Human Rights – Page 32 – Slugger O'Toole

“until the Executive shows that it can deal with the matters already devolved..”

Pete Baker on August 28, 2008, 1:50 am

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A good round-up of the political parties’ reactions to yesterday’s events, and the surrounding circumstances, in this iol report. Firstly, from the SDLP’s Margaret Ritchie “It is increasingly a manifestation of republican frustration at the failure of Sinn Féin to deliver what it promised to its own movement” From Sinn Féin’s Pat Doherty “Nationalists and republicans will once again be disappointed by the attitude being displayed by the SDLP.” The DUP’s Nigel Dodds “Any commitments that were given by the …

“The cardinal has not made clear why religion should get a free pass..”

Pete Baker on August 26, 2008, 11:26 pm

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In the Irish Times there’s a fairly comprehensive rebuttal of Cardinal Séan Brady’s “criticisms of the European Union’s approach to religion” – as previously noted here. Another blow in the Church v State [Lisbon] clash? A democracy has a duty to make laws in the interests of all. As an entity whose population is religiously diverse, the EU cannot legislate purely on the basis of the theological convictions of a single faith without violating this duty. Furthermore, in democratic public …

“denied the right to intervene in public debates..”

Pete Baker on August 25, 2008, 12:08 am

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Apparently the representative of Emperor Pope Benedict XVI in Ireland, Cardinal Séan Brady, “has suggested that EU hostility to religion may have prompted some Irish voters to reject the Lisbon Treaty. That wasn’t one of the options available in the Eurobarometer poll.. as noted previously by Mick. But the only option that was close only received 2% support. More from the RTÉ report He warned that ignoring this trend had inevitable political and social consequences, not least on levels of …

“At the time Sinn Féin condemned the arrest..”

Pete Baker on August 22, 2008, 2:23 am

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The Public Prosecution Service is said to be considering the judge’s verdict after Brian Arthurs, who was named in this 2005 Sunday Times report as a member of the PIRA army council and had been jailed for 25 years in 1995 for possession of explosives, was acquited on all charges fifteen months after being charged under the Proceeds of Crime Act [May 23, 2007] – he is now reported to be considering a civil action against the chief constable for …

“This will help to accommodate increasing traffic flows..”

Pete Baker on August 21, 2008, 2:03 am

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The key to recognising some of the main beneficiaries of the decision to progress with a £46m dual carriageway between Broadbridge Maydown and City of Derry Airport comes in the notes to editors in the ministerial statement. 1. The A2 is part of the Northern Key Transport Corridor connecting Belfast to Derry via Coleraine. It is the main road connecting Limavady to Derry and provides links to the Maydown and Campsey industrial zones and to the City of Derry Airport, …

“the situation has not changed..”

Pete Baker on August 20, 2008, 5:33 pm

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Three weeks after the initial threats were made against NCP parking attendants in west Belfast and they have still not returned to the streets. Can we say it’s a no-go area yet? Nipsa’s John Corey said the situation has not changed. “We do not believe it is right that any chances should be taken with the health and safety of these workers,” he said. NCP, which operates the service for the DRD, was told of the threat by the PSNI. …

“the community will accept that it is a necessary use of lethal force..”

Pete Baker on August 20, 2008, 2:28 am

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Perhaps inadvertently, the DUP’s Ian Paisley Jnr, a member of the Policing Board, provides another reason to delay the devolving of policing and justice powers. He’s apparently concerned about the recent use of Semtex. And, perhaps, the attempts to exert control in certain areas. From the iol report. Mr Paisley claimed people would now accept it as necessary to finally crush the dissident threat. “Sooner or later there will be a murder of a police officer unless the police are …

“bid to exert control in nationalist areas in particular is continuing unabated..”

Pete Baker on August 18, 2008, 5:03 pm

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Some figures on paramilitary assaults to consider in a Belfast Telegraph report by Alan Murray. The figures quoted are for the three months prior to the recent accreditation of restorative justice schemes. They are not huge numbers, but they are on the increase. Adds And another “paramilitary style” shooting. PSNI figures show that between April and June this year the number of paramilitary attacks trebled compared to the same period in 2007 and reported attacks last month show that the …

“Martin the police did not plant the bomb your former associates did..”

Pete Baker on August 17, 2008, 6:54 pm

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In the Sunday Independent, Alan Murray quotes Victor Barker, whose son was killed in the Omagh bombing in 1998, on a text conversation he had with Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, on the day of the council’s official ceremony. From the report Victor Barker said he first met Martin McGuinness in a hotel in Buncrana shortly after his 12 year-old son was murdered in 1998. “He wanted to come round to the house to pay his …

“There was no claim of responsibility..”

Pete Baker on August 13, 2008, 2:13 am

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Hallidays Road, New Lodge Road and North Queen Street in north Belfast were cordoned off early this morning following the discovery of three viable incendiary devices after a reported telephone warning. The streets have since been re-opened. From the RTÉ report All three streets in nationalist areas were cordoned off shortly after 3.30am, and British army bomb disposal experts worked for several hours to make safe what they described as viable devices. And in the iol report Acting Detective Inspector …

“the one on the Sunday is not official..”

Pete Baker on August 9, 2008, 12:10 am

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The relationship between the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group and Omagh District Council has never been great. Not least since the Council decided to remove the simple memorial to those killed and injured in the Omagh bombing in 1998, put in place by the support group, in order to replace it with the Council’s bright shiny alternative – along with less “contentious wording”. The memorial garden is now due to be officially dedicated during a remembrance service organised by Omagh …

“heavy-handed” and “politically motivated”

Pete Baker on August 6, 2008, 5:15 pm

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In politics timing is everything, sometimes worryingly so. Coinciding with the announcement of an agreement between Sinn Féin and the DUP on the shape of any devolved ministry of policing and justice, but not the timing of that devolution, the “third phase” in a Garda-led “targeted operation” resulted in the 11th arrest in the ongoing investigation into the murder of Paul Quinn. All those previously arrested have since been released. And, timing again, the Irish News reports criticism of those …

“I’m just not convinced that the outcome we do have..”

Pete Baker on August 2, 2008, 9:12 pm

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Some snippets in the Irish Times from yesterday’s final panel discussion at John Hewitt Summer School, “Reflections on 1968”. Firstly from Paul Bew “I have never felt self-congratulatory in any way about my involvement because it did precipitate a conflict which eventually claimed 3,500 lives, and that is inescapable,” he said. “It would be very cruel to say that what we have ended up with is a twilight home in east Belfast for retired gunmen, but are relations today between …

“The community is totally opposed to this event..”

Pete Baker on July 31, 2008, 8:08 pm

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Echoes of St James’? The BBC report an “attack on the home of of a community worker” in the Dunclug estate in Ballymena after the “removal of bonfire material” intended to mark the anniversary of internment. Sinn Féin MLA Daithí McKay, and SF Cllr Pádraig Mc Shane, claim to have been assaulted in the area this morning and blame “criminal and anti social elements who are using this bonfire as a cover for other activities”, adding “The community is totally …

“The schemes being accredited today are..”

Pete Baker on July 31, 2008, 6:28 pm

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No sooner is the funding announced than those other 10 CBRJ schemes are accredited. Timing, eh? According to the Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Minister, Paul Goggins MP “I have carefully examined all the relevant information on these schemes and share the view expressed by the Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice that there is no cause for concern in the way that Community Restorative Justice (Ireland) schemes now operate.” That would be this view by the CJI. And this is how …

Challenging times for Victims Commission

Pete Baker on July 31, 2008, 6:10 pm

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With one legal challenge continuing, it has emerged that there is another challenge, this time in the Industrial and Fair Employment Tribunals in Belfast, against the First and deputy First Ministers’ setting up of the 4-member Victims Commission. Interesting detail from the Belfast Telegraph report Dr Marie Breen-Smyth was offered one of the four jobs announced by Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness in January, but she turned it down — asking what had happened to the single post she applied …

Murphy remanded on bail until the end of December

Pete Baker on July 31, 2008, 1:48 am

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Already delayed longer than expected, the trial of Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy will be delayed further. His legal challenge to the validity of the order from Dundalk District Court sending him for trial in Special Criminal Court was previously rejected, but the “good republican” has now been granted a judicial review of the decision to try him at the non-jury court on tax evasion charges. The High Court proceedings will be heard on 18 November. [And thence to the Supreme Court? …

“A total of £600k over the next three years..”

Pete Baker on July 30, 2008, 3:59 pm

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Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Minister Paul Goggins, MP, has announced a funding package of £600,000 over the next three years for accredited Community Based Restorative Justice (CBRJ) schemes. The funding will be jointly provided, on an equal basis, by the Criminal Justice Agencies and The Atlantic Philanthropies. That’s despite criticisms of the CJI report on those currently unaccredited schemes. Pete Baker

“Policing here is still very much enshrined in politics.”

Pete Baker on July 29, 2008, 7:11 pm

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De facto leader of the UDA, Jackie McDonald, has already signalled that organisation’s intention to hold onto “the peoples’ guns” even as that ‘train’ service prepares to be cancelled. Meanwhile, interesting timing for out-going Assistant Chief Constable Peter Sheridan to be making waves with his comments in the Irish News [subs req for now]. Helpfully, the Belfast Telegraph repeats them. Naturally there’s been a certain focus on the apparent admission that police already have intelligence on the location of loyalist …

Six questioned in “targeted operation”

Pete Baker on July 29, 2008, 4:18 pm

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Very early days in the latest development of the long-running Garda-led investigation into the murder of Paul Quinn – last pronounced upon by the IMC in May. According to a BBC report a total of six men are now being questioned as a result of a “targeted operation”. The three arrested by gardai in the Monaghan area are in their 20s and 30s and, of the three arrested by the PSNI in the Crossmaglen and Cullyhanna areas, two are in …