The National Irish Freedom
Committee's (NIFC) undertaking to lend financial support to the
dependents of political activists being penalized by the
British and Irish authorities for the promotion of Eire Nua is
an obligation inherent in the NIFC's founding principles as
espoused by Wolfe Tone i.e., to unite the whole people of
Ireland regardless of religious conviction and to break the
connection with England, the never- ending source of all
political evil.
Since the partition of Ireland by the British in 1921, Irish
Republican activists who continue to struggle for a reunited
Ireland are targets of draconian legislation and criminalization
policies by the authorities in both the British occupied six
counties and in the twenty-six county Irish Free State.
The Special Powers Act of 1922 promulgated by the British in the
occupied counties was later matched by the authorities in the
twenty-six county Irish Free State with the equally repressive
Public Safety Act, known today as the Offenses Against the State
Act. These repressive Acts provide for arrest without warrant,
interrogation without legal counsel, denial of the rights to
remain silent, non-jury courts, and the suppression of the rules
of evidence.
This perversion of justice set in motion a seamless conveyor
belt of injustice that ensures the confinement of republican
activists who promote the Eire Nua (New Ireland) political
formula. Eire Nua is an Irish crafted political formula designed
to bring a just and lasting peace to Ireland as opposed to the
1998 British formulated Good Friday Agreement (GFA) that
copper-fastens the partition of the Irish nation.
The following references are taken from 'Outlines of History" by
Professor Seamus Metress: Amnesty International Report July 2000 - Amnesty International
is urging the UN Human Rights Committee to scrutinize emergency
legislation, fair trial issues and police investigations during
the examination of the second periodic report of Ireland on 13
July in Geneva. Amnesty International draws the Committee's
attention to various provisions and practices which are in
contravention of the internationally recognized rights to life,
to fair trial, to liberty, and to freedom from torture and
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
Amnesty International, 1994 - details the chief aspects of army
collusion with loyalists armed groups in the planning and
execution of political killings.
Amnesty International, 1991 - documents new cases of
ill-treatment of prisoners, violation of rights to fair trial,
collusion between security forces and armed groups and killings
in disputed circumstances.
Amnesty International, 1988 - documents concerns about killings
in disputed circumstances and the use of paid perjurers to
convict.
Bennett Report, 1978
- a British government report documenting
mistreatment of Irish political prisoners.
Amnesty International, 1978
- reaffirmed and presents new
evidence of use of systematic torture by authorities in
northeast Ireland.
European Commission on Human Rights, 1978 - found the British
government guilty of torture of Irish prisoners.
Amnesty International, 1972
- reported systematical torture by
the British in northeast Ireland.
As a result of constant police harassment at homes and places of
employment, political activists and family members are being
ostracized and marginalized in their own communities. As an
added burden, political activists appearing before non-jury
courts are subjected to arbitrary bail conditions that inflict
severe hardships on their dependants. These arbitrary bail
conditions are tantamount to a virtual state of imprisonment.
All of these malicious tactics are designed to silence the voice
of Eire Nua proponents, who are viewed by the ruling elite in
both states as a threat to the status quo, hence, a threat to
their own privileged lifestyles.
In order to meet its obligation the NIFC will support the
aforementioned dependents through Cabhair in Ireland. Cabhair is
a charitable organization that has been in existence for many
years supporting the dependents of true Republican prisoners and
ensnared political activists throughout the 32 Irish counties.
The NIFC has established a Monthly Sustainer program to help
Cabhair in its humanitarian endeavors. The sustainer program
operates on the pledge principle, whereby, donors pledge a
monthly contribution: the amount to be decided by the donor.
Contact the National IRPAS Campaign Coordinator for additional
information at IRBFENIAN@aol.com
