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Newslist Messages for
March 2000
A WARNING FROM HISTORY As the US Navy prepares to utilise military ranges at Cape Wrath next week protesters and the people of Scotland should be aware of the Long term legacy of US military use of bombing and gunnery ranges. Scottish anti-military campaigners will receive aid from a distant source when Caribbean Islanders from Puerto Rico join them in opposing US navy exercises to be staged at a designated bombing and gunnery range of northern Scotland next week. US exercises have been switched to Cape Wrath because of opposition to the US Navies use of military firing ranges off Puerto Rico. The small Puerto Rican independence movement has managed to make the ranges issue something of a cause celebre and the US anxious to avail of opportunities to diffuse the issue have accepted an offer from the Blair government of the MODs Scottish ranges. Scots well used to bases and ranges as a legacy of the Cold War in which Scotland became a fortress for NATO may initially be largely undisturbed by the prospect of this latest US invasion. But the Celtic League, who have campaigned for a quarter of a century to stop military activity in the Celtic countries can reveal the folly of allowing the US armed forces a free rein on 'isolated' military ranges. In the early sixties the US Armed Forces began utilisation of increasingly inactive former WW2 bombing ranges at Jurby off the NW Isle of Man. This occupation was maintained for almost thirty years with intensive use by USAF figher-bombers flying from bases all over NW Europe. Eventually opposition to range extensions from nationalists and fishermen's groups forced the ranges closure. However, the legacy of this period is an area of 75 square miles of contaminated sea-bed in one of the most fertile shellfish areas of the Irish sea. Despite calls to the UK government, who administered the ranges, no clean-up is being effected. Fishermen regularly have to take their chance working amongst unexploded munitions as they dredge for scallops and other shell fish. J B MoffattSecretary GeneralCeltic League 2:3:2000 ============================== WARNING OVER DEFECTIVE MILITARY HELICOPTER Not the first time the MOD have continued to operate suspect choppers. Aircrew had fears about the Chinook prior to the crash at Kintyre which killed 27 - these were ignoredJust ten days after the Celtic League wrote to the Defence Secretary asking him to review operations by an Army helicopter with an identified defect one of the machines crashed last week in S. Armagh with nine people on board (two were injured). The type involved the Lynx helicopter has been involved in two fatalcrashes over the past fifteen months years and following the firstat Gornji Vakuf, Bosnia, in Dec. 1998 a defective part in the tailrotor drive was identified. This is to be replaced on a phased basisover two years. However, the League suggested in correspondence to Defence SecretaryGeoff. Hoon ten days ago that this decision carries potential risk.Responding to our concerns a military spokesman in N. Ireland, wherethe latest incident occurred, said more frequent safety checks werecarried out as a result of the Bosnian incident Last May, a Lynx narrowly avoided crashing on the village of Tiltonon the Hill in Leicestershire, three aircrew died. This clearly indicatedthe threat posed to small rural communities. We said that if the machinecontinued to operate with known defects other accidents were inevitable.Our concerns are vindicated by last weeks incident. It's not the first time the MOD have continued to operate suspectchoppers and much has been written about the fears that aircrew hadabout the Chinook prior to the disastrous crash at Kintyre in 1994when 29 people died. Nor or these latest accidents the first with the Lynx which overthe years has claimed many service personnel due to 'mechanical failure'.The continuing danger posed to aircrew and the public should be urgentlyprobed meanwhile this type of chopper should be grounded Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 5/3/2000 ============================== A CULTURE OF COMPLACENCY The NII have woken up too late on the Sellafield safety scandal. NIIboss, Laurence Williams, should emulate Sellafield's John Taylor andresign Further revelations about the laxity of safety standards at BNFL haveemerged with reports that the NII have impounded four batches of fuelat BNFLs Springfield site near Preston. However, as we have previously indicated, the new found vigour ofthe Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) in pursuing its 'nuclearwatchdog' role is at odds with the years of inertia during which thescandal that now enfolds the British nuclear industry was allowedto develop. For many years the UK's Department of the Environment, and regulatorybodies such as the NII, seemed to view their role as one of complementing,not monitoring, the various nuclear sites. Todays scandal over Sellafieldis almost a rerun of the earlier disclosures about Dounreay. The picturewhich emerges in relation to the NII and the British government generallyis of a culture of complacency in respect of nuclear industry safetyand regulation. Next week members of the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committeewill ask why the NII, which has an on-site presence at most nuclearsites including Sellafield, failed to identify the safety shortcomingsof the plant. It will no doubt be inferred that the NII are too closeto the industry they are supposed to monitor. This is exactly thepoint that the Celtic League made years ago when we called for Internationalverification of UK nuclear safety standards. The NII is still not off the hook. Heads have rolled at BNFL despitean attempt by the former Chief Executive John Taylor to 'stonewall'in the face of the growing crisis. In the end he too was sacrificedas the company desperately sought to stabilise the confidence ''melt-down'. At Tuesdays Select Committee meeting it is to be hoped that the Committeewill have the good sense to suggest to NII head Laurence Williamsthat he too should take the honourable course and resign! J B Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 5:3:00 ======================= LANGUAGES CHARTER WARNING The UK has joined France in signing the Euro Charter on Minority languages.However, the Celtic League believe practical implementation will bethe true test of the veracity of the Old Nation States towards languagerights. Speaking during the first Gaelic debate in the new Scottish ParliamentGaelic minister, Alasdair Morrison, said on Thursday: "There are manyprecious components in the heritage of Scotland. But none is as ancient,profound and worthy as the Gaelic legacy." Despite the comparatively small number (3) of Gaelic speakers in theParliament the debate was historically important and marked the continuingreversal in fortunes of all the Celtic languages. As if to reinforce this on the same day the United Kingdom finallygot around to signing the European Charter for Regional or Minoritylanguages, an issue the Celtic League has been campaigning on formany years. However, the UKs reluctant signature is only the first step and ratificationand implementation will be the true test of cultural equality betweenthe peoples of these Islands. We need to press vigorously for ratificationand implementation and also spell out clearly that the provisionsof the Charter are not to be dissipated by neutralising qualifications. We already have the worrying example of France. Its signature, andratification, of the Charter was so hedged around with qualificationsas to clearly indicate that the cultural genocide which the FrenchState has exhibited towards minorities within its frontiers is notyet extinguished. The Council of Europe (CoE) drew up the Charter in 1992 for the purposeof encouraging the preservation and the promotion of indigenous minoritylanguages in Europe. So far a disappointingly small number, 16 ofthe 40, of CoE members States have signed. The Old Nation States of Europe such as England and France are notstupid, they are aware that stimulating linguistic self determinationis a catalyst for political self determination. Their commitment tothe Charter will be lack-lustre unless the Celtic languages groupspresent a united front to pressure the signatories. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 5/3/2000 ============================ PRISON DECISION MEAN-SPIRITED The Celtic League have slammed prison authorities in the Irish Republicfor refusing a hospital visit by a prisoner to a sick relative. Josephine Hayden is just months away from completing a lengthy prisonsentence in Limerick Jail and had sought permission to visit her elderlyfather (87) who was hospitalised in Waterford. The refusal by theprison authorities has been described by the Celtic League in a letterto Irish Justice Minister John O'Donoghue TD as "mean spirited" (attached1). The Celtic League have also written to the European Committee forthe Prevention of Torture pointing out that the denial is a clearbreach of European (model) Prison Rules which say that such visitsshould be facilitated (attached 2). It is not the first time that Josephine Hayden has been the subjectof harsh treatment by the prison authorities. After suffering a heartattack part way through her sentence she was denied proper medicaltreatment. There is no doubt that from the authorities point of view she is a'troublesome' prisoner. Since being imprisoned she has campaignedceaselessly to improve conditions for women prisoners in LimerickJail which is patently not resourced as a penal institution for femaleoffenders. Like many prisons world wide Limerick is a prison designedfor male offenders and the women's section has been crudely tackedon without any thought for facility. Josephine Hayden's attempt tofight this injustice has undoubtedly caused the hard attitude towardsher. However, in denying the visit to her sick father the prison authoritieshave plumbed the depths of callousness and inhumanity. Bernard Moffatt Celtic League 5/3/00 (attachment 1) The Minister for Justice Mr. John O'Donoghue TD Department Of Justice 72-76 St. Stephens Green Dublin 2 Ireland Dear Minister, I write with reference to the circumstances of a female prisoner detainedin Limerick Jail, Mrs. Josephine Hayden. I understand that recently Mrs. Hayden, who is within several monthsof completing a lengthy period of imprisonment, was denied permissionto visit her elderly father (87) who was hospitalised and gravelyill. I would like to record our view that the denial of this visit on compassionateleave grounds is extremely mean-spirited. More importantly it contravenesnorms of European procedure governing such situations. I refer you to section 49.2 of the European Prison Rules which says: "A prisoner shall be informed at once of the death or serious illnessof any relative. In these cases and whenever circumstances allow,the prisoner should be authorised to visit this sick relative or seethe deceased either under escort or alone". I see from the background on your Departmental web site that you areyourself a family man I would therefore suggest that from that standpointyou contemplate the morality of the decision taken in this case. Certainlyto deny a hospital visit in these circumstances must have createdfor the prisoner involved extreme psychological torment. As regardsthe legitimacy of the decision viz a viz International law we willbe drawing the situation to the attention of the European Committeefor the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment orPunishment (CPT) Persons being punished by the State are in the care of the State andin this instance that duty of care was not discharged. Yours sincerely, Bernard Moffatt Secretary General 5/03/00 (attachment 2) The Secretary European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Council of Europe F - 67075 Strasbourg Cedex FRANCE Dear Sir, I write on behalf of the Celtic League to express our concern at thedenial of a hospital visit to a prisoner detained in Limerick Jailin the Republic of Ireland. Mrs. Josephine Hayden is close to completing a lengthy sentence atthat prison and was recently denied permission to visit her elderlyfather (87) who was hospitalised and gravely ill. I am not aware atthis stage if that original decision has been rescinded as I understandpolitical representations were being made however the initial refusalwas in the circumstances extremely mean-spirited. I have written to the Minister for Justice in Ireland (encl.) to expressconcern about this matter pointing out that the European (model) PrisonRules set out quite clearly that visits of this type should be grantedwhenever circumstances allow. This is not the first time that Mrs.Hayden has been the subject of punitive action by the Prison authorities.When she suffered a heart attack in prison the adequacy and immediacyof the health care provided was questionable. I would urge your Committee to raise this matter with the Irish authorities.The principles involved in respect of the decision extend beyond thisindividual case Yours sincerely, Bernard Moffatt Secretary General 5/03/00 ==================================== BASES RADIATION RISK The British army don't have a rifle that works effectively. Can oneaccept assurances about the safety efficiency of its sophisticatedelectronic surveillance equipment that beams down on the farms, housesand schools of S. Armagh? Last year the MOD rejected requests from the Celtic League for accurateand independent testing of micro-wave emitting radiation equipmentused on a variety of bases and hill-top lookouts that dominate thelandscape of S. Armagh. Present in all border areas of Ulster it isin this County that the concentration of equipment is most prevalent. The MOD told us that "Army equipment is assessed against and operatedin accordance with the national guidelines". The Army were alluding,in this statement, to UK National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB)guidance. The truth, from our research, is that the NRPB have no knowledgeof and have never been asked to form an opinion. The reference to "Army equipment" is in itself worrying. It has emergedover recent months that a vast array of Defence equipment is deficientfrom the point of view of both effectiveness and safety. If the Britisharmy do not have a rifle that works effectively how can one acceptassurances about the unverifiable safety efficiency of its sophisticatedelectronic surveillance and monitoring equipment that beam down onthe farms, houses and schools of S. Armagh? The attitude of the Irish government to this situation is also ambivalent.Assurances given about the safety of this equipment, in reply to aquestion posed in the Dail in 1995, have no foundation whatsoever. Sadly, both the British and Irish governments have traded on the uncertaintyof evidence that supports health concerns. Assurances are given thatequipment either meets accepted safety standards or that researchhas not proven any long term implications for health. However, attitudesto micro-wave radiation are changing. Forty miles from the micro-wave mosaic that straddles S. Armagh, across the Irish sea, planners in the Isle of Man recently turneddown permission for a fairly innocuous civil communications mast "until such time as more conclusive and agreed evidence" was produced.More significantly half way across Europe the Swiss government haverecently adopted new more stringent standards setting new limits onexposure to micro-wave "orientated to the future". The Swiss are nowcommitted to keeping exposure as low as is technically feasible. Theysay that the need for caution is prompted by "credible indications"that chronic, low-level exposure may be harmful. In the case of thecivil application of micro-wave technology at least there are someidentifiable parameters. In the secret electronic world of S. Armagh the British Army are probablyoperating unsafe and sub standard equipment which, despite their protestations,meets no safety bench-mark but that which they set themselves. J B Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 7/3/00 ============================= BRETON OIL SPILL DISASTER PREDICTED Alan Heusaff, founder member of the Celtic League, who died last yearwould, had he lived, have been extremely concerned about the environmentaltragedy which has befallen his native Brittany. A large swathe of coastline is currently polluted by heavy fuel oilwhich has leaked from the wreck of the tanker Erika. The clean upof the polluted coastline is now compromised by fears over the threatof cancer to those who have been involved. Ironically it was at the Celtic Leagues AGM, at Plomeur in Brittany,in 1996 that Alan Heusaff expressed concern about just such an incident.He moved a resolution, which was adopted by the conference callingfor action to address the issue. The resolution read "This AGM, alarmed by the repetition of catastrophic oil-spills fromtankers which have caused widespread destruction of marine life andso severely affected the economic life of coastal areas of at leastfive of the six Celtic countries in the past twenty years; Urges the governments responsible for the protection of the marineenvironment in these countries as well as the European Union to adoptstrictly binding measures to avoid such accidents, in particular enforcingdouble hulling for tankers prohibiting them from sailing through narrowsea channels or within given distance from shore, use of pilots familiarwith approaches to storage facilities." During the months following the 1996 AGM he engaged in correspondencewith the European Commission, the French government and the UnitedKingdom. However, there was total inertia on the part of the authorities. TheEU said it was indeed a concern but did not indicate any direct strategyto address the problem referring to moves at the IMO (InternationalMaritime Organisation) and the responsibilities of members States.The U.K. response was equally lack lustre. Ironically the French authoritiesdid not even bother to respond! Events since including the recent disaster have focused on the needHeusaff foresaw for more direct intervention by the British, Frenchand the EU to address the issue. In the next few weeks the CelticLeague will be writing to both the British and French re-iteratinghis concerns and urging that the proposals he made be adopted. J B Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 11/3/00 (See resolution and correspondence from EU and British governmenton Celtic League home-pages) ============================= CHINOOK SHORTAGES HAD DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES Pilot error or computer problems ? The underlying cause of the Kintyrecrash were the defeciences in RAF heavy lift helicopter capabilitywhich we exposed prior to the accident and the MOD denied. This month more theories and speculation about the crash of an RAFChinook helicopter in 1994 on the Kintyre peninsula are doing therounds. New evidence is said to expose problems with sophisticatedcomputer software (FADEC) controlling the refurbished helicoptersengine. However, what is more interesting to the Celtic League is the addedrevelation that a leaked memo identifies shortages of helicoptersby the RAF at this time. It is asserted that this prompted the unsafeChinooks to be pressed into service. In the spring of the previous year (1993) the Celtic League carrieda short article in our quarterly journal CARN (No. 82). In an articleentitled "Britain Scours Junkyards" we asserted that there were seriousdeficiencies in the availability of both medium and heavy lift helicopters.We alleged that in 1992 MOD officials had discreetly visited Indiain an attempt to procure 21 second-hand Westland WG30 helicopterssupplied for oil exploration work. Although denied by the MOD, subsequentlythe story was vindicated. In the Guardian newspaper on Sept. 19 1997it was confirmed attempts to procure WG30 helicopters, which ironicallyhad been originally supplied as part of a UK overseas aid package,had been made. The second part of our Carn 1992 article referred to heavy lift helicoptersand specifically the Chinook. We said: "on the heavy lift side the position is no better and attempts lastyear (1992) to acquire redundant Royal Australian Air Force CH 47c's(Chinooks) were frustrated when the Australian government traded themin against new purchases from Boeing /Vertol" The article also asserted that resources were stretched "due to theincreased commitment in Ireland at a time of strain in other areas".We pointed out that "the situation has become so critical that allheavy lift support for general infantry training (during 1992/93)has been curtailed". Whatever the truth the cause of the Kintyre crash one thing is incontestablei.e. the RAF were critically short of heavy lift Chinook helicoptersfor over two years prior to the Chinook crash. Therefore Chinookssuch as the fateful ZD576 returned from conversion in the US by Boeing/Vertolto HC 2 were pressed swiftly into service, before any teething troublescould be eradicated, with devastating consequences at Kintyre in June1994. J B Moffatt Sercretary General Celtic League 11/3/00 ============================= EXTEND NO FLY ZONES AROUND N-PLANTS CALL Scottish local authorities and politicians have joined the calls forgreater air safety around nuclear plants. The calls coincide witha major night exercise over SW Scotland and the borders which willinvolve dangerous low flying near nuclear plants Last year the Celtic League expressed concern about the narrow (1mile) air exclusion zones around nuclear power stations followinga near miss when an RAF Tornado jet narrowly avoided colliding withthe Torness plant in central Scotland. It has also emerged that theirwas an incident over Anglesey last month when two RAF jet aircraftnarrowly averted collision. Anglesey is the site of the old Magnoxpower station at Wylfa, sixty miles from Dublin. Air training exercisesof this type are a feature of life over Anglesey. The Celtic League concerns were echoed at the time by the Irish andManx governments. Now Dundee City Council have written to their colleagueson Midlothian council seeking its support for calls to increase flightavoidance zones around the plants. Meanwhile Scottish Green MSP RobinHarper said Scotland had been seconds from a "Chernobyl scenario"of radioactive fallout despite assurances from management. J B Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 15/3/00 ================================ FAULTY 'CHOPPERS' CLAIM Military air exercises over SW Scotland and the Borders in the nextfew days are likely to have an added risk posed by the operation ofLynx helicopters flying with a known defect. Last month the Celtic League highlighted the fact that, followingan accident in Bosnia in 1998 in which three people died, a defecthad been identified on the type. We wrote to the MOD asking why themachine had not been grounded pending repairs. In their reply theMOD said that safety was not being compromised and the machines werebeing subjected to enhanced safety checks until "the affected componenthas been replaced fleetwide". They indicated this would take untilDecember 2000. However two days later tragedy was narrowly avertedwhen a Lynx helicopter crashed near Mullaghbawn in Northern Irelandnarrowly missing a farmhouse. some of the nine military personnelon board were injured. The League have reiterated their call for operations or exercisesby the machine over rural areas should be restricted. J B Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 15/3/00 ========================= LEAGUE ATTACK HUMAN RIGHTS HYPOCRISY The Celtic League have written to leading participants in a Dublinhuman rights conference co-hosted by the Irish government protestingat the treatment of Limerick Prisoner Josephine Hayden. Earlier month the League condemned the failure of the Irish JusticeMinister and Limerick Prison authorities for failing to allow hercompassionate leave to visit her father who was ill in hospital. TheLeague also sent a protest to the European body which monitors prisonersrights (CPT) - See newsgroup item 5/3/00 "Prison Decision Mean Spirited". The text of the latest protest and the list of conference participantscircularised is set out below. J B Moffatt Secretary General 18:3:00 Dear Sir, Ref. Dublin human rights forum/Abuse of prisoners rights. I understand that you recently attended a major Human Rights Conference,hosted jointly by the Government of Ireland and the Council of Europe,in Dublin Castle on Friday, 3 March 2000. The Conference had as itstheme, "The Protection of Human Rights in the 21st Century: TowardsGreater Complementarity within and between European Regional Organisations". I feel I should draw your attention to the attached correspondenceto both the Irish government and the European Committee for the Preventionof Torture (CPT) concerning the treatment of a female prisoner currentlyserving a sentence in Limerick Jail, Ireland. The events referredto occurred immediately prior to the conference but in fact, as thecorrespondence indicates, the attitude of the authorities to thisprisoner in the past has been questionable. It is an unfortunate facet of human rights policy within some developedEuropean States that the treatment or attitude towards detainees isqualified by political factors within the State. Sadly in some instancesStates believe they can approach the question of rights under internationallaw almost as if that in relation to some individuals or groups itsapplication is optional. Returning to the theme of your Dublin conference, I am not quite surewhat is meant by complimentarity but unfortunately what is occurringacross Europe is a "similarity" of disregard for rights norms. Someof the Nation States of the New Europe seem to regard human rightsas a "moveable feast", with items selected or disregarded dependanton circumstances. The treatment of Josephine Hayden recently and previously has a questionablelegitimacy. The fact that you met and discussed human rights withinweeks of it being perpetrated gives credence to the abuse. Perhaps it would be useful if before human rights conferences areconducted the rights record of the host state is more adequately scrutinisedby participants? Yours sincerely, Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Encl.: (1) Copy of letter to Secretary of the European Committee for thePrevention of Torture (CPT) 5/3/00 (2) Copy of correspondence to the Irish Minister of Justice, Mr. JohnO'Donoghue TD 5/3/00 Dublin Human Rights Conference participants contacted Mr Alvaro Gil-Robles y Gil Delgado Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Mr Walter Schwimmer Secretary General of the Council of Europe Mr Brian Cowen T.D Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Committee of Ministersof the Council of Europe Mr Pierre-Henri Imbert The Director General of Human Rights of the Council of Europe Judge Christos Rozakis Vice-President, European Court of Human Rights Mr Rudolf Bindig First Vice-Chairperson, Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights,Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Mr John Olden Second Vice-President of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture(CPT) Mr Harold Koh U.S. Assistant Secretary of State at the Bureau of Democracy, HumanRights and Labour Chair: Anne Anderson Ambassador of Ireland to the United Nations, Geneva and Chair of theUnited Nations Commission on Human Rights Dr Janne Haaland Matlary State Secretary of the Foreign Ministry, Royal Ministry of ForeignAffairs, Norway Mr Bertrand Ramcharan United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights ====================== ISLAND PRISON 'TRANSPORT' PROTEST The Celtic League have written to a European Human Rights organisation(see attached) protesting at a Manx government plan to 'transport'prisoners to the United Kingdom to ease an overcrowding problem atthe Island's prison. The Islands Victorian prison has often been at the centre of controversy.Tthe conditions led to a number of suicides by inmates in the early1990s. The League previously sought involvement by the CPT followingthe prisons use to house adult and child offenders together in thesame facility. A 1997 report by the CPT was critical of the prison and called forits redevelopment and the adoption of new procedures. However, politicaldifficulties mean that a site for a new facility has still not beenidentified. The Celtic League assert that the new proposal to relocate prisoners,if necessary by force, goes against the 19997 CPT report recommendationsand is also offensive in the context of model European Prison Rules. J B Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 22/3/00 The Secretary Mr. M. Kelly European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Council of Europe (CPT) F - 67075 Strasbourg Cedex FRANCE Dear Sir, I refer you to the attached news-cutting which sets out Isle of Mangovernment plans to alleviate overcrowding at the Isle of Man Prison. You will recall that I communicated with the Committee following adecision of the Celtic League annual general meeting in 1996 whichadopted a resolution critical of the absence of modern prison facilitieson the Isle of Man and also the failure to follow procedures in theexisting facility based on reputable International guidelines. Thetext of the resolution, together with a brief written report, wasprovided to the CPT when it visited the Isle of Man in September 1997.At the time I also met with your Committee and provided supplementaryoral information. The Celtic League was pleased recently to receive a copy of the Committeesfinal report and we welcome the recommendations contained therein. However, nowhere within those recommendations did we see any suggestionthat the Isle of Man government should adopt a policy of voluntaryor forced relocation to another jurisdiction to resolve the overcrowding.Indeed, if this policy is enacted it will fly in the face of the Committeesrecommendations, specifically Nos. 147 & 148. (Ref. European PrisonRules 43.1 below) More generally, the Celtic League believe that the Isle of Man governmentproposal would contradict the objectives of a number of European PrisonRules which are generally accepted as setting out model practice towardsprisoners/detainees. I refer specifically to: European Prison Rules 43.1 65 c 66 b 68 It is clear from public statements made by the Isle of Man governmentthat they face severe difficulties due to the condition of the presentprison and its overcrowding. It is also apparent that the governmentface political difficulties in finding a suitable site for the developmentof a new facility. It is not a question of the will, to finance orconstruct a new facility, being available. It is more to do with thetime scale and also the current lack of an agreed site. However, these difficulties should not result in measures being takenwhich exacerbate the detention arrangements for convicted offendersin the Isle of Man. Many of these offenders are Manx i.e indigenous to the Isle of Manwhich is a distinct country from England. They should not be requiredto be transported to the North West of England to serve part of theirsentences due to political/social considerations outside their control. I trust the Committee will consider this approach in the context ofits 1997 investigation and recommendations and make representationsto the United Kingdom and Isle of Man governments. Yours sincerely, Bernard Moffatt Secretary General 21/3/00 ============================== GLYNDWR LETTER COMES HOME The Celtic League have welcomed (see below) the return by French CulturalAuthorities of an important exchange of correspondence between OwainGlyndwr and the French Monarchy in the fifteenth century. The Pennal letter and Seal of Owain will be returned for an exhibitionto be staged at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, betweenApril and September. The artefact is to be returned on loan at this stage. However, incorrespondence to the French Ambassador to London, the Celtic League,say that whilst not wishing to detract from the generosity of thegesture they hope that "in the fullness of time the French Ministryof Culture might see the value and significance in allowing this tobecome a permanent exhibit in Wales". J B Moffatt Secretary General 23/3/00 Ms. Daniel Bernard Ambassador of France French Embassy 58 Knightsbridge London SW1X 7JT Dear Ambassador , I understand that a historic letter from the Prince of Wales, OwainGlyndwr, to the French monarchy written in the fifteenth century isto be returned to Wales on loan. This is through the efforts of theFrench Ministry of Culture and courtesy of the Archive Internationalein Paris. I feel sure that it will form an important and symbolic part of theOwain Glyndwr exhibition to be staged at the National Library of Wales,Aberystwyth between April and September this year. Given the cultural and national significance of this period to manyWelsh people I believe it is an extremely positive gesture by the French cultural authorities to loan this artefact. Wales, with thedevelopment of devolution in the United Kingdom, is establishing anew independence of purpose. This is something that we in the CelticLeague wish to encourage for all the Celtic people. Part of this processis the stimulation of links, economic, cultural and political acrossEurope. Gestures such as that by your Culture Ministry both developand stimulate that process and are to be applauded. I appreciate that there are complex arguments over the retention,by some States, of exhibits of this type which have more significance(historically and culturally) to another country. However, I wouldnot wish to compromise the generosity or the significance of the loanof an artefact that has not been seen in Wales for many centuries. I hope however that in the fullness of time the French Ministry ofCulture might see the value in allowing this to become a permanentexhibit in Wales. Yours sincerely J B Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 18/3/00  Back to Celtic League News |