International Day of Action June 15th - Statement by Paul Nelson
Read on Capitol Hill, Washington by Congressman Chris Smith
This day - three months after Rosemary’s murder - gives us a point to
reflect on the search for truth and justice for Rosemary. After
Rosemary’s death, our family made an appeal for an independent
investigation and inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her
murder. We renew this appeal today and we ask the international
community to continue its efforts to secure truth and justice. Truth
and justice in this case will not bring back a beloved wife and mother,
daughter and sister. It will not bring back an outstanding and
courageous lawyer who was widely loved and respected. But it will help
to secure peace and justice for everyone and ensure that other people do
not have to suffer in the way that our family has suffered.
This raises a wider point about other people who have lost loved ones
through violence in Northern Ireland over the past years which has been
much discussed in the context of Rosemary’s murder. We are not saying
that Rosemary’s death was any more painful or hurtful or wrong than the
loss of other people. We are saying, however, that there are specific
reasons which make an independent investigation and inquiry into her
death an imperative. We are also saying that these are in the interests
of peace and justice for everyone in Northern Ireland. The appeal for
an independent invesigation is not partisan, it is not about politics;
it is about human rights.
Human rights lawyers are in the front-line of the defence of human
rights around the world. In this context the murder of Rosemary was a
direct and profound attack on the human rights of everybody in Northern
Ireland and beyond. This is because human rights defenders have a very
specific role in the protection of human rights. There is no greater
intimidation to all lawyers than the murder of a high profile human
rights lawyer. A fully independent investigation and inquiry is needed
for the British Government to live up to its United Nations obligations
to protect lawyers.
Those who have answered the death of Rosemary by attacking her
reputation, have failed to understand that the right to a fair trial can
only be delivered in a society where lawyers will represent all clients
without fear or favour. The right to fair trial is a vital part of the
rule of law and democracy. If people are genuinely committed to peace,
democracy and human rights, they should support the call for an
independent investigation and inquiry into Rosemary’s death rather than
attempt to impugn the reputation of an outstanding human rights
defender.
Many people have asked why it is so important that the investigation and
inquiry are international and independent. At the launch of the Rosemary
Nelson Campaign in Belfast, human rights defender Gareth Peirce said
that a bad inquiry is worse than none at all. The crucial part of
independence is that the people involved have no vested interest in the
outcome of the investigation and the inquiry - one way or the other.
This is palpably not the case with the RUC. Rosemary testified to the
US Congress about ongoing RUC harassment involving, ‘at the most
serious, making threats aganst my personal safety including death
threats’. This harassment is a matter of record with the United Nations
and with a whole range of international human rights organisations.
Rosemary was subsequently murdered. The independence of the RUC is
immediately compromised by that fact.
The most alarming aspect of the current investigation into Rosemary
Nelson’s murder has been the approach to this issue of collusion. Colin
Port, who leads the current investigation, has revealed that the
collusion aspect of the investigation includes members of the RUC.
There is a profound conflict of interest here - members of a police
force which routinely harassed and death-threated Rosemary are centrally
involved in the investigation of the collusion aspect of her murder.
This question of collusion can only be answered tranparently and
definitively by an independent investigation and inquiry.
A whole raft of national and international bodies has supported our
family’s call for an independent investigation and inquiry: the United
Nations, the European Parliament, the US Congress, and the law societies
of England and Wales, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
This list expands every day. We hope that all people around the world
with an interest in human rights will join this growing campaign. The
British Government must let justice be seen to be done in Rosemary’s
case. We urge them to act now and institute an independent,
international investigation and inquiry because it is the right thing to
do - for our family and for justice and peace in Northern Ireland. Thank
you all for your continuing support.
ENDS
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For more information please visit the website and sign the online
petition <http://www.rosemarynelsoncampaign.com/>.