Campaigners force publication of guidelines on the use of plastic bullets by the British

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday October 24, 2002 14:53 by publo

Yesterday, for the first time in its history, the British government published its guidelines on the use of plastic bullets by the British army.

In an answer to a parliamentary question tabled by Labour MP Kevin
McNamara,
the British government through its minister for armed forces, Adam
Ingram,
published the full guidelines governing the use of plastic bullets by
the
British army in the North of Ireland.

Chairperson of Relatives for Justice and long-time anti-plastic bullet
campaigner Clara Reilly said:

"This move came just hours ahead of a combined legal strategy involving
the
United Campaign Against Plastic Bullets, Relatives for Justice and
solicitors firm Kevin Winters & Co. to which the British government had
until 4pm Thursday 24th October to publish these guidelines. This answer
has
avoided an embarrassing scenario whereby the British army GOC and the
Secretary of State would have been forced to defend the non-publication
of
these guidelines in court in the coming days.

"This legal action had been initiated partly to secure the publication
of
the guidelines and to measure them against past and recent use of
plastic
bullets by the British army. This situation arose with the recent
deployment
of the British army by the RUC in interface areas in which the BA were
using
plastic bullets and injuring civilians and children. The legal action
was
initiated on behalf of Mr Peter Montgomery a community worker from the
Short
Strand, who had been severely injured in the arm when shot at close
range by
the British army acting in support of a PSNI operation.

"Since November 2001 it has been evident that the RUC have been using
the
British army to fire plastic bullets, craftily evading legislative
measures
in which the PSNI's use of plastic bullets may be subject to
investigation
by the office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman has no authority the
investigate the use of plastic bullets fired by the British Army. This
has
been widely viewed as the PSNI using the British army to fire plastic
bullets by proxy.
"In April 2001 on the introduction of the new more lethal plastic bullet
John Reid assured the public that the new plastic bullet would be a
"safe"
policing option, subject to stringent guidelines governing their use.

"Now we know that exactly the same weapon has, depending on whether you
are
a member of the British army or the PSNI, different guidelines.

"We have yet to give a full response to the British army's guidelines
however it is evident that are ambiguous and left open to interpretation
to
suit whatever circumstances, injury or fatality which may occur as a
result
of their use.
"Surely "stringent guidelines" governing their use would apply across
the
board. Like his predecessors John Reid's spin and rhetoric regarding
plastic
bullets stands exposed. These weapons are not safe, they are lethal.
There
are no consistent or stringent guidelines. This fact is borne out by the
failure to prosecute any member of RUC or BA for the fatalities and life
diminishing injuries caused by plastic bullets when guidelines governing
their use are consistently breached. In line with calls from the entire
international human rights community - most recently the Unites Nation
Committee on the Rights of the Child, the only option is to ban this
lethal
weapon." ENDS

Editors Notes:
For further information and the full text of the British army guidelines
please visit www.relativesforjustice.com
After hours contact number: 07929934876