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106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 128

Concerning paramilitary groups and British security forces in Northern

Ireland.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 6, 1999

Mr. ENGEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee

on International Relations

A BILL

Concerning paramilitary groups and British security forces

in Northern Ireland.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

4 The Congress finds that—

5 (1) it is the policy of the United States Govern6 ment to promote peace and reconciliation between

7 Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in ac8 cordance with the Anglo-Irish Accord of November

9 15, 1985;
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1 (2) the United States has sought through diplo2 macy and economic support to foster this reconcili3 ation process;

4 (3) reports of collusion between United King5 dom security forces and illegal paramilitary groups

6 raise serious questions about the respect for human

7 rights of minorities in Northern Ireland;

8 (4) Amnesty International has repeatedly asked

9 the British Government to establish an independent

10 judicial inquiry into the procedures used to inves11 tigate killings by security forces since 1980;

12 (5) the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

13 states that all are equal before the law and are enti14 tled without any discrimination to equal protection

15 under the law;

16 (6) killings of civilians by paramilitary groups

17 raise serious concern for the respect for the rule of

18 law in Northern Ireland; and

19 (7) the Republic of Ireland has expressed con20 cern about the links between paramilitary groups

21 and security forces in Northern Ireland.

22 SEC. 2. STATEMENTS OF POLICY.

23 The Congress—
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1 (1) deplores all acts of violence directed at the

2 civilian population in Northern Ireland including

3 extrajudicial killings;

4 (2) calls upon the President to urge the Gov5 ernment of the United Kingdom—

6 (A) to take immediate measures to halt all

7 cooperation with the Ulster Freedom Fighters,

8 the Ulster Volunteer Force, the Ulster Defense

9 Association, and any other paramilitary organi10 zation or militia which is not officially sanc11 tioned to maintain law and order; and

12 (B) to establish an independent judicial in13 quiry into the killing of civilians by security

14 forces since 1980; and

15 (3) calls upon the President to communicate to

16 the highest levels of the Government of the United

17 Kingdom grave concern about the United Kingdom’s

18 policy of resuming military service of soldiers who

19 have been convicted of serious crimes related to the

20 administration of justice in Northern Ireland.
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1 SEC. 3. BAN ON SALES OF MILITARY AND LAW ENFORCE2 MENT ITEMS TO THE ROYAL ULSTER CON3 STABULARY, THE ULSTER DEFENSE REGI4 MENT, THE ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT, AND

5 CERTAIN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

6 (a) GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT MILITARY

7 SALES.—Defense articles may not be sold under the Arms

8 Export Control Act to or for any organization specified

9 in subsection (d).

10 (b) COMMERCIAL MILITARY SALES.—A license may

11 not be issued under section 36(c) of the Arms Export Con12 trol Act for the export of any defense article for use by

13 any organization specified in subsection (d).

14 (c) LAW ENFORCEMENT EQUIPMENT.—Items des15 ignated as crime control and detection instruments and

16 equipment for purposes of section 6(n) of the Export Ad17 ministration Act of 1979 may not be exported for use by

18 any organization specified in subsection (d).

19 (d) INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.—Subsections (a),

20 (b), and (c) apply with respect to the Royal Ulster Con21 stabulary, the Ulster Defense Regiment, the Royal Irish

22 Regiment, and any other organization in which anyone

23 who previously was a member of the Royal Ulster Con24 stabulary, the Ulster Defense Regiment, the Royal Irish

25 Regiment, the Ulster Freedom Fighters, the Ulster Volun-
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1 teer Force, the Ulster Defense Association, or any other

2 paramilitary association is a member.

3 SEC. 4. REPORT ON BRITISH COOPERATION WITH PARA4 MILITARY GROUPS IN NORTHERN IRELAND.

5 Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment

6 of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the

7 Committee on International Relations of the House of

8 Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations

9 of the Senate a report, in both classified and unclassified

10 form, on cooperation between United Kingdom security

11 forces and militias and paramilitary groups in Northern

12 Ireland.

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