Craig Morrison and Martin Bright reported a story in yesterday’s observer that the British Government authorised the use of ‘CR’ or Dibenzoxazepine- a skin irritant 10 times more powerful than other tear gases – in 1973. There have been allegations that this chemical was used at long Kesh in 1974 and he reports that “More than 50 of the prisoners at Long Kesh who claim to have been sprayed with the chemical have died or have developed cancerous illnesses.” The …
The Quigley report has largely been rejected by the House of Commons` Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. Sir George Quigley had proposed that the Parades Commission be split into two bodies and that the police should have a greater say on parades. One interesting proposal is the implementation of a registration scheme for bands. The Committee also called for greater transparency in the decision making process and called for the rapid implementation of a proposed `compliance and post mortem` unit. The …
WHEN a homeless Ukranian woman lost her job just before Christmas, sleeping in freezing temperatures led to frostbite in her legs, which later had to be amputated. As more and more people come to Northern Ireland seeking work, this tragic case shows just why proper support structures need to be in place.Foreign workers have employment and human rights too – and they must be protected. Police have been asked to check if there was any exploitation in the woman’s case. …
While mass graves are being filled after the catastrophic events of the weekend, Mark Durkan has confirmed that he has written to the two Governments to Call for more help to find ‘disappeared’. Unfortunate timing, insensitivity or opportunism ?The British and Irish Governments were today urged to do more to help locate the burial sites of people abducted and murdered by the IRA during the Troubles. SDLP leader Mark Durkan confirmed he had written to both governments urging them to …
Fine Gael’s Bernard Allen is concerned at US treatment of Irish illegals and the American Ambassador is to be asked a joint Oireachtais committee on foreign affairs.Meanwhile Ireland is jailing and deporting illegal immigrants, some of whom have Children who were born in Ireland. From earlier in the year: Ireland deports 64 IRELAND chartered a plane and used 35 police officers to deport 64 illegal immigrants, underscoring the cost and difficulty of combating the flow of bogus asylum-seekers to the …
DURING a Northern Ireland Grand Committee Debate at Westminster on ‘a multi-agency approach to tackling racially motivated attacks and harassment in Northern Ireland’, East Antrim MP Roy Beggs revealed that two primary schools in South Belfast had seen their minority ethnic intake virtually disappear. Both Fane Street and Donegal Road primary schools are in the heart of the area worst affected by racist attacks in NI over the last year.Mr Beggs said: “Donegal Road Primary and Fane Street Primary in …
AS he prepares to stand down in February, NI Human Rights Commissioner Brice Dickson accuses the British Government of acting in an “immoral” manner by using rights issues as a bargaining chip in political negotiations to restore a devolved Assembly.Dickson also effectively accuses the Government of institutionalising cover-ups through the Inquiries Bill, politicising rights issues that should be above politics, and neglecting the Commission, as well as using its powers (or lack thereof) as something to be negotiated in political …
Ní Chonaill to debate immigration with SF councillor28/11/2004 – 11:48:01 Outspoken anti-immigration leader Áine Ní Chonaill will debate immigration controls with Councillor Toireasa Ferris of Sinn Féin, the daughter of TD Martin Ferris at University College Cork. The debate will be through the Irish language and a professional interpreter will be present on the night to provide Gaeilge/Béarla translations, which will be available to members of the audience through headphones. Ms Ní Chonaill is the leader of the far-right Immigration …
IDENTITY cards are to be brought into Northern Ireland, as they will be in the rest of the UK. Part of the reason given is that they will help fight terrorism. I don’t want to burst the Home Secretary’s bubble, but we’ve had photo ID in Northern Ireland for many years that didn’t exist in GB (eg photographic driving licenses). Can he tell us what difference it made before he repeats the exercise? What do readers feel about having to …
Minute’s silence for murdered womenA MINUTE’S silence will be held outside the Dail today in memory of the 107 women murdered in Ireland over the last 108 months. Women’s Aid has organised the public expression of solidarity, against the backdrop of a giant ‘In Memoriam’ card’ in order to mark International Day Against Violence Against Women. Each of the murdered women will be represented by a white lily. Women’s Aid director Margaret Martin said: “There have been 107 women murdered …
The Irish examiner has a look at the RTÉ documentary on the life of Kevin O’Higgins. Assassinated strongman was not the Free State’s chief executionerRyle Dwyer writes: “The old heart of the earth needed to be warmed with the red wine of the battlefields,” Patrick Pearse wrote in December 1915. “Such august homage was never before offered to God as this, the homage of millions of lives gladly given for love of country.” Now I won’t suggest that the man …
The Irish News reports another racist attack from within the nationalist community. After an attack in Belfast (Violet Street) and Lurgan (Lord Lurgan Park) a gang of men, reportedly armed, broke into a house in Ballyoran Park area of Portadown occupied by a number of Polish people. One Polish man was taken to hospital with facial injuries. Polish man hit in face by racists A Polish man has been treated in hospital for a facial injury following a racist attack …
The Sunday Times Carries a story by Stephen Grey, US ‘torture flights’ stopped at Shannon which, if confirmed, will surely increase pressure on the Irish Government to address the problem of continued US military use of Shannon airport.”CONFIDENTIAL logbooks from an executive jet used by American intelligence agencies to fly terrorist suspects to countries that routinely use torture reveal Shannon airport as one of the plane’s most regular stopping points. The Gulfstream 5 jet, which is leased by Defence Department …
Pat Brosnan has written an interesting article in the Irish Examiner today in which he looks at the financial implications of recognizing Gay Marriages .“IT’S remarkable that when there’s a threat that the State might have to spend money on something other than a minister’s extravagance – like somebody’s rights – there are colossal implications for the exchequer.” Of course these colossal ‘implications’ (estimate circa € 2 Billion ) are taken far more seriously than the far larger ‘implications’ of …
A Belfast-based letting agency – which can be revealed first on Slugger as Homefinders on Botanic Avenue – advertised accommodation earlier this year in which ads suggest that some rental properties are vetted on the basis of race and ethnicity, according to the Irish News. Will Scholes and Suzanne McGonigle wrote that “adverts list conditions such as “no DHSS, no Chinese”, “not suitable for people from ethnic backgrounds” and “not suitable for Chinese or Black community”.” Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
A NEW Human Rights Commission report into jail conditions for women in Northern Ireland makes for depressing reading. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem. “Ramadan Mubarak !” means have a blessed and happy Ramadan and I would like to extend greetings to any Muslim visitors to Slugger. Ramadan is an important part of the Muslim faith, celebrating the month when God sent down the Qur’an to mankind. Ambrose Uprichard
“It you build it they will come”. That was the suggestion from a speaker from the floor in Cork. Indeed the generally quiet nature of the dialogue on an all island Charter of Rights might suggest that this could be a legitimate approach. However you might demur. One unionist reader emailed this afternoon to explain why he’s not been drawn into the debate.From Fair Deal I have not responded or participated as I have a basic political objection to the …
DUP councillor Roy Gillespie claims that GAA rule 14a, “discriminates against British firms and all their equipment should be of Irish manufacture”. However, SDLP councillor Declan O’Loan believes it’s simply a tactic for stalling a £400 grant to Clooney Gaels club for new hurley’s. Not sure there’s a queue of British firms looking for the contract, but it will be interesting to see how the Equality Commission handles it. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers …
Tying in with our ongoing debate on the Charter of Rights, two cases currently in the media evidence the absence in that debate of one right that some would describe as the most fundamental of all Human Rights – the right to die with dignity.While the parents of a 11-month old child, who “is fed through a tube because she cannot suck from a bottle and she needs a constant supply of oxygen”, await a court ruling on medical advice …
