The Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) is investigating a report that
Provisional IRA members cleaned up the scene of a gang rape and attempted to
prevent the victim reporting the crime to police.
The move follows a Sunday Tribune investigation outlining the claims. The
IMC, which monitors paramilitary ceasefires, was alarmed at the allegations.
The IMC's next report will be presented to the two governments in January.
Eileen Calder of Northern Ireland's Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre told
the Sunday Tribune that IRA members had carried out the clean-up because the
perpetrators had connections with the Provos and the controversial Community
Restorative Justice (CRJ) scheme which operates in nationalist areas.
The IMC contacted the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre immediately. On
Wednesday, it held a two-hour meeting with staff to discuss the claims.
The IMC delegation included former Assembly speaker, Lord Alderdice; former
Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner, John Grieve; and former
Department of Justice secretary general, Joe Brosnan.
"The meeting went well. It was very thorough and we believe what we said was
taken seriously," said Calder. An independent member of the Policing
Board, who was equally alarmed by the claims in the Sunday Tribune's report,
also met Calder on Thursday.
"That was a very positive meeting as well and I am now hoping to address the
full Policing Board on the general issue of the policing of rape, including
the involvement of these community restorative justice schemes," she said.
CRJ has applied for massive British government funding. A decision is
expected in the New Year. The SDLP and others have expressed grave concerns
as they say the British government's proposed human rights' safeguards fall
far short.
Calder said that in the worst situations, CRJ had "threatened women and
attempted to cover up crimes committed by those with IRA, Sinn Féin or CRJ
connections".
