***End of intimidation points is placing lives in danger***
Until recently people under threat or facing extreme intimidation were eligible for an allocation of up to 200 intimidation points by the housing executive. Housing rights advises that “The threat “has to be confirmed by the P.S.N.I or Base 2, an organisation that can confirm threats from paramilitary organisations, before intimidation points can be allocated”
It is increasingly evident that the housing executive no longer subscribes to this process. Indeed the I.R.S.P believe that the process has been ended with both base 2 and the housing executive being replaced by the P.S.N.I.
North Belfast I.R.S.P representative Tarlach Mac Dhónaill has spoken with housing executive management, as well as with representatives of base 2 and housing rights in recent months. Speaking today he said “I am gravely concerned by a number of cases presently. In one case a single mother was told by the housing executive that she is not eligible for intimidation points and is safe to return to her home. The mother was forced from her home by an armed gang. Her home was subsequently ransacked and wrecked. Both base 2 and alternatives confirm that a live, legitimate and viable paramilitary threat exists over this lady. When I questioned the housing executive they told me that although they accept base 2’s report, the PSNI has intervened and informed their management that there is no threat, Mac Dhónaill continues “If this woman returns to her former home, and is then attacked, I wonder would a civil servant in the housing executive accept any responsibility for that attack because it is their names attached to these erroneous letters”.
The P.S.N.I are not only undermining base 2 and placing the housing executive in an impossible position here, but in an intelligence led drive that seeks to force home the fresh start agreement, the P.S.N.I are deliberately placing people, who are already under threat in further peril. It is time this situation was called out and stopped. The I.R.S.P will continue to pursue clarity on this issue.
