Press Release 12th June 1999
International Day of Action on June 15th.
The International Day of Action called by the Rosemary Nelson Campaign for
Truth and Justice on June 15th, will mark three months since the courageous
human rights lawyer was murdered by a car bomb.
Campaign spokesperson Dr Robbie McVeigh said: "This is an opportunity
for the international community to register its continuing concern at
the failure of the British Government to respond to the demands of
theNelson family for an independent investigation and inquiry into the
circumstances surrounding Rosemary's death. It marks the start of a
billboard campaign around the world. These billboards carry the simple
question: "Mr. Blair & Mr. Ahern: If You Don't Defend Human Rights
Lawyers, Who Will Defend Human Rights?""
>From Lurgan itself, the hometown of Rosemary Nelson, through Belfast,
Derry and Dublin, the US and as far away as New Zealand, people will be
focusing on the campaign for truth and justice for Rosemary Nelson. The
event in Washington will be particularly high-profile.
Congress Members Ben Gilman, Richie Neal, Chris Smith, Don Payne, Peter
King and Joe Crowley have scheduled a Capitol Hill press conference for
June 15th at which the House Committee Chairpersons will ask why the
British Government has totally failed to respond to U.S. Congress
Resolution HR 128 and why the RUC remains centrally involved in
investigating whether its own members acted in collusion with those who
planted the bomb that killed Rosemary Nelson.
British and Irish consulates throughout the U.S.-including Washington D.C.,
New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Portland OR, Cleveland, San Francisco and
Denver-have been deluged with letters asking the governments'
representatives to meet with human rights groups and explain why, three
months after Rosemary's assassination, her husband and children are still
being denied a truly independent international investigation and judicial
inquiry into her murder.
In Dublin, a billboard campaign asking, 'Mr Ahern, if you don't defend
human rights lawyers, who will defend human rights?' will be launched. In
Belfast, Derry and London, the same question will be asked of the British
Prime Minister, 'Mr Blair, if you don't defend human rights lawyers, who
will defend human rights?'
In Belfast, there is a celebration of the life of Rosemary Nelson in
Clonard at 5.00 on June 15 the day before the start of the Clonard Novena.
A similar service is to be held in Rosemary Nelson's home town of Lurgan.
For more information please visit the website at
http://www.RosemaryNelsonCampaign.com/