February 26, 1985 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 3655 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS VISIT TO NORTHERN IRELAND together for unrelated crimes, without a land considerable public relations problems. jury, and are convicted on the uncorroborat­ England attempted to avoid this problem ed testimony of a supergrass informer, are with the supergrass system by charging loy­ HON.ROBERTJ.MRAZEK show trials reminiscent of Stalin's Russia. I alists as well as nationalists, thereby giving OF NEW YORK charged that the judiciary of Northern Ire­ the appearance of even-handedness. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES land had surrendered its independence and This had outraged the loyalist community had become a mere adjunct of British mili­ for several very basic reasons. First, in their Tuesday, February 26, 1985 tary policy. I contended that the use of su­ frenzied pursuit to erect the facade of im­ e Mr. MRAZEK. Mr. Speaker, last pergrasses was merely the latest abuse by partiality, the British have charged loyalists week, British Prime Minister Margaret England of Northern Ireland's criminal jus­ on evidence which, in some instances, is Thatcher addressed this House in tice system. Previous abuses, some of which even less credible than the evidence against joint session. At that time, Mrs. continue to date, include internment with­ nationalists. Second, the "terrorist" offenses out trial, tortured confessions, the use of for which the loyalists are now being Thatcher made passing reference to lethal plastic bullets against civilians, and charged are the very type actions which, in the problems in Northern Ireland, al­ indiscriminate searches of homes and ar­ the past, the British security forces con­ though she had no specific proposals rests of civilians by security forces. doned and even encouraged them to commit to put forth. In January 1984 I participated in the film­ against the nationalists. It is my firm belief that the Thatch­ ing of a television documentary on the su­ Third, while the British have moved er Government should begin to work pergrass system for the program "20/20 against the loyalists in the past, it has never in concert with the Reagan Adminis­ Vision" which is shown on Channel 4 in been on this scale or to this extent. Indeed, England. At that time I met with relatives the loyalists have historically viewed them­ tration to bring about reconciliation of loyalist defendants in supergrass trials. between the parties involved. selves as the ultimate defenders of British While they made me aware of loyalist disaf­ rule in the six counties. For loyalists to wit­ Mr. Speaker, a generation has now fection with British rule, I did not realize ness the British system of justice being so been raised in Northern Ireland know­ the actual extent of that disaffection. horribly perverted with themselves included ing only violence, discrimination, and I accepted the invitation of Families For among its victims is psychologically shatter­ repression. Since they know no other Legal Rights because it has always been my position it is just as wrong when loyalists ing to growing numbers of loyalists. life, the threat of violence, becoming have their rights violated as it is when na­ The extent to which many working class an institutionalized aspect of the polit­ tionalists' rights are violated. Human rights loyalists feel alienated from England was ical fabric of N orthem Ireland be­ are universal and cannot be allowed to be made clear to me in my meetings with Fami­ comes greater. restricted by political or sectarian bound­ lies For Legal Rights and with loyalists poli­ Peter T. King, the county comptrol­ aries. I also believed it was significant that a tician George Seawright and with Andy ler of Nassau County, NY, recently re­ hard-core loyalist group, which was fully Tyrie who is the commander of the loyalist cognizant that I was a Catholic and support­ para-military Ulster Defense Association turned from a trip to Northern Ireland CUDA>. and submitted a report of his observa­ ed the nationalist cause, would invite me to assist it. This signalled to me a considerable At this juncture, I believe that my termi­ tions to my office. The insights that change in loyalist thinking. nology should be defined. In the context of he provides are unique. He is one of The Crockard trial is as violative of due Northern Ireland, "loyalist" is interchanged the few Irish-American activists who process and civil and human rights as were with "Protestant" and "nationalist" is inter­ have had the access to visit with repre­ the McGrady and Grimley trials. In virtual­ changed with "Catholic". It has been, how­ sentatives of the loyalist community ly every particular this loyalist trial ever, and continues to be my firm belief in Northern Ireland. equalled the nationalist trials in its perver­ that the tragedy of Northern Ireland is in sion of justice. Even if any or all of the 29 no sense a "religious" conflict. The loyalists I believe his comments deserve the historically were Scotch or English settlers attention of my colleagues. defendants are acquitted, justice will not have been done because the lives of the de­ who happened to be Protestant and the na­ VISIT TO NORTHERN IRELAND fendants and their families will have been tionalists were native Irish who happened to <By Peter T. King> devastated because of a criminal prosecu­ be Catholic. It has also been my belief that During the period of January 26-January tion and trial which were fatally defective the loyalist and nationalist communities 31, 1985, I was in Belfast. Northern Ireland ab initio. In fact, the supergrass trials are a have far more in common with one another at the invitation of Families For Legal sophisticated version of internment because than they do with England. The British, Rights which is an organization comprised whether or not the defendants are convict­ however, have succeeded in dividing the of relatives of loyalist defendants who have ed-bowing to international pressure, the communities and pitting one against the been charged on the uncorroborated testi­ judges have been acquitting defendants on other by according the loyalist majority a mony of "supergrass" informers. evidence which would have been more than status superior to the nationalists. Among The purposes of this visit were Ca> to ob­ sufficient for conviction Just one year ago­ the working class, however, where, ironical­ serve the current loyalist supergrass trial large numbers of them are imprisoned from ly, the animosity is most bitter, the loyalist where 29 alleged members of the outlawed the time of their arrest until trial. This time superiority is often marginal. As Andy Tyrie loyalist para-military Ulster Volunteer "on remand" often exceeds two years. stated to me: "The Catholics have always Force <UVF> are being tried on the uncor­ The prevalent thinking in Northern Ire­ claimed they have been second class citizens roborated testimony of supergrass James land today is that the use of supergrass has in Northern Ireland. That is not true. The Crockard and Cb> to meet with leaders and just about run its course with only two sig­ loyalists were the second class citizens; the representatives of the loyalist community. nificant cases remaining-Kirkpatrick <na­ Catholics were third class citizens." I had previously been to Northern Ireland tionalist> and Gibson <loyalist>. This, howev­ Because of the traditional loyalist attach­ five times. While I had met with loyalists on er, should provide little solace because ment to British rule, however, loyalist poli­ several of those occasions, my main contact recent history has demonstrated that Eng­ ticians generally refrain from any criticism had been with nationalists. It has been a land replaces one draconian system with an­ of British policy. Thus many loyalist politi­ fact of life and death in Northern Ireland other-e.g., internment was succeeded by cians support the use of supergrasses be­ that political and sectarian divides are not Diplock Courts which were characterized cause they believe that to attack any part of easily crossed. first by tortured confessions and then by su­ the British system would give credence to In October 1983 I had been in Belfast to pergrasses. the nationalist movement. Thus, while loy­ observe two supergrass trials <McGrady and What has made the supergrass system alists are being illegally imprisoned, their Grimley) of nationalist defendants. At a unique is the extent to which it has been elected representatives have been silent and, news conference in Belfast and in a report imposed upon the loyalist community. In­ accordingly, have lost touch with many of which I wrote upon my return to the United ternment, tortured confessions and plastic their constituents. States, I stated that these supergrass trials, bullets were directed primarily against the George Seawright is an elected member of where large numbers of defendants are tried nationalist community and this caused Eng- the Belfast City Council and the Northern e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor. 3656 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS February 26, 1985 Ireland Assembly. Some of his remarks, a failed political entity and that the only nology and staffed with trained com­ such as his desire to "incinerate" Catholics, viable, long-term solution is a united 32 munity people. As usual with Rabbi can only be described as undisguised bigot­ county Ireland wherein the legitimate Gluck, he was able to communicate his ry. He does, however, demonstrate an intel­ rights of loyalists and nationalists would be lectual consistency uncommon among loyal­ guaranteed. The precise framework and concept and work with other commu­ ist politicians. For instance, he has sided time table for a united Ireland would be ar­ nity leaders until this important auxil­ with Sinn Rein in the Belfast Council when rived at after honest and meaningful diplo­ iary emergency health service became he believes nationalist representation are matic initiatives by London and Dublin and a reality.