Mayhew RUC remark "a deep insult"

THE SDLP and Sinn Fein have deplored the statement by the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, following the AngloIrish Conference meeting on Thursday, that he could not guarantee the RUC would be able to stand up to another Drumcree type show of force.

The Sinn Fein president Mr Gerry Adams, has accused Sir Patrick of adding "deep insult to deep injury". It reinforced the ability of the unionists to "veto anything which they do not like".

"The British approach to this crisis is to pretend that nothing has happened, but that it is business as usual. But this ignores the reality that confidence in the ability of the talks process to deliver meaningful change has already disappeared," he added.

The former SDLP chairman, Mr Mark Durkan, said Sir Patrick was sending out a dangerous signal. "People are getting a cue now from the Secretary of State that the way in which you impose or secure the outcome you want a contentious march is to use local geography and mobilise numbers.

"It's giving rise, for instance, to a very strong mood in Derry that the Apprentice Boys should not, be allowed on the West Bank ... Equally, we are aware that the Apprentice Boys are talking about bringing in even bigger numbers into Derry."

Meanwhile, Ms Bairbre de Brun, director of Sinn Fein's international department, said her party was compiling a dossier surrounding the circumstances of the Drumcree standoff and the RUC removal of nationalists from Garvaghy Road to be sent to the UN.

Mr Eddie McGrady, the SDLP MP for South Down, has called for an independent public inquiry into the Drumcree confrontation and its aftermath. He said fund a mental questions still had to be addressed such as the authority of the state, the acceptance of the rule of law, the acceptance of the RUC, and the establishment of basic human rights.