AMERICAN BREXIT COMMITTEE
1919 CHESTNUT ST, SUITE 1724
PHILADELPHIA, PA. 19103
MISSION STATEMENT
America’s historical links to Ireland as an ally are long standing. This Committee seeks to call attention to Britain’s Brexit policies threatening Ireland’s economy, American security trading and investment interests, fulfillment of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) obligations and America’s ability to promote the rule of law and democracy.
1. The only real progress made in resolving the conflict in Ireland has involved the bi-partisan initiatives of American Presidents. The most significant of these have been: a. appointment of a Special Envoy to Ireland; b. removal of U. S. visa restrictions on Sinn Fein political party; c. creation of the International Fund for Ireland and, more importantly, the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Britain’s exit from the European Union to date has promoted political instability in Northern Ireland and economic uncertainty throughout Ireland. We urge the U. S. Department of State to conduct a post-Brexit foreign policy review of US-UK-Ireland and EU relations to identify ways the U. S. might minimize the negative impact of British Brexit actions on Ireland and on U. S. security interests.
2. In leaving the European Union, the British government proclaim to want an expanded role in world trade by eliminating and undermining EU regulations and policies intended to promote and protect health, security, environment, trade and human rights objectives for its member nations. Britain wants to be bailed out from the folly of Brexit with a new US-UK trade deal which would surely impact America’s ally Ireland with collateral damage. The United States Trade Representative and Secretary of State must review all trade agreements and contracts with Britain for their impact on Ireland. Such review is in addition to conformance with the obligations of the U. S. Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act, the Global Magnitsky Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2012, the Good Friday Agreement and America’s support of multi-lateral security pacts.
3. The 1998 Belfast Agreement (GFA) between the UK and the EU Ireland has served to remove guns from the Irish conflict. But protecting human rights and restoring justice and democracy and the rule of law remain a work in progress. The GFA is an international treaty with legacy, human rights and justice obligations. However, Britain continues to delay and obstruct progress with its related pacts. It is binding in international law but not binding on Britain unless incorporated into domestic law. That is why Britain now proposes to unilaterally grant impunity for the security forces killings of 1100+ unarmed Irish citizens in N.I. Moreover, this Conservative government has announced plans to repeal the 1998 Human Rights Act. The Legacy bill granting these impunity powers will be voted on in Parliament in September, 2023 and is the key to covering up 30 years of lawless actions and criminal behavior in N.I. and to absolving the British government of any liability. It is opposed by the Irish government as a violation of both the spirit and intent of the GFA and as a denial of Article II rights of the European Convention of Human Rights. Such an action by Parliament should draw the official rebuke by the U.S. Secretary of State. The U.S. Attorney General should also suspend U.S. cooperation with Britain in Mutual Legal Assistance matters (MLAT) and any pending extradition/deportation actions involving Irish citizens.
4. Britain committed the greatest theft of democracy in the 20th century by unilaterally partitioning Ireland in 1920 after its overwhelming election losses in 1918/1919 to Sinn Fein. The democratic victory for Ireland’s independence was short lived. Not one Irish vote was ever cast in favor of the 1920 partition. That wound on the body politic of Ireland has never healed. Again in 2016 Britain ignored a 56-44 vote in N.I. to REMAIN in the EU and instead the Conservatives used the political minority to disrupt the implementation of the N.I. Protocol of the EU-UK Withdrawal Treaty, as they did when arming them in 1919/20 to promote partition. Britain belittles the GFA obligation of a Unity poll and makes vague responses as to its conduct. Former PM Boris Johnson claimed that the Unity poll would not be held “…for a long, long time…” We ask the United States to publicly affirm the conduct of a unity poll and do so while affirming a policy in favor of ending support for Britain’s policies ‘perfecting partition’ and promoting instead the re-unification of Ireland and restoring the all-Ireland plebiscite to promote the sovereignty of Ireland for all the people of Ireland. This would end the last vassal colony in Europe.
In the New Atlantic Charter signed in June, 2021, Prime Minister Johnson and President Biden agreed to “…uphold the rule of law, confront injustice, defend the human rights of all…to defend the principles, values, and institutions of democracy.” Britain’s historical malign influence on elections in Ireland and their policies and actions to implement Brexit have placed Ireland’s peace and prosperity in peril and challenges America’s role in world affairs. Britain’s actions affecting Ireland require U.S. diplomacy and, if necessary, reprimand and sanctions but never again silence or inaction.
7/2023