Allister tells Europe, 'Learn from our mistakes'
19 February 2008
During a debate on terrorism within the EU, Traditional Unionist Jim Allister told fellow MEPs in Strasbourg that sometimes society had to choose between defending itself and indulging the human rights of the terrorist. Dealing with a report which put heavy emphasis on preserving the human rights of all, Jim Allister described some of the content as “naïve”. Speaking of Northern Ireland’s experiences of terrorism the TUV MEP warned of the disasters of appeasing terrorism.
In the course of his remarks Mr Allister said:-
As a representative from Northern Ireland, which suffered decades of vicious terrorism, I give you two points from our experience.
1. Terrorism should never be appeased, rather it must be defeated. Start treating with terrorism, giving its prisoners ‘special status’, and ultimately early release, and soon you’ll end up, like Northern Ireland, with unrepentant terrorists at the heart of your government. Appeasement only whets the insatiable appetite of terrorists.
2. Whereas State abuse is not right, a naïve belief – as evident in this report – that lavishing so called ‘human rights’ on terrorists will neutralise them, will, in fact only strengthen their cause, as they expertly exploit and misuse every such right to their own advantage, while they go on denying to their victims the most basic human right of them all, the right to life.
Because of the excesses of their murderous strategy, sometimes the defence of society requires a choice between uninhibited rights for the terrorist and the rights of the innocent. In such circumstances, I have no difficulty in choosing the right of society to defend itself over the supposed human rights of the terrorist. The battle against terrorism is a battle of good against evil and, if needs be, the rights of the terrorist is secondary to that of society.
