Profile for Elizabeth Nelson
Latest posts from Elizabeth Nelson (see all)
Elizabeth Nelson has posted 7 times (0 in the last month).
‘Booby Trap’ Bomb Under Soldier’s Car Found This Morning
An “undercar booby trap bomb” has been discovered under the car of a soldier in Bangor, County Down this morning. The bomb fell out from underneath the car this morning and was discovered. 20 – 30 homes in the area were subsequently evacuated. This follows the bomb at the Strand Road Police Station in Derry [...] more »
Community Relations Rally at Stormont Today
Youth workers, community workers and activists will gather at the Newtownards gate of Stormont today at 12pm and walk up to the parliament building in support of community relations work and in protest at the cut in vital funding. In a perhaps unwitting testament to how important this work is, the BBC this morning ran [...] more »
Of Bombs and Diplomas
At a press conference in Kabul this morning, David Cameron stated that Afghanistan was his “number one priority” and pledged an additional £67m to fight improvised explosive devices, or IEDs (roadside bombs, effectively). Mr. Cameron denied that any additional troops would be sent. £67m on bombs. What else could that £67m have bought you in [...] more »
Your outrage must endure another 37 days…
Outraged at Israel’s violent attack on the humanitarian aid flotilla? Outraged at those who are outraged? Either way, you may have to wait 37 days the next time you want to join your international peers in demonstrating your anger. Something that should’ve been obvious from yesterday’s City Centre vigil for the flotilla, but was rarely mentioned: [...] more »
“Shoot to Kill” Files Ordered Released
The High Court today has ordered that files relating to the government’s alleged ‘shoot to kill’ policy should be released. Mr. Justice John Gillen said: “If inquests are to maintain public confidence, put minds at rest and answer the questions of the families who are bereaved, it is vital to ensure that the interested parties/next [...] more »
South Africa and the World Cup Frenzy – A Success Story?
No local teams will be participating, but all eyes are already on South Africa in the lead-up to the World Cup next month – and the rest will be glued to the T.V. But amid all the glitz and glamour surrounding the World Cup, very little is being said about South Africa beneath the World Cup [...] more »
Review of Human Rights Act
A guest blog from 'Bubbler' on how the fear of terrorism is being used to curtail civil liberties. more »
Latest comments from Elizabeth Nelson (see all)
Elizabeth Nelson has commented 10 times (0 in the last month).
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The Written World
Here’s something to keep you occupied over the weekend. [Will there be a quiz? - Ed] Possibly… The BBC magazine has an short and interesting, but un-embeddable, audio slide-show of Melvyn Bragg’s Radio 4 five-parter, In Our Time: The Written World. The British Library has more online information about the texts and technology featured in each [...] read our review » -
What has The Third Man got to say about Northern Ireland?
Short answer: very little, other than he enjoyed the environs of Hillsborough Castle, enjoyed working with the local politicians, and has Gerry Adams to thank for Bobby his dog. Peter Mandelson’s book The Third Man has captured media headlines in recent weeks as the Times serialised the most juicy bits. But what did he have [...] read our review »
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Risk of going beyond either/or…
This is article was first published in Fortnight magazine back in February 2003. Chris Farrington is now a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellow funded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences’ in the School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin. Although the circumstances it describes has changed radically and [...] read our review »
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Comment on ‘Booby Trap’ Bomb Under Soldier’s Car Found This Morning
on 5 August 2010 at 9:06 pm
Well my point is that there are other ‘dissenting’ groups that don’t support violence, but don’t agree with the SF/SDLP line – maybe we should be talking to them.
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Comment on ‘Booby Trap’ Bomb Under Soldier’s Car Found This Morning
on 5 August 2010 at 2:08 pm
Greenflag (and others)
Can I put forward the hypothesis that some of these groups resort to violence because no one is willing to engage them in democratic dialogue and take their views and opinions seriously?
This is in no way meant to condone or justify what the armed groups are doing right now, and should not be read as such. However, there are republican groups out there that are ‘dissenting’ – in that they don’t agree with some of the terms of the GFA. This doesn’t mean that they inherently advocate violence as well. While they may not have as much support (publicly) as SF, don’t their voices too matter? By calling such opinions “mindless, moronic and utterly purposeless,” are we not contributing to the process of marginalizing them?
Again, I want to reiterate that this doesn’t mean that I think it’s ok to use violence if you feel you are marginalized – I don’t. I just think maybe the discussion should include the responsibility the rest of us have in a democratic society to ensure that the views and opinions of everyone are being listened to, whether or not we agree with them.
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Comment on ‘Booby Trap’ Bomb Under Soldier’s Car Found This Morning
on 5 August 2010 at 10:20 am
See, what I’m afraid of is that these recent incidents are going to increase the calls for ‘exceptional’ policing measures, perhaps like Section 44 – when actually, when you look at the amount of people stopped and searched compared to the people subsequently arrested (and even further, those actually charged), it’s such a tiny percentage.
I think there needs to be a discussion about how to approach this effectively, without severely impinging on civil liberties. It seems to me that exceptional or extraordinary policing measures in the past only served to polarize people even more, which is counterproductive.
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Comment on ‘Booby Trap’ Bomb Under Soldier’s Car Found This Morning
on 4 August 2010 at 10:43 pm
In an attempt to bring the discussion back to the topic (and away from what I can only assume is some kind of inside joke/antagonism between Pippakin and socaire, and discussions of Irish I don’t understand)…
But this is just one in a series of incidents that brings up huge issues in the wider debate around policing and paramilitary activity.
Has anyone else thought about the events of the last two days in light of the fact that the controversial stop and search measures of Section 44 have been changed/modified/suspended by the Home Secretary?
In the days immediately following this many politicians (and others) alleged that this would seriously hamper the fight against groups like Oglaigh na hEireann, CIRA, RIRA…
Or does it? This article by the Newsletter (http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/PSNI-39still-has-power-to.6410280.jp) – which I only recently discovered – carries quotes by a ‘PSNI spokesperson’ who says that the Home Secretary’s guidance for section 44 (basically saying you now need ‘reasonable suspicion’ to stop someone – whatever that means) doesn’t apply to Northern Ireland.
We can go on and on and round and round in circles about these armed groups and their actions, speaking rhetoric on either side, etc, but I think belfastjj brought up an interesting point about intelligence… thoughts?
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Comment on “..things are what they are and will be what they will be”
on 19 May 2010 at 10:20 pm
Right. I think everyone is missing the point.
Our society is built upon the rule of law. People who break the law are arrested, tried, and imprisoned. Those policies and conditions must be fair and decent. It’s part of what makes us a democratic society.
That means we’re not running a ‘tit-for-tat’ operation. Just because is accused (or convicted) of terrorist offenses does not take away their humanity, like it or not. Thus comments on ‘what are the conditions for the people they abducted’ aren’t relevant. They were tried for those crimes in a court of law and found guilty. Now they’re serving their time. Their conditions must be humane, according to the law, and, I thought, our society’s moral conscience.
A very apt quote contributed to Gandhi (among others): “A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.”
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Comment on Review of Human Rights Act
on 19 May 2010 at 8:54 pm
Couldn’t have said it better.
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Comment on Review of Human Rights Act
on 19 May 2010 at 8:53 pm
Because derogations are only allowed in ‘states of emergency threatening the life of the nation.’ Not the case here.
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Comment on “..things are what they are and will be what they will be”
on 18 May 2010 at 7:40 pm
Under the European Convention of Human Rights (made domestic law through the Human Rights Act) the State is responsible for protecting people from torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, both from the state and from private individuals. Moreover, it is responsible for investigating alleged incidents of torture – no matter who the person is. Basically, it doesn’t matter what you think of dissidents, Sinn Fein or whoever – they are human beings, they have rights, and the government is responsible for making sure their rights are protected. The law cannot be applied selectively – no matter much you think someone is a ‘scumbag’ – and what you should be more concerned with is the government’s lack of concern or urgency in investigating. It’s illegal and it’s reprehensible.
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Comment on “Every architectural work sparks controversies – look at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.”
on 4 April 2010 at 11:03 pm
“By the way, his proposed 35% cut in revenue generated is an interesting addendum to that ideology.”
Where did you find that info Pete?
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Comment on “directing British policy and directing the occupation of Ireland”.
on 9 March 2010 at 5:01 am
Ardoyne Republican,
Might you direct the rest of us lesser-informed readers to where you found this statement of intent to ‘exploit’ the children of Ireland?
If it’s true it’s utterly despicable, and should absolutely be examined and denounced. But if it’s not, it would be despicable of you to make those allegations, presumably because you don’t trust or accept the PSNI.
But I for one would like the chance to decide for myself.
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