NATIONAL ARCHIVES

IRELAND

Reference Code: 2015/51/1355 Creation Date(s): 30 January 1985 Extent and medium: 3 pages Creator(s): Department of Foreign Affairs Access Conditions: Open Copyright: National Archives, Ireland. May only be reproduced with the written permission of the Director of the National Archives. ULSTER DEFENCE REGIMENT

night of 14/15 1. Following the killing of Paul Kelly on the concern of January, 1985, the Minister conveyed the grave the Government at the killing to the British Ambassador. The Minister asked that the arms of the UDR personnel involved be withdrawn immediately and the personnel the suspended pending the fullest investigation of incident.

the 2. The Minister conveyed in the strongest terms not be conviction of the Government that the UDR should In deployed in nationalist areas in Northern Ireland. for the the interests of both sections of the community, sake of security and communal harmony and in the interests of the members of the UDR itself.

was seen 3. The Minister said he was convinced that the UDR malitia by many loyalists in Northern Ireland as an armed defend of their own community whose purpose it was to their community against attack from nationalist the extremists. Nationalists in Northern Ireland believe their UDR to be an armed instrument of domination of the UDR community by the majority community. As such Ireland. was a dangerous source of division in Northern only in It's deployment in nationalist areas could result (The further alienation, confrontation and violence. press statement is attached.)

adopted 4. At their Annual Conference last weekend the SDLP UDR. a resolution calling for the disbandment of the on The resolution was proposed by the Party's spokesman the Northern Ireland, Mr. Seamus Mallon. None of the view speakers who spoke to the motion dissented from that it should be disbanded. '1 i ~ ~ - 2 - I

since Christmas h 5. have been three major incidents I There of the public to crimes have drawn the attention which of The first was the shooting committed by the UDR. UDR patrol at a UDR Kelly, a joyrider, by a Paul The to Catholic West Belfast. roadblock at an entrance of UDR member Geoffrey Edwards second was the conviction of Sinn Fein election worker of Armagh for the murder murders including Corrigan and for four attempted Peter by the was subsequently shot dead that of Seamus Grew who was the involvement of members RUC. The third incident Armagh District in the of the Regiment from the last Sunday. kidnapping of Mrs. Speers

which appeared in 6. Attached is a list, non-exclusive and which we understand magazine in March 1984, Phoenix UDR which lists almost 100 was drawn up by Eamonn McCann, serious have been convicted of men who over the years awaiting trial charged with crimes or are currently such as the murder crime. They include crimes serious the UDR, four serving members of of the Miami showband by UDR member in the Shankill the involvement of a serving in 1983, Adrian Carroll in Armagh Butchers, the murder of Since the serious sectarian offences. and numerous of have been found guilty beginning of 1983 UDR members to Catholics, wounding with murder, issuing death threats sectarian arson, intent and false imprisonment, pensioner at a checkpoint, assaulting a 69 year old indecency and buggery with indecent assault, gross as burgl~y. under-aged children as well

is to all extents and purposes 7. The membership of the UDR their victims have unionist and protestant, exclusively Their Catholic anq nationalist. almost exclusively been are a major element in the existence and their behaviour within the minority growing feeling of alienation to identify with the community who find it impossible of the crimes seems clear from the extent UDR. It - 3 -

committed by the UDR and from the extent of the manner in which they engage in the petty harassment of the minority community that there has been insufficient control over the manner in which they are recruited and insufficient control over UDR members once they become serving members of the Regiment.

D. 0 Ceallaigh 30 January, 1985 r: I I I I

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