Human Rights – Page 44 – Slugger O'Toole

“the year this matter is finally resolved for these families”

Pete Baker on June 20, 2007, 3:55 am

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The BBC NI News website has a short report summarising the Spotlight investigation into the murder of Captain Robert Nairac – the location of his remains is currently one of those subject to an investigation by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains. The programme ended with a somewhat tenuous analogy between the ‘disappearance’ of Robert Nairac and one of those who went on-the-run in the aftermath, Terry McCormick, now living in the US. What the summary report …

A ringing endorsement then..

Pete Baker on June 19, 2007, 6:59 pm

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Former US President Jimmy Carter has stated, “I would say that the Irish Government has become the pre-eminent voice for human rights in the European Union.” – just after the Irish Government gave his Carter Centre [which has its critics – Ed] €600,000 to add to the previous donations of €50,000 in 2005 and €70,000 in 2006. RTÉ points out the latest funds will be paid over three years. A report yesterday noted the comments from an Irish Aid spokesman. …

Hi-Ho Silver away..

Pete Baker on June 19, 2007, 5:54 pm

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Given that the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill being discussed in the Assembly today included clauses to allow smoking to take place “in performances, (for example on stage or in the making of a film or a TV programme), so as to permit smoking by such performers if artistic integrity so requires.”[emphasis added] – as the explanatory notes put it, the clause would “replicate provisions contained in the Health Act 2006″[added link] – there had been an expectation that it would …

Attacks in Ballymurphy continue

Pete Baker on June 16, 2007, 10:50 pm

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As Mick noted previously, the policing costs during the 18 months of attacks on people and properties in Ballymurphy have been over £1million and the attacks are ongoing. Last night the home of the widow of murder victim Gerard Devlin was attacked with petrol bombs by 6 masked men and extensively damaged. It comes the day after an Andersonstown News editorial noting an expected Thursday evening picket at the “New Barnsley Police Station demanding that the PSNI does more to protect …

“There is no worth in a half-truth process”

Pete Baker on June 12, 2007, 7:27 pm

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I had mentioned the absence of confirmation from the Secretary of State for Wales, etc, on the ‘dealing with the legacy’ review.. and now “an informed source” has told Brian Rowan, in the Belfast Telegraph, that we’ll hear something in the next fortnight. In the meantime that same informed source says that two members of the “study group” will be Lord Eames and Denis Bradley. Now, I don’t want to prejudge what is supposed to be an 18 month review.. …

“I’m not a criminal. I was never a criminal…”

Pete Baker on June 12, 2007, 2:51 am

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No confirmation yet from the Secretary of State for Wales, etc, that he is actually calling for a review into how either the unsolved murders of the Troubles, or the legacy of the Troubles, are to be dealt with. Meanwhile it seems that the much quoted NIO source was actually talking to Liam Clarke in the Sunday Times. In another article in the Sunday Times Clarke also accused the then[?] Sinn Féin Director of Unionist Outreach Martina Anderson, et al, …

Hain to launch ‘dealing with the legacy’ review

Pete Baker on June 10, 2007, 8:21 pm

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According to the UTV report, the Secretary of State for Wales, etc, Peter Hain has decided that we have to “deal with the legacy of the Troubles.” What he actually means by that isn’t exactly clear as there’s not a lot of detail, but the report claims that the NIO have confirmed that an independent review of how we do that is expected to last 18 months.. In the meantime, no doubt, we’ll be expected to twiddle our thumbs not …

Bypassing the 20th Century – redux

Pete Baker on June 7, 2007, 2:50 pm

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In contrast to those of us who want to see with greater clarity what has gone on here some, in this case the Sinn Féin MLA, and member of the Policing Board, Martina Anderson [and SF’s Director of Unionist Outreach – Ed] would prefer us to not just ignore what we already know.. but to, in effect, forget it ever happened. As I said before – The 20th Century risks being a closed, and sealed, book with only précises of …

“The notion of an unarmed police service is quite frankly a non-starter”

Pete Baker on June 6, 2007, 9:59 pm

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Some of the new members of the Policing Board [that link’s on redirect – Ed] have met the Chief Constable before, but they all got a quick reminder that he is in charge of operational matters at today’s public meeting “The notion of an unarmed police service is quite frankly a non-starter,” he said. “Currently my assessment is that we are where we need to be. I have no plans to start removing guns.” And Hugh Orde also told the …

“the execution of these warrants is simply a judicial process”

Pete Baker on June 6, 2007, 4:49 pm

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With “political talks between the British and German side on how to deal with this thing”, no doubt, continuing Roisin McAliskey’s solicitor has been granted a delay, until 27 June, in the hearing of the German authorities’ bid to bring her to trial via a European Arrest Warrant. And, according to the BBC report Defence solicitor Peter Corrigan told Belfast Recorder’s Court on Tuesday that the case had been “politically motivated” at the highest level of the Northern Ireland Office. …

“if the state won’t do that, others must”

Pete Baker on June 5, 2007, 6:11 pm

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Not sure how long this will stay online[RealPlayer file], but it’s worth listening to. In his Talkback Commentary Malachi O’Doherty paraphrases Maurice Hayes’ broader point into the question – “Do you really want to know everything that some of your Ministers have done even if it awakens old hatreds, revives disgust?” And he gives his answer – “Yes.”And he ends with a point that I’m in total agreement with “I would not bury the past. I can see why pragmatic …

“a prerequisite for peaceful co-existence and co-operation”

Pete Baker on June 5, 2007, 2:16 am

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The headlines might focus on his comments about the Saville Inquiry, but it’s what Irish Senator Maurice Hayes has to say on the past in general which is of more interest, echoing as he does the comments of both the Policing Oversight Commissioner, Al Hutchison, and the Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Inspector, Kit Chivers “The general political will that the institutions should be made to work (and) should be allowed to do so could easily be frustrated if we insist …

The proper architecture?

Pete Baker on June 4, 2007, 5:15 pm

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The Policing Oversight Commissioner Al Hutchison talked of the need “to find the proper architecture to deal with the past, and learn from it” in his final report last week, and in an Irish Times interview today Kit Chivers, the criminal justice inspector for Northern Ireland, has indicated his preferred architecture [subs req] Mr Chivers particularly favours one of five proposals by the Healing Through Remembering group: British security services and paramilitaries – without fear of prosecution – and victims …

“I consider that this decision to be political” – Lugovoi

Pete Baker on May 22, 2007, 7:34 pm

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The BBC’s world affairs correspondent predicts tense times ahead, or as the CiF post by Richard Norton-Taylor puts it “The Big Chill”, after the director of public prosecutions, Sir Ken McDonald, recommended that a former KGB officer, Andrei Lugovoi, should be charged with the murder of ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko and that the prosecution was “clearly in the public interest” And with the current Prime Minister’s spokesman looking for co-operation from Russia.. and the Foreign Office, apparently, meeting with the Russian …

“I am of the view that something should be done to help the families..”

Pete Baker on May 4, 2007, 7:12 pm

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The Secretary of State for Wales etc is preparing for the likelihood that, despite the apparent confidence of Geoff Knupfer – who is in charge of the team assembled by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains – the remains of those abducted, murdered and buried in secret by the Provisional IRA, et al, will not be found.. by introducing legislation to allow for a death certificate to be issued.. although he’s actually announcing legislation to go through …

“there has been a grey area where some of the judgements made have not been entirely comfortable..”

Pete Baker on May 3, 2007, 4:08 pm

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On Channel 4 News the PUP’s Dawn Purvis was commenting on the UVF statement. Asked whether it meant members of the paramilitary group would now become ‘community workers’ she suggested several options for the UVF.. including working with the elderly.. and involvement in community restorative justice.. Earlier today, a report by the Criminal Justice Inspectorate Northern Ireland concluded that there were no obstacles to Northern Ireland Alternatives, the restorative justice groups in loyalist areas, “proceeding to the second stage of …

Transparency of inquiry into Hain’s decision questioned in court

Pete Baker on May 3, 2007, 3:19 am

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Still no news on when the appointed QC will deliver the results of the inquiry into the misleading affidavits from the NIO about the appointment of Bertha McDowell as interim Victims’ Commissioner – as set in motion by the Attorney-General – nor whether all of those 67 questions have been answered.. despite his apparent desire to seek those answers.. although the Secretary of State for Wales etc has appealed against the original findings. But there is a new development.. The …

“Those statutory powers exist, but never have been used..”

Pete Baker on April 24, 2007, 7:41 pm

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The House of Lords have been debating the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Bill and making some amendments too. In particular, the government have introduced a ‘sunset’ clause which would see the new provisions for non-jury trials dropped after two years unless the Secretary of State at the time extends them before that date. There was also some discussion which touched on the restrictions on investigations by the Human Rights Commission and whether those restrictions should be extended to the …

Skipping off the blog for a cultural rights seminar…

Mick Fealty on April 18, 2007, 8:59 pm

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Just a heads up… I’ll be out of circulation tomorrow as I’ve been asked to contribute to a round table on cultural rights hosted by Interface at the Arts College tomorrow. I’ll be hoping to reference Jeff Jarvis’ excellent piece on what’s wrong with the Blogger Code of Conduct; Why Mencken may have been right then, but is so wrong now; and how concepts of authority change in an networked world… Or at least, that’s what I hope to push …

“the leadership of the IRA has conducted an in-depth inquiry into the circumstances..”

Pete Baker on April 5, 2007, 11:13 pm

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As well as the IRA’s Easter message 2007.. As noted by the Belfast Telegraph, this week’s issue of An Phoblacht carries an apology from the IRA.. for the murder of Eoin Morley in 1990 – ‘Kevin Fulton’ has already admitted to being one of two gunmen involved. It’s also one of the cases in which the Police Ombudsman’s office has already investigated the subsequent police actions – report here [pdf file] – a report which his brother, Ivan Morley, responded …