Whilst rhetoric playing the person, not the issue, or language inciting hatred or illegality is unacceptable, the recent report by UN Human Rights Experts on Colin Harvey is disturbing, for more than one reason.

The body of evidence used to substantiate the report is not, to my knowledge, on the public record so we can all get a sense of the justice or lack of it, in the claims made.

 No sense comes across in the statement (see below) about how Mr Harvey should be legitimately called out in the public interest, in what often appears to be his blatantly one sided attitude to Human Rights. 

How he often appears to see the attaining of nationalist/republican political goals and human rights goals as one and the same thing. How the imperative of  all Ireland national reactualisation and the attaining of acceptable human rights standards seem conflated in his mind. 

One would think, that after decades of stalemate, with Northern Ireland lodged between the UK and Ireland, that a sudden change in the power relations towards nationalism resulting from a border poll supporting a UI, would, by natural justice, centre human rights attention on the minority, of Unionists, Protestants Loyalists, and British affiliating people now soon to be under the control of the state, they had opposed for so long. 

That the Irish state and nation would come under scrutiny in a manner commensurate with their new responsibilities for the rights of those difficult minorities who traditionally affiliated with their former overlord. 

But no. This ‘no brainer’ as I would have thought, is not the case. The opposite in fact appears to be the case in the ‘transition’ to the new order on the island that he is centred on promoting. 

That the UN is so unconditionally sympathetic, that he has friends in such high places looking out for him, surely should disturb.

Not that they should shy away from expressing concern at those abusing him (and us all), or calling them out. Of course not.

But to do this without a sense of the wider context of abuses of human rights by both sides, the rise of republican populism, the emotive nature of the conflict, societal hatreds related to it, is disappointing.

Human Rights is for all, not a chattel of Irish nationalism and republicanism.

Who is looking out for the Human Rights of ordinary  unionists in particular? 

In my opinion, this issue should be regarded as many times more important than the un-winnable Protocol issue.

Contents of UN article:

Attacks against human rights advocate threaten academic freedom in Northern Ireland – UN experts

GENEVA (24 March 2022) – An ongoing smear campaign against human rights lawyer Colin Harvey threatens academic freedom in Northern Ireland and has the potential to spark physical violence, UN human rights experts* said today.

Since 2019, Professor Colin Harvey, former Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, has been the subject of a vicious online campaign, in connection with his work as Professor of Human Rights Law at Queens University Belfast. His academic credibility has come under attack and he received hundreds of smears and threats from politicians, journalists and other social media users. His personal security has also been threatened.

Much of Harvey’s recent work focuses on the constitutional future of Northern Ireland, following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. “The threats seek to discredit his academic standing by making baseless claims he is connected with paramilitary groups or equating his ideas with Nazism,” the experts said.

The UN experts are particularly concerned that the threats are taking place in an increasingly polarized political landscape in Northern Ireland. Previous physical attacks on leading human rights figures were preceded by campaigns of vilification. “We believe the campaign against Colin Harvey may constitute incitement of national hatred, putting him at risk of physical harm,” the experts said.

They warned that smear campaigns and threats of physical attack against academics could have dire consequences for academic freedom in a country. “When attacks are made against legitimate academic work, it deals a blow to democracy, progress and development,” the experts said. “Debate becomes stifled and other academics consider self-censoring or begin to shy away from meaningful debate.”

The experts expressed concern that some influential figures in the country were fueling conspiracy theories about Harvey. “When those in authority take part in smear campaigns, they legitimize attacks from other members of society,” they said.

“Fomenting a narrative that a person is untrustworthy because of their national identity or viewpoint can have dire consequences, not only on that individual, but on all those who hold similar beliefs or hail from similar backgrounds.

“Northern Ireland knows better than most the value of conciliation and mutual understanding. We urge for debate in the media and among public officials and private citizens online to be held in a constructive and meaningful manner, to preserve peace, security and academic freedom in Northern Ireland.”

The experts are in contact with the authorities on this issue.

ENDS

*The experts: Ms. Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Ms. Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms Koumba Boly Barry, Special Rapporteur on the right to education, Mr. Diego García-Sayán, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.

Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Proceduresof the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.