Discussion: Mutilation Beatings

Citizens in Northern Ireland have, for the past three decades, lived in an atmosphere and environment characterised by intimidation, threat, 'mutilation beatings' and forced exile, in addition to bombing and shootings. Against this background, organisations in civil society have sprung up to campaign for the right of citizens to live and work free from violence, intimidation and fear. New Dialogue, together with Families against Intimidation and Terror , among other organisations, have been involved. Notably, this intimidation and the attacks on young citizens continued after the Good Friday Agreement and the formal cease-fires. Against a backdrop of this increased intimidation and beatings in many areas of Northern Ireland, FAIT intervened and intensified its campaigning which was supported by New Dialogue in Britain. The success of this approach can be witnessed in the reduction in mutilation beatings which has been recorded by Fait. The fatwa campaign (see Press Releases) focused attention on the many Northern Ireland citizens who were forced into exile by terror: these citizens were prohibited from returning to their homes under threat of death. Here, we reproduce some articles which deal with specific cases of mutilation beatings.

Prisoners of  Thugs who rule by Rods of Iron: by Ruth Dudley Edwards:
Ruth Dudley Edwards introduces us to the pain and anger of a family living with the consequences of mutilation beatings and murder. This article reflects the anger of the author and many others at the degree of dehumanisation that inform such beatings.

Peace crawls through a moral swamp: by John Lloyd
In this article John Lloyd examines the ambiguity of the insistence by politicians, among others, that the ceasefire is holding when beatings and murder of citizens in Northern Ireland continues. A discussion of two case histories indicates how the environment of fear and threat of violence constantly challenges democracy and democrats living in Northern Ireland.