Human Rights – Page 30 – Slugger O'Toole

“Northern Ireland has a commissioner for everything except corruption..”

Pete Baker on November 15, 2008, 4:17 pm

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In the Irish News, Newton Emerson identifies some more of those poisonous foundations.. to add to the rest.. Semi-official systems to reward the cooperative undoubtedly exist. Industries which are otherwise heavily regulated appear mysteriously immune from regulation in the case of certain individuals. Even more mysteriously, these individuals can find themselves back under regulation if they cross accepted peace-process ‘red lines’ on crime or anti-agreement associations. In private conversations about this with police officers I have been told to grow …

“it is all too easy to find fault with what the authorities have done..”

Pete Baker on November 13, 2008, 3:03 am

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The BBC report on the Law Lord’s criticism of the NI Human Right Commission’s intervention in support of a case brought by a mother of a child who was a pupil at the Holy Cross School during 2001. Chief Human Rights Commissioner, Monica McWilliams, has claimed the Commission’s intervention, in support of the case, had been vindicated by the clarification of an issue of law used by the Appeal Court. But from the unanimous law lords ruling [Lord Hoffman]”It is …

“lodged on his behalf by a Northern Irish law firm..”

Pete Baker on November 12, 2008, 2:10 am

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When the Spanish authorities sought the Republic of Ireland’s government’s help in locating Inaki de Juana Chaos in September – last known address the Dublin home of Colombia fugitive James Monaghan – some reports suggested he was in hiding in Northern Ireland “with sympathisers in the republican movement”. Today, after he failed to appear at a National Criminal Court hearing in Spain, the Spanish judge issued an international arrest warrant for de Juana Chaos. And the RTÉ report includes this …

“one of these people will break ranks..”

Pete Baker on November 11, 2008, 3:44 am

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Despite a number of arrests – “heavy-handed” and “politically motivated” according to Sinn Féin councillor, Brendan Curran, the Chairman of the local DPP – no-one has yet been charged with the murder of Paul Quinn. Today his parents met with Chief Constable Hugh Orde who had this to say. Despite numerous arrests, no-one has ever been charged with his murder. “This will happen, it’s simply a question of time,” said Sir Hugh. “What we’re looking for now is someone, even …

“There will be no amnesty recommended in our report.”

Pete Baker on November 10, 2008, 7:09 pm

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Is there still time for lessons from elsewhere? Co-chairman of the Consultative Group on the Past, Denis Bradley, has been speaking at Queen’s University on the speculation about what the group’s recommendations will be. Consultative Group on the Past co-chairman Denis Bradley said: “People have said to us, ‘why not just draw a line in the sand?’ “But that would mean no more prosecutions and that is the same as introducing a general amnesty. “Let me state in the clearest …

“We tried your mandatory coalition, it doesn’t work..”

Pete Baker on November 9, 2008, 3:17 am

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If the current circumstances continue, Peter Robinson might just be tempted to take Jim Allister’s advice.. “The argument against voluntary coalition is “oh, you can’t have devolution without Sinn Fein in government”. Why not? Because, some whisper, we might go back to “the bad old days”. Who would take us there? Surely not those we are assured have given up violence for good? If Sinn Fein are only playing the role of democrats so long as they stay in government, …

“There is an unwritten law..”

Pete Baker on November 7, 2008, 3:56 am

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A strong opening from Eamonn McCann in the Belfast Telegraph Belfast is certainly an Irish town. But it is a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland town, too. This was explicitly confirmed in the 1998 Multi-Party Agreement and is, surely, morally binding on all who endorsed the Agreement. True, the Agreement was also explicit that partition would remain only for as long as a majority within the North wanted it so. But this has been the unionist position …

“still sort of a gray area as to what Gerry Adams did do..”

Pete Baker on November 4, 2008, 11:05 pm

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Notwithstanding the absence of a Sinn Féin spokesman, there was a fairly comprehensive discussion on Stormont Live of DUP MLA Nelson McCausland’s comments yesterday. Beginning with his ejection from the Assembly chamber today by Speaker Willie Hay. Pete Baker

“Since Mr Adams keeps calling for truth recovery..”

Pete Baker on November 4, 2008, 5:05 pm

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As the BBC reports, yesterday in the Assembly chamber DUP MLA Nelson McCausland “claimed [Gerry Adams] had been the IRA leader who set up secret units to murder suspected informers and dispose of their bodies” – you can watch his statement, and Adams’ denial here. Today, after he refused to withdraw the remarks, Speaker Willie Hay ordered Nelson McCausland to leave the chamber. Mr McCausland said: “The statements were based on extracts from Ed Moloney’s book, A Secret History of …

“That’s a cop-out..”

Pete Baker on November 3, 2008, 11:24 pm

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On Sunday, while some paraded, and others protested, the families of those abducted, murdered, and secretly buried by the Provisional IRA and others held a small service at Stormont. In the Northern Ireland Assembly today MLAs debated a motion calling on any individual or organisation with information to bring it forward. During the debate the DUP’s Nelson McCausland outlined his view of Gerry Adams’ role in the disappearances – “human rights violation[s]” for which immunity was sought, and granted, during …

“Everybody in this community has been up in arms about the level of crime..”

Pete Baker on October 30, 2008, 3:46 pm

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In Londonderry two armed masked men walked into a bookmakers last night, ordered the customers to lie on the floor before shooting one of them in both legs. Meanwhile, as the IRSP and the 32 County Sovereignty Group huddle closer together, in Belfast Community Restorative Justice Ireland director, Jim Auld, has said that three members of the scheme have been threatened by dissenting republican groups. Looks like the accreditation of those schemes might not be working out as planned.. Or, …

“believed to be linked to dissident republican activity..”

Pete Baker on October 29, 2008, 6:15 pm

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A number of controlled explosions have been carried out during a security alert in Twinbrook as the Army Bomb Disposal Squad [That would be the British Army? – Ed] dealt with several suspicious devices – including another one at St Colm’s High School. Pete Baker

“Public confidence in the criminal justice system is increasing..”

Pete Baker on October 27, 2008, 7:15 pm

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Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Minister, Paul Goggins, MP, has published a draft five-year strategy [pdf file] for community safety for public consultation. Official statement here.One of the proposals in the draft strategy is for “dispersal zones”. From the pdf file Dispersal zones These would allow a senior police officer (of the rank of Superintendent or above) who has reasonable grounds to believe that the public has been intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed by the presence or behaviour of groups of …

“will result in criminal gangs being disrupted..”

Pete Baker on October 24, 2008, 8:28 pm

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Northern Ireland Justice Minister, Paul Goggins, MP, welcomes the recovery of criminal assets to the value of £1,905,445 in the first quarter of 2008/9. Of course, that doesn’t include the recently recovered criminal assets of Thomas Murphy et al.. [Is he still a “good republican”? – Ed] Pete Baker

“really does not care about young people and their future..”

Pete Baker on October 21, 2008, 1:51 pm

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A couple of quick [stupid? – Ed] questions this morning. Does the series of hoax devices planted in the grounds of St Colm’s High School, Twinbrook, constitute a campaign against the school? [or its principal? – Ed] – five security alerts in the last fortnight. And is it connected to the complaint noted here? From the latest BBC report. School principal Imelda Jordan said she was disgusted with the situation. “I really don’t know who is doing this, she said. …

“in defiance of political opinion in the North..”

Pete Baker on October 20, 2008, 4:03 pm

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Ahead of Wednesday scheduled debate in the Commons on equalising “the right to have access to safe and legal abortion” across the UK, in the Irish Times, Frank Millar mentions the contrast in governmental attitude to other recent debates on rights and equality.. DUP junior minister Jeffrey Donaldson last week suggested that any attempt to liberalise the law in Northern Ireland would trigger “a constitutional crisis” and could “put an end” to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Few senior figures at …

“From then on we are into the story of his grotesque deterioration..”

Pete Baker on October 18, 2008, 3:57 am

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Malachi O’Doherty was at the Belfast screening of Steve McQueen’s Hunger and he’s posted some immediate reactions from the audience here. And his own thoughts on the movie. When we get to the allegedly interminable scene in which Bobby Sands debates the morality of hunger strike with a Catholic priest, it comes as a relief from the audience’s own sense of confinement in the ghastly world of filth and violence. Sands, joking about the wounds on his face implicates the …

Sinn Féin make late application for Belfast parade

Pete Baker on October 16, 2008, 11:26 pm

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Back in August, Brian valiantly attempted to get a debate going about parades and “tolerating things you don’t like, provided they don’t threaten you.” Whilst Mark thought the Royal Irish Regiment homecoming parade in Belfast on 2 November had chosen to include a “needlessly provocative gesture” en route.. Now, as UTV reports, Sinn Féin have lodged a late application with the Parades Commission for a parade in Belfast for up to 500 people on the same day, to start 45 …

“forcing the amendment through could undermine their attempts to broker an agreement..”

Pete Baker on October 15, 2008, 4:18 pm

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According to a Daily Telegraph report the suggested amendments to the Human Embryology Bill discussed here will not be supported by pro-choice Labour MPs, although opposition MPs may still propose the changes. Pro-choice MPs had been confident of success when the Bill returns to the Commons next week, particularly given the forthcoming departure from the Cabinet of Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, who as a committed Catholic had forced Gordon Brown to allow ministers a free vote when it was …

“the right to have access to safe and legal abortion..”

Pete Baker on October 13, 2008, 5:45 pm

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Mick’s note on the Brit Blog Round Up, and the use there of a quote, from the comments zone here, on Hazel Blears’ discomforture on Hearts and Minds last week.. “Anyone who saw Hazel Blears’ discomfiture when asked about her voting intentions on Hearts and Minds can see the problem facing many Labour MPs, especially women like Blears, Harman, Hewitt etc. who made their names as women’s rights activists and are now being asked to say they believe a woman’s …