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February 16, 2005

02/16/05 - US Group Decries Manipulation of Negatiations

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IE 02/16/05 Group Decries 'Manipulation' Of Negotiations
IN 02/16/05 US Group Concerned At Impasse In Process (from Nuz Hound)

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http://www.irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=16017

Group Decries 'Manipulation' Of Negotiations

By Ray O'Hanlon
rohanlon@irishecho.com

A group of Irish-American organizations have sharply criticized the way that the recent Northern Bank robbery in Belfast has been investigated by police.

And in a letter to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Tony Blair, the organizations, under the umbrella of an ad hoc group called the Irish American Unity in Action Committee, claimed that Sinn Féin was being unfairly maligned by the investigation.

The letter writers, including the national president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Irish American Unity Conference, expressed alarm at what they saw as the undermining of the peace process.

"The present breakdown in the peace process is based upon official and unofficial speculation and bears all of the marks of managed impasse and political manipulation that have plagued past negotiations," the letter stated.

For the third time in as many years, it alleged, those opposed to sharing power with the nationalist population in Northern Ireland had made "unsubstantiated charges against Sinn Fein" aimed at causing a reversal in the peace process and preventing the seating of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

"When this is spearheaded by elements in the government, police and military intelligence, heightened by innuendo and reckless speculation in the press and by rival political parties, it is a grievous offense against the principle of political equality and democratic rights," the letter stated.

It accused both the governments and the Police Service of Northern Ireland of engaging in "slander" and of standing over "unsubstantiated charges."

Copies of the letter have been sent to President Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and members of Congress.

The letter stated that internationally acknowledged principles of the separation of functions within the judicial process -- an unbiased police investigation balanced by an independent judiciary with proper roles for prosecution and defense free from political influence -- was being violated.

The letter was signed by AOH president Ned McGinley, IAUC president Andy Somers, Joe Jamison of the Irish American Labor Coalition, Noraid chair Paul Doris, Americans for a New Irish Agenda chair Frank Durkan, Brehon Law Society president Sean Crowley, Sean Cahill and Stephen McCabe of the Irish Parades Emergency Committee, and Ed Lynch of Lawyers Alliance for Justice in Ireland.

This story appeared in the issue of February 16-22, 2005

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http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/irish_news/arts2005/feb15_US_group_concerned.php

US Group Concerned At Impasse In Process

(William Graham, Irish News)

The present breakdown in the peace process bears all the marks of managed impasse and political manipulation – according to the Irish American Unity in Action committee.

In letters to Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern the committee expressed deep concern over recent events which undermine the peace process in the north.

"For the third time in as many years, those opposed to sharing power with the Catholic/nationalist population have made unsubstantiated charges against Sinn Féin aimed at causing a reversal in the peace process," the committee said.

"All political parties that possess an electoral mandate to represent their constituents in Northern Ireland and elsewhere in the world, have the right to participate in the democratic process free from governmental and police slander and unsubstantiated charges.

"The internationally acknowledged principle of the separation of functions within the judicial process – unbiased police investigation, balanced by an independent judiciary with proper roles for prosecution and defence, free from political influence – is being grossly violated.

"No chief of police in a democratic state would publicly declare the outcome of an investigation before it was concluded or even fairly begun," the committee said.

They said that they noted Sinn Féin's progressive role and fairness in negotiations over the past 10 years.

"We have complete confidence in the commitment of their leadership, to the goal of removing the gun permanently from Irish politics.

"We believe in peace, democracy and permanent disarmament and demilitarisation. Isolation of large groups of voters, financial sanctions based on dubious secret briefings, and government sanctioned police innuendo and speculation will deliver none of these things," the committee said.

The Irish American committee includes representatives of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Irish American Unity Conference, Labour Coalition, Irish Northern Aid, Brehan Law Society, Americans for a New Irish Agenda, Irish Parades Emergency Committee, and Lawyers' Alliance for Justice in Ireland.

Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist assembly member Billy Armstrong has criticised the two governments approach for consistently insisting upon the inclusion of Sinn Féin in government at any price.

"The governments need to face up to the realities of what the mafia-style republican movement stands for and for what they continue to engage in," he said.

February 16, 2005

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