Thread: Cornish stitched up by UK justice

European Conference in London regarding Cornwall and the Cornish People
hears damning evidence from Cornish witnesses.

A high powered and well attended conference has occurred on 23rd March, 2007 at the London Headquarters of the Commission for Racial Equality between members of the Human Rights Division of the Advisory Committee of the Council of Europe and invited representatives of Cornish official and non Governmental organisations.

This follows the exclusion by the Westminster Government of the Cornish by name from the United Kingdom Framework Convention submission to Europe. No reason was given for this decision despite letters written to the appropriate Westminster Departments and so as part of a fact-finding tour, the Commission invited evidence directly from Cornish representatives in order to present a report directly to the Council of Ministers of Europe.

Eva Smith-Asmussen from Denmark who headed a committee of Council of Europe representatives chaired the meeting.

Dan Rogerson, Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall informed the Committee that without proper recognition, Cornish culture, heritage, history and lifestyle faced destruction due to the wave of incomers into Cornwall. County Councillor, Julian German informed the commission that the government is deliberately preventing the Cornwall County Council from collecting data on Cornish ethnicity which renders the Cornish statistically invisible and prevents the implementation of socially responsible policies by the Council.

Dr. Nigel Hicks representing the Federal Union of European Nationalities and the International Celtic League informed the meeting that confidence in the legal system is compromised by the rights of the Duke of Cornwall ‘to control or intervene in proceedings affecting his rights, property or profits’ by virtue of statutes and that the English media portrays the struggles of the Cornish people for human rights as the work of cranks or terrorists. Understandably, tempers were at breaking point in Cornwall and emotions running high and now the Government has refused to respond to any questions and submissions regarding Cornwall, hiding behind a wall of bureaucratic silence.

The Cornish Stannary Parliament, represented by Colin Murley, had submitted a massive legal case to Europe which had been lodged and registered for judicial hearing before the European Court of Human Rights including evidence that Prince Charles, the Duke of Cornwall had been openly critical of the Human Rights Act and who acted as the first consultee for all Departments dealing with Cornish issues in protection of his own income and profits. John Angarrack of Cornwall 2000, a human rights organization based in Bodmin joined Mr. Murley in his evidential submission, speaking as one who had personally brought a legal case before the High Court in London that had now been referred for judicial review. Mr. Angarrack had submitted thousands of legally researched documents in support of his case for Cornwall and the Government had responded with 16 pages, and a cost against Mr. Angarrack of £6,500, effectively £406.25 per page ! Against a background of shocked faces, he added that he faced a veil of secrecy by the Government in a complete refusal by them to reveal U.K. minorities included within the provision.

"Jim Pengelly of "Tyr-Gwyr-Gweryn" discussed the crucial subject of education and questioned why the Advisory Committee delegates, in 2002, failed to challenge the UK Government's failure to include the Cornish, as referred to in the COE "Opinion" 78. The Advisory Committee confirmed that they had but they cannot force the State Government to do so. They also confirmed that the Government had also declined the COE subsequent offer to organise a meeting between themselves, the Cornish and the Government. He also pointed to the fact that the Government seems to treat the Framework Convention with contempt, and drew attention to, and quoted from, a special report from the F W de Klerk Foundation on the need to define minorities rather than the flawed concept of considering rights in terms of the individual."

The Committee also heard from Dr. Davyth Hicks, an Independent Advisor on European Minorities, who stated that the policies of the Government of the United Kingdom towards the indigenous Celtic minorities of Britain were shameful when compared to best practice elsewhere throughout Europe.

There were no witnesses from Mebyon Kernow – The Party for Cornwall or the Cornish Gorseth and enquiries reveal that these bodies had probably not been invited.

The Advisory Committee agreed to take the evidence in full back to Europe for deliberation in further dealings with a less than helpful Westminster Government.

Report by: http//www.Cornishnotenglish.com & An Kesunyans Keltek – Scoren Kernewek (The Cornish Branch of the International Celtic League)

24th March, 2007