Ken Maginnis - Human Rights commissioner?
Former UUP MP Ken Maginnis has been shortlisted for a position on
the North's Human Rights Commission. Maginnis was interviewed on
Friday 20 July by an NIO panel as a candidate to replace Angela
Hegarty, who retired from the Commission earlier this year.
Sinn Féin assembly member for Newry and Mourne Conor Murphy
pointed out that were Maginnis to be appointed to the post it
would cause great anger within the nationalist community.
Maginnis, the darling of RTE and the Dublin political
establishment, which presented him as a liberal among unionist
hard liners, will be remembered by republicans for the gloating
remarks he made in the aftermath of the killings, by the SAS, of
IRA Volunteers Brian Campbell (19) and Colm McGirr.
After the pair were shot dead on 4 December 1983 at Clonoe Road
near Coalisland, County Tyrone, Maginnis said: ``Two swallows do
not make a summer. One would be foolish to gloat on this
particularly successful operation, because in the very nature of
things, there are many more godfathers and leaders within the IRA
organisation. Nonetheless one is grateful to the security forces
for preemptive action which has obviously saved the lives of
innocent people.''
Then, after eight IRA Volunteers were killed at Loughgall on 8
May 1987, Maginnis said he was ``encouraged'' and called for
selective internment. The UUP security spokesperson also
maintained that Pat Finucane was ``inextricably linked to the IRA''
and that Rosemary Nelson was a sympathiser.
Claiming to have an ``exemplary record'' on human rights, Maginnis
accused the present commissioners of being well-intentioned
academics who were more concerned about the rights of rioters
than the RUC.
Clearly then, Maginnis has plenty to offer in the process of
building a human rights culture in the North.
Mark Thompson of Relatives for Justice said that Ken Maginnis's
role in both the B Specials and the UDR ``should in itself raise a
cautionary note for those considering such an appointment given
that these same organisations were disbanded because of their
human rights abuses.
``His role if appointed would be used to continue his crusade in
preventing the deliverability of truth and justice for those
affected by the state only.
``It would be an affront, a disservice, and a retrograde step to
the promotion and furtherance of human rights within our society
if he were to secure a position as a commissioner.
``It would be akin to appointing George Bush the head of
Greenpeace.
``Ken Maginnis spent his political career defending the
indefensible. Defending the appointment of Ken Maginnis if
selected is not an option or a scenario for the Human Rights
Commission.''