SPECIAL POWERS PERPETUATE CONFLICT
Special powers just perpetuate conflict
AS a relative of Jolene Marlow, who was killed in the Omagh explosion, I am concerned at London and Dublin's response to the outrage.
The intention of the bombers was to undermine the Good Friday Agreement, part of which was to increase human rights and move away from emergency legislation.
It would be a further tragedy if they were to succeed in this objective.
The tragic history of the past 80 years shows that the use of Draconian special powers perpetuates rather than resolves conflict.
The history of the use of emergency powers enacted after bomb outrages shows that it results in unfortunate people being jailed for long periods, thus compounding the original tragedy by destroying even more innocent lives.
It is for these reasons that a very sympathetic and sensible statement urging both governments not to allow the bombers to succeed in their objective of undermining the Good Friday Agreement was issued by five prominent Human Rights groups including Amnesty International, of which, I am proud to say, Jolene Marlow was an active member.
Dr SEAN MARLOW
AS a relative of Jolene Marlow, who was killed in the Omagh explosion, I am concerned at London and Dublin's response to the outrage.
The intention of the bombers was to undermine the Good Friday Agreement, part of which was to increase human rights and move away from emergency legislation.
It would be a further tragedy if they were to succeed in this objective.
The tragic history of the past 80 years shows that the use of Draconian special powers perpetuates rather than resolves conflict.
The history of the use of emergency powers enacted after bomb outrages shows that it results in unfortunate people being jailed for long periods, thus compounding the original tragedy by destroying even more innocent lives.
It is for these reasons that a very sympathetic and sensible statement urging both governments not to allow the bombers to succeed in their objective of undermining the Good Friday Agreement was issued by five prominent Human Rights groups including Amnesty International, of which, I am proud to say, Jolene Marlow was an active member.
Dr SEAN MARLOW
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0312
Published Date: 28-Aug-98
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