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The Green Party has welcomed the
decision by Government to make a direct approach to the United
States on Extraordinary Rendition, Guantanamo Bay and the use of
torture.
The decision was made this week by a newly formed Cabinet
Sub-Committee to examine certain aspects of International Human
Rights.
Green Party Foreign Affairs spokesman Ciarán Cuffe stated:
"This represents real progress and it shows that the commitments on
rendition in the programme for government are being honoured.
"I met the Minister for Justice in August to discuss the issue and I
am delighted that the Government had decided to send a clear signal
to the incoming US administration.
"This marks a sea change in the way the Irish Government intends to
approach the issue. It is a signal that this Government is taking
human rights seriously."
"The Programme for Government contained a clear commitment on
extraordinary rendition, but practical impediments have remained up
to now. We have consistently argued that ordinary citizens could not
in practice be expected to have enough prima facie evidence to
prompt Gardaí to board US planes.
"This view has been echoed by various human rights bodies including
the Irish Human Rights Commission. The Green Party had difficulty
with the assertion that private property rights were blocked by
random airplane checks. The commitment to examine the law in this
area will be of great benefit," concluded Mr Cuffe.
The Government has set up a Cabinet committee on aspects of
international human rights composed of Green Party Ministers Eamon
Ryan and John Gormley, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin,
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern and Minister for Transport Noel
Dempsey.
The committee has agreed that the Government will contact the
transition team of the new US presidential administration seeking a
clear commitment that extraordinary rendition and interrogation
techniques which are considered torture (such as waterboarding) will
cease.
The Government will also ask the new administration to close the
detention facility in Guantánamo Bay as soon as possible.
The Cabinet committee will examine and strengthen legal provisions
to ensure that Gardaí and airport authorities have adequate legal
powers for search and inspection of aircraft. This may involve
strengthening the provisions of the Air Navigation and Transport
Acts.
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern will provide an update on the
implementation of a programme for government commitment in relation
to Garda human rights training.
The Cabinet Sub-Committee agreed that:
* The Minister for Foreign Affairs should make early contact with
the transition team of the new Presidential Administration in the
United States to seek a clear statement of intent that Extraordinary
Rendition would cease; the detention facility at Guantanamo would be
closed at the earliest opportunity, and intensive interrogation
techniques such as waterboarding which are internationally
considered to constitute torture would be prohibited
* The Committee would, with a view to strengthening as necessary the
legislative provisions, review the statutory powers currently
available to the civil and police authorities in this jurisdiction
re search and inspection of aircraft, including those provided under
the Air Navigation and Transport Acts, in the context of the
obligations on the State under the Chicago Convention, and
* The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform would make a
statement setting out
1. the steps taken to give effect to Human Rights training in the
Garda Síochána as agreed in the Programme for Government, and
2. the powers, resources and duties of the Garda Síochána in
relation to the inspection of aircraft.
Note: The Programme for Government commitment is as follows:
Extraordinary Rendition
The Irish Government is completely opposed to the practice of
extraordinary rendition.
1. The Government will prioritise effective enforcement of a)
Criminal Justice (United Nations Convention Against Torture) Act,
2000 b) The Geneva Conventions Acts 1962-1998.
To that end the Government will encourage and support An Garda
Síochána in the investigation and enforcement of these Statutes. It
will do so by making resources available for specialized training in
the provisions of those Statutes to members of An Garda Síochána and
by other means as may be required by An Garda Síochána in order to
ensure effective protection for the dignity of all persons within or
passing through the State.
We will ensure that all relevant legal instruments are used so that
the practice of extraordinary rendition does not occur in this State
in any form.
2. Ireland will seek EU and international support to address
deficiencies in aspects of the regulation of civil aviation under
the Chicago Convention.
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