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31 March 1998
Urgent Action Demanded on UN Report.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams MP has described the UN report by Special rapporteur Param Cumaraswamy on the RUC, and the killing of human rights lawyer Pat Finucane, as ``further compelling evidence of the need for a full judicial inquiry into collusion, the Brian Nelson Affair and the role of British Military Intelligence''.
Mr Adams said:
``If media reports are true this UN report appears to contain damning evidence of the sectarian nature of the RUC and of its human rights abuses.''
``Taken on its own the UN report would demand that the British government take urgent action to fully investigate collusion, and in particular Pat Finucanes's murder. But taken with the enormous number of similar reports published over the last 25 years, from Amnesty International, Helsinki Watch, The European Court of Human Rights, as well as the European Commission, there is an overwhelming argument for a complete demilitarisation process by the British government which must include the disbandment of the RUC.''
``This is particularly relevant in light of the alleged remarks by the RUC Chief Constable in which he repeats the accusation against some defence lawyers first levelled by British Minister Douglas Hogg, that some lawyers are `working with paramilitaries'. In a normal society if someone in Mr Flanagans's job were to make that claim he would be sacked.''
``The imperative for action on these major issues of public concern rests with the British government. It has placed respect for human rights at the heart of its foreign policy strategy. Last night the British secretary of State signed up for Amnesty International's human rights campaign. The British government cannot credibly do this while ignoring Amnesty International criticisms of its human rights record in Ireland or by covering-up major human rights abuses by its own forces.''
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