Unionist Case put to international body - Nesbitt
Dermot Nesbitt, the Ulster Unionist Party’s human rights spokesperson, met this week with the Geneva-based International Panel of Jurists who were on a three-day visit to Northern Ireland. The visiting panel’s remit was ‘Terrorism, Counter Terrorism and Human Rights’ and it was headed by Justice Arthur Chaskalson, former Chief Justice of South Africa.
The UUP was the only political party to submit to the Panel in advance a written submission and Dermot Nesbitt was the only Northern Ireland politician to have had a one-to-one meeting with the Panel.
Dermot Nesbitt said: “It was an opportunity to put the Unionist case to an international group of lawyers whose aim is the protection of international human rights. The point must be constantly repeated: both the Irish and British Governments have been, and remain, in breach of international human rights. This is a direct result of their response to terrorism.”
He continued: “For 31 of the last 34 years Northern Ireland has been denied real and effective participation in the decision-making that affects every citizen. This is a denial of a basic human right. Lasting peace and stability in Northern Ireland will be founded on adherence to the fundamental principles of democracy and human rights. The Government, and others, have for a long period refused to abide by such principles. It is clear, at an international level that the best - if not only - hope of peace and political stability, is to be found in respecting the territorial integrity of existing States, and offering maximum guarantees - internationally defined - to all people within them.”
Dermot Nesbitt concluded: The United Kingdom and Irish Governments have today a choice: they can show, as they presently do, a willingness to accommodate the demands of aggressive republicanism in Ireland or they can follow the principles laid down by the international community. Prime Minister Blair stated this month, in his Armagh address, that he wanted to ‘go forward on the basis of a mature democracy’ having learnt lessons about ‘conflict resolution.’ Unfortunately the reality of his proposals is far removed from these sentiments and this inconsistency must be constantly exposed.”