Yes. It would have been great for the nationalist communities in the north if there were laws against state sanctioned violence and murder too, or even consequences after the fact, but there's been very little of that.
Exactly if people played fair, especially those who are government sanctioned and are meant to live by the rule of law, maybe others would follow. The British army were ruthless (as were other illegal armies). Just last week in NI there was a big court case where the British army were found to have acted illegally after a killing over 30 years ago. That's just one of many many more. The government's of any country try need to act legitimately and to a higher standard.