CIA..Go away

I must admit the Green Party is not perfect, indeed political parties are imperfect instruments for change...all have cliques, clashes, gossip, friction of various kinds but while I try and remain sharply critical I am rather impressed by the out put from our 2 MEPs Jean and Caroline....day after day after they work hard on ecology through to human rights.

Well folks obviously there are lots of people doing good things but this from Jean seems a good example of what a radical parliamentarian (its almost an oxymoran) should be shouting about.


NEWS RELEASE
From The Office Of Jean Lambert, London's Green MEP

14th February 2007

MEMBER STATES CONTINUE TO STICK HEADS IN SAND DESPITE EP FINDINGS ON CIA
ABUSES

UK Euro MP Jean Lambert has today welcomed the European Parliament’s
report following the investigation into the CIA extraordinary rendition
flights, and urged member states to continue with their own inquiries.

Jean, who sits on the European Parliament’s Temporary Committee Of
Inquiry into the CIA abuses, today said that despite the efforts of some
member states to soften the report, it had sent a strong message that EU
Government’s could no longer ‘stick their heads in the sand’ and ignore
the problem.

Jean commented; "The so-called 'war' on terror has been used by some to
rework international law and defy international conventions on human
rights and the treatment of those detained (on suspicion, not proof)
without trial or any due process. Human rights are universal and
indivisible and the EU is committed to upholding these rights.

“This report confronts us with an uncomfortable reality, that /the CIA
did both abduct and transport civilians in EU countries, a practice that
many EU governments and key officials in the EU institutions were aware
of. We now urge Member State Parliaments and Governments to investigate
fully what may have been happening on their territory.

"This must not be the end of the Parliament's involvement in this issue
and we must be vigilant to ensure that its recommendations are acted on.
As a member of the European Parliament’s Human Rights and Civil
Liberties Committees I will ensure that we re-evaluate our findings in
the coming months. We need clear rules to prevent external secret
services from carrying out human rights violations with impunity in EU
territory again."

ENDS

For more information please contact:
Morwenna Holland, Media Officer
tel: 020 7407 6280 or 07813149812
email: media@jeanlambertmep.org.uk
www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk

Notes to editors:

Jean Lambert: In October 2005 Jean was named MEP 2005 for Justice and
Human Rights. Jean was first elected Green Party Member of the European
Parliament for London in the 1999 European elections. She was re-elected
in 2004. She is one of nine MEPs representing London and one of two UK
Green representatives in the European Parliament.

--
Morwenna Holland
Media and Public Relations Officer

Office of Jean Lambert MEP - London's Green MEP
Suite 58, The Hop Exchange
24 Southwark Street
London, SE1 1TY

Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7407 6280
Fax: 00 44 (0)20 7234 0183

Email: media@jeanlambertmep.org.uk
Web: www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk