We are astounded and disgusted by the tone and content of the latest report into so-called “collusion” by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.
Following on from the utter balderdash released by PONI with regards to the actions and activities of the North Antrim and Londonderry Brigade UDA/UFF (1989-94), that office has now released a further erroneous and, frankly, scandalous report, this time on the activities of the South Belfast Brigade UDA/UFF during the same time period.
Despite the fact that no actual tangible evidence of “collusion” was found, the Police Ombudsman has once more obfuscated, employed some semantic gymnastics and, apparently, tailored the final report to suit the entirely false historical narrative of the Provisional republican movement.
Once again the absurd phrase “collusive behaviour” has been trotted out. Once again the presence of police informers within the ranks of a Loyalist organisation has been presented as “collusion”.
This appears to be an attempt to reinforce the ridiculous, simplistic, reductionist and childish narrative which PIRA/Sinn Fein has been carefully crafting since the late 1980s.
If, as intimated by the Police Ombudsman, the mere presence of informers within the ranks of an armed group constitutes “collusion”, then when might we expect reports and inquiries into the crimes and atrocities of the Provisional IRA, Official IRA, INLA, IPLO, Real IRA etc?
It is our opinion that the Police Ombudsman is using her office (and public money) to propagate the mythos of Irish republicanism.
PONI apparently spares no effort in attempts to tarnish the reputation of the Security Forces & dismiss the actions of Loyalists.
Irish nationalism has to demonise the Security Forces in order to justify the murder of off-duty Police reservists, former UDR men murdered whilst driving school buses, RUC officers shot in the back whilst buying a newspaper etc.
There is no better way to do that than to propagate the myth that “collusion” was institutional and widespread.
If nationalists/republicans can convince the gullible that Loyalist armed groups were mere proxies of the British state and/or the Security Forces, so much the better for them.
Furthermore, Irish nationalism simply has no room for Loyalists. The ludicrous narrative spun by these demented, radicalised individuals is one of “brave native gaels” vs “the evil British empire”. Loyalists and Unionists are dismissed, as either misguided and stupid, or as barely human “planter colonists”.
Nationalists simply cannot recognise Loyalists as an independent and independently thinking people. Therefore, Loyalist paramilitary organisations must be dismissed as being mere puppets of the “evil Brits”.
This (almost comical) historical narrative seems to have been fully embraced by the Police Ombudsman who seems indecently eager to bolster it, even going so far as to coin the Sinn Fein-esque term “collusive behaviour”.
Why, when the PONI report clearly states: “This investigation has found no evidence that police were in possession of intelligence which if acted on, could have prevented any of the attacks“, has the phrase “collusive behaviours” been once again trotted out?
Why, if no real evidence of “collusion” was found (certainly not enough to warrant prosecutions) did the Police Ombudsman state that the allegations of collusion made by relatives and politically motivated ‘relatives groups’ were: “legitimate and justified”?
Is the Police Ombudsman biased in favour of a particular community or a particular political party? It would seem so.
Any suspicion of bias is ample reason for Loyalists and Unionists to call for her to resign and that is exactly what our elected representatives should be doing!. Furthermore, they should also be calling for the post of Police Ombudsman to be abolished and for it to be replaced by an independent police complaints commission.
Historical legacy issues are being weaponised by Irish nationalist extremists. It is astounding, and utterly unacceptable, that they should be assisted in doing so by any public office, not least that of the supposedly impartial Police Ombudsman.
We urge all Unionist political parties, all Loyalist and Unionist community groups and all individual Loyalists and Unionists, to join us in calling for the resignation of the present Police Ombudsman.
There must be some semblance of balance in regard to legacy issues. There must be equality with respect to the re-investigation of Troubles related attacks and there must be no more pandering to the Provisional republican movement.
Þole Aȝe Umquhile Poustie
It's still only thursday 