Conference tallis::celt

1210.0. "Banned by the BBC" by KOALA::HOLOHAN () Tue May 04 1993 16:23

          Bernadette Devlin:  Banned by the BBC

  The decision of the BBC to invoke the Broadcasting ban in relation to
my contribution to the "Nation" programme marked an extension of this
abhorrent legislation into the area of reporting and commentary.  A
number of features of the entire disturbing and distasteful episode are
particularly alarming.  I recorded my contribution ten full days before
broadcasting.  The final programme was a grossly simplified distortion
of an excellent studio discussion.  However, despite the decision of the
BBC to subtitle my entire contribution, neither the programme-makers nor
the BBC informed any of the participants in the programme of this
proposed action.
  I was anonymously alerted to the reality of what the programme was at
11 o'clock the night before it was to be shown.  I immediately made
efforts to contact the programme makers who had in effect gone to
ground.  On my behalf, [attorney] Gareth Pierce was in contact with the
BBC who refused:
 - to postpone the programme, until I had seen the edited contribution
 - to examine the unedited recording
 - to reconsider their decision to subtitle
 - to remove my contribution from the programme.

  The public perception of the ban is that it is a "Sinn Fein" ban.  The
overwhelming majority of subtitled broadcasts have involved elected
representatives of Sinn Fein.  It is also perceived as the
"anti-violence" ban, silencing those who are paramilitary representatives,
or advocates of "political violence".  By a single broadcast, I was
categorised, in the minds of millions of people from as "one of those
people from whom society requires protection".  Why?  Mr. Cox the
programme producer, whose exact role and motivation in creating the
situation remain unclear, blames the BBC.
  The BBC, in turn, blames the government, and the government, as in the
road-signs at military check-points, blames "the terrorist".  Of no
relevance to the BBC, its lawyers, Juniper Productions, David Cox, or
the British Government is the small matter of my basic human right to
speak, to be heard or, indeed, my right to security of person.
  Of even less relevance was my reputation as a human rights activists,
a non-violent campaigner of twenty three years standing, a political
commentator and analyst of Irish and internation human rights issues.
That is not to blow my own trumpet.  It is to put in perspective the
enormity of the BBC action.  Their only defence has been that they acted
on their lawyers' advice.  Their lawyer's defence is that they were only
"doing their job".  It is not the job of lawyers to police the state.
It is no the job of lawyers or broadcasters to violate the human rights
of citizens in order to police the state.
  I have no legal redress in this matter of the violation of my rights.
No law enforcement officer, or agency, no Court or member of the
judiciary, no Government authority stated that I, Bernadette McAliskey,
should not be permitted to state my analysis of the causes of political
violence in N. Ireland on the airways.  Some faceless lawyer doing his
job dictated my fate, in the interest of the Government, its ideology,
and its advancement.

************************

PRESS RELEASE                                    MAY 27,  1994

        SILENCING THE TALKER BUT THE SILENT MUST TALK

   How the "Mother of Democracies" Controls her Dissidents.

 The ruling of a British High Court that Bernadette McAliskey's
 civil rights were not violated by a BBC broadcasting gag on a
 program about the conflict in the North of Ireland goes to show
 once again the extent to which democracy has eroded in the United
 Kingdom.  It does not matter that Bernadette was never a member of
 any paramilitary group or that she never advocated violence or that
 by denying her right of free speech she could become the target
 once again of loyalist death squads, what passes for British
 justice may not be impugned.  Political wisdom rather than justice
 determines that the status quo must remain intact.

 This court decision points out in bold relief the contradictions
 inherent in the manner Britain tries to manipulate the justice
 system to further its colonial objectives.  On the one hand, those
 whose voices they fear may not be heard.  On the other hand, those
 whom they consider a threat to their definition of law and order
 may not remain silent in their juryless courts.

 With frozen upper lip and an arrogance born of centuries of false
 superiority, the British still pretend they have a democracy.  In
 the long run, it is the ordinary British citizen who will suffer
 the most.  Every unjust law introduced into their artificial Irish
 statlet will find its way into the British system to be used
 against their working class people.  There it will remain long
 after Ireland has discarded the shackles of colonial rule.

 Kicking and screaming the Tory mentality is being dragged into the
 democracies of Europe.  It is their reluctance to break from their
 inglorious past that determined the results of the recent European
 poll showing that Britain is the most unreliable partner in the
 European Community.   Some of the people may be fooled some of the
 time, but all of the people can't be fooled all of the time.

 Seven British bullets failed to silence Bernadette in 1981. The
 Tories shall hear from her again.


 Daniel P. O'Kennedy, National Vice President and Press Officer.
 Irish American Unity Conference

    re Bernadette Devlin 
    		* never a Volunteer ?
    		* never advocated violence ?
    
    Mmmm.....?
    
    John