Assemblies Bill attack on democratic right to protest

Editorial Department • Published 22 Jul 2010 16:00 0 Comments

Dear Sir -Sinn Fein and DUP Councillors Flanagan and Brimstone having both failed to attend our public meeting organised to discuss the draft parades and protest bill where opportunities to put forward anything positive in support of their bill, instead chose to resort to cheap political point scoring in this paper shows the immaturity of the Council's new members.

The weakness of Sinn Fein and DUP over this draconian legislation evidences daily with ever growing opposition to the Bill with trade unions and community groups calling for it to be scrapped along with scathing submissions from Amnesty International, CAJ and the Human rights commission all critical of the erosion of Human rights. This Bill is in violation of Article 11 of the Human rights Convention on Human rights where "everyone has the right to peaceful assembly".

The Sinn Fein and DUP working group who drafted this Bill, which included Michelle Gildernew MP, had a very clear remit, to deal with a small number of contentious parades, has been rejected by several residents groups, including the Garvaghy Road and Lower Ormeau residents groups who described it as unfocused and disproportionate and called for it to be totally scrapped.

The draft Bill is an attack on trade unions and the democratic right to protest. This is one of the most draconian pieces of legislation introduced anywhere other than North Korea. Think of a situation where parents and supporters decided to protest at the closure of a school or playgroup, or indeed the recent Quinn Workers demonstrations, all due to cuts and losses. Those who protest would face a £5000 fine or six months imprisonment if the 37-day notice had not been granted.

"A right delayed is a right denied," Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights Leader. We will defend our rights.

Yours faithfully,

Democratic Rights Committee

Fermanagh

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This letter appeared in Impartial Reporter 22 Jul 10

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