír said the IMC was guilty of providing political cover for a military occupation.
“Clearly, the IMC are doing what they were set up to do – obscure the reality of Britain’s involvement in Irish affairs. However, even they could not hide the fact that Britain’s presence in the north-east of Ireland remains an abnormal and oppressive one. The non-jury courts, the thousands of troops and the special powers are all insurance policies for a government that is determined to stay where it is not welcome.”
Daithí also drew attention to the guiding principles of the IMC, which state - “Violence and the threat of violence can have no part in democratic politics. A society in which they play some role in political or governmental affairs cannot... be considered either peaceful or stable.”
Daithí said: “Are the IMC aware of the fact that the British troops stationed in the Six Counties, along with their colleagues in the RUC-PSNI, will use deadly force, if commanded to, in order to protect British rule in Ireland?
“Assuming that they are, then the Commission must believe that the British government have a monopoly on the use of force in Ireland. The IMC and the British government have one important thing in common – neither have received a democratic mandate from the people of Ireland and they never will.”