Colombia Solidarity Campaign
- Fighting for Peace with Justice -
| Irishmen - Guilty Until Proven Innocent |
 |
| Bulletin archive - Bulletin Issue3 October?December 2001 | |||
| Tuesday, 09 September 2008 12:35 | |||
|
The three Irishmen arrested in Colombia in August after getting of a plane from the demilitarised zone, remain in prison in Bogotá. Initially imprisoned in the Modelo, fears for their safety from paramilitary prisoners means that they have now been transfered to an installation of the DIJIN (special police), where they are held in near isolation.
They have been charged with offences related to the training of guerilla groups, but privately, officials admit that clear evidence only exists to support the fact that the three were travelling on false passports. This crime is usually punishable with deportation. Evidence to detain them on terrorist offences comes courtesy of the US embassy, whose tests on the mens’ clothing found traces of explosives and drugs. The same tests carried out by the Colombian security police (DAS) and by the Institute of Legal Medicine both failed to find any incriminating evidence of this kind, but now the three defendents and their legal representation find themselves in the unenviable position of having to litigate against the US authorities. Why the US authorities are involved in the case at all remains unexplained, as does why the three men were followed to and all around Colombia by the SAS. Following the arrests, the international press were very quick to announce that traces of explosives and drugs had been found on the defendants, and immediately assumed that the IRA had been involved in explosives training for the FARC in return for cocaine. This certainly fits in well with the US government’s view of various revolutionary and national liberation groups around the world, who they never tire of telling us are barely distinguishable from the drugs cartels (think Oliver North, Noriega and the Contras). This might well explain why the US are the only authorities able to find any evidence to support these theories and are willing to involve themselves in a criminal case in a foreign country, overriding the investigation of the traditional authorities. The British government too has made much political capital, with anti-communists in the US condemning their compatriots who provide funds for the IRA. Predictably, unionists in the north of Ireland have complained that the IRA have broken their ceaseire and continue to threaten to withdraw from the peace process. It remains unclear if Martin John McCauley, David Bracken and James William Monaghan are current members of either Sinn Fein or the IRA. While the Sinn Fein leadership in Europe has denied current involvement with any of the three, an announcement from Cuba claimed that Monaghan was Sinn Fein’s official representative in Havana. It also remains unclear what they were doing in the demilitarised zone. If they had been on an explosives training or drug buying mission, it is unlikely that they would have flown to Caguan on an official Armed Forces flight as was the case. Surely entering the zone and even Colombia by land would be a much better bet for such a clandestine visit. As Manuel Marulanda pointed out, both the IRA and the FARC are currently involved in their own respective peace processes, but noone has accused the two groups of exchanging experiences and ideas on this topic. Amidst all the conjecture and rumour, what is clear is that should the case come to trial, the US authorities will ensure that public hysteria and moral panic about perceived terrorism, already an active policy before the attacks in the USA, overshadows all the evidence. The evidence suggests that the defendants are innocent, and must be considered so until proven guilty. But as recent US policy shows, evidence of guilt is not always necessary when it comes to wars. David Rhys-Jones
|
Colombia Solidarity Campaign on Twitter
about 2 days ago
Colombia's resistance to corporate mining excess has lessons for the world http://t.co/fNuNBtdr
about 2 days ago
RT @HollmanMorris : http://t.co/lK0NEEax "Suarez Gold" en @guardiannews Reflexión recomendada sobre minería
about 16 days ago
RT @amnestylondon : Thank you Andy from @ColombiaSC for an in depth discussion around HR & peaceful protest in #Colombia http://t.co/19ryL9aW
about 20 days ago
Blog: No head of state should rest easy – today a precedent has been set – Taylor-made justice will catch up with you http://t.co/96K1ewqH
about 20 days ago
RT @HollmanMorris : Colombianos en Londres, todavía pueden llegar a la presentación del nuevo documental Los espero!!! http://t.co/bV2KDsyW
about 20 days ago
Film screening and Q&A with @HollmanMorris and experts on Afro -descendant rights and mining in #Colombia 7pm 26 Apr http://t.co/n7M1jd97
about 20 days ago
Suárez Gold: Afro-Colombian miners defending their heritage - New doc from MRG Thurs 26th April Amnesty HR Centre http://t.co/bV2KDsyW
about 20 days ago
RT @londonmining : Web: Colombia: going for gold http://t.co/ibbiXkTX
about 20 days ago
Film screening and a Q&A with @HollmanMorris and experts on Afro-descendant rights and mining in #Colombia - 7pm 26 Apr http://t.co/n7M1jd97
about 21 days ago
RT @Gus5ilva : RT @Contravia : IMPUNITY en París, Francia. HOY http://t.co/Oqko4A2g
about 21 days ago
Film screening and a Q&A with @HollmanMorris and experts on Afro-descendant rights and mining in #Colombia - 7pm 26 Apr http://t.co/n7M1jd97
about 22 days ago
Film screening and a Q&A with @HollmanMorris and experts on Afro-descendant rights and mining in #Colombia - 7pm 26 Apr http://t.co/n7M1jd97
about 26 days ago
#FF @londonmining @ABColombia1 @Col_Caravana @JOTAKLAN @PBIColombia @PBIUK @AmnestyUK @ccajar @HollmanMorris @Contravia
about 26 days ago
RT @londonmining : @newsneighbour Vote Rio Tinto for #GreenwashGold 2012 at http://t.co/oSZbUJIV
about 26 days ago
RT @londonmining : Olympic medal pollution protesters disrupt Rio Tinto meeting http://t.co/xozf1XSy via @guardian #greenwashgold
about 26 days ago
RT @bbcmundo : Los planes hidroeléctricos que pueden poner en riesgo a la Amazonia http://t.co/HtLDrDvP
about 26 days ago
Where does the metal for 2012 medals come from? http://t.co/NbRjSajg The women leading mining resistance via @thefworduk #greenwashgold
about 26 days ago
Protesters grab chance for a dig at mining giants - Business News - Business - The Independent http://t.co/CZcC7shU #GreenwashGold
Search the website
Latest branch meeting
London Mining Network
The London Mining Network (LMN) is an alliance of human rights, development and environmental groups. We pledge to expose the role of companies, funders and government in the promotion of unacceptable mining projects.
| London Mining NetworkColombia | London Mining Network |
| Holding the mining industry to account |
|
Copyright © Colombia Solidarity Campaign. All Rights Reserved. Joomla Templates by JoomlaWeb
Joomla Templates Sponsored by Best of Joomla!
Joomla Templates Sponsored by Best of Joomla!
Colombia Solidarity Campaign is affiliated to the European Network of Friendship and Solidarity with Colombia, which has eleven affiliates in Spain and ten from other countries.