“They’re unprofessional with what they’re doing.”
Have Community Restorative Justice schemes made any progress in dealing with their actual remit since being accredited and publicly funded? That remit doesn’t include scaring away extortionists by the way… Nor does it cover a proxy battle over the “name of Irish republicanism” – mandate or no mandate. And how is their “pattern of work” these days? With another suspected paramilitary shooting in Londonderry, this from a BBC Radio report
Harry Maguire is an ex-IRA prisoner who was convicted of murder. He now works for Community Restorative Justice, an organisation who try to stop punishment shootings. “A number of the shootings that have taken place over the last year have been done in a very haphazard manner,” he said. “They’re unprofessional with what they’re doing. There’s been a number of these punishment shootings where the intention has been to shoot someone in the knees. On one occasion a person was shot in the shoulder.”
The protocols for accredited CRJ schemes were noted here.
One of the links says that the 2008 CJI report ‘warned that schemes must be monitored closely and an independent complaints mechanism put in place’ before accreditation. Does anyone know what this independent mechanism is or how often it has been used?
Just curious. I’m trying to imagine how an outside body that was qualified to deal with policing matters would operate and establish itself as ‘independent’ in places where the police themselves are trusted so little.
Clearly Harry is the man to train them how to shoot properly! But is he out of practice?
“an organisation who try to stop punishment shootings”
I thought it was supposed to be victim focused and aim to divert young people by making them realise the impact they had on victims. That’s the way it works everywhere else but perhaps not in West Belfast. Silly me.
Reminds me of an occasion when SF organised a riot at Ardoyne on the 12th of July
Afterwards a section of the crowd broke away and torched a local petrol station. A hapless SF rep was put up to explain why republicans were burning their own community facilities.
“Well” he said sternly and without a hint of irony, “this is what happens when a riot gets out of control”,
I am unsure were to post this report, But it is damming in its reading of a severely unjust UK
which is rotten to its core in Poverty,distribtion of wealth.etc When are people going to waken up and stand up and demand more.
http://www.equalities.gov.uk/pdf/NEP Summary.pdf
I thought it was supposed to be victim focused and aim to divert young people by making them realise the impact they had on victims. That’s the way it works everywhere else but perhaps not in West Belfast. Silly me.
Cynic
You should probably take issue up with whoever penned the BBC report.
I’ll leave it for others to debate the relevance (or factual accuracy) of your 3.16 post.
Awww Dec, had your humour chip removed today have we?
If you didn’t get it, it’s pointless trying to explain. And the SF comment is a direct quote.
To be fair, the Upper Springfield chapter did suddenly lose one of its key operatives.
Most dont’t know it but “restorative justice” was first introduced to NI by Quakers (around 1990?). Places such as W Belfast took off with the concept because of a policing vaccuum…and did it their way. Aided and abetted by Chuck Feeneys money.
After SF agreed to support the PSNI, CRJ wanted in from the cold (plus Atlantic Philanthropies money was drying up and they needed gov sources).
So…that’s how we came to be where we are with CRJ today. So endeth the first lesson…
Arguably a “professional” terrorist organisation is better than an amateur one. When a prisoner on remand on charges of membership of an illegal organisation (which he denies)……sends a message from prison signed “second in command”, it does cast doubt on their “professionalism”
Fitz
Its humourous, but strikes me as a quote taken out of context or otherwise managled.
We must be one of the most bizarre corners of Western democracy – Just as an experiment – try explaing the assembly, the prisoner release, the GFA, power sharing, the OO’s position on ‘tradtional’ marches and CRJ’s to any other Euro/US citizen – almost universally they think you are kidding! At least we are a curiosity….
“the intention has been to shoot someone in the knees. On one occasion a person was shot in the shoulder”
We know these paramilitary types tend to be morons, but not being able to tell the difference between a knee and a shoulder is surely a new low !!
I just want to be assured that no member of any officially sanctioned group or body, contains any member of any group that have outstanding allegations of child abuse or rape against them.
Mr McGuire may be a fine upstanding person and a good shot, but some of his erstwhile colleagues have serious questions to answer.
Cynic
Yes, I did ‘get’ it. Sides being re-attached as we speak.
I’ll be back later on with a Johnny McQuade anecdote involving testicles.
We know these paramilitary types tend to be morons, but not being able to tell the difference between a knee and a shoulder is surely a new low !!
Posted by eranu on Jan 28, 2010 @ 05:39 PM
They don’t know their arse from their elbow.
Has Mr Maguire any comments to make on the Co Down guy who got a six pack from the Pervies (shot in ankles, knees and elbows), or those who lost legs or beld to death after botched “punishment shootings”?
Schemes like this give legitimacy to those who have no legitimacy: the Pervies.
Well Oscar…..they seem to be about to do all that in afghanistan….if you cant beat the Taliban……give up.
Glad you mentioned the Talban. have you ever heard anything so ridiculous as gordon’s plan to pay the Taliban to defect?
I sometimes wonder why I want to be British…. then I remember maggie T.
some relevant scripture for the fundies in the audience…
As it says in the holy book, book of holes, chapter one, ‘…and they knew not their holes from an ass on the ground’
as for paying off the taliban, I wish he was using his own money.
I have heard the most serious paramilitary “punishment” being referred to as being “knee capped in the head”.
We know these paramilitary types tend to be morons, but not being able to tell the difference between a knee and a shoulder is surely a new low !!
Posted by eranu on Jan 28, 2010 @ 05:39 PM
Don’t you mean a new high?
How were they to know the guy they had cornered was a dwarf
maybe he was australian and thus upside down?