Ulsterisation
Encyclopedia
Ulsterisation refers to one part 'primacy of the police' of a three part strategy by the British Government to pacify
Northern Ireland
during the conflict known as The Troubles
. The strategy was to disengage the non-Ulster
regiments of the British Army
as much as possible from security duties in Northern Ireland and replace them with members of the locally recruited Royal Ulster Constabulary
and Ulster Defence Regiment
. The objective of this policy was to confine the conflict to Northern Ireland.
This strategy was outlined in an unpublished 1975 British strategy paper titled "The Way Ahead" produced by a committee of senior Army, RUC and intelligence officers, chaired by John Bourn
, a Northern Ireland Office
civil servant. Under Labour’s first Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Merlyn Rees it came to be the dominant theme in the conflict as it raged into the 1980s.
The Rees administration aimed at putting security policy on a more logical and rational basis, and along with the Chief Constable of the RUC, Englishman Kenneth Newman
they produced the often controversial strategy of 'criminalisation' and 'Ulsterisation.' These policies would later be extended by Roy Mason
, and would include the employment of the Special Air Service
on the Irish border.
'Criminalisation' was meant to avoid any acknowledgement of political motivation and nature of the conflict and was partly motivated to change perceptions of the conflict from a colonial war to that of a campaign against criminal gangs. 'Ulsterisation' brought about striking changes in the casualty patterns. It was judged that the political impact of killings of British soldiers by the Provisional Irish Republican Army
was greater than the deaths of local security forces members. The drop in the number of regular army casualties helped prevent any build-up in Britain of sentiment for a withdrawal from Northern Ireland.
The move to locally based policing followed the Scarman Report
, published on 3 October 1969. This recommended a complete reorganisation of the RUC, with the aim of both modernising the force and bringing it into line with the other police forces in the UK.
The name of the policy comes from a similar US strategy towards the end of the Vietnam War
called "Vietnamisation".
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
during the conflict known as The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
. The strategy was to disengage the non-Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
regiments of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as much as possible from security duties in Northern Ireland and replace them with members of the locally recruited Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
and Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
. The objective of this policy was to confine the conflict to Northern Ireland.
This strategy was outlined in an unpublished 1975 British strategy paper titled "The Way Ahead" produced by a committee of senior Army, RUC and intelligence officers, chaired by John Bourn
John Bourn
Sir John Bourn, then an officer of the British House of Commons, was holder of the office of Comptroller and Auditor General and, as such, head of the National Audit Office. He took up his post in 1988 after a series of senior appointments in the Ministry of Defence and the Northern Ireland Office...
, a Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
civil servant. Under Labour’s first Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Merlyn Rees it came to be the dominant theme in the conflict as it raged into the 1980s.
The Rees administration aimed at putting security policy on a more logical and rational basis, and along with the Chief Constable of the RUC, Englishman Kenneth Newman
Kenneth Newman
Sir Kenneth Leslie Newman, GBE, QPM was Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 1982 to 1987 and Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary from 1976 to 1980...
they produced the often controversial strategy of 'criminalisation' and 'Ulsterisation.' These policies would later be extended by Roy Mason
Roy Mason
Roy Mason, Baron Mason of Barnsley, PC is a British Labour politician and former Cabinet minister.He was born in Royston, and grew up in Carlton, Barnsley in South Yorkshire...
, and would include the employment of the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
on the Irish border.
'Criminalisation' was meant to avoid any acknowledgement of political motivation and nature of the conflict and was partly motivated to change perceptions of the conflict from a colonial war to that of a campaign against criminal gangs. 'Ulsterisation' brought about striking changes in the casualty patterns. It was judged that the political impact of killings of British soldiers by the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
was greater than the deaths of local security forces members. The drop in the number of regular army casualties helped prevent any build-up in Britain of sentiment for a withdrawal from Northern Ireland.
The move to locally based policing followed the Scarman Report
Scarman report
The Scarman report was commissioned by the UK Government following the 1981 Brixton riots. Lord Scarman was appointed by then Home Secretary William Whitelaw on 14 April 1981 to hold the enquiry into the riots...
, published on 3 October 1969. This recommended a complete reorganisation of the RUC, with the aim of both modernising the force and bringing it into line with the other police forces in the UK.
The name of the policy comes from a similar US strategy towards the end of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
called "Vietnamisation".