SENATOR JOHN KERRY REACHES OUT TO SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON

 

ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS

BREHON LAW SOCIETY

IRISH AMERICAN UNITY CONFERENCE

 

SENATOR JOHN KERRY (D-MA) REACHES OUT TO SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON ON SUBPOENA ISSUE

 

 

January 26th Boston, Mass 

 

Representatives of the AOH, the IAUC and the Brehon Law Society met at Senator Kerry’s Office on Tuesday for a conference call in which he discussed conversations he had with Attorney General Holder and his letter to Secretary of State Clinton.  The call began a hectic day of media interest in the subpoena issue and the court case being argued before Judge Young at the Boston College Law School. 

 

“We welcome the voice of Senator Kerry,” stated Seamus Boyle, National President of the AOH, “urging that the British subpoena request be revoked”.  We share his concerns for the peace process and for the chilling effect this request has on academic inquiry and journalistic integrity.”

 

Thomas J. Burke Jr. National President of the IAUC on the call from Denver also praised the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  “His role in the adoption of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in 2006 and as a witness to the efforts of many to make the Good Friday Agreement work gives him a unique and valuable perspective that we hope will be adopted by Attorney General Holder.”

 

Jim Cullen, on behalf of Robert Dunne, President of the Brehon Law Society, observed that the subpoena emanated from elements of the PSNI (formerly the RUC) which is now staffed by retired RUC officers who could not find the time to investigate the murder of innocent Catholics (Ballymurphy, McGurks Bar etc) but rushed to start investigating a 40 year old case involving an alleged British informer.  Their file remained empty for decades until Gerry Adams ran for office in the Republic.”  Cullen continued:  “No credible claim can be made that any material held by Boston College has evidentiary value.  That makes no difference to the remnants of a political police force whose expertise was suppression of evidence and collusion in the murder of Nationalists and Catholics.  Today these same elements work their political agendas to undermine efforts to build a professional police force dedicated to equal treatment under the law.”

 

Concluded  the National AOH  President:  “Senator Kerry is quite correct to be concerned that if the  misuse of this Treaty were to be permitted in this instance and, for other instances like  searching decommissioning records at Boston College, the confidence building  so necessary for a peace with justice will be impaired.”

 

For further info or questions, please contact Mike Cummings at 518-482-0349

 

Posted In
Submitted by george on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 22:02.

Boston College Action Alert

Please call AND fax Senator Kerry and Senator Lugar IMMEDIATELY 
 NO TIME TO WASTE!
 
 

ASK THEM TO PLEASE USE THEIR GOOD OFFICE AND CONTACT ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER Jr. AND SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON ASKING THEM TO PUT AN IMMEDIATE STOP TO THE BOSTON COLLEGE SUBPOENA AND STRESS THE THREAT TO ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND THE POLITICAL NATURE OF THAT THREAT TO THE PEACE PROCESS IN NORTHERN IRELAND.

 
 
Call
Senator John Kerry 
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 565-8519
 
Washington D.C.
(202) 224-2742
 
 
Call and Fax
Senator Richard Lugar
Mark String - Aide
 
 
Indianapolis, IN
 
Washington D.C.
 
 
Call and Fax
Senator Robert Casey
Washington D.C.
 
Phone (202) 224-6324
Fax (202) 228-0604
 
 
SEND A SEPARATE FAX TO:
 
                     Secretary of State                      
 
                               Hillary Rodham Clinton 
Phone 202-647-5291 
Fax 202-261-8577   
 
 
Attorney General
Eric Holder
 
 
ASK THEM TO PUT AN IMMEDIATE STOP TO THE BOSTON COLLEGE SUBPOENA AND STRESS THE THREAT TO ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND THE POLITICAL NATURE OF THAT THREAT TO THE PEACE PROCESS IN NORTHERN IRELAND.
 

 

Posted In
Submitted by george on Thu, 01/12/2012 - 07:03.

New 800 Number For The IAUC

The Irish American Unity Conference has a new 800 number.
 
888-295-5077
Posted In
Submitted by george on Sat, 12/10/2011 - 06:54.

STATEMENT BY THE BALLYMURPHY MASSACRE FAMILIES - INQUESTS RE-OPENED

 
  The Ballymurphy Massacre families welcome the decision by the Attorney-General to re-open 10 inquests relating to the death of our loved ones 40 years ago. We commend the Attorney-General for showing leadership and credibility in announcing that the inquests will be re-opened.
 
We feel that when he considered the facts surrounding the sham inquests which took place 40 years ago, his decision was the correct one. We regard the original sham inquests as a serious neglect of duty by everyone involved and leave a lot of questions to be answered.
A question that should be answered is why did the Coroner not compel the soldier’s to give evidence in person to the Coroner’s Court? In 1971 an agreement was reached between the GOC of the British Army and the Chief Constable of the RUC, whereby the interviewing of soldiers involved in murdering our loved ones was carried out by the Royal Military Police, another branch of the army ‘family tree’. How could any investigation have credibility when the people in the dock are investigating themselves?
 
The soldiers involved were helped to fabricate their accounts of what happened. There was no attempt to contrast these accounts with the evidence of numerous eye witnesses, particularly in relation to their justification for firing live rounds. The soldiers’ statements were simply accepted without question. Key civilian evidence and inconsistencies between the soldier’s accounts were withheld from the Coroner.
The lack of pre-inquest disclosure to the families or our legal representatives and the inability of the Coroner’s court to reach ‘findings’ is another indication of serious flaws with the original inquests.
All of these shortcomings mean that the original inquests into the deaths were so flawed that they could be regarded at best as a sham and at worst as a shameful cover-up!
 
There are a number of changes to the Coroner’s court in recent years which influenced the family’s decision to apply to the Attorney-General to re-open the inquests and provide the family with hope that the inquests will reach credible findings. These changes include the fact that:
· the inquests will have to comply with Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR);
· the British soldiers involved in the killings can now be compelled to give evidence in person;
· the House of Lords has made it clear that the Coroner dealing with an inquest has a generous discretion in relation to the remit of an Inquest; and
· a jury will now be in a position to reach ‘findings’;
 
The families believe that that these inquests must be held without delay, with sufficient resources and funding provided to the Coroner and the families legal representatives to ensure that all of the facts are known.
 
The inquests will be re-opened into the deaths of Fr Hugh Mullan, Francis Quinn, Daniel Teggart, Joan Connolly, Joseph Murphy, Noel Phillips, Edward Doherty, John Laverty, Joseph Corr and John McKerr. We are extremely disappointed that the death of Pat McCarthy will not be covered by these inquests. The death of Pat McCarthy was not investigated by the Coroner in 1971 because in all of the confusion and misinformation surrounding the Massacre, his death was recorded as a heart attack. However, we now know that Pat’s heart attack occurred as he was subjected to a cruel and terrifying mock execution, and what’s more, he was denied access to medical help which could have saved his life. We will continue to gather evidence and locate and record witness evidence to assist a further application to the Attorney-General in relation to the death of Mr McCarthy. We will continue in our quest to have the truth about Pat’s death to be a matter of historical record.
 
The families regard the re-opening of the inquests as a very important step on our journey for truth. But even a fully resourced and effective inquest will have limitations. It will be able to provide facts and gather crucial forensic, logistical and witness testimony evidence, but it will not be able to examines the causes, context and consequences of the Massacre and answer so many of the questions that must be answered.
 
We believe that only an International and Independent Investigation can facilitate the discovery of the facts and provide an accurate historical account of the events of August 1971 on the streets of Ballymurphy.

 

Posted In
Submitted by george on Sat, 12/10/2011 - 06:44.

IAUC Letter To Attorney General Holder

 

Eric H. Holder, Jr., Esq.
Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington,
DC 20530-0001
 
 
 
Re: US-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty – UK subpoena of Boston College records
 
 
Dear Attorney General Holder:
 
 
  On behalf of the Irish American Unity Conference (“IAUC”), this is to request your personal attention to a legal matter of utmost concern to the IAUC and which has potentially serious implications for United States policy pertaining to international law and treaties. As you are aware, the United States Attorney, at the request of the United Kingdom, has caused the issuance of subpoenas to the Trustees of Boston College and two of its representatives, seeking the production of highly sensitive materials gathered and maintained by Boston College’s Burns Library. The legal proceedings are pending before the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts in IN RE: Request from the United Kingdom Pursuant to the Treaty Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters in the Matter of Dolours Price, M.B.D. No.: 11-MC-91078 (JLT).
 
The subpoenas command production of audio and video recordings of “any and all interviews containing information about the [1972] abduction and death of Mrs. Jean McConville,” along with written transcripts, summaries, and indices of such interviews….” These materials are sought under the US-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), 18 U.S.C. §3512. Legal arguments have been raised by Boston College and intervenors that the subpoenas are not consistent with the MLAT or the Extradition Treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom signed on March 31, 2003 (Treaty Doc. 108-23). In particular, Article 3, Section 1 of the MLAT provides “the Central Authority [i.e., the Attorney General] may refuse assistance if: (a) the Requested Party [the United States] is of the opinion that the request, if granted, would impair its sovereignty, security, or other essential interests or would be contrary to important public policy; [or]…(c) the request relates to an offence that is regarded by the [United States]* as: (i) an offence of a political character….” Article 18 of the MLAT also requires that the Attorney General engage in a consultation with the United Kingdom where either the United States or the United Kingdom “has rights or obligations under another bilateral or multilateral agreement relating to the subject matter of this Treaty.” These issues are presently pending before the court in the docket referenced above.
 
 
The IAUC’s concern is that the subject materials contain sensitive information and allegations concerning the “Troubles” in Northern Ireland which, if released, pose a high potential to destabilize the Irish peace process. That process is at a delicate stage because there exist elements that, for their own reasons, are staunchly opposed to peace in Northern Ireland and seek to reverse the progress that has been made. While the contents of the subpoenaed materials are unknown to the public, it is likely that they will engender recriminations and undermine trust among various parties, and could lead to a new round of violence in Northern Ireland.
 
The IAUC believes that the subpoenas requested by the UK are politically motivated. The subpoenas were initiated on March 3, 2011, immediately after the unexpected success of nationalists in the February 2011 Irish elections, and at a time when “dissident republicans” and hard-line Loyalists have become increasingly active in trying to undo the peace.
Further, the British government’s focus on a single killing in 1972 contrasts starkly with the United Kingdom’s long-standing refusal to pursue investigations of crimes with many innocent victims, such as the 1974 Dublin-Monaghan murders (33 civilians killed), the 1971 Ballymurphy Massacre (11 civilians killed), the 1971 McGurk’s Bar bombing (15 civilians killed), and the murders of civil rights attorneys Patrick Finucane in 1996 and Rosemary Nelson in 1999.
 
Further, the IAUC submits that the Good Friday Agreement (“GFA”) is “another bilateral or multilateral agreement relating to the subject matter of” the MLAT, pursuant to which the UK has obligations, and therefore is the type of of agreement concerning which the Attorney General is obligated to consult under Section 18 of the MLAT prior to issuing subpoenas.
 
 
In light of the serious implications of the subpoenas including the legal issues raised, the IAUC urgently requests that you personally review the consistency of the subpoenas with the duties and obligations of your office under the MLAT, and upon due consideration, withdraw the request for subpoenas.
 
 
Thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration, and please let us know if we may provide any additional information.
 
 
Respectfully,
/S/
Thomas J. Burke, Jr. National President
Irish American Unity Conference
 
Peter C. Kissel
President, DC Chapter
Irish American Unity Conference
Posted In
Submitted by george on Fri, 10/28/2011 - 00:42.

IAUC Asks Sec. Clinton To Stop BC Subpoena

 

Sec. Clinton asked to intervene

 

on subpoena for oral histories

 

of IRA members

 
By Daniel Strauss - 10/13/11 05:40 PM ET

 

The Irish American Unity Conference, an ?interest group working for peace in Northern Ireland?, is asking Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to intervene on its behalf and stop a subpoena from the Department of Justice requiring Boston College to hand over interviews of members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army.

The conference says that the documents Attorney General Eric Holder's office has subpoenaed would endanger the peace process in Northern Ireland. 

"At the request of the United Kingdom, the United States Attorney in Boston has caused the issuance of subpoenas to the Trustees of Boston College and two of its representatives, seeking the production of materials gathered and maintained by Boston College’s Bums Library which contain sensitive information and allegations concerning the Troubles in Northern Ireland," IAUC National President Thomas J. Burke Jr. wrote in a letter to Clinton on Wednesday.

"If released, the materials sought have serious potential to destabilize the peace process, which remains fragile and currently faces challenges from various elements from dissident nationalists and loyalist elements," Burke continued. "The IAUC requests that you convey to the Attorney General the serious foreign policy and national security interests implicated by the subpoenas."

The documents in question contain interviews with Dolours Price, a member of Provisional Irish Republican Army who makes allegations against Gerry Adams, now a politician.

The interviews are part of a larger collection of members of both the Irish Republican Army and the British Ulster Volunteer Force, the Catholic and Protestant groups which clashed in the second half of the Twentieth Century.

The tapes were meant to be made public after the person being interviewed had died, but the interviews under subpoena are with some people who are still alive.

The IAUC, along with Boston College, is resisting the subpoena, arguing that releasing the information would harm the national security of the U.S. by "undermining the peace process which has been an important foreign policy objective of the United States for the past fifteen years."

"While the contents of the subpoenaed materials are unknown to the public, it is likely that they contain material that will result in recriminations and undermine trust among various parties, and could lead to a new round of violence in Northern Ireland," the letter states.

The U.S. attorney's office argues that the library "made promises they could not keep -- that they would conceal evidence of murder and other crimes until the perpetrators were in their graves."

According to Ned McGinley, a former national president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, another group contesting the subpoena, releasing the documents could endanger the people interviewed. 

"Those interviews are not evidence. They were not taken under oath," McGinley said in a phone interview. The subpoenas are "really objectionable for three reasons. The principle reason being of course the subpoenas have nothing to do with foreign policy and national security of the United States. The release of those oral histories could endanger the lives of those who provided them. All of these people were combatants."

McGinley stressed that the lives of the people on the tapes would be in danger if the tapes were made public. He said that the effort to release the documents was to politically discredit a politician in Ireland.

"We just don't think they should go on a fishing expedition here," McGinley said. "We just think it's politically wrong."

He said that it would be appropriate if there was a factual or national security basis for releasing the tapes but, in this case, there is not.

"The IAUC therefore urgently requests that you communicate with Attorney General Eric Holder, regarding the serious national security implications raised by the subject subpoenas, and for that reason request that the subpoenas be withdrawn," Burke concludes in the letter.

Posted In
Submitted by george on Fri, 10/28/2011 - 00:01.

IAUC URGES SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON TO USE OFFICES FOR WITHDRAWAL OF SUBPOENAS AGAINST BOSTON COLLEGE

 

October 12, 2011

Denver, Colorado

 

IAUC National President Tom Burke directed a letter today to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton requesting her immediate attention and assistance in obtaining withdrawal of subpoenas issued on behalf of the British Government on Boston College. The subpoenas attempt to obtain oral histories and other materials archived in the college's Burns Library that could ultimately destabilize the peace process in the north of Ireland. 

 

The peace process "is already threatened by a faltering economy and dissident activities by loyalist and republican elements," Burke said. Release of the materials sought by the subpoenas would be contrary to U.S. foreign policy and national security interests and has a high potential for severely undermining the peace process which has been an important foreign policy objective of the United States for the past fifteen years.  The administration of President Bill Clinton, a principal architect of the Good Friday Agreement, helped negotiate the GFA which was signed in 1998 by the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The results of the historic agreement have been the establishment of stability and relative calm to the North of Ireland.

 

While the legal proceedings are currently before the US District Court in Boston, President Burke is requesting the Secretary of State to convey to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder the serious foreign policy and national security threats that are implicated by the subpoenas.  The IAUC is calling for all concerned Irish activists to contact their members of Congress and request their assistance in asking for the withdrawal of these subpoenas by the British government.

 

For more information contact: 303-478-8473

 

Posted In
Submitted by george on Thu, 10/13/2011 - 21:29.

IAUC RESPONDS TO BRITISH GOVERNMENT REFUSAL TO HOLD PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO PATRICK FINUCANE MURDER

 

October 12, 2011– Denver Colorado

National President Tom Burke affirmed that the IAUC is outraged over the refusal of the British Government to conduct a full public inquiry into the 1989 murder of Pat Finucane, a Belfast attorney and solicitor who was gunned down on his doorstep by loyalist gunmen in front of his family and whose murder has never been properly investigated by the authorities in the north of Ireland.

In spite of the recommendations of Judge Peter Cory, who was commissioned by the British Government to investigate several high-profile killings, the urgings of many human and civil rights groups, governments and other international bodies, the British Government is denying the Finucane Family the opportunity of an open and transparent process to uncover the truth about this murder including possible collusion by elements in the British secret services and Army that targeted Pat Finucane for his work in defending Irish republicans. 

The IAUC affirms the decision of the Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs to denounce this decision and joins others in calling on the British to reconsider a decision that puts expediency before truth.

 

For more information contact:  303-478-8473

 

 

Posted In
Submitted by george on Thu, 10/13/2011 - 21:02.

IAUC Letter to Secretary of State on Boston College Subpoenas

IRISH AMERICAN UNITY CONFERENCE
PO Box 55573 • Woshington, D.C. 20040
 
 
October 12,2011
 
 
Hon. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20520
 
Re: Good Friday Agreement/
UK subpoena of Boston College records
 
 
Dear Secretary Clinton:
 
On behalf of the Irish American Unity Conference ("lAUC"), I write to call your attention to an urgent matter that threatens the peace process in Northern Ireland, and to request your assistance. At the request of the United Kingdom, the United States Attorney in Boston has caused the issuance of subpoenas to the Trustees of Boston College and two of its representatives, seeking the production of materials gathered and maintained by Boston College's Bums Library which contain sensitive information and allegations concerning the Troubles in Northern Ireland. If released, the materials sought have serious potential to
destabilize the peace process, which remains fragile and currently faces challenges from various elements from dissident nationalists and loyalist elements. The IAUC requests that you convey to the Attorney General the serious foreign policy and national security interests implicated by
the subpoenas.
 
The legal proceedings, initiated on May 3, 2011, are currently pending before the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts in IN RE: Request from the United Kingdom Pursuant to the Treaty Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters in the Matter of Dol ours Price, M.B.D. No.: 11-MC-91078 (JLT). Strong legal arguments have been raised by Boston College and intervenors that the subpoenas are not consistent with the US-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) or with the Extradition Act. In particular, Article 3, Section 1 of the MLAT provides "the Central Authority [i.e., the Attorney General] may refuse assistance
if: (a) the Requested Party [the United States] is of the opinion that the request, if granted, would impair its sovereignty, security, or other essential interests or would be contrary to important public policy; [or] ... (c) the request relates to an offence that is regarded by the [United States]
as:(i) an offence of a political character. ... "
 
 
Release of the materials sought by the subpoenas would be contrary to the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States because they have a high potential for
severely undermining the peace process which has been an important foreign policy objective of the United States for the past fifteen years. As you are aware, the United States, under the administration of President Clinton, was a principal architect of the Good Friday Agreement, or "GFA" (also known as the Belfast Agreement) signed in 1998 by the United Kingdom and theRepublic of Ireland. The results of this historic agreement have been the
establishment ofstability and relative calm to the North of Ireland.
 
However, the Northern Ireland peace process is at a delicate juncture because certain elements exist who, for their own reasons, are staunchly opposed to the GFA and seek to
undermine and dismantle the progress that has been made. While the contents of the subpoenaed materials are unknown to the public, it is likely that they contain material that will result in recriminations and undermine trust among various parties, and could lead to a new round of violence in Northern Ireland. In sum, the information sought has a serious potential for destabilizing the peace process and, by extension, U.S. national security interests.
 
 
The timing and focus of the subpoenas strongly suggest that they are politically and personally motivated to expose certain individuals to danger and to disrupt the peace process. The subpoenas command production of audio and video recordings of "any and all interviews containing information about the [1972] abduction and death of Mrs. Jean McConville," along with written transcripts, summaries, and indices of such interviews .... " The subpoenas were
initiated in the immediate wake of unexpected success of nationalists in the February 2011 elections to the Irish Parliament in Dublin, and at a time when "dissident republicans" and hardline Loyalists have become increasingly active in trying to undo the peace. Further, The British
government's focus on a single killing in 1972 contrasts sharply with the United Kingdom's refusal to pursue investigations of crimes involving the death of many more victims, such as the 1974 Dublin-Monaghan murders (33 civilians killed), the 1971 Ballymurphy Massacre (11 civilians killed), the 1971 McGurk's Bar bombing (15 civilians killed), and until last year, the 1972 Bloody Sunday murders (14 civilians killed).
 
The IAUC therefore urgently requests that you communicate with Attorney General Eric Holder, regarding the serious national security implications raised by the subject subpoenas, and for that reason request that the subpoenas be withdrawn.
 
 
Respectfully,
Thomas J. Burke, Jr.
National President
Posted In
Submitted by george on Wed, 10/12/2011 - 23:20.

Montana Welcomes United Ireland Campaign

 

 

 

 

AOH Western Rep Mike O'Connor, Rita O'Hare, United Ireland Campaign Rep George Trainor, State President Tom Pahut and Bob Mehrens

 

            Montana welcomed Sinn Féin  Representative to the United States, Rita O’Hare to the state's 2011 Ancient Order of Hibernian's convention in Missoula, Montana.  Rita, the keynote speaker emphasized the importance of a United Ireland. "Our objective is a republic that serves the needs of all the Irish people. The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and all its parts, cherishing all of the children of the nation equally."

 

            Resolutions calling for Irish reunification by democratic, electoral means, as provided for under the Good Friday Agreement, have been adopted by the New Jersey General Assembly, Lawrence, Massachusetts, Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Cleveland, Rockland County, New York, The California Democratic Party, The San Francisco Labor Council, and The San Francisco chapter of the Veterans for Peace.

 

            Campaign for a United Ireland representative George Trainor also addressed the AOH attendees. "We need to hear your voice. We need Montana to join the chorus of growing states, counties, cities and organizations whose voices are calling out for a United Ireland."

           

            AOH Western Rep Mike O'Connor observed, "The United Ireland Campaign is very important to Montana because of its history. The Irish came to Montana knowing that they would never be able to return home.  It's important that we support Irish unification."

 

 

            There are strong ties between Montana and Ireland. In 1919, when Dev Valera went on a tour of the United States to encourage support for Ireland's fight for independence, over 10,000 Butte, Montana residents turned out to hear him speak. The next day, Valera addressed a joint session of the Montana State Legislature.

To learn more about the campaign for a United Ireland. Please go to

Posted In
Submitted by george on Wed, 10/12/2011 - 23:03.
123456789…next ›last »