As the Northern Ireland Assembly was being reinstalled on Wednesday the ghost of the Royal Ulster Constabulary reared its ugly head as the Superintendents' Association NI urged the government to 'pause for breath' in re-examining Northern Ireland's past.Amazingly, the Association said 'inquiries and investigative teams established to probe murders and wrongdoing had put a disproportionate focus on police actions' and its President Stephen Grange argued the government should call a halt to the process, consult widely and create a public body to manage it in the best interest of all victims. This follows on from the criticism of the Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan made by the Retired Police Officers' Association in March following publication of her report into the circumstances surrounding the death of Raymond McCord Junior.
The Association's concern that the focus of enquiries is directed by political pressure is entirely correct. That political pressure is seeking to redress the history of political bias of collusion between British state forces and unionism. Republicans might even tentatively suggest that the introduction of internment without trial, Long Kesh, Armagh jail, the watchtowers, army patrols and shoot-to-kill was the product of the political pressure from good old British colonialism.
That serving members of the PSNI can criticise independent investigations into their, and their former colleagues, actions once again shows the great concessions republicanism has been willing to offer to ensure peace for the people of the north of Ireland. The spirit of reconciliation that many are attempting to establish and maintain should not be hijacked by those who want to maintain secrecy around the historic role of collusion.
