Tag Archives: 2025

News, February 2025

Corrymeela 60

Corrymeela, the only existing peace and reconciliation group to predate the Troubles, is approaching 60 years at work. While the group that became the eponymous Corrymeela identified the site they wanted to purchase outside Ballycastle, Co Antrim, a former Holiday Fellowship venue, at the start of 1965, it was the summer of that year that they took possession and it only became an incorporated charity in December 1966. There will be Corrymeela Sunday events at Coventry (15th-16th March) coming up to St Patrick’s Day and then in the period 22nd – 31st August this year anniversary ‘open’ events will be held at the Corrymeela Centre that they hope will allow the generations who have been a part of the Corrymeela story to reunite and learn with people interested in carrying that story forward. 

Also look for more information to come around a planned trip to Taizé in early autumn; events in Dublin at the end of October 2025; a service in the Croí on 30 October to mark the anniversary of the centre’s 1965 dedication; a special anniversary concert in Belfast Cathedral on 22 November 2025; a service in Exeter Cathedral on 23 November; and a conference on Reconciliation for Easter 2026. Other events and ongoing programmes will also take place. Up to date information is available at www.corrymeela.org

Féile Bríde: Justice and Solidarity

Afri’s Féile Bríde takes place on Saturday 8th February at Solas Bhríde, Tully Road, Kildare with the title “Brigid’s Light: Illuminating paths of justice and solidarity”. Speakers are Niamh Ní Briain on Brigid’s call to action today: Defying militarism and protecting the Triple Lock, James Hennessy on Solar lights and the work of Development Pamoja, Catherine Cleary on Pocket Forests and Raghad Abu Shammala on Solidarity is key; musicians are Emer Lynam, Dee Armstrong, Lughaidh Armstrong, Gráinne Horan, Kate Moore and the Resistance Choir. The programme runs from 10.15 am registration and finishes after the final programme item at 4.20pm. Full price for the day, including lunch, tea and coffee is €35, concessions €25 (further donations to costs welcome). Bookings via https://www.afri.ie/category/feile-bride-2025/ or to Afri at 8 Cabra Road, Dublin D07 T1W2.

Sperrins gold diggers inquiry halted

The public inquiry into gold mining by USA-owned Dalradian in the Sperrins near Greencastle, Co Tyrone, was abruptly halted after two days in mid-January. Opponents of the mining were there in strength but Dalradian have been working on site since 2009 and first submitted plans to mine in 2017. Their commitment, under pressure, not to use cyanide there may hold but does not cover other toxic and environmental effects, or the possible use of cyanide elsewhere. The inquiry was halted over the failure of the Department for Infrastructure in the North to give the required notice across the border but may resume in late March. The NI Executive makes the final decision on mining. https://www.facebook.com/search/posts/?q=save%20our%20sperrins

Another miraculous appearance by St Brigid

In a stupendous and recurring miracle, around her feast day every year St Brigid puts in an appearance at the Department of Foreign Affairs at St Stephen’s Green, calling on the Irish government to act for peace (in accord with St Brigid herself), and, currently, to protect the Triple Lock which requires UN approval for Irish troops deployment overseas. https://swordstoploughsharesireland.org/ and https://youtu.be/hl4LHqSVU4o?si=4J4YiOaFBm7cpJRn

ICCL on new government programme

ICCL/Irish Council for Civil Liberties has looked at both negatives and positives in the Programme for Government with the former including the retention of the Special Criminal Court and the extension of police powers, and the latter comprehensively reviewing the criminal justice system, modernising the Coroner Service, and tackling the use of recommender algorithms. www.iccl.ie

Transformative approaches to housing

Housing is a critical issue in wellbeing. Housing ourselves in the wellbeing economy is an in person and online event on Friday 14th February taking place at WeCreate Centre, Cloughjordan Ecovillage, Co. Tipperary, E53 VP86 and online from 10am – 5pm. It aims to explore transformative approaches to housing that prioritise sustainability, inclusivity, and community resilience and is hosted by Cloughjordan Co-Housing in collaboration with the Irish Hub of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance which Feasta co-ordinates. Details at https://cloughjordancohousing.coop/making-neighbourhoods/housing-ourselves-2025/ and Feasta is at https://www.feasta.org/

Glencree on 50 years after Feakle talks

It is 50 years since Protestant church leaders bravely met the IRA in secret talks at Feakle, Co Clare, setting a pattern for dialogue which eventually paid dividends. Glencree marked this anniversary with an event in December. https://glencree.ie/events/feakle-1974/

CRIS/Community Relations in Schools at 40

Belfast-based Community Relations in Schools is marking 40 years work with schoolchildren in building understanding and friendship. They will be celebrating with a gala fundraising dinner on Saturday 15th March from 6pm to late at Titanic Centre Belfast, tickets £75. More details and about CRIS’s work at https://www.crisni.org/40-years-of-cris

WRI on Israel-Hamas ceasefire

A statement from the Executive of War Resisters’ International (WRI) on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire can be found at https://wri-irg.org/en/story/2025/wri-exec-statement-israel-hamas-ceasefire

Oisín Coghlan moving on from FOE

Oisín Coghlan who has been at the helm of Irish Friends of the Earth for 20 years has decided it is time to move on but with many achievements under his/their belt. https://www.friendsoftheearth.ie/news/announcement-oisin-coghlan-to-step-down-as-ceo-of-friends-of/

WBW course on Unarmed Civilian Defense

Among others, World Beyond War (WBW) has a 6 week online course (time recommendation 3 – 6 hours per week) on Unarmed civilian defense instead of war beginning on 12th May, course fee $100, concession as little as $25. It has a focus on the role unarmed civilian defense can play in resisting military force, invasion, occupation, dictatorship, and warfare. See https://tinyurl.com/84j96z3p for details. The WBW website is at https://worldbeyondwar.org/

Diasporas and peacebuilding

The January 2025 issue of Peace in Progress from the International Catalan Institute for Peace looks at the role of diasporas in peacebulding. https://www.icip.cat/perlapau/en/magazine/42-2/

Global Day of Action to #CloseBases, 23 February

World Beyond War, backed by many other organisations, is organising a global day of action to close military bases since they are “a critical piece of the war machine that must be dismantled. https://worldbeyondwar.org/closebases/

Organic Centre Rossinver

The Organic Centre in the heart of rural Rossinver, Leitrim looks forward to 2025 with the hope of brighter days ahead. As an educational charity, it specialises in promoting all things organic, sustainable living and biodiversity. The Organic Centre was founded in 1995 by local organic growers, and farmers. Developed on a 19-acre green field site at the foot of limestone hills beside Lough Melvin, it became a pioneering organisation, at the forefront of organic growing, and action for climate change. In the beginning there were 6 weekend courses which took place in 1997. Now, the centre looks forward to almost 40 courses ranging from growing to recycling workshops, stone wall building, cheese making, pizza oven building and more.

The calendar year now hosts a multitude of free seasonal events, including one to mark Brigid’s Day, Apple Day, Samhain, a Green Christmas fair, a large range of activities in Biodiversity Week in May and Heritage Week in August, to name but a few.  And coming soon is Potato Day, a free family friendly event, on Sunday 2th March from 12-4pm, with demonstrations, tours, and an onsite craft and food market. Regarding training for growers, the centre also hosts a now adapted, part time, funded course in organic horticulture, an opportunity to learn and be part of a movement, as policy makers nationally and internationally start to recognise the importance of organic agriculture for planet and health. The MSLETB Level 5 in Organic Horticulture closes for applications on Feb 10th https://www.theorganiccentre.ie/Learn/now%20part%20time%20horticultural-course

You can organise a tour of the centre as an away day with your work, school or family – just ring 0719854338.  You can go for a walk on the new Fowley’s Falls trail that links up with the Organic Centre, and end at the Grass Roof Cafe for tea and coffee. Check out the Organic Centre’s website and social media channels for more information on courses, events, and the onsite and online shop. https://www.theorganiccentre.ie/

Death of Ken Mayers

We regret to record the death of US peace activist Ken Mayers. Edward Horgan writes: “Ken Mayers, peace activist, member of Veterans For Peace US, and VFP Ireland Chapter, passed away at his home in Santa Fe New Mexico on 27th January. Many of you will have met Ken while he was virtually imprisoned in Ireland for almost 9 months after the peace action that he and Tarak Kauff undertook at Shannon airport on St Patrick’s Day in 2019. Ken was an inspiration to peace activists in Ireland, in the USA and worldwide, and in addition to his activism in Ireland he also attended and helped to organise peaceful protests in the US, Palestine, Korea, Japan and elsewhere. I have no doubt that Ken in Resting in Peace and the world is a better place because of his life’s work.” For photos of Ken Mayers in action, see e.g. https://www.flickr.com/photos/innateireland/48187813206/in/album-72157616378924274 and https://www.flickr.com/photos/innateireland/48863510693/in/album-72157616378924274

Principles and practices of peace education

The Open University has a free introductory short course (12 hours study) produced in collaboration with Quakers in Britain on how peace might be built in everyday classroom practice. It introduces layers of peace education for children and young people, including inner-peace and wellbeing; interpersonal peace through positive relationships and constructive approaches to conflict; and critical thinking about the world beyond the classroom. See https://www.open.edu/openlearn/education-development/principles-and-practices-peace-education/content-section-overview?active-tab=description-tab for details.

Billy King: Rites Again 326

Billy King shares his monthly thoughts –

There’s gold in them thar hills…

…and that’s where it should stay… While gold does have some practical usages in fine tech and so on it mainly considered valuable for being valued, i.e. it is valuable as a store of wealth, a bit like crypto currency but in metallic form and less volatile in value – it is also comparable to celebrities being famous because they are famous. Humanity’s actual need for gold is relatively small today and could be met hundreds of times over by what is already extracted from the ground. Some of the uses of gold, such as the ‘gold standard’ or its use in dentistry (gold mining is a different kind of extraction but can be very painful) have been superseded by economic and technological advances.

So what is the point in ruining the Sperrins so Dalradian can make a profit? None. There are always less jobs than promised, they will disappear after a decade or two, while meanwhile farming and other developments, such as in tourism, are stymied or ruined. The recent public enquiry into the proposed goldmining there was quickly halted after a technical error by the relevant Northern Ireland government department not doing what they should have done. Two of the groups involved in struggling against an unwelcome extraction that you can look up are Save Our Sperrins (SOS) https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=save%20our%20sperrins (see the entry for 15th January 2025 on the collapse of the public enquiry) and Friends of the Earth in the North https://friendsoftheearth.uk/northern-ireland I have quoted before the Saw Doctors’ words (in ‘The green and gold of Mayo’) on prospective gold mining beside Croagh Patrick – “Do they think our greatest asset / Can be mined, dug up, and sold….” As with coal, oil and gas – ‘Keep it in the ground!’

Drill for the truth, baby, drill for the truth

There are none so blind as those who will not see’ is an aphorism about a disability, physical blindness, which does not insult those who have that condition. People who are physically unable to see usually develop other skills which compensate and many skills which sighted people are unlikely to have. The aphorism actually criticises sighted people who do not, because they refuse to, see what is in front of their eyes.

I do believe there is such a category as a ‘climate criminal’. Donald Trump, the most powerful elected leader in the world, fits that description with his denial of the human-based nature of climate change and his “We will drill, baby, drill” approach – which was even included in his inaugural address as president of the USA in January 2025, all happening at the time of the destruction by fire of significant bits of Los Angeles. The oil and gas industry bosses and owners are of course highly complicit in engineering cover ups and obfuscation of what is happening and why, and refusing to take the world and the vast majority of people into account due to their own selfish and destructive interests. Trump’s tech billionaire buddies are also climate criminals for permitting untruths to be told. Climate heating is, and will do, untold damage to our earth and its inhabitants with the poor, of course, suffering most.

It is difficult to come up with imagery about where we are. The best I can do is that the rich and powerful are driving a train with the rest of humanity on it. They come to a junction. One direction is clearly ‘Hell’ while the other is ‘Not hell but not quite heaven either’ (we are already far down the global heating track). The powerful are choosing to travel with the rest of the world to ‘Hell’ because they are, unlike everyone else, in Super First Class Climate Protected carriages which they believe are immune to the effects of Hell, and to travel the other direction they would have to transfer to slightly less comfortable carriages and they don’t want to do that because they know they are superior.

Getting the truth of climate heating across to those in denial is a subject much pondered in these pages by Larry Speight in his Eco-Awareness column. There are no easy answers. Telling the truth in different ways is of course part of it. But using personal relationships and getting people in the public eye to use their influence are important. And we, individual and ‘ordinary’ citizens, can show by our own example what to do in our travel and consumer habits. We ‘ordinary people’ in the rich world are highly complicit in global heating too.

Eventually, the truth of climate heating will trump denialism. But whether we arrive at the station marked ‘Hell’ before then is still a possibility.

Room for great improvement for Belfast Assembly Rooms

There is a wonderfully historic building in central Belfast which is in a woeful condition. It is historic for a number of reasons – the rejection of slavery, its connection with the 1798 rising, and with the preservation of Irish traditional melodies, and simply for being a prime meeting place when Belfast was ‘the Athens of the North’. In fact, in relation to the preservation of Irish traditional melodies, you could say it is perhaps the culturally most important building in Ireland. But it is currently, and very sadly, unused and near derelict. However one sign of the awareness of the risks to the building comes from its inclusion recently on the World Monuments Fund 2025 Watch List and it has been on the Ulster Architectural Heritage at risk list for a couple of decades.

It is where the 1792 harp festival took place, organised by the good Presbyterian citizens of Belfast, with Edward Bunting commissioned to record the music and thus preserve it for future generations – the old harping tradition was on its death bed after their prime sponsors, the Irish aristocracy, were long defeated and gone. It is where Henry Joy McCracken was court-martialled in ‘98 following the failure of the rising before being taken to be hung nearby. It is where Thomas McCabe intervened against a move to set up a slaving company (i.e. dealing in and transporting slaves) in 1786, a successful intervention in that Belfast continued to have no direct involvement in the slave trade though it did have trade involvement in selling salted beef and clogs to slave plantations as well as through individuals.

On a more prosaic and contemporary note the Assembly rooms are on INNATE’s Belfast peace trail where the INNATE coordinator loves to gently shock participants on the walk in telling of Thomas McCabe’s interjection by bellowing out his message “May God wither the hand of any man who will sign that document!”.

Used as a bank for a long time, the building then had intermittent cultural use – and it being a cultural centre is surely the appropriate course of action for the future. But it needs major work first. Belfast City Council has purchased a couple of iconic buildings, No.2 Royal Avenue and the wonderful art deco former Bank of Ireland on a corner of Royal Avenue for civic purposes. The Assembly Rooms building is currently privately owned but going to wrack and ruin. It needs urgent attention and deserves it. For more info see https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c87d8121lj3o and https://sluggerotoole.com/2025/01/17/the-inclusion-of-belfasts-historic-assembly-rooms-on-world-monuments-funds-2025-watch-list-is-a-game-changer/#respond

A migrant story

She came from a war torn country where she had been married young. We can call her Anna because that is certainly not her name. After her father and eldest child were killed in the strife in her home country, she sold everything she had and eventually ended up in Northern Ireland where she claimed asylum. One of her other children has a disabling medical condition. The first place she lived in the North she had to leave because it was attacked. Then in the racist riots of August 2024 she was personally assaulted and injured in the street with lasting effects, and she had to move again. During her time in the North her ex-husband, the father of her children, was killed in the strife in her home country. Thus she had the violent deaths in three generations of her immediate family.

She eventually received refugee status. Any one of the deaths mentioned above could break someone. While obviously deeply affected, she has been determined to keep moving forward and do the best possible for her children despite attacks in a place where she had escaped in order to be safe.

Not all migrants have as dramatic and traumatic stories and experiences as Anna. However we should of course be ashamed that in “Ireland of the welcomes” the welcome (hellcome?) she received included physical attacks on her and where she lived, inhumanity when extreme humanity was called for. Where some saw an unwelcome alien there was a resilient but hugely suffering human being who had been through tribulations which her attackers could probably not even imagine, and someone who has much to contribute if allowed to do so. Meanwhile some people reached out to try to help her.

May she now live in peace and be able to establish the life she wants for herself and her children.

Contrast

The names ‘Donald Trump’ and ‘Gustavo Gutiérrez’ are seldom uttered in the same sentence, I would imagine. Donald Trump is the president of the USA and aged 78. Gustavo Gutiérrez was a Dominican priest from Lima who died in October 2024, aged 96.

INNATE is a secular organisation which is happy to carry material or organise events in relation to connections between humanism and nonviolence or particular religions and nonviolence, and respect people of whatever secular or religious beliefs while being critical of the practices associated with any of these which are contrary to building peace and justice. In terms of parity of esteem I usually avoid sharing on my own religious beliefs and background which would be a variety of Christian. However, in moving some books recently I came across the Gutiérrez book, from the 1970s, “A Theology of Liberation” – he was one of the founders of the ‘theology of liberation’ movement in Latin America at that time, even called the “Father of Liberation Theology”, and I thought of the contrast with Trump.

Donald Trump has monetised the Christian bible, as well as made it nation-specific, in his Trump Bible; the bible is clearly a book he has little knowledge about, effectively thinking of it as a MAGA-manual. Monetising the Christian bible sounds rather like being moneychangers in the Temple, i.e. turning religion into a commercial enterprise. JC drove the moneychangers from the Temple in what to me seems like a good example of determined nonviolent action (though one conservative Christian once told me Jesus shouldn’t have done that as it gave Christians a bad name!). One joke about Trump and his desire to cut things (taxes, environmental regulations etc) is that he has already got the Ten Commandments down to six, and is working on the rest. He uses the bible and Christianity as a political prop and tool.

He also accused an Episcopalian bishop of being nasty in a presidential inaugural service when she called for him to exercise mercy in relation of migrants and people who are LGBT; mercy is usually considered a Christian virtue but Trump made it sound like a dirty word. Making the bible nation-specific, as the Trump bible seemingly does in relation to the USA, seems contrary to the ‘neither Jew nor Gentile’ part of the Christian New Testament. Trump was surrounded by billionaires at his January 2025 presidential inauguration whereas Jesus had plenty to say about those who loved riches. It was the German revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg who stated that the early Christian church was communist in consumption if not in production.

Gustavo Gutiérrez was an important and founding figure in liberation theology which opts for solidarity with the poor, something which seems totally in accord with Christianity and the ‘Sermon on the Mount’, while for Trump – where money is usually the bottom line – his beliefs seem to be more in relation to the ‘Sermon on the (Financial) Count’. Gutiérrez’ book, mentioned above, is overflowing with biblical references. He states clearly that “In the Bible poverty is a scandalous condition inimical to human dignity and therefore contrary to the will of God.” and that “Poverty is not caused by fate: it is caused by the actions of whose whom the prophet condemns….” (and then quotes Amos 2:6-7).

I stand with Gutiérrez.

Youphemisms

We all use euphemisms but sometimes there are ones we dislike or refuse to use, and what you use may not be something I would use. Language is always evolving so this is all a natural human process. The US English ‘restroom’ for what is commonly here called a toilet seems an unnecessary and inaccurate euphemism – and yet I might quite happily use ‘loo’ or even the southern terms ‘jacks’ (which may be medieval English in origin and also relate to the US English term ‘the john’, although the latter may also be connected with one of the inventors of the flushing toilet).

One US euphemism I refuse to use however is that someone has ‘passed’ when they have died. Passed what? Their final exams? To glory in heaven? From this earthly coil? No, not a term I find acceptable. And yet if referring to someone’s status in relation to being living or dead, e.g. on a letter coming for someone who is ‘no longer with us’ (another euphemism), i.e. dead, putting ‘Now dead’ seems too bald a statement and I might write ‘Deceased’ – which is simply another way of saying ‘no longer with us’. Death is kind of final and it is difficult not to be euphemistic. But, it is clear, I find some euphemisms a load of crap.

That’s me for now and the bold, bad January is over, I hope you weren’t badly affected by Storm Éowyn if you live in what was its path….unfortunately with global heating there is much more of that to come. But always look on the bright side, the snowdrops are well out, the daffodils are coming, some out, and we live in hope, so until next time, Billy.

News supplement to No.325, January 2025

Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP): The work continues apace

The AVP community facilitated 41 workshops across the country in 2024, engaging a total of 416 participations. Two community gatherings were held to reflect on its work and community, to reconnect with one another, and welcome new volunteers. It has also been busy supporting volunteers through inductions, further training, check-ins, and debriefing sessions. In July a new coordinator was appointed, Lisa Oelschlegel, who has a wide variety of relevant experience. AVP Ireland is a community of volunteers inside and outside prisons who run experiential workshops in conflict resolution and restorative practices; AVP is for anyone who wants to learn to build better relationships, prevent conflict and resolve it when it occurs and who is willing to share his/her skills and experience. Workshops are non residential and are run mostly in prisons around Ireland and during week-ends. Contact at info@avpireland.ie and a new website should be available soon at https://www.avpireland.ie/

Close Collins Aerospace’ demo at Shannon

Following regular events at Collins Aerospace in Cork calling for its closure, an event will take place at Shannon at 12 noon on Friday 10th January at Collins Aeospace, Unit 1, Brookvale, East Park, Shannon, also calling for its closure. Collins Aerospace is a subsidiary of RTX, USA weapons manufacturer of weapons used by the IDF in Gaza. Organised by East Clare for Palestine https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=east%20clare%20for%20palestine

Video on feminist, antimilitarist view of peacekeeping

At https://kroc.nd.edu/news-events/events/2024/12/05/intersectional-beginnings-and-abolitionist-endings-decolonial-feminist-and-anti-militarist-theorising-on-peacekeeping/ Prof Marsha Henry discusses some of the issues in her book “The End of Peacekeeping: Gender, Race, and the Martial Politics of Intervention”. Source: Mitchell Institute, QUB, January 2025 Newsletter.

Mairead Maguire nominates Prof Qumsiyeh for Nobel Peace Prize

Mairead Maguire has nominated Prof Mazi Qumsiyeh of Palestine for the Nobel Peace Prize. She states that “the pressures of the Israel occupation on his people and the pressure on the environment that culminated in genocide and ecocide ensured Qumsiyeh pursued a life focused on peace-making, non-violent resistance, service to people, and service to nature.” More details at  https://www.peacepeople.com/nobel-peace-prize-professor-mazin-qumsiyeh-bethlehem-palestine/

Adi Roche given honorary degree by UCC

Adi Roche of Chernobyl Children International (CCI) received the honorary Doctorate of Arts from UCC in recognition of her work as ‘a humanitarian and educator of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, campaigner for peace and leadership as an anti-nuclear advocate’. The ceremony took place at UCC on 11th December and those attending included Anna Gabriel, Raisa Carolan and Marharyta Marozova, all of whom were abandoned to a children’s institution in Belarus as infants, suffering from a wide range of Chernobyl related disabilities and illnesses but whose lives were transformed thanks to the intervention of Irish humanitarian support. Adi Roche has led CCI to deliver over €108 million of humanitarian aid and services to the Chernobyl affected regions and the charity is already in preparation for the 40th Anniversary commemorations in 2026. https://www.chernobyl-international.com/

Irish CND welcomes Nobel Prize for A & H Bomb survivors

Irish CND has welcomed the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, the Japanese Confederation of Atomic and Hydrogen Bomb Sufferers Organizations, with the award presented at the annual ceremony in Oslo on 10th December. The award recognizes Nihon Hidankyo, in the words of Nobel Committee, “for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again.” Irish CND congratulated Nihon Hidankyo on the award of the Nobel Peace Prize, “recognizing the power of their courage and determination in exposing the ghastly truth about nuclear weapons, often while battling the personal scars of ill-health, social stigma and advancing age.”   However their statement went on to say “If nuclear weapons are ever used again, the scale of destruction will inevitably be far greater than that which caused such suffering to the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Far too many “near-misses” have already been documented. While nuclear warheads remain ready to fire, life on earth as we know it remains just minutes away from an apocalyptic end. We have been dependent on luck to avoid that fate for too long. Sooner or later, whether through malice, machismo, miscalculation or malfunction, that luck will run out”. Irish CND then called “on all states to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. We call on the leaders of nuclear-armed states, in particular, to heed the call of those who have experienced the utter depravity of nuclear warfare, and to put their countries’ stocks of nuclear warheads out of use forever.”

CAJ: Paramilitary transition, policing Sperrins activists, protest rights

Material in the December 2024 issue of the CAJ/Committee on the Administration of Justice publication Just News includes a piece by Prof Kieran McEvoy on information recovery from armed groups in the context of the Northern Ireland Troubles, and a piece by Marie Breen-Smyth on universal human rights and paramilitary transition. There is also a piece looking at an independent CAJ report on PSNI policing of environmental protesters/protectors in the Sperrins regarding gold mining with a number of areas of concern raised; this report, Policing the Protectors: A Narrative Report of PSNI Policing of Environmental Protest in the Sperrins”, was launched in September 2024 and is available at https://caj.org.uk/publications/reports/policing-the-protectors-a-narrative-report-of-psni-policing-of-environmental-protest-in-the-sperrins/ The December issue of Just News is available at https://caj.org.uk/publications/our-newsletter/just-news-december-2024/ Meanwhile CAJ, PILS, EJNI and FoE in the North have launched a 44-page Know Your Rights’ Guide to Protest” in Northern Ireland, with clear information and contacts for different areas of concern. Download at https://caj.org.uk/publications/submissions-and-briefings/know-your-rights-the-right-to-protest/ The links include https://www.iccl.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Know-Your-Rights-Protest.pdf which is the ICCL equivalent guide, “Know your right – The right to protest”, for the Republic.

Garda dossiers on children

ICCL/Irish Council for Civil Liberties has highlighted the issue of An Garda Síochána creating thousands of unlawful intelligence files on children under the age of 12 – some for infants as young as 42 days old – between 1999 and 2023.  This followed a Garda Inspectorate report in early December. Olga Cronin, ICCL Enforce Senior Policy Officer, said:  “……this is yet another unfortunate example of An Garda Síochána demonstrating a poor grasp of data protection legislation and does not augur well for Garda use of powerful technologies such as facial recognition technology.” Fuller details and links at https://www.iccl.ie/news/thousands-of-unlawful-garda-surveillance-dossiers-created-about-children-including-infants/

Journalists unlawfully spied on

In a further stage of a long running saga, in mid-December the UK Investigatory Powers Tribunal found that the PSNI and the London Metropolitan Police illegally spied on journalists Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey who were involved in the programme No stone unturned looking at police collusion in the Loughinisland pub massacre of 1994. It was already established that the PSNI acted illegally in arresting them and seizing computer and other materials in their hunt for the source of leaked information. This was a further case regarding what was decided to be unlawful covert surveillance. More information online and in other media.

Death of Tom Hyland

We regret to record the death of Tom Hyland, founder of the East Timor Ireland Solidarity Campaign (ETISC) in 1992 where, in President Higgins’ words he made “a deeply significant contribution to the independence struggle and establishment of Timor-Leste” – which formally got its independence in 2002 from Indonesia and its genocidal level of violence, this followed a referendum in 1999. ETISC was effective at both Irish and EU levels. A bus driver by profession, Tom Hyland was also a co-founder of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign. He died in Dili on 24th December. Warm tributes included that from President José Ramos-Horta. Further information is available by using a word search.