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Newslist Messages for
November 2000
Date: Sun Nov 12, 2000 0:33pm Subject: MANX "CHICKEN OUT" ON INDEPENDENCE CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION MANX "CHICKEN OUT" ON INDEPENDENCE Government lacks inclination or confidence to mange own affairs howeverMinisterial salaries will still be collected! The Isle of Man government has discounted the option of seeking independenceat the present time opting instead to maintain the status quo in itsrelationship with the United Kingdom. This latest disgraceful abrogation of responsibility is containedin a report prepared for the Council Of Ministers which has takenan astonishing 30 months to prepare despite the fact that it proposes no radical change. The Government will however still title themselves Ministers and drawministerial salaries despite the fact that they feel unable to takethe responsibility the salary and title would seem to imply. In recent years the influence of the United Kingdom in Manx internalaffairs has virtually ceased although the decision of the UK HomeSecretary to saddle the Island with the Edwards enquiry without consultationdid cause jitters. It was hoped by nationalists that the government would continue themeasured progress towards independence and at the very least thisreport should have outlined a timetable for parting the constitutionalumbilical knot that still ties us. Instead the government has chickenedout cited the "generally benign nature" of the UK government and theIsland's "favourable economic circumstances". Possible difficultieswhich independence might pose are also hyped and the government seemsto be saying that it has neither the inclination or confidence tomanage its own affairs Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 12/11/00 ============================= Date: Sun Nov 12, 2000 0:33pm Subject: MORE TROUBLE FOR WYLFA CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION TROUBLED NUCLEAR PLANT FINED Pollution incident staff lacked training The accident prone nuclear plant at Wylfa on Anglesey was in the newsagain last week when its operators were fined £15,000 (+£1,638 costs)following a pollution incident some months ago. Holyhead magistrates found there was an "acute lack of training andresponsibility" on the part of relevant staff which resulted in 5000gallons of bleach (20,000 times the permitted level) being dischargedinto the sea. The damage to the marine environment of such a spillis appalling. Meanwhile, the management of the plant still hope to get clearanceto restart the stations reactors which have been shut-down since April.The Celtic League have long maintained that this contentious nuclearstation which threatens Irish sea communities should be decommissioned.Last month leading nuclear engineer and safety specialist, John Large,of Large and Associates echoed our concerns. Mr. Large told a meetingin N. Wales that the continued operation of the plant could have "unpredictableresults". Wylfa station has suffered unplanned shutdowns on 30 occasions inthe past ten years. Reactor one has been closed down on 13 occasionsand Reactor two on 17 occasions. The station was the site of oneof the worst nuclear emergencies since the Sellafield fire and in1995 the operators were fined £250,000 for breaches of safety regulations. The Celtic League believe that any decision by the British NuclearInstallations Inspectorate to allow this plant to re-start poses anunacceptable risk. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 12/11/00 ================================ Date: Sun Nov 12, 2000 0:33pm Subject: HUMBOLDT OUTLINES STUDIES PROGRAMME CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION CELTIC STUDIES SAVED Prestigious German university does about face on Celtic Studies closure. The Celtic League has received more detail about the decision to securethe future of the Chair of Celtic Studies at the Humboldt University,Berlin. An outline brief sets out the main areas of teaching and researchat the restored Dept. of Celtic Studies. In addition to concentratingon the majority Celtic languages and countries i.e. Ireland Wales,Scotland and Brittany the smaller Celtic countries Cornwall and theIsle of Man are not neglected. With regard to Manx for the first timeit is intended to teach Manx Gaelic as a subject in its own right.Presently at British-Irish universities it is dealt with only as anappendage of Irish or Scottish Gaelic. In addition each of the modelteaching areas sets out study of literature and social and culturaldevelopments including political and constitutional change. The Celtic League have spearheaded a campaigned for some years againstproposals to discontinue the Chair and a breakthrough came last yearwhen the closure was put on hold. A funding commitment by Irelandit is hoped will be matched by the other Celtic countries. A widerange of political leaders in the Celtic countries have indicatedsupport for the project. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 12/11/00 ================================ Date: Sun Nov 12, 2000 0:33pm Subject: DEFECTIVE NUCLEAR SUBS PATROL AGAIN CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION DEFECTIVE NUCLEAR SUBS RETURNED TO DUTY The Manx governments Chief Minister is to raise the issue of the nuclearsubmarines recall which occurred last month with his UK opposite number.The Celtic League had written to the Manx and Irish governments* pointingout that British nuclear submarines continued to operate in the Irishsea despite the indentification of a generic fault on a submarineberthed in Gibraltar and deemed to unsafe to move. The British nuclear submarine force operates extensively in the watersoff the west of the British Isles and also in the comparatively confinedareas of the Irish and Celtic sea. In the days prior to the recall,of the entire Swiftsure class, there were reports of operations bythe type in the submarine exercise area to the south of the Isle ofMan, off the Co. Louth coast. The defect discovered in the submarine tied up in Gibraltar is nowadmitted to be prevalent throughout the fleet. Once they are dockedwith reactors shutdown the problem is containable. However, on vesselsat sea it could trigger a "catastrophic failure" in the reactor followedby a radioactive leak. Since the recall several of the type have returnedto operational duties. Their is a suspicion that the UK had to bendsafety rules as its entire fleet was decommissioned and embarrasinglyin the last week of October the only operational British patrol submarinewas a vessel on charter from the German navy! Paradoxically, as the vessels return to operations in the Irish andCeltic sea the EU has raised concerns about the safety implicationsof the type. J B Moffatt Secretary General 12/11/00 *The issue was also raised with the Scottish and Welsh authoritieswho have referred it to the Ministry of Defence for answer. ================================ Date: Mon Nov 13, 2000 1:37pm Subject: UNCRC1 - MANX BLUSTER AT UN CRITICS CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION Report UN Committee on the Right of the Child (CRC) Comment 1 MANX BLUSTER AT UN CRITICS The Isle of Man government has exhibited an unusual fit of pique followingthe publication of a report by the United Nations Committee on theRights of the Child (CRC). The reaction is somewhat at odds with the position adopted when aManx team gave evidence to the Committee in September. At that stagethe official position was that the Island had successfully rebuffedcriticisms that it's past record might have prompted. The Isle ofMan government now feels so indignant about its treatment that itis taking the unusual step of publicly criticising the UN committee.This is a bad move and quite frankly places the Island in the sameleague as some of the worlds more despotic regimes whose reactionto UN recommendations is to whine and complain. The CRC takes the trouble, over a considerable period, to gather adequateevidence about the "State party" (in this case the Isle of Man ) whichit is scrutinising. If it receives complaints from children's organisations,rights groups or NGO's it is scrupulous in providing that "State party"with an opportunity to respond. It not only accepts written evidencebut allows detailed oral submission, as indeed happened in the caseof the Isle of Man. It produces 'Concluding Observations' but givesto the "State party" the role of disseminating the information. Indeedthis is implicit in the Convention and thereby provides another opportunityfor the government to reflect on its concluding observations beforethey enter the public domain. Given the fairness of the procedure followed, for the Isle of Manto call foul beggars belief. Behind the bluster of the government, when one analyses the CRC comments,many are extremely valid. Whilst undoubtedly in the past five yearsthe Island has made progress on children's rights and has furtherlegislative changes in the pipeline the CRC criticisms, taken in theirtotality, are not unreasonable. We should aim not to match best practice in the UK, or grudginglyconcede the minimum to meet international obligations, but ratherstrive to achieve a state of excellence as regards International humanrights parameters. Nowhere is this more imperative than in relationto this particular convention. The Manx government should stop complaining and engage constructivelywith the UN CRC to redress perceived shortcomings. In this mannerit will swiftly be able to clarify any inaccuracies it perceives withthe Committee. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General - Celtic League 13/11/00 ================================== Date: Mon Nov 13, 2000 1:37pm Subject: UNCRC2- LAW CHANGE SLAMMED CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION Report UN Committee on the Right of the Child (CRC) Comment 2 AGE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY CHANGE SLAMMED The UNCRC report rightly focuses on the intention of the Manx governmentto lower the minimum age of legal criminal responsibility. The principleof doli incapax, i.e. the presumption that children between the agesof 10-14 years are incapable of committing a criminal offence, isundoubtedly contentious. However the suggestion that legally the minimumage of full criminal responsibility should be lowered from 14 to 10years is outrageous. The Isle of Man should have known that its decision in this respectto "ape" so called tough legislation introduced in the United Kingdomwas likely to bring it into conflict with International human rightslaw. The response of the Manx government to the CRC on this point is disappointing.Falling back on the position adopted by the United Kingdom may atthis stage seem a plausible strategy but it seems destined to ensurethat this issue will feature in successive UN reports. The implicationsof the legal changes are also likely to be more sharply focused asthe case law which develops exposes the ludicrous nature of theseage of criminal responsibility changes. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 13/11/00 ================================ Date: Mon Nov 13, 2000 1:37pm Subject: UNCRC4-BOOST FOR MANX LANGUAGE CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION Report UN Committee on the Right of the Child (CRC) Comment 4 UN REPORT SUPPORT FOR MANX LANGUAGE In the UN CRC report sections (32-33) dealing with Education, Leisureand Cultural Activities the Committee notes "that the Manx Gaeliclanguage is currently taught as an option in all primary schools fora two year period and that the Department of Education is currentlyreviewing the possibility of establishing a Gaelic Medium School tocommence in September 2002". In the section (33) on recommendations the Committee " encouragesthe Isle of Man to continue its efforts in promoting the Gaelic languagein schools". The reference to the Manx language in this section provides a usefulboost to those promoting the language. It is also an endorsement ofthe Department of Education programme for the language. The section on Education generally is positive with only a minor quibbleabout the absence of a formal complaints procedure for students. Surprisinglythe COMIN (Council of Ministers of the Manx Government) comments onthe section are downbeat and it appears that by this stage of itsprogress through the UN report the Manx governments Council of Ministerswere determined to respond to all the recommendations negatively. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 13/11/00 =============================== Date: Mon Nov 13, 2000 1:37pm Subject: UNCRC3-CHILD CARE ARGUMENT PERSUASIVE CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION Report UN Committee on the Right of the Child (CRC) Comment 3 CHILD CARE STRATEGY - UN ARGUMENT FOR BROADER PARTICIPATION IS PERSUASIVE The Manx governments response to sections 10-11 of the UNCRC reportis disappointing. This section focuses on the responsibility and co-ordinationof child welfare. The UN Committee deliberating at a distance showsa surprising insight into some of the deficiencies in the presentsystem. It argues for broader participation from all relevant governmentagencies in determining a strategy. It is undoubtedly the case that the decision to centralise child welfareprovision around the DHSS as the principle agency has not been a success. There have been a succession of enquiries and reports and the areastill appears to have an element of 'drift and develop' about it. This section of the UNCRC report, without being unduly critical, makessound proposals to make the provision of child welfare services moreinclusive across government and also points to the vital role of otheragencies such as NGOs. The government's response that the Social Services Division is toembark on a review of child care strategy over the next five yearperiod hardly meets the constructive concerns the UN report reflects.Is the Social services Division in isolation adequately resourcedto carry out a task of this magnitude? A benchmark might be to examineits delivery of services to date in this respect. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 13/11/00 ================================ Date: Sat Nov 18, 2000 0:33pm Subject: SPAIN - JUVENILE JUSTICE PROTEST CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION UN PROTEST AT SPANISH JUVENILE JUSTICE PLANS UNICEF has expressed concern about Spanish government plans to modifythe juvenile code. The move is targeted at Basque youths involvedin protests in the Basque country. Spain had already moved in this direction and has been charging youthssuspected of terrorism and trying them in the special anti-terrorismcourt. If found guilty they are often imprisoned outside their homeland,itself a clear breach of International and European rules on the treatmentof prisoners. The latest draft bill would let the judicial system try youths, someas young as 14, in adult courts when they are accused of terrorismthus (officially) shifting trials to the special National Court, itselfa hangover from the fascist Franco regime. Young people are very much at the forefront of the struggle for Basqueindependence and engage mainly in demonstrations or in publicity efforts(sticking posters, daubing slogans etc.) which highlight the excessesof the Spanish security forces. They are also prominent in moves toprotect the language and culture of the Basque people. The Celtic League is to communicate its concern to the United Nationsand European Union about the Spanish criminalisation of children,stressing that the new proposals and existing practice are a breachof Article 40 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 18/11/00 =============================== Date: Sat Nov 18, 2000 0:34pm Subject: "CUTTING" PROTEST AT EH POLICY CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION CUTTING TORCH TO "CULTURAL AGGRESSION" The contentious issue of the placing of signs by English Heritage(EH) around Cornwall has been highlighted following the arrest ofthree men, linked to the Cornish Stannary parliament, for removingEH signs. The three, when apprehended by police at Pendennis Castle, were wellequipped; the signs having been removed with oxyacetylene cuttinggear. They also confirmed to police that they had previously "confiscated"15 English Heritage signs between July and October 2000, in an ongoingoperation code-named "Operation Chough", and that these were beingstored at various sites in Cornwall "as evidence of English culturalaggression in Cornwall". As yet we understand that no formal charges have been laid againstthe three but it is to be hoped that English Heritage will recognisethat its Signs policy is provocative to Cornish people. For more information on the Cornish cultural and political scene visitthe following sites: www.cornish-stannary-parliament.abelgratis.com www.tyr-gwyr-gweryn.kernow.eu.org/ www.Cornish.Heritage.care4free.net/ Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 18/11/00 ================================ Date: Sat Nov 18, 2000 0:35pm Subject: BRETON PRISONERS RIGHTS FIGHT CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION BRETON PRISONERS RIGHTS FIGHT Outside of Brittany the plight of the ten prisoners currently imprisonedon political charges is not well publicised. Presently the prisoners are staging protests and hunger strikes toachieve the following objectives: 1)The right to serve their sentences together as political detainees; 2)The right to serve their sentence in their home country, Brittany; 3)Compassionate treatment, including early release for sick prisoners; 4)The right to use their own language, Breton, during any legal proceedings. The request of the Breton detainees is just and is compatible withboth International and European rules covering the treatment of prisoners.The Celtic League supports the campaign of the Breton prisoners andall branches will be urged to take practical steps to support theirrequests for fair and humane treatment. Messages of support can be sent to them at the addresses below: Arnaud Vannier 272336 T 2 / 136 42 rue de la Santé 75674 Paris cedex 14 Alain Solé 9045 B2 S 217 M.A. de la Seine St Denis 93422 Villepinte cedex Christian Georgeault 890 826 3 / 179 MAH 94261 Fresnes cedex Pascal Laizé 273 195 D 119 42 rue de la Santé 75674 Paris cedex 14 Denis Riou 58979 C211 MA des Yvelines 78390 Bois d'Arcy cedex Gérard Bernard 289 03V G3-46 D4 MAH 91705 Fleury-Mérogis Gaël Roblin 273 196 A 215 42 rue de la Santé 75674 Paris cedex 14 Stéphane Philippe 273 209 D 117 42 rue de la Santé 75674 Paris cedex 14 Philippe Jaumouillé 274 101 M C 314 42 rue de la Santé 75674 Paris cedex 14 Pascal Scatolin 274 123 1/203 42 rue de la Santé 75674 Paris cedex 14 Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 18/11/00 ==================================== Date: Sat Nov 18, 2000 0:36pm Subject: WINDSCALE FIRE CONTROVERSY RAGES CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION DOWN'S SYNDROME CLUSTER - SELLAFIELD LINK STILL CONTENTIOUS A possible link between radioactive pollution from a 1957 fire atSellafield ( Windscale) and the cluster of births to mothers who attendedSt. Louis' School in Dundalk at the time has been ruled out by a reportpublished recently. The connection with the fire and the birth defectswas first put forward in a study in 1983. The latest research, published in the Journal of Occupational andEnvironmental Medicine, advances that the cluster may well be theresult of pure chance. The study, by the Medical Social Research Board,has taken five years. It re-investigated the original data, potential risk factors and analysisof tissue and blood samples from affected children and their parentswas collated. Meteorological records were also consulted. Howeverthe survey failed to pinpoint any organic or environmental cause. The report has been dismissed however by County Louth based doctorMary Grehan, who has been campaigning on the issue for several years.She dismissed the research findings as an "absolute whitewash" claimingthe basis of the new study was different from the original research.Her outspoken rejection of the research will probably be echoed bycampaigners in the County who are certain that crucial informationabout the dispersal of pollution by the fire was withheld. The Irish situation has a parallel in Wales, where two years ago dataproduced by the authorities to disprove linkage of leukaemia in childrento pollution from the British nuclear industry was alleged to havebeen gerrymandered. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 18/11/00 ============================ Date: Tue Nov 21, 2000 0:51pm Subject: RUC UNFIT TO POLICE CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION RUC - INSTITUTIONALISED ANTAGONISM TOWARDS NATIONALISTS The Celtic League wholeheartedly endorse the comments and complaintby the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) about RUChandling of death threats against murdered lawyer Rosemary Nelson. It remains to be seen if their decision to lodge a formal complaintagainst the RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flannigan will get anywherebut it is likely to be a potent test of the effectiveness of the newNorthern Ireland Police Ombudsman. Rosemary Nelson gave public testimony just prior to her death aboutthe threats and intimidation levelled at her, by amongst others servingpolice officers. The investigation of her murder has been attended by the same inertiaas that which surrounded an earlier killing of Belfast Solicitor PatFinucane. Police reform in N. Ireland means more than tinkering with names,badges and recruitment demography. It means getting to grips withthe institutionalised antagonism within the RUC towards the nationalistcommunity. The threats towards Rosemary Nelson and the indifferencetowards her murder are symptomatic of the cancer at the heart of theRUC which make it unfit to police. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 21/11/00 ===================================== BRITAIN'S TERRIBLE CHEMICAL WARFARE LEGACY Human guinea pigs.. victims who died.. but where is the deadly materialthat the British government secretly amassed over three generations?Is it mouldering in the sea-dumps we know Britain used in the NorthChannel or the Atlantic? Almost every month there are new revelations concerning the lack ofcontrol and accountability in the operation of the British Chemicaland Biological warfare programme in the decades following World war2. Shocking revelations about the danger to which service personnel wereexposed have been extracted from the government. Police investigationsinto the suspected deaths of some of these human guinea pigs are ongoing. Both Porton Down experimental establishment and the factory whichproduced the death agents at Nancekuke in Cornwall are implicatedin these terrible events. Shadowing the mystery over the chemical warfare experiments is theequally disturbing and mysterious subsequent disposal of the Chemicaland Biological weapons produced at Porton and Nancekuke. The Celtic League sought assurances ten years ago as to the finaldisposal place of these dreadful weapons. We had more than a strongsuspicion that material from these sites was sea-disposed as partof a more general disposal of poison gas and explosives into the BeaufortDyke and sites NW of Donegal, SW of Kerry and at several locationsoff the Hebrides. The British government have over the years providedconflicting and probably dishonest accounts of what happened to thismaterial. But as each new revelation about Porton and Nancekuke isrevealed it begs the question where did the vast amounts of materialproduced go to. If it is mouldering in sea dumps in the north Channel or in the Atlanticto the west of Scotland and Ireland should not the British governmentcome clean about it? Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 21/11/00 ================================ Date: Wed Nov 22, 2000 6:51am Subject: POLICE COMPLAINTS CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION INTIMATE BODY SEARCHES BESTIAL If people allege that they have been "subjected to wrongful imprisonment,assault, unlawful detention, x-rays and intimate body searches" andsubsequently the Police settle a compensatory payment on them thenthe public are surely right to conclude that the Police got it wrong. That is the case unless you live in the Isle of Man. The media reportedjust such a settlement this week. However, the police have taken strongexception to a construction which has been placed on the story i.e.that their incompetence has had to be rectified by payments from thepublic purse. More disturbingly, the Police go on to infer that because the newspaperdid not seek to "balance" the story prior to printing then in someway the Police have been unfairly treated. It is perhaps understandablethat they should think this as in recent years there has been a tendencyon the part of some journalists to provide the Police with an opportunityfor damage limitation prior to the publication of "unhelpful" stories. We are heading down an unhealthy road in attempting to put constraintson the media as to the nature of what they publish and how they publishit. The Isle of Man has a balanced media and anyone who believes theyare misrepresented in a story simply has to pick up the phone anda generally news-hungry news editor will oblige with a right of reply. Throughout the course of this year the Island has been subjected toall manner of Police initiatives and operations. In many instanceswith the press co-opted to give maximum impact when the story breaks.It is therefore a little trite of the police to start whingeing whenthe media report a police related story that they have not been ableto choreograph. Returning to the subject of the Police complaint. Six years ago whenthe Police enthusiastically embraced the use of forced X-Rays andintrusive intimate body searches they were warned by Rights groups,lawyers and a political party that the policy would backfire. Thepublic are now paying for the mistakes of the Police, endorsed bythe Department of Home Affairs. Intimate body searches are a bestialand reprehensible form of physical examination. Perhaps the Policewill think twice in the future before they use them. That's the lessonfrom this episode and no smoke-screen about the media being unfairshould obscure that point. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 22/11/00 =========================== Date: Sun Nov 26, 2000 11:35am Subject: PROTEST TO FRANCE OVER PRISONERS CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION FRENCH BREAKING PRISONER RULES The Celtic League have written to the French authorities and the EuropeanCommittee for the Prevention of Torture protesting that the treatmentof Breton detainees is a breach of their human rights and European(Model) Prison Rules. In a letter to French Justice Minister, Marylise Lebranchu, the SecretaryGeneral of the League says: "I feel sure that France is a State which wishes to ensure that, froma human rights point of view, it is seen to treat prisoners fairlyand humanely and that it would not wish to exacerbate the distresscaused by imprisonment on these men or their families. In this context it seems extraordinary that arrangements cannot bemade for these men to be held at prisons in one of the Breton departments. I am sure that I do not have to point out that European (Model) PrisonRules (EPRs) highlight the need for prisoners to be able to communicateeasily with their families and also retain links with their localcommunity. In respect of untried prisoners the EPRs also set out thatcommunication links with family should be facilitated and that, wherethe prisoner desires it, opportunities to be visited and treated bytheir own doctor or dentist should be allowed. Quite clearly the arrangements in respect of the Breton detaineesare such that they are not being treated in accordance with European(Model) Prison Rules. We would urge that you review the circumstances of these detentionsand transfer all those on the attached list to Prisons in or nearto their home area". The Secretary General goes on to outline the four objectives thatthe prisoners have set which are: 1) The right to serve their sentence together as political detainees; 2) The right to serve their sentence in their home country, Brittany; 3) Compassionate treatment, including early release for sick prisoners; 4) The right to use their own language, Breton, during any legal proceedings. The League conclude by stressing that none of the objectives are unreasonableand if France is sincere in its respect for human rights law and theright of the individual the points must be conceded. In a separate letter of protest to the European Committee for thePrevention of Torture (CPT) the League call for action over the Bretondetainees saying: "There seems to be a prima facie case that the treatment of such prisonersis guided by political considerations and not humanitarian principles". The League also express concern about Corsican and Basque detaineeswhose treatment mirrors that of the Bretons and requests that theCPT raise the issue with the French authorities. Copies of the correspondence, together with covering letters havebeen sent to President Chirac and Prime Minister Jospin. Protestshave also been forwarded to the Interior Ministry and the Embassiesof France in London and Dublin. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 26/11/00 ============================ Date: Sun Nov 26, 2000 0:53pm Subject: DON'T CAVE IN TO MUTINEERS CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION PM URGED TO IGNORE "CABAL OF MUTINOUS OFFICERS" The Celtic League has written to the British Prime Minister (see below)following reports of pressure from senior Army Officers to delay ademilitarisation of the S. Armagh area. The reports well sourced in a British Sunday newspaper said that senior"Army commanders have warned Tony Blair that they will withdraw fromthe south Armagh border if they are forced to abandon their hilltopobservation posts". The Celtic League have urged the British PM not to be swayed fromany quarter from the peace process in N. Ireland be it "dissidentrepublicans, recalcitrant Unionists or a cabal of mutinous Army Officers" The League conclude by urging that the demilitarisation process beexpedited and also environmental regeneration, compensation and inwardinvestment be provided for the area whose economy has long been blightedby the presence of high troop levels. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 26/11/00 The British Prime Minister Mr. A. Blair 10 Downing Street London W 1 26/11/00 Dear Prime Minister, It is somewhat disturbing to read reports, in the Sunday Times, that"Army commanders have warned Tony Blair that they will withdraw fromthe south Armagh border if they are forced to abandon their hilltopobservation posts". The article, penned by a reputable journalist, sets out in detailthe hostility of senior officers to continued demilitarisation inSouth Armagh. We trust that you will be swiftly taking steps to clarify that politicalpolicy aimed at resolving the conflict in N. Ireland will not be impededfrom any source, be it dissident republicans, recalcitrant Unionistsor a cabal of mutinous Army Officers. We have little doubt that the reports are accurate. If that is thecase it should be self-evident that the political credibility of yourgovernment is being undermined at a time when you are committing significantresources to the careers of those in the military who seem to wanta veto on the pace of change in Ulster. Far from delaying the departure of troops from S. Armagh the Britishgovernment, in line with its commitment, should be expediting theprocess. It is only when the Army vacate the fortified bases, checkpointsand lookouts that shatter the aesthetics of the South Armagh areathat the extent of the environmental and social damage caused by thirtyyears of occupation will be determined. At that time we hope the Britishgovernment will have the good grace to sustain considerable compensatoryinvestment in the area so that its true potential can be realised. It is disengagement and inward investment that will confirm a brighterfuture for this and other areas in N. Ireland. The arrogance of somein the military establishment, opposed to this process, is unacceptable. Yours sincerely J B Moffatt 31/7/00 =============================== Date: Sun Nov 26, 2000 1:37pmSubject: NEW NUCLEAR PLANS? CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION BNFL 2 ? - THE NIGHT MARE CONTINUES Given the amount of opposition that has built up in communities aroundthe Irish sea to the dangers posed by the nuclear industry it is incrediblethat the British government and BNFL could be contemplating a newgeneration of nuclear plants. It is a wake-up call to those in theenvironmental lobby and also to the governments of Europe that suchan economic "doomsday plan" is being hatched but apparently a reportwhich may be issued as early as next week will speculate that: " If new nuclear build were brought forward reactors could be designedspecifically with enhanced plutonium-burning capabilities" BNFL believes it has the technology to rejuvenate its several Magnoxsites around the Irish sea and the Sellafield Plant if it can persuadethe government in the United Kingdom to give the green light. Forty years of nuclear development has been marred by accidents andmishaps and a consistent failure on the part of the industry to meeteconomic and safety standards. That the United Kingdom may even contemplatethis scenario shows just how desperate the nuclear industry is tosalvage something from the mess its made. The Celtic League will be lobbying all sympathetic European governmentswho have already expressed concern at the pollution of the Britishnuclear industry to try to head of this plan. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 26/11/00 ========================== Date: Wed Nov 29, 2000 0:44pm Subject: OUTRAGE AT AMBER ROSE DELAY CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION AMBER ROSE - FAMILY AGONY CONTINUES This week the inquest into the death of Thomas Hughes concluded onthe Isle of Man. Mr. Hughes died when his vessel the Amber Rose sanksuddenly off the south of the Isle of Man on 15 October 1998. The sinking was immediately surrounded in controversy. Whilst thecrew all survived the body of Mr. Hughes was trapped on board. Subsequently,after condemnation of the British government for failing to recoverhis body for burial, private action initiated by the family ensuredhe was brought home to N. Ireland for burial. Further delay whilst the MAIB report was compiled and published inJuly led to the Inquest being delayed until this week when a verdictof accidental death was recorded The Celtic League were extremely critical of the United Kingdom governmentat the time for the handling of the Amber Rose affair. We urged thata fund be established to ensure that henceforth families of seafarersdid not have to endure what the Hughes family had suffered. Subsequentlythe events surrounding the loss of the Solway Harvester gave thesecalls a new impetus and it seems that something will now be done. However, the agony of the Hughes family is not over. The Celtic Leaguespoke to representatives of Mrs. Hughes today in Portavogie to betold that over two years after the tragedy insurance settlements dueto Mrs. Hughes have not been made. The League have now written toN. Ireland constituency MP, John Taylor, urging him to intervene.Failing this we intend to attempt to obtain legal support for thefamily. It is appalling that families who endure the trauma of a loss of lovedones at sea and then have to await the protracted, though necessary,conclusion of enquiries subsequently find additional bureaucratichurdles must be overcome. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 29/11/00 Rt. Hon. John D Taylor MP House of Commons Westminster London - England 29/11/00 Dear Mr. Taylor, I write with reference to the loss of the MFV Amber Rose and the deathof the vessels skipper, Mr. Thomas Hughes. I understand, after speakingwith representatives of the Hughes family today, that you are theMP for their constituency, Strangford. The Celtic League were active immediately after the incident supportingefforts to recover the body of Mr. Hughes and we subsequently raisedwith the British government the desirability of a fund being establishedto facilitate such recovery operations. I understand that the Britishgovernment are now actively examining this option. From our contact with the family involved in this tragedy, and beingaware of other similar maritime tragedies over the years, we appreciatewell the difficulty and distress that is caused. The initial news of the loss is devastating. When this is followed,as in the case of the Amber Rose with the prevarication of the authorities,this causes further distress. There is then the necessity to awaitthe outcome of the MAIB enquiry and subsequently the conclusion ofthe inquest. In the case of the Amber Rose the MAIB findings wereproduced in July and this week the inquest into Mr. Hughes death wasconcluded at a Coroners Inquest on the Isle of Man. All in all the Hughes family, and particularly Mrs. Hughes, have hada terrible experience. I am therefore outraged to find out, afterspeaking to the family today, that their trauma is not yet at an endand that insurance payments which should have been received by Mrs.Hughes have not been forthcoming. I am writing to request your intervention with the insurance companyto urge settlement of the outstanding claim. Given the trauma, distressand delay this family have suffered to date I feel sure you will agreethat matters should be expedited. Yours sincerely J B Moffatt 31/7/00 ========================== Date: Wed Nov 29, 2000 0:34pm Subject: OUTRAGE AT AMBER ROSE DELAY CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION AMBER ROSE - FAMILY AGONY CONTINUES This week the inquest into the death of Thomas Hughes concluded onthe Isle of Man. Mr. Hughes died when his vessel the Amber Rose sanksuddenly off the south of the Isle of Man on 15 October 1998. The sinking was immediately surrounded in controversy. Whilst thecrew all survived the body of Mr. Hughes was trapped on board. Subsequently,after condemnation of the British government for failing to recoverhis body for burial, private action initiated by the family ensuredhe was brought home to N. Ireland for burial. Further delay whilst the MAIB report was compiled and published inJuly led to the Inquest being delayed until this week when a verdictof accidental death was recorded The Celtic League were extremely critical of the United Kingdom governmentat the time for the handling of the Amber Rose affair. We urged thata fund be established to ensure that henceforth families of seafarersdid not have to endure what the Hughes family had suffered. Subsequentlythe events surrounding the loss of the Solway Harvester gave thesecalls a new impetus and it seems that something will now be done. However, the agony of the Hughes family is not over. The Celtic Leaguespoke to representatives of Mrs. Hughes today in Portavogie to betold that over two years after the tragedy insurance settlements dueto Mrs. Hughes have not been made. The League have now written toN. Ireland constituency MP, John Taylor, urging him to intervene.Failing this we intend to attempt to obtain legal support for thefamily. It is appalling that families who endure the trauma of a loss of lovedones at sea and then have to await the protracted, though necessary,conclusion of enquiries subsequently find additional bureaucratichurdles must be overcome. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 29/11/00 Rt. Hon. John D Taylor MP House of Commons Westminster London - England29/11/00 Dear Mr. Taylor, I write with reference to the loss of the MFV Amber Rose and the deathof the vessels skipper, Mr. Thomas Hughes. I understand, after speakingwith representatives of the Hughes family today, that you are theMP for their constituency, Strangford. The Celtic League were active immediately after the incident supportingefforts to recover the body of Mr. Hughes and we subsequently raisedwith the British government the desirability of a fund being establishedto facilitate such recovery operations. I understand that the Britishgovernment are now actively examining this option. From our contact with the family involved in this tragedy, and beingaware of other similar maritime tragedies over the years, we appreciatewell the difficulty and distress that is caused. The initial news of the loss is devastating. When this is followed,as in the case of the Amber Rose with the prevarication of the authorities,this causes further distress. There is then the necessity to awaitthe outcome of the MAIB enquiry and subsequently the conclusion ofthe inquest. In the case of the Amber Rose the MAIB findings wereproduced in July and this week the inquest into Mr. Hughes death wasconcluded at a Coroners Inquest on the Isle of Man. All in all the Hughes family, and particularly Mrs. Hughes, have hada terrible experience. I am therefore outraged to find out, afterspeaking to the family today, that their trauma is not yet at an endand that insurance payments which should have been received by Mrs.Hughes have not been forthcoming. I am writing to request your intervention with the insurance companyto urge settlement of the outstanding claim. Given the trauma, distressand delay this family have suffered to date I feel sure you will agreethat matters should be expedited. Yours sincerely J B Moffatt 31/7/00 Date: Thu Nov 30, 2000 0:40pm Subject: MOD DISINGENUOUS CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION IT DIDN'T CRASH IT FELL! In an incredible example of double-speak, even by MOD standards, theDefence Ministry has denied that a crash involving a Wessex helicopteroccurred in S. Armagh last month. Despite witness evidence, backed by photographs, the MOD say the chopperdid not crash when one of its engines failed (due to ingestion ofa "foreign object"). It simply made an emergency landing on reducedpower. The elderly chopper was subsequently removed slung beneaththe belly of a heavy lift Chinook. The MOD have also rejected claims from the Celtic League that operationsby the Wessex are patently unsafe, due to the age of the machine,and its service record which includes a controversial crash in Walesseven years ago in which a number of air cadets were killed. The helicopter is now almost forty years old having entered servicewith the RAF in 1961. In that time the type has not been subject tothe 'Service Life Extension Programme' of any other type. The MOD concede that the Wessex is an "ageing helicopter" which will"retire from service within the next few years" but they say theytake Their "responsibilities for safety very seriously and all aspectsof safety are kept under continuous review" However, this reassurance has a hollow ring earlier this year theCeltic League proved that the MOD were operating helicopters in Ulsterwith a known defect (the Lynx machines were subsequently grounded). There is little doubt that the MOD is being disingenuous about thislatest incident and it seems that only as catastrophic crash involvingsubstantial deaths of aircrew and civilians will prompt a rethink. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 30/11/00 =============================== Date: Thu Nov 30, 2000 0:54pm CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION ENDANGERED LANGUAGES SUPPORT FOR MANX The Foundation for Endangered Languages (FEL) has added its voiceto those organisations campaigning for the establishment of a Manxmedium unit by the Department of Education in the Isle of Man. FEL President Nicholas Ostler says, in correspondence to Manx ChiefMinister Donald Gelling MHK, "We urge you to show support for Gaelicmedium education and to follow the excellent examples of Scotlandand Ireland where many thousands of children are founded through Scottishand Irish Gaelic. A number of studies have shown the advantages ofbilingualism from an early age. A recent academic study of the attainmentof children in Gaelic medium education in Scotland (the Johnstonereport) has shown that children educated through the medium of Gaelictend to outperform English medium peers in English and various othersubjects". FEL say that the department should aim to establish a unit in linewith the wishes of Manx language bodies by September 2001. Bernard Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 30/11/00  Back to Celtic League News |