This site includes the postings from the Irish Aires email list. This includes a listing of Irish/Celtic events in the Houston area and other information that the Irish Aires radio program posts.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Action Alert - Contact Representatives Re: Collusion

ACTION ALERT: CONTACT SENATORS, CONGRESSMEN & MEDIA ABOUT COLLUSION I am sure you all have read about the recent report issued by the Notre Dame group on collusion in Ireland. (summary of that report is provided below). The Irish American Unity Committee, made up of representatives from all the major Irish American groups, has send the following letter to all US Senators and Representatives in order to educate them on this issue. It would be helpful if we, as individuals and representatives of other organizations, could follow-up this letter with personal letters, telephone calls or faxes to our own elected Senators and Congressmen. Any press coverage that you could encourage of this issue would also be beneficial. We should let our representatives know that we are aware of this Problem and that Republic of Ireland also recognizes the need to fully and independently investigate this issue. Below also is a recent Press Release from the IAUC regarding the Irish government’s investigation of collusion between the British & the loyalists. Also listed below are links to site where we can find contact information for our senators & congress people, local newspapers online & Mitchell Reiss (State Department). Attached to this email are two files. One is the letter from the Irish America Unity Committee & the other is the Notre Dame report. Just emailing or faxing these files to your representatives could help. Jay Dooling ****************************** Irish American Unity Committee c/o Jim Cullen Anderson Kill & Olick, P.C. 1251 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10020 November 30, 2006 Dear Representative: Attached is a report on alleged British government collusion in sectarian killings in Northern Ireland recently issued by the Center for Civil & Human Rights of the Notre Dame Law School. The Center's panel of inquiry, chaired by Dr. Douglass Cassel, was made up of four individuals with vast international experience investigating human rights abuses in Africa, South America and Asia. The panel examined 25 cases of suspected loyalist paramilitary violence involving 76 murders occurring during 1972-77. The panel's central mission was to examine whether the UK government had a case to answer with respect to allegations of collusion, in terms of both its substantive and procedural responsibilities under international law, and to determine whether further official investigation was required under international human rights law. The report was compiled at the request of the Patrick Finucane Centre, a Northern Ireland based organization, that records and examines evidence of state and sectarian violence in the north of Ireland. The panel was completely independent in its inquiry. We request that you review the executive summary report which we have enclosed. The full report is available at: http://law.nd.edu/news/cassel_report.html If you would like additional information please contact Julie Coleman at 732-235-4907 or via email at unityinactioncommittee@yahoo.com Sincerely, Robert Linnon, President of Irish American Unity Conference Jack Meehan, President of Ancient Order of Hibernians Paul Doris, Chairman of Irish Northern Aid Ned McGinley, Past President of Ancient Order of Hibernians Joe Jamison, President of Irish American Labor Coalition Gerry Coleman, Political Education Director of Irish Northern Aid Gerald Lally Esq, Political Education Chair of Irish American Unity Conference Kevin Barry, Irish American Unity Conference Stephen M McCabe, Irish Parades Emergency Committee & President, Brehon Law Society Nassau County Julie Coleman, Irish American Unity Committee & Irish Northern Aid Committee Patrick Doherty, Brehon Law Society James Cullen, Esq, Brehon Law Society Jim Gallagher, Past President of Irish American Unity Conference Deanna Turner, National Coordinator of Irish Deportees of America Committee Michael Cummings, A.O.H. Freedom for All Ireland Committee Sean Pender, A.O.H. Freedom for All Ireland Committee Sean Cahill, Irish Parades Emergency Committee ****************************** REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT INTERNATIONAL PANEL ON ALLEGED COLLUSION IN SECTARIAN KILLINGS IN NORTHERN IRELAND Center for Civil and Human Rights Notre Dame Law School Notre Dame, Indiana USA 56556 cchr@nd.edu October 2006 Panel Members: Douglass Cassel, Chair Susie Kemp Piers Pigou Stephen Sawyer KEY FINDINGS: Collusion: The Panel examined 25 cases of suspected loyalist paramilitary violence in Northern Ireland during 1972-77. The 25 cases involve a total of 76 murders as well as attempted murders. In 24 of the 25 cases, involving 74 of the 76 murders, evidence suggests collusion by members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) or the Ulster Defense Regiment (UDR): :: In 12 cases - 11 murders and one attempted murder -- former RUC officer John Weir accuses RUC officers and agents or UDR soldiers of participation. The panel finds Weir's allegations, in general, to be credible. :: Firearms were used in eight of the 12 cases alleged by Weir. In seven of those eight cases, RUC ballistics tests corroborate his allegations. In none do they contradict him. :: RUC ballistics tests show that one or more of these firearms were also the murder weapons in five more of the 25 cases. :: Criminal convictions link two more of the 25 cases to involvement by State security forces. :: Of the six remaining cases, there is evidence, in some cases strong, of State security force involvement in five. Only one case - a 1975 attack on a minibus near Gilford - appears to lack evidence of collusion. But given inadequate police investigations, no conclusion can be drawn. :: Documentary, testimonial and ballistics evidence suggests that the violent extremists with whom RUC officers and agents and UDR soldiers colluded - and even overlapped -- gained much of their arms and ammunition, as well as training, information and personnel, from the RUC and UDR. Knowledge by Superiors: :: Credible evidence indicates that superiors of violent extremist officers and agents, at least within the RUC, were aware of their sectarian crimes, yet failed to act to prevent, investigate or punish them. On the contrary, they allegedly made statements that appeared to condone participation in these crimes. :: Even after Weir and another officer confessed in 1978 - information that should have blown the lid off RUC and UDR involvement in murdering Catholics - police investigations and ensuing prosecutions were inadequate by any reasonable standard. :: As early as 1973, senior officials of the United Kingdom were put on notice of the danger - and indeed of some of the facts - of sectarian violence by UDR soldiers using stolen UDR weapons and ammunition, and supported by UDR training and information. At least by 1975 senior officials were also informed that some RUC police officers were "very close" to extremist paramilitaries. Earlier Police Investigations: :: Both the original police investigations of the 25 cases in the 1970s, and the later police investigations following the allegations made public by Weir in 1999, were deficient by any reasonable standard. Current investigations and reforms are inadequate: :: The British government deserves credit for introducing reforms that will make future investigations more likely to meet international standards. :: However, these reforms will not help the victims in the 25 cases examined by the Panel, or many other victims of past collusion in sectarian murders. :: To date very few cases have been referred to the Police Ombudsman, who in any event lacks jurisdiction to investigate UDR soldiers. :: The Historical Enquiries Team, established by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, does not meet international standards for investigations. Moreover, except where its enquiries lead to new prosecutions - unlikely in most cases from the 1970's - it plans to share findings only with families of victims, and not with the public. :: The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is meticulously supervising British compliance with six judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in cases from Northern Ireland. However, except in those six cases, the Committee focuses on reforms for the future. Its current supervisory effort does not assist other victims of past collusion - including the families in the 25 cases examined by the Panel. MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS: Consultation: :: The panel urges the government to conduct a thorough and inclusive consultation with all interested groups and individuals in relation to the choice and nature of measures adopted to fulfill the obligations referred to in this report. Investigations: :: The British government should conduct investigations that meet international standards in the 25 cases examined by the Panel, and in all other past cases involving serious allegations of collusion. :: To meet international standards, such investigations must be undertaken on the initiative of the State, by independent investigators, capable of assessing whether murder or attempted murder was committed and of identifying perpetrators, subject to public scrutiny, and carried out without further delay. :: Investigations should examine and report on patterns of collusion, not merely individual cases. :: Investigations should examine how high up the chain of command in Belfast and London there was knowledge, acquiescence or complicity in murder and attempted murder. :: Investigations should examine collusion in sectarian murders, not only by the RUC and UDR, but also by the British army and intelligence agencies. :: Investigations should also credibly examine murders committed by Republican groups. Moral Reparations: :: Results of investigations (including those of the Historical Enquiries Team) should be made public. :: Where adequate investigation indicates collusion by State security forces in sectarian murders, the State should publicly acknowledge its responsibility. :: In such cases senior officials should publicly apologize to families of victims. :: Paramilitary groups on both sides of the conflict should cooperate with credible official investigations. I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A. The Panel and its Mission (Chapter II of the Report) In 2004 the Pat Finucane Centre of Derry asked Professor Douglass Cassel, then of Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, Illinois, USA, to convene an independent international panel of inquiry into alleged collusion by members of United Kingdom security forces in sectarian murders and other serious crimes in Northern Ireland in the mid-1970's - and particularly the activities of the so- called "Glenanne group." The panel's central mission is to examine whether the British State has a case to answer with respect to allegations of collusion, in terms of both its substantive and procedural responsibilities under international law, such that further, official investigation is required by international human rights law. The Independent International Panel consists of four members, all with extensive relevant experience, as follows: :: Professor Douglass Cassel teaches international human rights, international humanitarian and international criminal law, previously at Northwestern and now at Notre Dame Law School in the United States of America. :: Susie Kemp is an international lawyer based in The Hague who is Legal Adviser to Impunity Watch. :: Piers Pigou served as an investigator for the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and as advisor to East Timor's Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation. :: Stephen Sawyer is Senior Counsel and Clinical Assistant Professor of Law at the Center for International Human Rights of Northwestern University School of Law in the United States of America. :: Thomas Vega-Byrnes, a Chicago-based attorney with extensive international experience, was the panel's counsel. The panel is professionally independent of the Finucane Centre. Its terms of engagement (Appendix A to its Report) are to investigate and report in an "independent and impartial manner according to its professional judgment." Its final report is to be published "independently of whether the [Finucane Centre] agrees with its conclusions." The panel provided draft copies of its report to the Finucane Centre, the British government and the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. Helpful comments were received, which the panel has taken into account in this final version. The panel understands that in the polarized atmosphere of Northern Ireland, it is difficult for any assessment of human rights violations to be accepted as objective by all sectors. Nonetheless the panel hopes that its effort to examine the evidence in an impartial, professional manner will suggest the importance of a more thorough, official inquiry, with full access to State files, and independent of the police and army and other agencies allegedly involved in collusion. Only so can the British government make clear to victims, to history - and to itself - the extent to which its agents participated or colluded in or tolerated gross violations of human rights, for which its offices have, to date, failed to conduct due investigations and prosecutions or to make due disclosure and reparation. ****************************** IAUC: State Sponsored Terrorism in N. Ireland Needs Public Inquiry The Justice Committee of the Republic of Ireland has reported that successive British governments knew of and encouraged the widespread collusion between its government security forces and Unionist death squads. Based on this and other reports* with similar conclusions, the Irish American Unity Conference again calls on the British government to hold a full independent, public inquiry into these allegations. The Justice Committee found that the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) Superintendent Harry Breen was complicit in acts of collusion between his men and Unionist death squads. The report further reveals that in 1975, British Prime Minister Harold Wilson, and the then Conservative Party Leader, Margaret Thatcher, were told that the RUC could not to be trusted because many officers were close to the loyalist paramilitaries. They were also informed that the British military was heavily infiltrated by Unionist paramilitaries who could not be relied upon in a crisis. While there can be no hierarchy of victims, there are degrees of guilt. Those who were sworn to uphold the law, are still conspiring to cover-up these crimes by not independently investigating them. Such violations of the public trust by public servants needs a full, public inquiry and those who are guilty need to suffer the consequences. Any hope for reconciliation in Northern Ireland needs a full, fair disclosure of public corruption at whatever level it exists. * Other Reports on Collusion :: Sir John Stevens (former Metropolitan Police Commissioner), :: Professor Douglass Cassel (Law professor at Notre Dame) :: John Stalker (Greater Manchester Deputy Chief Constable), :: Retired Canadian Judge Peter Cory (commissioned by the British Government), :: Several crown coroners ****************************** For a list of all newspapers according to State: http://www.onlinenewspapers.com To find your Senator visit: http://www.senate.gov Telephone numbers for Senators can be found at: http://www.senate.gov/general/resources/pdf/senators_phone_list.pdf List of mailing addresses for all Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm To find your Members of Congress visit: http://www.house.gov Telephone Numbers of all offices: http://clerk.house.gov/members/ttd_109.pdf Mailing labels/list of addresses to send letters to each Member of Congress in MicroSoft Word format: http://clerk.house.gov/members/wordmemberlabels.doc Copy Mitchell Reiss: Mitchell B. Reiss Director of Policy Planning Staff for the Department of State U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Room 7311 Washington , DC 20520 Tel: 202-647-2972 Fax: (202) 647-0844 Email: policyplanning@state.gov ************************* ---- To Subscribe to Irish Aires Google News List, click Here. To Unsub from Irish Aires Google News List, click Here For options visit: http://groups.google.com/group/IrishAiresNews Or join our Irish Aires Yahoo Group, Click here To Get RSS Feed for Irish Aires News click HERE (Paste http://irishaires.blogspot.com/atom.xml into a News Reader) To December Index To Index of Monthly Archives To Searches & Sources of Other Irish News
Posted by: Unknown / 12:39 AM
Comments: Post a Comment

<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?