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News about the Irish & Irish American culture, music, news, sports. This is hosted by the Irish Aires radio show on KPFT-FM 90.1 in Houston, Texas (a Pacifica community radio station)
May 31, 2008
IAUC Responds To Consultative Group on the Past
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kate McCabe, 734.657.2436
IAUC President Responds To Statement Of Consultative Group
On The Past
May 31, 2008 — On Friday, May 23rd, Irish American Unity
Conference (IAUC) president Kate McCabe met with Denis
Bradley of the Consultative Group on the Past in Derry,
Ireland to discuss the IAUC's position on truth recovery.
In light of Thursday's announcement by the Consultative
Group on the Past, the IAUC would like to take this
opportunity to respond publicly and to reiterate its
position on how best to deal with the legacy of the past.
The following is a statement from Kate McCabe on behalf of
the IAUC:
"At our meeting in Derry, I discussed the IAUC's support
for the victims groups' call for the establishment of an
international, independent truth commission as the only way
forward.
The IAUC disagrees with Mr. Bradley's belief that this is
the wrong time to be dealing with the legacy of the past,
that the timing of this process is much too soon. That
such a process would be better undertaken 80 years from
now, as Bradley believes, does not make sense. Truth
commissions are normally established on the momentum of a
regime change, and the more time that goes by with a change
in government, the less likely it is for such a commission
to be successful in terms of gathering support as well as
evidence. The importance of timing is crucial, and this is
surely a factor with which the Consultative Group is
familiar.
The purported purpose of Thursday's speech was to "define
the problem" as the CGP sees it, in an attempt to further
the discussion over these next few months before their
recommendations are made. We are concerned with what we
believe to be a cursory attempt to reframe the debate, and
we take issue with several points.
First, it is simply not historically accurate to say that
the British government sought to be an 'honest broker'
during the conflict. Rather, the British government was a
principal actor in the last 40 years of struggle. The
British government has long attempted to characterize
itself as a neutral intermediary or a middleman attempting
to keep the peace between fighting factions in the north of
Ireland, and this is simply untrue.
For the Consultative Group—a panel set up by the British
government—to support this claim belies their position as
an independent body or a group of well-meaning individuals
tasked with the difficult responsibility of leading all the
people of the north forward towards reconciliation. To
decontextualize history is to reconfigure reality, to imply
that there is equal culpability when there is not.
It is important to recognize that nationalists and
republicans did not "find themselves" in an alien state or
"feel" as though they were being treated as second-class
citizens. The entire political, economic and social
structure of the northern state was designed to perpetuate
discrimination towards the minority Catholic community.
This fact alone shows that there was not equal culpability,
and to imply otherwise is not logical and certainly is not
useful towards furthering the debate on truth.
The State must be held to a higher standard due to its very
nature as a sovereign government involved in targeting its
own citizens. The State's involvement in collusion, shoot-
to-kill, and state violence necessitate full disclosure—
especially because their victims cut across all sectors of
society. This conflict was fought through people. The
State was in charge, and it gave certain people impunity
for their actions. The appeal to sentimentality induced by
the image of an elderly mother learning of her son's role
as an informer is both diversionary and disingenuous.
Though we recognize the pain and trauma experienced by all
sectors of society, and believe that all victims have a
right to know the truth about what happened to their loved
ones, we believe the onus must be placed on the British
government to come clean about the extent of their
involvement in the 'dirty war' of the past few decades.
A failure to uncover the truth in these areas undermines
the British government's commitment to basic democratic
principles and human rights, while giving credence to the
widespread perception that members of the security forces
and others in the north of Ireland have been able to
operate outside the law with impunity.
As a sovereign government and a central party to the
conflict, the state has a responsibility to do more than
just acknowledge and apologize for its involvement in
criminality, and in particular its use of informers. An
apology is not a substitute for a proper investigation, and
as such can only come after the truth recovery and
examination process is completed. There must be official
recognition of past harms and abuses, and that recognition
must go on the public record. In order to ensure
independence and public confidence, it is necessary that
all actors involved in a truth commission were not active
participants in or parties to the conflict.
In order to have the support of Irish America behind the
recommendations of the CGP, the issues of collusion, shoot-
to-kill, and state violence must be addressed to the
fullest extent. All parties to or victims of the conflict
must be given a platform to share their experiences. Such
a process is necessary for sustainable peace, cross-
community cooperation, and the future economic regeneration
of historically marginalized areas. There can be no lines
drawn under the past if there is to be confidence in the
future."
McCabe also discussed the newly formed Thar Saile and the
IAUC's campaign to seek a final resolution to the plight of
former IRA prisoners living in the United States. McCabe's
remarks on this issue were positively received.
ENDS
##
Contact: Kate McCabe, 734.657.2436
IAUC President Responds To Statement Of Consultative Group
On The Past
May 31, 2008 — On Friday, May 23rd, Irish American Unity
Conference (IAUC) president Kate McCabe met with Denis
Bradley of the Consultative Group on the Past in Derry,
Ireland to discuss the IAUC's position on truth recovery.
In light of Thursday's announcement by the Consultative
Group on the Past, the IAUC would like to take this
opportunity to respond publicly and to reiterate its
position on how best to deal with the legacy of the past.
The following is a statement from Kate McCabe on behalf of
the IAUC:
"At our meeting in Derry, I discussed the IAUC's support
for the victims groups' call for the establishment of an
international, independent truth commission as the only way
forward.
The IAUC disagrees with Mr. Bradley's belief that this is
the wrong time to be dealing with the legacy of the past,
that the timing of this process is much too soon. That
such a process would be better undertaken 80 years from
now, as Bradley believes, does not make sense. Truth
commissions are normally established on the momentum of a
regime change, and the more time that goes by with a change
in government, the less likely it is for such a commission
to be successful in terms of gathering support as well as
evidence. The importance of timing is crucial, and this is
surely a factor with which the Consultative Group is
familiar.
The purported purpose of Thursday's speech was to "define
the problem" as the CGP sees it, in an attempt to further
the discussion over these next few months before their
recommendations are made. We are concerned with what we
believe to be a cursory attempt to reframe the debate, and
we take issue with several points.
First, it is simply not historically accurate to say that
the British government sought to be an 'honest broker'
during the conflict. Rather, the British government was a
principal actor in the last 40 years of struggle. The
British government has long attempted to characterize
itself as a neutral intermediary or a middleman attempting
to keep the peace between fighting factions in the north of
Ireland, and this is simply untrue.
For the Consultative Group—a panel set up by the British
government—to support this claim belies their position as
an independent body or a group of well-meaning individuals
tasked with the difficult responsibility of leading all the
people of the north forward towards reconciliation. To
decontextualize history is to reconfigure reality, to imply
that there is equal culpability when there is not.
It is important to recognize that nationalists and
republicans did not "find themselves" in an alien state or
"feel" as though they were being treated as second-class
citizens. The entire political, economic and social
structure of the northern state was designed to perpetuate
discrimination towards the minority Catholic community.
This fact alone shows that there was not equal culpability,
and to imply otherwise is not logical and certainly is not
useful towards furthering the debate on truth.
The State must be held to a higher standard due to its very
nature as a sovereign government involved in targeting its
own citizens. The State's involvement in collusion, shoot-
to-kill, and state violence necessitate full disclosure—
especially because their victims cut across all sectors of
society. This conflict was fought through people. The
State was in charge, and it gave certain people impunity
for their actions. The appeal to sentimentality induced by
the image of an elderly mother learning of her son's role
as an informer is both diversionary and disingenuous.
Though we recognize the pain and trauma experienced by all
sectors of society, and believe that all victims have a
right to know the truth about what happened to their loved
ones, we believe the onus must be placed on the British
government to come clean about the extent of their
involvement in the 'dirty war' of the past few decades.
A failure to uncover the truth in these areas undermines
the British government's commitment to basic democratic
principles and human rights, while giving credence to the
widespread perception that members of the security forces
and others in the north of Ireland have been able to
operate outside the law with impunity.
As a sovereign government and a central party to the
conflict, the state has a responsibility to do more than
just acknowledge and apologize for its involvement in
criminality, and in particular its use of informers. An
apology is not a substitute for a proper investigation, and
as such can only come after the truth recovery and
examination process is completed. There must be official
recognition of past harms and abuses, and that recognition
must go on the public record. In order to ensure
independence and public confidence, it is necessary that
all actors involved in a truth commission were not active
participants in or parties to the conflict.
In order to have the support of Irish America behind the
recommendations of the CGP, the issues of collusion, shoot-
to-kill, and state violence must be addressed to the
fullest extent. All parties to or victims of the conflict
must be given a platform to share their experiences. Such
a process is necessary for sustainable peace, cross-
community cooperation, and the future economic regeneration
of historically marginalized areas. There can be no lines
drawn under the past if there is to be confidence in the
future."
McCabe also discussed the newly formed Thar Saile and the
IAUC's campaign to seek a final resolution to the plight of
former IRA prisoners living in the United States. McCabe's
remarks on this issue were positively received.
ENDS
##
May 30, 2008
US IRA Men Call For Legal Status
http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irish-voice/news/Articles/us-ira-men290508.aspx
U.S. IRA Men Call for Legal Status
May 29, 2008
By Cahir O’Doherty
A GROUP of former IRA prisoners living in the U.S. has
launched a campaign to secure their legal status here.
The organization, Thar Saile (Irish for “overseas”), is
made up of former prisoners, many of whom have faced
deportation while living, working and raising families in
the U.S. for decades. Many are married to American wives
and are the fathers of American-born children.
In 2000, President Bill Clinton announced that deportation
proceedings against the former IRA prisoners would be
halted and they would move into “deferred action” status.
Although the action was hailed at the time as tangible
result of the peace process in Northern Ireland, the men’s
legal status in the U.S. has yet to be finally resolved.
Currently the former prisoners cannot travel to Ireland to
visit family. They must also constantly renew their work
permits over a period of months on an ongoing basis,
frequently jeopardizing their employment in the process.
Irish American Unity Conference (IAUC) president Kate
McCabe told the Irish Voice, “The position of our
organization is that the U.S. government’s position toward
this group of people is out of step with its entire policy
toward the Irish peace process. Martin McGuinness has been
to the White House on a number of occasions to meet with
President Bush, so it doesn’t make sense that they’re
targeting this group of men.”
Last week the IAUC released a document entitled “Prisoners
of Peace,” making the case that the reintegration of former
prisoners is a first and critical step in any peace
process. In Northern Ireland, they point out, former
prisoners are holding elected office and working together
to build a new society. Only in the U.S. is their status
still unresolved.
“It’s anachronistic that these men are being targeted.
Although no formal deportation orders have been filed
against them — with the exception of Pól Brennan who is
currently jailed in Texas — most of these men have to renew
their work permits every 60 to 90 days, which then takes a
further month to process,” McCabe said.
“Trying to keep a secure job is made difficult when you
know you have to renew your work permit constantly like
this. We feel it’s harassment.”
The objective of Thar Saile is to end the uncertainty for
the former IRA prisoners and their families by providing
them with a permanent legal status and the right to live,
work and travel here and abroad unencumbered.
This week Thar Saile has promised to launch a broad-based
education and communication campaign around this issue,
working with their supporters around the U.S. to bring this
issue to the attention of all major political candidates.
U.S. IRA Men Call for Legal Status
May 29, 2008
By Cahir O’Doherty
A GROUP of former IRA prisoners living in the U.S. has
launched a campaign to secure their legal status here.
The organization, Thar Saile (Irish for “overseas”), is
made up of former prisoners, many of whom have faced
deportation while living, working and raising families in
the U.S. for decades. Many are married to American wives
and are the fathers of American-born children.
In 2000, President Bill Clinton announced that deportation
proceedings against the former IRA prisoners would be
halted and they would move into “deferred action” status.
Although the action was hailed at the time as tangible
result of the peace process in Northern Ireland, the men’s
legal status in the U.S. has yet to be finally resolved.
Currently the former prisoners cannot travel to Ireland to
visit family. They must also constantly renew their work
permits over a period of months on an ongoing basis,
frequently jeopardizing their employment in the process.
Irish American Unity Conference (IAUC) president Kate
McCabe told the Irish Voice, “The position of our
organization is that the U.S. government’s position toward
this group of people is out of step with its entire policy
toward the Irish peace process. Martin McGuinness has been
to the White House on a number of occasions to meet with
President Bush, so it doesn’t make sense that they’re
targeting this group of men.”
Last week the IAUC released a document entitled “Prisoners
of Peace,” making the case that the reintegration of former
prisoners is a first and critical step in any peace
process. In Northern Ireland, they point out, former
prisoners are holding elected office and working together
to build a new society. Only in the U.S. is their status
still unresolved.
“It’s anachronistic that these men are being targeted.
Although no formal deportation orders have been filed
against them — with the exception of Pól Brennan who is
currently jailed in Texas — most of these men have to renew
their work permits every 60 to 90 days, which then takes a
further month to process,” McCabe said.
“Trying to keep a secure job is made difficult when you
know you have to renew your work permit constantly like
this. We feel it’s harassment.”
The objective of Thar Saile is to end the uncertainty for
the former IRA prisoners and their families by providing
them with a permanent legal status and the right to live,
work and travel here and abroad unencumbered.
This week Thar Saile has promised to launch a broad-based
education and communication campaign around this issue,
working with their supporters around the U.S. to bring this
issue to the attention of all major political candidates.
May 28, 2008
New Groups Aims To Resolve Status
http://irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=18732
New Group Aims To Resolve Status
May 28, 2008 A group of former IRA prisoners now living in the
United States is launching a campaign to bring a permanent
resolution to their legal status.
Irish American Unity Conference president Kate McCabe, Ancient
Order of Hibernians president Jack Meehan, and Irish Northern Aid
president Paul Doris declared in a statement their "enthusiastic
support" for the newly formed group, "Thar Saile," which means
"overseas" in Irish.
Paul Harkin, vice president of the IAUC and a former prisoner,
announced the formation of Thar Saile late last week.
The group is made up of former prisoners, many of who have faced
deportation but who have otherwise been living, working, and
raising families in the U.S. within the parameters of the law for
decades.
Some are married to American wives and are the fathers of
American born children.
"In one of his last acts before leaving office in 2000, President
Clinton announced that deportation proceedings against these men
would be halted and they would move into 'deferred action'
status," the group said in its statement.
"This action was hailed both as a victory for the Irish American
community and as a part of the peace dividend for those
courageously working to end the ongoing conflict in the north of
Ireland. It has become clear, however, that this remains
unfinished business," the statement added
"The status of these men is unclear and ambiguous," said Harkin.
"We cannot travel back to Ireland to visit family; work permit
renewals are an ongoing problem, frequently jeopardizing
employment; and the deferred action umbrella did not cover all of
the former prisoners in the U.S., some of whom are still living
in the shadows."
In conjunction with the formation of Thar Saile, The IAUC has
released a document entitled "Prisoners of Peace."
This document makes the case that reintegration of former
prisoners is a first and critical step in any peace process.
"Ironically, in the north of Ireland, former prisoners are
holding elected office and working together to build a new
society. Only in the U.S. is their status still unresolved," the
Thar Saile statement said.
It added that the objective of Thar Saile was to end the
uncertainty for the men and their families by providing them with
a permanent legal status and the right to live, work, and travel
unencumbered.
"Thar Saile will launch a broad-based education and communication
campaign around this issue and will work with their supporters
around the U.S. to bring this issue to the attention of all major
political candidates." The statement concluded.
This story appeared in the issue of May 28-June 3, 2008
New Group Aims To Resolve Status
May 28, 2008 A group of former IRA prisoners now living in the
United States is launching a campaign to bring a permanent
resolution to their legal status.
Irish American Unity Conference president Kate McCabe, Ancient
Order of Hibernians president Jack Meehan, and Irish Northern Aid
president Paul Doris declared in a statement their "enthusiastic
support" for the newly formed group, "Thar Saile," which means
"overseas" in Irish.
Paul Harkin, vice president of the IAUC and a former prisoner,
announced the formation of Thar Saile late last week.
The group is made up of former prisoners, many of who have faced
deportation but who have otherwise been living, working, and
raising families in the U.S. within the parameters of the law for
decades.
Some are married to American wives and are the fathers of
American born children.
"In one of his last acts before leaving office in 2000, President
Clinton announced that deportation proceedings against these men
would be halted and they would move into 'deferred action'
status," the group said in its statement.
"This action was hailed both as a victory for the Irish American
community and as a part of the peace dividend for those
courageously working to end the ongoing conflict in the north of
Ireland. It has become clear, however, that this remains
unfinished business," the statement added
"The status of these men is unclear and ambiguous," said Harkin.
"We cannot travel back to Ireland to visit family; work permit
renewals are an ongoing problem, frequently jeopardizing
employment; and the deferred action umbrella did not cover all of
the former prisoners in the U.S., some of whom are still living
in the shadows."
In conjunction with the formation of Thar Saile, The IAUC has
released a document entitled "Prisoners of Peace."
This document makes the case that reintegration of former
prisoners is a first and critical step in any peace process.
"Ironically, in the north of Ireland, former prisoners are
holding elected office and working together to build a new
society. Only in the U.S. is their status still unresolved," the
Thar Saile statement said.
It added that the objective of Thar Saile was to end the
uncertainty for the men and their families by providing them with
a permanent legal status and the right to live, work, and travel
unencumbered.
"Thar Saile will launch a broad-based education and communication
campaign around this issue and will work with their supporters
around the U.S. to bring this issue to the attention of all major
political candidates." The statement concluded.
This story appeared in the issue of May 28-June 3, 2008
