20 September 2001 Edition
Campaign for Colombia Three launched
World-renowned balladeer Christy Moore played a special concert last Monday night, 18 September, to launch a campaign for the return of the three Irishmen currently being held without charge by the Colombian government.
The campaign, called simply `Bring Them Home', is led by the families of the three men and supported by Sinn Féin, Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna and TD John Gormley and Socialist Party TD, Joe Higgins, amongst others.
Moore, who played many of his older tunes on the night, said that he had been angered at the media response to the arrests. Knowing two of the accused men, he said, he was outraged at comments made by Irish Times security correspondent Jim Cusack in relation to their arrests. Much of the media commentary had amounted to hysteria, he said.
This media response, along with other factors outlined in a leaflet produced by the families, poses a serious threat to the men's prospects of a fair trial.
``Given the publicity in Colombia, Ireland and Britain following their arrests and the serious unsubstantiated allegations made by political and media commentators, their families do not believe they can obtain a fair legal process,'' the campaign leaflet states.
Among the unsubstantiated allegations referred to were claims that the men had traces of drugs and bomb-making material on their clothes, that they had been videotaped training Colombian FARC guerillas and that they had been formally charged - all allegations made by the Colombian government, all later retracted. Other allegations, again unsubstantiated, that emerged in ensuing media reports, ranged from claims that the three were involved in drug-trafficking to making napalm bombs. The family argue that such allegations will inevitably prejudice the legal process.
The families also draw attention to the refusal to allow the men consult with their legal representatives to prepare a defence, as they are being cooped up in a four-metre square cell for 23 hours a day. The dangers of Colombian jails are well documented also by Amnesty International.
Campaigners are now calling on the Dublin government, the EU, Irish political parties, human rights and church groups and individuals of all political and religious persuasions, and none, to call for the immediate release of the three on humanitarian grounds.
How you can contact the Bring Them Home campaign:
Telephone: (087) 901 8147
E-mail: [email protected]
Bank Account details
Account Name: Bring them Home; The Colombia Three
Account Address: Bank of Ireland, 2 College Green, Dublin 2.
Bank Sort Code: 90-00-17
Account No: 3666 5039
The campaign, called simply `Bring Them Home', is led by the families of the three men and supported by Sinn Féin, Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna and TD John Gormley and Socialist Party TD, Joe Higgins, amongst others.
Moore, who played many of his older tunes on the night, said that he had been angered at the media response to the arrests. Knowing two of the accused men, he said, he was outraged at comments made by Irish Times security correspondent Jim Cusack in relation to their arrests. Much of the media commentary had amounted to hysteria, he said.
This media response, along with other factors outlined in a leaflet produced by the families, poses a serious threat to the men's prospects of a fair trial.
``Given the publicity in Colombia, Ireland and Britain following their arrests and the serious unsubstantiated allegations made by political and media commentators, their families do not believe they can obtain a fair legal process,'' the campaign leaflet states.
Among the unsubstantiated allegations referred to were claims that the men had traces of drugs and bomb-making material on their clothes, that they had been videotaped training Colombian FARC guerillas and that they had been formally charged - all allegations made by the Colombian government, all later retracted. Other allegations, again unsubstantiated, that emerged in ensuing media reports, ranged from claims that the three were involved in drug-trafficking to making napalm bombs. The family argue that such allegations will inevitably prejudice the legal process.
The families also draw attention to the refusal to allow the men consult with their legal representatives to prepare a defence, as they are being cooped up in a four-metre square cell for 23 hours a day. The dangers of Colombian jails are well documented also by Amnesty International.
Campaigners are now calling on the Dublin government, the EU, Irish political parties, human rights and church groups and individuals of all political and religious persuasions, and none, to call for the immediate release of the three on humanitarian grounds.
How you can contact the Bring Them Home campaign:
Telephone: (087) 901 8147
E-mail: [email protected]
Bank Account details
Account Name: Bring them Home; The Colombia Three
Account Address: Bank of Ireland, 2 College Green, Dublin 2.
Bank Sort Code: 90-00-17
Account No: 3666 5039