Since 1983 the Irish American Unity Conference (IAUC) has been working nationwide in a non-partisan, non-sectarian manner to advocate the end of partition in Ireland AND begin the democratic re-unification. This we have done by promoting protests, political debate, education, the protection of human rights, investigation of lawless actions of British security forces, advocacy for the MacBride Fair Employment and the McGuinness Principles. We have joined forces with other organizations to assist the families of those subject to a brutal and corrupt N. I. justice system, to oppose extradition and deportation proceedings for those fleeing the conflict and to assist organizations in Northern Ireland in their efforts to obtain truth and justice for the victims of oppression.
Since the 1998 Belfast Treaty (aka Good Friday Agreement) there has been over two decades without an armed conflict. During that time, cooperation between the Republic and Northern Ireland and between the EU and UK has produced 140 programs and initiatives relating to social services, transportation, electricity and water regulation, and trade. All would be threatened or impaired by Britain’s exit from the EU. The economy of the island of Ireland as a whole will be severely impacted if there is a no-deal EU exit; the agriculture and export sectors hit hardest. The IAUC has supported the work of America’s Special Envoys to Ireland appointed by President’s Clinton, Bush and Obama and conducted its own fact-finding missions in Northern Ireland during tensions around contentious parades and to conduct its own inquiry into security forces killings .
We appeal to Members of Congress: (1) to oppose any Brexit disruption of commercial activity and economic growth in all of Ireland; (2) to oppose efforts by Britain to undermine and obstruct hundreds of investigations required by Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights into the killings of civilians by British security forces; (3) to object to efforts of the British to cover-up their lawless actions in NI with an all-purpose ‘national security veto of investigations into collusion killings ; and (4) to remind the British that their efforts to unilaterally grant amnesty for security officers involved in killing civilians is a flagrant violation of both the spirit and intent of the GFA.
We further ask that consideration of a new post-Brexit UK-US trade deal be postponed until the British address the above issues and provide assurances with respect to how they will be addressed.
Respectfully,
Joseph Roche Judge Andy Somers Jim Gallagher
National President National President National President
Bel Air MD Fitchburg WI Niantic CT
1981-83 1997-1999 & 2004-2006 1999-2003
Thomas J Burke Jr
National President
Denver CO
2007-2013
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