Rosemary Nelson ``day of action''
International Day of Action was organised on Tuesday 15 June by the
Rosemary Nelson Campaign to mark the three-month anniversary of the human
rights solicitor's assassination, urging greater public support for the
campaign for an independent inquiry into the killing.
In the United States, the Irish American Unity Conference, in conjunction
with the Rosemary Nelson Campaign, and U.S. Congressional Representatives
Ben Gilman, Chris Smith, Donald Payne, Peter King, Richard Neal, Jim Walsh
and Joseph Crowley held a press conference to mark the day of action.
At the conference, Pádraigín Drinan, the solicitor for several of
Rosemary's clients, including the Garvaghy Road Residents' Association,
read a statement from the Nelson family and provided an update on the
investigation into Rosemary Nelson's murder.
Speaking about the event, Judge Andrew Somers, National President of the
Irish American Unity Conference, said: ``This is a solemn occasion. We are
remembering a champion of human rights in Northern Ireland at a time when
the Peace Process is in serious jeopardy.
``The Irish American community joins the Rosemary Nelson campaign, the House
of Representatives, the United Nations Special Rapporteur, and human rights
organisations around the world in their demand for an independent, RUC-free
investigation into Rosemary's death''.
In Dublin, the English human rights lawyer, Gareth Peirce, addressed the
Law Society, while in both Dublin and Belfast, lorries drove around the
city streets displaying billboards with the inscription, ``Mr. Blair, if you
don't defend human rights lawyers, who will defend human rights?''
The campaign, however, did not go without controversy. One advertiser,
David Allen, refused to display the billboards in the Six Counties. The
billboards which were 20ft by 10ft, were to be situated at two sites in
Dublin and another two in Belfast and Derry. David Allen's agency in
Belfast refused the custom, saying that the billboards were ``untimely and
inflammatory''.
Damien O'Broin of the Public Communications Centre, the group which
designed the poster, responded: ``When David Allen first refused we were
told the posters were inflammatory. We were later told that the locations
and timing were inflammatory. We see it as a positive message which is not
in any way inflammatory or out of place in a human rights campaign.''
Similar billboards were erected in the United States and New Zealand.
Last Monday, Dato Param Cumaraswamy, the UN Special Rapporteur who met
Rosemary Nelson while gathering evidence on RUC death threats made against
the mother of three before she was murdered, held a meeting with Robbie
McVeigh of the Rosemary Nelson Campaign. Speaking to An Phoblacht after the
meeting, McVeigh said: ``Mr. Cumaraswamy's continued interest in the Nelson
killing is to be welcomed and a source of encouragement''.
The campaign has also started an online petition calling for an
international inquiry into Rosemary's murder. Those who wish to contribute
are asked to send an e-mail to petition@rosemarynelsoncampaign.com
including your name and location. Please visit the website at
http://www.RosemaryNelsonCampaign.com for further information on how you
can help.
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