Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

Declaration of Niall Connolly

I have been interested in Latin America and the politics of the region since the 1980s.

While living in Cuba I was able to gain employment and put my knowledge of Spanish and English to good use. I worked as a translator. On occasion, as the court has heard in evidence, I was employed as a guide for visiting politicians and media.

I became active in political mobilisation against the British political and military occupation of part of Ireland in the 1980s. In particular, I was influenced by the hunger strike in 1981 when ten Irish prisoners died in a British prison. I participated in campaigns and protests during this period. I support Sinn Féin and wherever I was, at home or abroad, I made myself available to promote the aims of Sinn Féin. I am a supporter of the Irish peace process and the efforts of leaders like Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness who are striving to bring about a lasting peace with social justice.

I visited Ireland regularly. During one of my visits home I got to know Jim Monaghan. Jim was aware of my work in Latin America and was eager to hear my experiences.

While in Dublin in early 2001 I met with Jim and a number of other people including Martin McCauley, who had been involved in discussions about conflict situations and conflict resolution processes around the world.

As a result of this meeting I agreed to undertake a trip to Colombia with Jim and Martin. I had travelled with Jim previously and my knowledge of Spanish was a primary reason for asking me to accompany them.

I have experienced first hand the reconciliation process in Nicaragua and El Salvador. I have followed the peace process in Guatemala. I have an interest in the Colombian peace process along with other issues that effect politics in Latin America. When we visited Colombia, the country was trying, through dialogue between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia to define positions that would be used as the foundation for a peace process. The government had given political status to the FARC. Observers from around the world came to learn and to offer solidarity in the search for peace with social justice. I was motivated by my desire to see firsthand another process of conflict resolution in motion. I believed that an historic opportunity had been created between the government and the insurgents in one of the oldest conflicts in Latin America. I hope that a new process of reconciliation with social justice will develop in the future in Colombia.

When we were arrested by the Colombian military there were no warrants for our detention.

It became clear that false and irresponsible information was being leaked by the British Embassy. I was described as a member of the IRA. I have never been arrested or questioned about such an allegation. It is false. I am not a member of the IRA.

The intervention of officials from the US Embassy in the taking of the forensic samples and the subsequent media leaks from both the US and British embassies was an attempt to damage and undermine the Colombian peace process. The so-called forensic evidence has been proven to be false.

Our arrests and the mass of information and false stories that have followed have also been used to damage and undermine the Irish peace process. The Irish peace process is at an advanced stage. Yet more work needs to be done. My friends have spoken about the process of political recognition and status, the process of negotiations between the governments of Ireland, Britain and America and Irish republicans.

Since our arrest the Fiscal [prosecutor], instead of fulfilling his duty and responsibilities to guarantee that justice is done, has arrogantly thrown the presumption of innocence into the dustbin, along with the independence of his institution.

The Fiscal has failed to guarantee that procedures are respected and that the evidence is analysed in a just and impartial way. Confidential details about our case have been given to the media to upset and damage our opportunity to get a fair trial. Fabricated forensics was allowed, while DAS tests that showed that there were no traces of explosives or drugs were kept out.

We have been placed in jails in Colombia under the recommendation of the Fiscal while our lives have been in danger, and in the opinion of one judge, who ordered our transfer, we have been subject to degrading and inhumane treatment. Obstacles have been placed in our way and that of our lawyers when we were trying to prepare our defence. Our lawyers' lives are in danger because of the statements made in the media, many of them by prominent politicians.

Our lawyers from Colombia and Ireland will show that without a shadow of a doubt that we are not guilty as charged. They will also show that this case should never have been brought to this court. I am not guilty of the charges laid against me. I come here today to remind the Fiscal of my rights, my international rights of the Presumption of Innocence.

The determination of our families and the Bring Them Home Campaign led by Caitríona Ruane, the presence of international observers from Australia, the United States, Ireland and the presence of the Irish government observers at this trial, the messages from all around the world of support and the active support of thousands of people in Ireland has given us much moral support and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.