Nothing less than an independent inquiry into Rosemary Nelson's
murder
By Caítlin Doherty
Cearta, the equality pressure group, and community groups from across
Ireland are organising a vigil of remembrance for murdered human
rights solicitor Rosemary Nelson on Sunday March 28. Participants are
asked to assemble at 3 o'clock in front of Belfast city hall and
carry a flower.
The vigil is organised to honour Rosemary's life as a passionate
human rights solicitor and demand an international, independent,
investigation and inquiry into her murder. A panel of women chaired
by a representative of Cearta, representing the community, human
rights and legal fields, will address the crowd.
The vigil was organised after Belfast community groups met on the day
following the murder. They felt it was necessary to organise a vigil,
as well as add their voices to calls demanding an independent
inquiry.
Full page advertisements sponsored by groups from across Ireland will
be published in local newspapers. The bulk of it's text, translated
in Irish, is an extract from an address made by Rosemary to the
International Operations and Human Rights Sub-committee of the US
House of Representatives in which she talks of the way she was
physically abused by RUC members and subject to sectarian verbal
abuse.
The aim of the campaign is to prevent the RUC from investigating the
murder of a woman they themselves threatened, harassed, as well as
physically and verbally abused on many occasions. Rosemary had
documented the threats made directly against her or via her clients
by the crown forces.
Such threats have been documented in human rights reports such as the
one of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of
Judges and Lawyers, Dato Param Cumaraswamy. Shortly after his
investigation, Cumaraswamy had advised RUC Chief Constable Ronnie
Flanagan and British Direct Ruler Majorie Mowlam of the threats to
Rosmary's life.
A coalition of leading human rights organisations has already joined
the United Nations special rapporteur in demanding a full and
international inquiry. The coalition includes Amnesty International,
Human Rights Watch, the Lawyers Commitee for Human Rights, the
Committee on the Administration of Justice, the British/Irish Rights
Watch and the Irish Council on Civil Liberties.
``There has been huge support for this initiative'', said Ciaráin
Kearney from the Belfast based Falls Community Council. People across
the island feel very very strongly about a totally independent and
international inquiry and investigation into Rosemary's murder ten
years after the murder of Pat Finucane. The vigil is a dignified
vigil and an occasion to add our voices to the calls for an
independent inquiry''.
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