IFI funds ‘mediator’ post to deal with ‘threat-making agencies’

Workers at the Rosemount Resource Centre helped mediate with paramilitaries in order to get lifteddeath threats and expulsion orders issued by dissident republicans and members of Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) against young people in the city in recent years.

That type of work has now been given IFI backing, after announcing in March a new funding allocation to the centre “towards an intervention to support young people at risk of paramilitary attack and/or recruitment by paramilitaries.”

Two job specs seen by the Sentinel show that RRC is recruiting a co-ordinator and a community support worker.

Amongst other work-related details, the documents show that the successful candidate for the £22,199-a-year co-ordinator position will “engage with threat-making agencies on client’s behalf to seek alleviation of immediate threat and agree alternative paths to improvement”.

Essential knowledge listed for the position includes “knowledge of paramilitary punishment activities, the history and social implications”.

The job involves “the coordination and management of a support, development and intervention project in the Derry City area aimed at young people and their families who are experiencing intimidation or threat or who are at risk of crime/ punishment. The programme will include mediation, community engagement, diversionary activities and

support/training leading to personal development and employment opportunities”.

And the purpose is: “The post-holder will be responsible for the management of the project base and the creation of a secure environment to enable the work. S/he will also develop the necessary systems, procedures and relationships required. S/he will negotiate/ mediate with outside bodies as well as develop opportunities for clients to review their lifestyle choices and to access appropriate support to change behaviour”.

The community support worker “will be required to work with and on behalf of young people whose risk-taking activities have brought them to the attention of outside agencies (both legal and non-legal) and may have put them in danger of punishment”.

The Sentinel asked IFI if it considered such a post may be seen as suggesting that people under threat are themselves to blame for the position they find themselves in and that it is their behaviour alone that needs to change. It was also asked: “Is IFI satisfied that this is the correct way forward - does IFI consider that this method may legitimize groups such as RAAD or the new IRA which has also been behind threats?”

IFI replied that it did not, nor would it ever endorse such a suggestion.

It added: “The PIP places particular emphasis on engaging with disaffected and marginalised young people that are vulnerable to recruitment or attack by paramilitaries.

“Furthermore the PIP aims to: support creative and innovative approaches to dealing with contentious issues, such as those which will be addressed as part of the Rosemount PIP project, which are currently beyond the reach of government interventions; and engage with communities that have not previously, or only partially, participated in peace building and community development activities.

“The IFI fully recognises that PIP projects such as the Rosemount PIP project are attempting, in many cases for the first time without any blueprint to follow, to tackle very sensitive, complex and challenging issues.

“The credibility and flexibility and widespread acceptance of the IFI in communities throughout the island of Ireland leaves the IFI well placed to tackle the most significant remaining challenges to peace and deliver positive community transformation in communities which are currently beyond the reach of governmental interventions.”

Terror groups have been particularly active in the North West. Groups that have been active in the Londonderry area include RAAD and the Real IRA. Prior to their amalgamation last year, RAAD was involved in a large number of attacks, including the murder of Andrew Allen which sparked a series of rallies and protests.

The Real IRA was also behind a number of attempted attacks on security forces, and was blamed for a pipe bomb attack on the home of a doctor who worked with prisoners.

Since amalgamating, the new terror group has made a number of bids to launch major attacks on police targets.

And a new website threatening drug dealers and people considering joining the police has recently appeared on the internet.

Tommy McCourt, manager of Rosemount Resource Centre, rejected the suggestion the new role primarily deals with paramilitaries.

Speaking on BBC Radio Foyle yesterday he said: “A threat-making agency to a young kid of 14 or 15 could be a school teacher in his school, it could be his friends down the street, it could be his local community, it could be all sorts of people.

“We’re referring to all of those, anyone who will threaten a young person, that’s who we’re talking about. That includes paramilitaries, but it also includes statutory agencies. The people that sell them the drugs are threats.”

Mr McCourt said the programme had been running for almost two years and had already helped over 300 people.

“The kids that are involved in this type of behaviour, their lives are under threat, by their own actions.

“If we can engage with those kids and persuade them they shouldn’t be involved in this type of activity, that there’s alternatives, then everybody benefits.

“There are people out there we have no control over, who will also take the law into their own hands. What we try to do is prevent that from happening, we’re stepping in before they’re hurt.”