Justice did not suddenly begin when the Conflict ended. There has been a significant disparity between those seeking justice and fair play in comparison to those who are seen as the beneficiaries of the past. Delays and obstacles to inquests, investigations, and fair trials continue to take their toll on peoples’ lives. Beneficiaries of the Past should not be permitted to perpetuate the injustices of the past.
In a democracy only a properly constituted court of law, independent from the executive, can determine guilt or authorise someone’s prolonged detention. Sadly, in Northern Ireland, politicians’ can, and have, defied court judgments and undermined the integrity of the judiciary in doing so. The Secretary of State, or Justice Minister, cannot be permitted to elude responsibility from perpetuating the greatest abuses of the past.
Recently, the media inaccurately reported on a court directive to the Justice Minister, David Ford. The emphasis in the reports was that David Ford has refused to pay compensation in my own case and that the court has merely asked Ford to reconsider his decision. That is not a true representation of the facts. In fact David Ford and his Dept do not think me to be guilty at all as part of their submission to the Court reveals, I quote, “He also refers to his previous (mistaken) suggestions that we regard him as guilty…”
Guest writer Emmet Doyle writes of his visits to the North's prisons and the injustices he sees there. He writes in a purely personal capacity.
Bet that title made you inquisitive? He's talking about something sordid, maybe gossip, maybe a rumour - sorry to disappoint, but please do read on.
Now before we start, I want you to think of the people and this post as 100% neutral. You don't dislike them, you don't dislike their politics, only then will you really 'get' what I'm trying to convey.
Today was my third visit to Maghaberry Prison, previously I had visited Marian Price, who has since been moved to Hydebank. Even then, I kid you not when I say it took me a week to return to the real world. In this hideous, grey monster's belly, was a (then) 57 year old woman, looking nothing like pictures I had seen or paintings around the City. Scared the life out of me genuinely, I barely slept over a 3-day period after it - indeed someone who contacted me about the visit afterwards and probably only wanted a 5 minute synopsis of how she was, got an hour and twenty minutes of me trying very hard indeed not to cry down the phone at them!
Since that day the prisoners issue has burned its way into my brain and I can't forget it. I don't want to dwell too much on any individual, so I'll move on.
Today, I went into Roe House, which houses Republican separated prisoners. I should say I hadn't been feeling well at all today, but a new kind of sickness swept through me as we entered the compound which looked to me to be a prison within a prison. A central walkway leads to the entrance of the building, with two large carges on either side - the yards. One for Loyalist separated prisoners to the left, the other for Republicans.
In the right 'yard' circled a group of largely older men, with long grey, black, white beards in jeans or tracksuit bottoms. Walking into the building itself, one would expect to see what Roe looks like in glossy NIPS bookets..
Bet that title made you inquisitive? He's talking about something sordid, maybe gossip, maybe a rumour - sorry to disappoint, but please do read on.
Now before we start, I want you to think of the people and this post as 100% neutral. You don't dislike them, you don't dislike their politics, only then will you really 'get' what I'm trying to convey.
Today was my third visit to Maghaberry Prison, previously I had visited Marian Price, who has since been moved to Hydebank. Even then, I kid you not when I say it took me a week to return to the real world. In this hideous, grey monster's belly, was a (then) 57 year old woman, looking nothing like pictures I had seen or paintings around the City. Scared the life out of me genuinely, I barely slept over a 3-day period after it - indeed someone who contacted me about the visit afterwards and probably only wanted a 5 minute synopsis of how she was, got an hour and twenty minutes of me trying very hard indeed not to cry down the phone at them!
Since that day the prisoners issue has burned its way into my brain and I can't forget it. I don't want to dwell too much on any individual, so I'll move on.
Today, I went into Roe House, which houses Republican separated prisoners. I should say I hadn't been feeling well at all today, but a new kind of sickness swept through me as we entered the compound which looked to me to be a prison within a prison. A central walkway leads to the entrance of the building, with two large carges on either side - the yards. One for Loyalist separated prisoners to the left, the other for Republicans.
In the right 'yard' circled a group of largely older men, with long grey, black, white beards in jeans or tracksuit bottoms. Walking into the building itself, one would expect to see what Roe looks like in glossy NIPS bookets..
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