OBSERVE HUMAN RIGHTS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

WHEREAS, Northern Ireland has been embroiled in conflict since its creation and especially for the past 25 years; and

WHEREAS, this conflict has cost the lives of more than 3,000 people; and

WHEREAS, children in Northern Ireland are the innocent victims of police, military and paramilitary violence, growing up in an atmosphere of hatred and fear; and

WHEREAS, employment discrimination, lack of democracy, lack of respect for human rights and for legal due process are among the principal causes of the conflict and have aggravated and prolonged it; and

WHEREAS, a series of reports in recent years by respected human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Helsinki Watch, the International Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights and the Belfast-based Committee on the Administration of Justice have documented serious violations of international norms, including detention without charges, extended denial of access to legal counsel, non-jury trials for "political offenses," police brutality, physical abuse of suspects, censorship of electronic news media, unnecessary strip searches of prisoners, evidence of shoot-to-kill practices and security force collusion with paramilitary assassins; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of State has recently strengthened its criticism of human rights conditions in Northern Ireland in its country report on the United Kingdom; and

WHEREAS, Great Britain's democratic traditions and institutions have been eroded and compromised by its practices in Northern Ireland; and

WHEREAS, hope for an early end to violence and peaceful resolution of political and human rights issues has been renewed by the recent peace initiative by leaders of Northern Ireland's nationalist community and by the Joint Declaration of the governments of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers

• condemn political violence in Northern Ireland, condemn killings by police and military authorities and by both Republican and Loyalist paramilitaries; and

• reaffirm its support for peaceful and democratic efforts to end discrimination and promote respect for human rights, such as the MacBride Principles fair employment campaign; and

• support negotiations among all parties to the conflict aimed at achieving a permanent end to violence and a peaceful resolution of political issues; and

• call on the IRA and on Loyalist paramilitaries to stop their violent campaigns and join in such negotiations; and

• call upon British authorities in Northern Ireland and/or whatever political authority may succeed them to respect and uphold international norms of human rights; and

• urge the Clinton administration to continue to play an active role in monitoring human rights and encouraging peace initiatives in Northern Ireland; and

• hope that the children of Northern Ireland will, in the future, be raised and educated in an atmosphere that promotes democratic values, tolerance and respect for both its traditions; and seek to support or develop projects that promote and protect the rights and well-being of children in Northern Ireland, i.e., integrate education, civil education, cross-community cooperation.