Human Rights

Belfast Telegraph’s Mary Fitzgerald has an article, Brother ‘beaten and left for dead’, in which the family of Stephen Nelson, who died in March, 6 months after a severe beating at a nightclub, have accused loyalists of the brutal murder.Stephen Nelson (55), died in hospital in March, six months after he was attacked by a gang of men who forced their way into the foyer of the Chimney Corner Hotel nightclub near Glengormley. It is believed individuals linked to the …

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THE Government is to rush the Cover-up Bill through the House of Commons before dissolution next week, thus rendering the Finucane inquiry pointless. If the Government’s current policy is not to create political victims out of republicans, then this represents a helluva U-turn. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

UTV carries a report, based on a story in the Irish Times, that an Irishman in his thirties, left severely handicapped after an accident, has flown to Switzerland with his family where Dignitas, a charity, helped with an assisted suicide. This is, like abortion, another difficult issue. How do contributors feel about this story and the issues it raises ? Ambrose Uprichard

LOOKS like the McCartney campaign is about to go online, although I don’t know if this site under construction or its associated forum are officially linked to the family. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

Paula McCartney has accused the IRA of readmitting one of those ‘expelled’ for his part in that murder. If true, where does this leave the RM claim that they have done all in their power to deliver justice? McCartneys accuse IRA of readmitting suspect Ambrose Uprichard

Just as it seemed to be going so well, could the British once more be on the verge of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory? Opposition to the Inquiries Bill has been growing and not just from the usual suspects. Today the US and Irish governments were joined by much of the sensible end of the human rights lobby.

CATHERINE McCartney has said that she does not intend to run in the forthcoming Westminster election, but that her sister Paula may run for Belfast City Council. Arriving back in Ireland, Catherine said the British and Irish governments must help in the McCartneys’ campaign for justice for their murdered brother. “It’s no good just sitting on the sidelines calmly giving support, we need action. Not just from Sinn Fein, who created the wall of silence, but also from the Irish …

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Peter Cory, the Canadian judge who recommended a judicial inquiry into the 1989 murder of lawyer Pat Finucane has criticised British plans to restrict the information the probe can make public.Cory, a retired member of the Canadian Supreme Court, said legislation proposed by Britain to allow much of the probe into the death of Pat Finucane to be held in private and restrict evidence would make a meaningful inquiry impossible. “It really creates an impossible Alice in Wonderland situation,” said …

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THE second Sinn Fein candidate in the Belfast bar around the time of the McCartney murder was Deirdre Hargey, 23, who plans to stand in May’s election to Belfast City Council. Of course, she saw nothing. Given that one of the McCartney sisters has suggested there were quite a few members of SF and the IRA in the bar (after the Bloody Sunday commemoration), this could eventually stretch SF’s credibility about claims to be helping the sisters to beyond breaking …

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WOULD the new legislation on control orders be used against suspected loyalist and republican terrorists? The orders are kind of like ‘Super ASBOS’ “banning suspects from possessing or using specified articles or substances, prohibiting the use of certain services like the internet or phones, restricting association or communication with certain individuals, limiting the person`s place of residence or who is allowed inside, restricting movements within the UK or international travel”. Sensible security precautions or threat to civil liberties? Charles Moore …

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Yesterday, members of the Loyalist Commission and members of the Anti-Racist Network joined forces to launch a new campaign designed to tackle racism in Northern Ireland, particularly in Loyalist areas. The ‘war on racism’ campaign will begin with the circulation of a leaflet carrying the message ‘Loyalist or Racist? You can’t be both’.Tommy Kirkham of the UPRG later clarified on UTV that the “war on racism” was a non-violent war seeking a change of hearts and minds. Tommy Kirkham has …

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I’M not sure that this could accurately be described as a ‘racial row’, but it seems the SDLP’s policing spokesman, Alex Attwood, has caused upset with certain remarks he made about the English in conversation with Policing Board human rights advisers. The offence was compounded by the fact that one of the “English lawyers” was in fact from Northern Ireland. Doh!Breaking News reports tonight: The West Belfast MLA said he had personally contacted Mr Starmer to stress any upset was …

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OUTGOING chief Human Rights Commissioner Brice Dickson has launched a blistering attack on the Government, blaming it for failing to provide the Commission with adequate powers. The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster has also called for more powers for another product of the Agreement – the Police Ombudsman.Press Association reports: In a lengthy letter to Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy, Chief Commissioner Professor Brice Dickson castigated the British Government for failing to give his commission proper powers, running down …

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Harry Browne in an excellent article in counterpunch,The Plot Unravels, raises an important issue. Normal restraint seems to have been cast aside in the media feeding-frenzy, and with the exception of Mr Flynn who has been given the benefit of the doubt, others named as having been arrested will surely have little chance of getting an unprejudiced trial.“Flynn denies any wrong-doing and may well be an innocent party. He is certainly getting the benefit of the doubt from most media, …

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It took time and it took a lot of pressure but better late than never : Adams urges people to help PSNI on McCartney case Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has urged anyone who knew about a brutal pub brawl murder in Belfast to pass that information on. The West Belfast MP also launched a scathing attack on those who carried out the stabbing of Robert McCartney and stressed that his party supported the victim’s family in their search for …

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From a slightly unusual source for this site – Russia is fed up with fingers being pointed at it’s behaviour in Chechnya and has retaliated by saying, at a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, in Vienna that “a fact-finding mission should look into the “disproportionate” use of force by police and soldiers in Northern Ireland” – Protest Over N. Ireland Angers U.K. Ambrose Uprichard

Autism is a subject close to my heart as I have a close relative with Asperger’s Syndrome. Ashleigh Wallace had an article in the Belfast Telegraph, Corrie star Keith’s autism education plea highlighting the need for better educational facilities for autistic children in Northern Ireland.Keith is Patron of SPEAC, Special Provision for Education for Autistic Children – a local charity , and was helping with fund-raising. Publicity and support for SPEAC is always welcome, but it’s worth pointing out the …

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THE Irish News is campaigning for a public apology from the Prime Minister for the jailing of Guiseppe Conlon, who was wrongly accused of bomb attacks in Guildford and Woolwich in 1974 and died in prison. The family visits the Taoiseach today to ask for support. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com

An interesting article from the States regarding parades and civil rights.Ed Quillen of the Denver Post argues that “The First Amendment to the federal Constitution protects the right to free speech. It does not say anything about content. It says, “Congress shall make no law,” not “Congress shall enjoy the power to prohibit hate speech, ban material deemed harmful to minors, suppress utterances that hurt people’s feelings … and this power may be delegated to college professors who can determine …

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A CAMPAIGN has been launched to defend Padraigin Drinan, one of NI’s best known human rights lawyers. While Padraigin Drinan may not have many unionist fans and has been a long-standing thorn in the side of the State, moves to close her office have obviously hit a nerve with those who have been helped by the diminutive lawyer. The organisers’ press release is below.CAMPAIGN MEETING TO DEFEND PADRAIGIN DRINAN WEDNESDAY 26TH JANUARY @7PM IN THE DUKE OF YORK BAR (off …

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