The Isle of Man Minister for Education has rejected concerns expressed by Mec Vannin about the active promotion of military recruitment in Island schools.

The Manx Nationalist Party had launched a swingeing attack on the policy pointing out that even UK educational bodies have strong reservations about the targeting of young people in the school environment.

Responding to the Nationalists concerns, the Minister curiously remarked that military career options give "young people the opportunity to understand the wider world".

One would hope that if this were the case then a military career would promote restraint, discipline, respect for the cultures of others and racial tolerance.

However, given recent history this is plainly not the case. In the same week that the Manx Education Minister was airing her comments, the United Kingdom government revealed that it was to make a multi-million pound payment of compensation to a number of Iraqi detainees who were tortured by UK troops in Basra in 2003. During their detention the detainees were subjected to a catalogue of violence and racist abuse. One of their number, Baha Mousa, died. A postmortem examination found that Baha Mousa suffered multiple injuries (at least ninety-three), including fractured ribs and a broken nose.

The case of Baha Mousa and others was not an isolated event as just months earlier innocent Iraqi civilians had been subjected to the most vile and bestial abuse at the so called 'Camp Breadbasket' army logistics centre in Basra. 'Trophy' photographs taken by the troops themselves showed soldiers forcing Iraqis to strip bare and simulate oral and anal sex. They also showed a grimacing Iraqi who had been strung up in a cargo net made from thick rope which had been hung from a forklift truck. One photograph showed a defenceless Iraqi tied up on the ground being viciously assaulted.

It is not just Iraq and it is not just a few bad apples. The British Army has been at it for years. Early in this decade allegations surfaced that large numbers of women in Kenya had allegedly been raped by British troops during a twenty five year period from the 1960s when they used training bases in that country. An internal British army investigation has rejected the claims but in 2003 an international human rights body said:

"The fact that so many rape claims over such a long period of time were neither investigated nor prosecuted shows a systemic failure of the UK army and may amount to institutional acquiescence which encouraged a pattern of grave human rights violations by members of the UK army."

It is not just when they are on active service or exercise that the true face of the British Army comes to the fore. Even when relaxing the British Army frequently illustrate how disruptive, drunken and capable of extreme violence they can be.

Cyprus, which still houses a contentious base area over which the United Kingdom claims sovereignty, is after used for rest and relaxation. There are frequent reports in the UK media of brawls in nearby resort areas some of which are now declared out of bounds to the troops.

However, sometimes the aggression can have tragic results, as in 1996 when three soldiers serving with the First Battalion the Royal Green Jacket were jailed for life for abducting Louise Jensen, a Danish tour guide. Ms Jensen, who had no connection with the three before the fateful night they chanced upon her, was sexually assaulted and battered to death with a spade after they had spent the night drinking.

Although the MoD has paid compensation over the murder of Baha Mousa, his killers still serve in the British Army, their identities concealed by a conspiracy of silence. Nevertheless the British Army are not ashamed to have killers serving in the ranks even if they have been tried and convicted.

Belfastman Peter McBride, an eighteen year old father of two, was murdered by two Scots Guardsmen, Mark Wright and James Fisher, who were subsequently welcomed back into the ranks after their early release.

Rape, assault, bestial behaviour and murder - all part of a career option which the Isle of Man government believes to be appropriate for pupils in its schools.

The images released at the Camp Breadbasket court martial can be found here:

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A report on the compensation settlement with a grphic showing some of the apalling injuries suffered by Baha Mousa here:

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Report on the Kenya rape allegations here:

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Report on the Louise Jensen case here:

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A report on the McBride killers after the decision to allow them back in the Army.

See related articles on Celtic News at:

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J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

12/07/08

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