AMERICAN BREXIT COMMITTEE
1919 CHESTNUT AVE, SUITE 1724
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103
May 8, 2020
Honorable Michael Pompeo
Secretary of State
U. S. Department of State
2201 C St. NW
Washington, D. C. 20520
Dear Secretary Pompeo:
The American Brexit Committee (ABC) was formed by a group of American citizens who share a deep concern for Britain’s decision to leave the European Union (EU) and its economic and political impact on the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (NI). The ABC is comprised of men and women from all walks of life who have worked for decades promoting peace and justice in Ireland and who share a special bond with a country and people that have contributed so much to America.
Our concerns are twofold: Britain’s efforts to undermine the 1998 Good Friday Agreement (GFA) and the harmful Brexit effects on Ireland’s economy. The treaty has bi-partisan U. S. support as a means to end the armed conflict but Britain’s actions, and inactions, since 1998, have methodically compromised the treaty’s objectives. Forcing Brexit on a people who democratically voted to remain in the EU promises economic disruption that threatens peace.
State Departments Human Rights Reports (United Kingdom) are more notable for omissions on N. I.dhop,nbt rather than disclosures. The 2019 Report is no exception. It lists no human rights abuses and no undue delay in prosecutions of crimes. Those who prepare the report must be unaware of nearly 1000 cases of civilians being killed in N. I. that haven’t had the semblance of a police investigation or even a Coroner’s Inquest. Unacceptable delays of prosecutions could be overcome if the British Ministry of Defense did not block information requests with legal gymnastics, issuing Personal Immunity Certificates and “national security” vetoes.
Those preparing the report failed to reference the BBC Panorama documentary Dirty War Collusion, or the BBC Spotlight reports on A License to Murder and Trouble: A Secret History
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all revealing how the UK has obstructed the rule of law and denied justice to victims. We know they are familiar with the program as there was a reference in the same 2019 Report to a Panorama piece on Anti-Semitism. There was no reference to Britain’s Kenova Operation which in 2019 recommended the prosecution of 20 senior security service personnel permitting informers to kill innocent civilians. These reports made scant reference to the massive Stevens Inquiry into collusion between MI-5 and loyalist terrorist Brian Nelson who gave government supplied arms to loyalists who used them in 229 killings. Britain’s collaboration with loyalist murder gangs involved the no warning bombing of Dublin and Monaghan shopping centers, the killing of priests, lawyers, elected officials, the harassment of journalists and murder of journalist Martin O’Hagan, and the murder of Sgt Joe Campbell a Catholic policeman. One expects these things to happen in dictatorships or Communist regimes not Britain. We wish to know why such events failed to prompt an American response or could go unreported by the Department. Is it a secret codicil of the “special relationship’ to join a cover-up of such lawlessness?
Last month the N. I. Catholic Council of Social Services spokesman Archbishop Rev. Eamon Martin released a statement citing the British governments departure from the Stormont House Agreement indicating that “ignoring victims [means] continuing to perpetuate an oppressive situation.” This was in response to the proposed Overseas Operation bill proposed by Prime Minister Johnson granting impunity from prosecution for all British security service personnel involved in killing and conspiring to kill civilians in N. I.
Britain’s human rights abuses and material support of loyalist murder gangs is tantamount to State sponsorship of terrorism. Prime Minister Johnson promises to absolve those responsible for many of these killings. Britain may leave the EU without a Withdrawal or Trade agreement prompting social and economic chaos in Ireland. This appears to be precisely the circumstance and excuse the British desire. If the Department of State has any respect for the values of freedom, justice, democracy and the rule of law promoted elsewhere in the world, now would be a good time to announce they are in peril in Northern Ireland.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Cummings, Secretary
201 W Evergreen Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19118
267-766-5028
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