ANTI-INTIMIDATION UNIT FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

Early day motion 50, tabled 17 November 1999 by Harry Barnes (Labour). Signed by 20 members.

That this House believes that paramilitary decommissioning by Republican and Loyalist groups must be completed by May 2000; believes, however, that there will still be a serious danger of continuing intimidation, including so-called punishment beatings, exiling and possible abuse of authority at local and regional level by such groups for some time to come; understands the difficulties faced by many people in actively and openly countering such undemocratic activities by, for example, reporting such incidents to the RUC or other institutions of the state; and believes, in these circumstances, that an independent body, possibly funded by the international community, should be established with the purpose of allowing victims and those with information confidentially to convey information without incurring any penalty from those who are carrying out such activity and for this new body to expose all residual gangsterism through regular reports to the British Government and via the media so that suitable action can be taken to eradicate activities that undermine the possibility of building a genuinely inclusive, peaceful and democratic society.

Signatures by party: Labour 11, Liberal Democrat 7, Conservative 1, UUP 1.