Ingram says plastic bullets to stay
By Brid O'Hagan
Plastic bullets are to be retained for use in the Six Counties,
British security minister Adam Ingram has said. Speaking in the
British parliament Ingram's comment was part of an answer he gave
when questioned about the use of the lethal weapon and his
government's response to calls by the UN Committee Against Torture
that the bullets be banned.
Ironically Ingram's defence of plastic bullets came in the same week
that the NIO was ordered to pay damages, amounting to £152,500, to
four Belfast people who were struck by plastic bullets during
disturbances during the Drumcree standoff in 1996. Three of the
injured suffered serious facial injuries.
In all four cases the RUC was in the dock and afterwards solicitor
Eamon McMenamin accused the RUC of misuse in firing plastic bullets
when regulations state that they should not strike anyone above the
waist.
Speaking to An Phoblacht Clara Reilly of the United Campaign Against
Plastic Bullets (UCAPB) said she was ``not surprised that the RUC is
to continue the use of plastic bullets given that over the years the
same RUC and British government have ignored calls from International
Human rights groups, the Catholic Bishops of Ireland, the European
Parliament, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the UN
Committee Against Torture, and many US senators and Congressmen to
have these murderous weapons banned.
``In his answer Ingram stated, `plastic baton rounds are used by the
police and army... only where life or property is at risk'. But every
guarantee given over the years on the rules governing the use of
plastic bullets has been broken time and time again. The problem is
not only plastic bullets, but plastic bullets in the hands of the
sectarian RUC.
``Until the use of lethal force in the form of plastic bullets is
ended and the truth about the death and injury caused is told,
building peace, democracy, trust, and faith in the rule of law and
order will be an impossible task''.
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