The House of Representatives in America has voted unanimously to cut off funding for US-sponsored training and exchange programmes with the RUC. The move was proposed by Congressman Chris Smith, chairman of the subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights. He claimed that the RUC was linked to the intimidation of defence attorneys in Northern Ireland, and also called for just and impartial investigations into the murders of solicitors Rosemary Nelson and Pat Finucane.
The suspension of training of RUC officers by the FBI was approved as part of the American Embassy Security Act, which provides $2.4b for increased security at US embassies and promotes human rights, international broadcasting, education and cultural exchanges. He said that the vote required the US Secretary of State to take all appropriate steps to ensure that members of the RUC were not participants in any programme with the FBI, unless it was certified that an independent and transparent investigation into the Nelson and Finucane murders was initiated by the British Government.
He also called it preposterous that the RUC should be involved in any capacity in the investigation into the murder of Mrs Nelson in Lurgan last March. “When these human rights issues are rightly addressed, the monetary assistance will resume,” he added.
