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OCTOBER
2001
MARTIN O’HAGAN
We were shocked and saddened by the
murder of journalist Martin O’Hagan on 28th September 2001.
We are compiling a report on his death for the United Nations Special
Rapporteur on freedom of expression, who immediately issued a press release
expressing his concern over this callous killing.
human rights committee quizzes uk
From 16 –18 October I was in Geneva briefing the United Nations Human Rights Committee on the UK’s human rights record in Northern Ireland. The Committee asked the UK delegation a number of searching questions on matters such as access to legal advice, the right to remain silent, the use of plastic bullets, the murders of Patrick Finucane and Rosemary Nelson, collusion, and so on. The Committee’s concluding observations are due on 2nd November and are expected to contain a number of recommendations for reform in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
ruc
conference on human rights
On 1st and 2nd October I attended the RUC’s first ever conference on human rights. The Patten Commission recommended that human rights should be placed at the heart of policing, and it was clear from the conference that senior management within the RUC have heeded that call. The RUC still has a considerable distance to cover if it is to become compliant with international human rights standards, and faces a formidable task in translating the lofty language of human rights into day-to-day good practice on the ground. Its ability to do so will be the touchstone of whether it is capable of reform.
meeting
the minister
I met Jane Kennedy
MP, Minister of State for Northern Ireland, on 29th October, to
discuss the government’s policy on the use of plastic bullets and the policing
of the demonstrations at the Holy Cross school in Ardoyne.
BIRW has long argued for the abolition of the use of plastic bullets,
which have been responsible for 17 deaths and many serious injuries in Northern
Ireland. Unfortunately, the
government has recently extended their use throughout the UK, although following
a recommendation by the Patten Commission it is conducting research to find a
safer alternative. In relation to Holy Cross school, I expressed BIRW’s view
that the right to demonstrate does not include the right to terrorise children
trying to go to school. It is high
time the demonstrators left the children alone and found a legitimate means of
making their protest.
ROSEMARY
NELSON
On 31st
October I travelled to Belfast to meet Colin Port for a briefing on the police
investigation, which is still on-going after two and a half years.
support
for our work
We are most
grateful to the Catherine Scorer Civil Liberties Trust for a farewell donation
on their winding up of £450. This
unexpected bonus is much appreciated.
ICS
seminars
On 2nd
October I gave the first in a series of six seminars on the human rights
dimension in Northern Ireland at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies here in
London. On the 16th,
Brice Dickson, Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights
Commission spoke about the Bill of Rights, and on the 30th Maggie
Beirne of CAJ talked about the reform of policing.
My thanks to both of them. BIRW
will be publishing the six talks in due course.
standing
room only at birw
We are fortunate to have no fewer than three interns with us at the moment. Welcome to Ayesha Mohsin, who is rationalising our files on policing, Leanne Pang, who is working on our chronology of events in Northern Ireland, and Rob Higgins, who is constructing a human rights chronology of the peace process. Ayesha is taking time out before completing her legal training and Leanne and Rob are studying for their masters degrees in human rights at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies.
Jane Winter,
Director,
31st October 2001.
For Peace Justice & Human Rights
