Posted by Jim on March 10, 2014
CAPITOL HILL. Sunday, March 9, 2014 — Irish-Americans greatly welcome the Congressional Hearing: “The Northern Ireland Peace Process Today: Attempting to Deal with the Past” before the House Subcommittee on Human Rights, Tuesday. March 11, 2014. ( See Witnesses below).
Fr. Sean Mc Manus, president of the Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus, explained: ” This will be the fifteenth Congressional Hearing on Northern Ireland that Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) will have held — a feat unequaled in the history of the U.S. Congress. As I say in my Memoirs, My American Struggle for Justice in Northern Ireland, Congressman Smith is the human rights champion in the Congress. His Irish record is unsurpassed. ” (page 275)
Fr. Mc Manus reflected on the bad old days when human rights Hearings on Northern Ireland were banned: ” To cover up for the British Government, Hearings were banned from 1974 to 1995 — and banned with the collaboration of the Irish Government and big Irish Catholic names in the House and Senate. It was a shameful, disgraceful period in Irish-American history. But, thank God, a great Jewish-American came to our rescue. When the splendid Congressman Ben Gilman (R-NY) became Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, he immediately announced that he was going to give “Fr. Mc Manus his long sought prize:a Congressional Hearing …” ( ibid. page 275 ). Congressman Smith simultaneously became Chairman of the subcommittee on Human Rights, and the rest is history… Two Republican leaders saved the honor and integrity of the U.S. Congress by refusing to go along with the cover up imposed by famous Irish Catholic Democrats Tip O’Neill and Teddy Kennedy. That is something the Irish in Ireland should be more aware of since the Irish media insists in giving the impression that the Irish-charge in Congress was led by Democrats. Sadly and shamefully, the big Irish Catholic names were complicit in a corrupt cover-up — using the power of Congress to cover up British murder, injustice and anti-Catholic oppression in Northern Ireland.”
END
Witnesses at Hearing :The Honorable Richard N. Haass;
Ms. Geraldine Finucane; Mr. Eugene Devlin, Victim of the Military Reaction Force; Ms. Julia Hall, Expert on Criminal Justice and Counter-Terrorism in Europe, Amnesty International: Baroness Nuala O’Loan , Appearing via videoconference.
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On Thursday, Prime Minister David Cameron announced a senior judicial figure will head the inquiry into the operation and extent of the administrative scheme for OTRs. The person conducting the review will have full access to all government papers about the operation of the scheme. They will be free to interview key individuals in the civil service and the police, and any others where those individuals are willing.
Commenting on the announcement, Aiden Carlin said: “Despite the fact half a dozen High Court Judges have already heard evidence on this subject via my client’s case, the significant disclosures made in John Downey’s case were never previously made at Gerry McGeough’s trial, Appeal or in other related proceedings. Instead the NIO would appear to have sat quietly on this material while my client spent 2 years in prison. My client will want to know what letters were sent to Sinn Fein regarding him and whether those letters contained errors. My client has always maintained his innocence and also intends to make a complaint to the Police Ombudsman in light of the revelations in John Downey’s case.”
Solicitor Aiden Carlin concluded: “We have already written to the Secretary of State and the Police Ombudsman and shall be factoring recent developments into our client’s pending Supreme Court application.”
Yours faithfully
_____________
Carlin Solicitors
Posted by Jim on March 8, 2014
Eirigi press officer Stephen Murney has given an account of the
physical and mental torture he endured while interned at Maghaberry
prison, outside Lisburn over the past 14 months. The following extracts
are taken from an interview with Newry journalist Paula Mackin and
published by the Sunday World last week.
Eirigi press officer Stephen Murney has revealed how he was made to
endure humiliating ‘crucifix-styled’ strip searches and other abuses
during his 14 months held awaiting trial.
The 30-year-old said the experience proved to be a mental as well as
physical torture following repeated forced strip searches, sometimes
twice a day. His health suffered and he lost a significant amount of
weight.
“I was forcibly strip searched about 20 to 30 times when I was in there
(Maghaberry),” he said.
“Just before the searches were about to happen, I was taken into a room
and asked if I was going to comply with a search, I would make it known
I wouldn’t.
“Then I was left in a room for about 15 minutes, a reflection period
they call it, in the cell by yourself.”
He said this was to “get you worried” before the cell door then opens
and six warders known as ‘the Riot Squad’ enter the room in black boiler
suits with utility belts and batons.
“You are standing in the cell, they stand around you,” he said.
“One in front, grabbed me by the face, each one to the side grabbed me
by the arms, and hold you out like a crucifix position.
“The others behind me force me on my knees then pushed my face literally
into the ground. At that point you are fully clothed, then they start
removing your clothing. I didn’t put up resistance.
“They held me in arm locks and pressure points and then left me lying on
the ground, degraded and feeling humiliated.
“And they never tell you what they are looking for,” explained Mr
Murney.
He said the searches were unnecessary as the prison is equipped with an
electronic chair that can detect any concealed object.
The Eirigi spokesman was finally acquitted last month after the last
charges of taking and publishing photographs of PSNI members were
rejected by the non-jury court. Other charges including possession of
BB guns and combat-styled clothing had been thrown out by the Diplock
judge in January.
Defending lawyer Darragh Mackin has now confirmed that he will be
pursuing a civil action for damages for his client.
Mr Murney was arrested in November 2012. The whole experience had been
hard on his family, especially his six-year-old son, he said.
“He knew where I was and why, he knew the police had been harassing me
for months before the raid. He was there in the house when the armed
police raided my home at six in the morning,” he recalled.
Occasional visits from his son and the support of his family helped keep
him going.
“As you can imagine I always looked forward to his visits. It was really
difficult to say no to bail, but I had the support of my family.
“My mother, Martina wrote to the Attorney General John Larkin, the NI
Human Rights Commission, and the director of public prosecutions to
examine my case. So there was a campaign going on all the time.”
He said he would continue in his work with in establishing a new
electoral campaign north and south of the border.
“We were being heard before I was arrested and we are continuing to be
heard and that is what the British state tried to put a stop to by
locking me a way,” said Mr Murney.
The socialist republican does says that a united Ireland is possible in
his lifetime, but has says Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness
is living in “Cloud Cuckoo Land”.
“Martin McGuinness’ vision of a united Ireland by 2016 is just two years
away, and in my opinion it is just not going to happen.
“I would like to see it happen in my lifetime. Ireland has a wealth of
natural reserves that is yet to be tapped into, and just like Scotland
voting on independence, it can happen here too.
“We have already chosen candidates for the upcoming local council
elections with two in Belfast and seven in the South. And we will be
considering potentially sitting in the new super council of Newry,
Mourne and Down.
“Don’t forget I am an innocent man, and I intend to pursue my political
beliefs despite all that has happened to me,” said Mr Murney.
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The revelation that an administrative scheme to deal with IRA ‘On the
Run’s’ (OTRs) has been operating quietly for at least 13 years has
angered some of those bereaved by the Bloody Sunday massacre and other
state killings.
Sinn Fein has strongly denied claims that they agreed to an amnesty for
British soldiers in return for so-called “letters of comfort”. The
letters indicate that no conflict-related prosecutions would be brought
against its recipients. Sinn Fein said the 187 letters issued so far to
its supporters served to clarify the uncertain legal position facing
many nationalists and republicans as a result of historical events.
But the SDLP has accused their political rivals of ‘dishonesty’ in
their dealings with the past.
Former British Direct Ruler Peter Hain said this week that an amnesty
should naturally be extended to murderous members of the British Crown
forces, including those who were involved in the Bloody Sunday
killings.
“If you have, as has been the case, addressed the question of former
terrorists involved in activity, then it should apply even-handedly
right across the board to members of the British security forces as
well,” Mr Hain said.
In response, Sinn Fein’s Raymond McCartney said Hain’s comments were
“ill judged and inappropriate”. He said his party had always supported
the Bloody Sunday families, but he said Sinn Fein at no point agreed to
an amnesty deal with the British military.
“When the then British Secretary of State, Peter Hain introduced a
reference in the proposed legislation (in 2005) to immunity for the
British army, Sinn Fein immediately rejected it and rather than remove
the section Hain dumped the whole Bill necessitating the renegotiation
of the current OTR process.”
Relatives of the Bloody Sunday victims say that their support was
sought by Sinn Fein in 2005 for Hain’s OTR legislation and in return
they would have to drop their campaign to see members of the British
military prosecuted for the 1972 massacre. They fear a ‘side-deal’ has
also been formalised for members of the Crown forces.
Kate Nash, who’s brother William was shot dead on Bloody Sunday and her
father Alex wounded whilst trying to go to his son’s aid, described the
situation as a “disgrace.”
She said the offer made to the Bloody Sunday families to support OTRs
in return for dropping possible prosecutions against members of the
Parachute Regiment had been wholly rejected by the families.
“Nobody should be above the law. I wouldn’t be surprised if soldiers
had already been given similar letters. Sinn Fein seem to be leading
players in this with the British government. It’s shocking I suppose
but not actually a surprise. It smacks of intrigue and dirty dealings.
Where was the openness and transparency over this?”
Linda Nash reiterated her sister’s claims and said she recalled
thinking “what is an OTR?”
“They wanted to lump in support for OTRs in an immunity deal where no
soldiers were prosecuted, but nobody agreed to it. I thought if they
are on the run, that’s up to themselves, it has nothing to do with us,”
she said.
Mr Durkan, a former SDLP leader, accused Sinn Fein of being only
concerned with “getting their on-the-runs back with no questions asked,
i.e., it has not been about the victims.”
Referring to those who were given clearance letters as “Shinners list”,
he added: “We always knew they was going to be a side deal. Peter Hain
launched his Bill (in 2005) and it took in OTRs and everybody else. It
was unconscionable that it was not going to be all-inclusive. Closure
cannot be one-sided.”
‘NOT AN AMNESTY’
Sinn Fein Martin McGuinness has said the fact that some republicans
were denied letters — and told they would be arrested if they entered
a British jurisdiction — proves that they were nothing more than
official confirmation that there was no evidence linking individuals to
offences.
And PSNI chief Matt Baggott also told a meeting of the Policing Board
in Belfast there was no amnesty.
Mr Baggott said: “As far as I am concerned there are no get out of jail
cards, there are no amnesties and there are no letters of immunity. If
new evidence emerges then it will be investigated and we will send
reports to the Public Prosecution Service.”
For its part, the British government also insisted that the various
letters sent out over the years did not amount to “immunity, exemption
or amnesty from arrest”. And the scheme is now at an end, British
Direct Ruler Theresa Villiers said on Friday.
But the DUP and SDLP has continued to insist they had not been told of
the scheme, claiming a reference to it at a Policing Board meeting in
2010 had been without key details.
The DUP has said that a judge-led inquiry, ordered by British Prime
Minister David Cameron and due to conclude by May, would see the names
of every republican on-the-run that received a letter be made public —
and that at least some of the letters would be overturned.
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has claimed the entire controversy is a
sham crisis.
“It is important to understand that the letters provided cannot be
rescinded. If you’re not wanted — you’re not wanted,” he said.
“Clearly, despite all of the feigned brouhaha and hot air generated by
unionist leaders, this process is not an amnesty.”
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The National Treasurer of Republican Sinn Fein was arrested and charged
by the PSNI for speaking Irish, the party has said.
It is understood Diarmuid Mac Dubhghlais was arrested in Derry on
Thursday after he gave his name and responded to questioning in the
native Irish language.
Republican Sinn Fein Des Dalton said Mr Mac Dubhghlais had been charged
“simply with insisting on his right to converse in the Irish language,
reinforcing the point that within the Six-County state it remains a
crime to speak Irish.”
He said the incident showed that the nature of British rule has not
changed in the north of Ireland.
“So much for the Stormont Agreement’s commitment to full respect for,
and equality of, civil, political, social and cultural rights,” he
said.
“Such actions expose this for the empty rhetoric that it is. The
Six-County state is an abnormal and undemocratic entity whose
relationship with the nationalist people is that of a coloniser.
“Consequently the very markers of a distinct Irish identity such as our
language are regarded as a threat to the Six-County state.”
He said former British Six-County Direct Ruler Peter Hain had let ‘the
cat out of the bag’ in 2012 when he admitted there would be an “inbuilt
majority” against increased Irish language rights at Stormont.
“The attempted criminalisation of Irish speakers is only what is
expected of a colonial state whose intention is the eradication of any
vestiges of Irish nationality, culture or history,” he added,
concluding with the words of 1916 rebel leader Padraig Mac Piarais:
“Tir gan teanga, tir gan anam.” [A country that has lost its language
is a country that has lost its soul].
CUTS
It has also emerged that the 26-County government is planning to row
back on provisions in legislation guaranteeing Irish speakers equal
access to State services.
A revised draft Official Languages (Amendment) Bill 2014 includes the
removal of a provision requiring the publication in Irish and English
of documents setting out public policy proposals.
Among other planned cuts, the draft warns that the use of the Irish
language “version” of names and addresses could make it difficult for
IT or other business systems used in the public sector.
Fianna Fail’s Eamon O Cuiv said the draft was “frightening” and
questioned the basis for most of the proposed amendments, which he said
were “either technical or negative”.
Singling out the amendment providing for the use of Irish and English
versions of names and addresses, Mr O Cuiv said said that there was no
right to translate a Gaelic name or address into English.
“I have to say that I always believed that no-one had the right to
translate my name. I always thought that your name belonged to you
yourself,” he said.