This letter was first published in the Andersonstown News.
A chara,
Recent public discussion about ‘Brexit’ and Britain leaving the European Union has been about the financial implications of this departure. All aspects of this change and its possible consequences have to be discussed privately and publicly but one aspect of it needs much more attention than has been given to it so far. That is, the question of Human Rights and human rights legislation and practice in N.Ireland after Brexit.
In N Ireland there has been a long and extremely difficult struggle for the recognition of human rights for everyone. Almost every aspect of our lives such as employment, gender, reputation, justice, adequate democratic representation and much more else had to be examined, laws and practices adjusted, and even the laws had to be carefully scrutinised , followed by more scrutiny of how the laws were fulfilled or not by those whose duty it was to fulfil them.
The recognition of, legislation for and practice of Human Rights is uncertain in this newly developing political situation. Have we guarantees that no lessening of adequate law and practice will happen if N. Ireland is depending on what the British government will do in the future? If there is government failure to protect Human Rights, what international redress have we in N. Ireland? Have we adequate information about what will happen, or even about what the British government intends to do to recognise Human Rights either in Britain or Ireland ? Outside the European Union framework, it was very difficult to direct international attention to our Human Rights problems here in Ireland. Much of what was achieved, was achieved in the light of European and other international standards and decisions. We cannot afford to allow these Human Rights achievements even to be in danger, let alone given away.
This may well mean that the same persistence and determination to achieve Human Rights for All in our own place will be as important in THE future as it was in the past.
Is muidne
Fr. Des Wilson.
Fr. Joe Mc Veigh.
A PUBLIC MEETING about the impact of ‘BREXIT’ on Human Rights here in Ireland will be held on Monday 12th June @ 7.00pm in the Conway Education Centre, Conway Mill, Belfast. The Meeting is being organised by the newly formed Human Rights Watch and is supported by Border Communities against Brexit(BCAB).The International Human Rights advocate Niall Murphy will make a presentation on ‘Human Rights in Ireland of BREXIT’. This will be followed by a Q&A, ending with a discussion on ‘What’s to be done?’
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