Senator’s arrest was similar to disturbing incidents elsewhere
Thursday 30th April 2009, 3:00PM BST.
From Will McMahon, chairman, and Jim Goddard, secretary, Care Leavers’ Association UK.
DURING the last three weeks, while we have been busy in dealing with cases of past child abuse of children in care in the UK, we have followed with concern and alarm the recent police proceedings against Senator Stuart Syvret.
The arrest and interrogation of Senator Syvret on Monday 6 April marked a disturbing development in Jersey politics. As the motion for last week’s proposed – and then deferred – debate in the States Assembly put it, this incident could colossaI damage to the reputation of Jersey and represents double standards in its application of data protection legislation.
It was all too reminiscent of numerous attempts by states elsewhere to intimidate whistleblowers whenever uncomfortable truths are unearthed.
Indeed, the clearly excessive use of numerous police officers and police vehicles reminds one of the recent police arrest of Conservative immigration spokesman Damian Green here in the UK.
Going further back, there is a long history of such attacks on whistleblowers in the UK. The names of Sarah Tisdall and Clive Ponting, for example, will remind many readers of what governments routinely do to those it wishes to silence.
We share the concern of the seven Senators who sponsored last week’s proposed debate in the States Assembly and of other democrats in Jersey and elsewhere. While the debate was blocked for now, we hope that Jersey legislators will soon have
the opportunity to consider the implications of this arrest in full.
While we have had our differences with Senator Syvret about the best ways of addressing the major child abuse scandal that he and others helped to unearth, we recognise his contribution in seeking to ensure justice for the victims of that abuse.
We also recognise the importance of this development for all of those in Jersey and elsewhere concerned with the proper conduct of the justice system in cases of this kind.
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Stuart Syvret is not “above the law” and that goes for everybody no matter what they ‘have done’ before. If the Care Leavers Association UK believe people that take an interest in their work now gets immunity from prosecution then they must be barking. I presume they knew exactly why he was arrested before writing this nonsense?
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In all due respect Will & Jim why not stick with what you know in your own island.The mainland seem to have far more problems with their own Child Abuse figures. Nothing in Jersey has been proven. As James no1 has stated Syvret is not above the law and as he has so much contempt for his own island why not offer him a job over there and give us islanders a break.Worry about yours and we will take care of ours.
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I applaud the Care Leavers Association in their Support for Senator Syvret.
I personally do not agree with all Stuart Syvret says, however I do admire his consistent support for the abused of Jersey, without him this would have been covered up, these abused people need JUSTICE and it seems through his hard, consistent work maybe one day they will get the Justice they deserve.
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Why exactly was he arrested?
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They should keep their noses out of our justice system and let the Police (which are better than the last lot) and the Bailiff get on with handing out justice.
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The Bailiff get on with handing out justice!
You got to laugh!!!!
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What do you want me to say. How wonderfuf he is? Got to laugh! Listen to the people of Jersey
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How can this Organisation expect to be taken seriously when they have made such a strong comment on something they do not have the full details of? Not very professional. Are we to assume the Chairman of the Care Leavers Organisation is party to information nobody in the Island (aside from the police) has had access to yet? Clearly he has the exact details relating to the charge of SS and those details include the words ‘cover up’ and ‘silencing’.
Jersey has 300 police officers. If there were a cover up somebody would have come out and said so? The saga with the CoP, LH and the States has been more of saving grace and office politics than any real scandal. The real scandal is the cost to the tax payer all this bickering and backstabbing is causing.
You can only be a whistleblower if you have hard evidence. We’ve yet to see any of this, and any SS may have had has been destroyed by his sensationalist blog.
Jersey’s reputation has already been damaged. Damaged by the poor handling of the abuse inquiry, the bickering, political gaining and SS himself.
Will and Jim’s personal opinions are fair game and they are free to make them in a personal capacity. Unfortunately they have been clear to represent the Care Leavers Organisation in this letter. If I were a member I would be concerned at my Chair’s and Secretary’s letter and would suggest they stick to their remit which is the caring for children and not the involvement in politics – especially States politics!
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I am an executive member of the UK Care Leavers Association and I can categorically state that Jim and Will have the full backing of the whole of our executive. Indeed, they were instructed to issue a press statement by the CLA executive group to whom they are accountable. The question of Historic Child Abuse, persecution of whistle blowers, and attempts to scuttle investigations are a matter of public interest in the UK and across the world. Jersey is no exception. Moreover Jersey is a Crown Protectorate, and is policed (ostensibly) by UK standards. UK citizens too are stakeholders in this issue of child Abuse since UK children were sent to the Island . Abusers may have come from the mainland, and may still be operating inside our child care system. We know of definite links between Abusers in Islington London and Jersey. As for unwelcome comments from mainlanders, perhaps you should look to the proactive intervention of the UK based Historic Abuse Denial Movement, whose black hand and fingerprints are manifestly present on Jersey.
Michael Shelton
Executive Member (Historic Abuse)
Care Leavers Association UK
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WELL SAID JOKER,
I concur
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Jim, Will and Michael – it is so very sad and embarrassing that the letter that appeared in the JEP has received such adverse comments, but this is Jersey and as you are probably aware life ain’t too good here for honest, decent people. People who have the courage to stand up and be counted and care for those seeking justice.
I am embarrassed that I have to live here and be party to all this.
Good luck to you all in the good work you do.
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It is interesting to see the usual suspects attacking anyone who dares to have a contrary view to the authorities.
joker is correct on one thing Jersey’s reputation is damaged but I don’t agree with the reasons he gives for this.
Well done for writing this letter and making valid comments.
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How right Michael Shelton is (9). “All that is needed for evil to prevail, is for good men to remain silent.”
As for the Joker’s comments (8); there are about 240 States Police officers, not 300. Many of these wouldn’t get involved in whistleblowing, as history has proved it isn’t a good career development move (Look at the news item on P.c Holmes’ move to Australia after a disagreement with Lenny Harper).
I know from bitter experience that whistleblowing in the States Police doesn’t get you anywhere.
Whilst honesty should be the best policy, it often isn’t. I had evidence ( corroborated by three other States Police officers) about wrong doing that got swept under the carpet by the A.G. Instead my career took a nose dive.
I don’t agree with everything Stuart Syvret says – far from it. But at least he is drawing attention to the corrupt practices in Jersey.
Without him ranting and raving, about what has occurred, we would be less informed than we are today.
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what a load of hot air.
I am willing to bet a large sum of money that the truth about HDLG is that it was not very nice, that there was abuse there but that it was the same level of abuse that happened in pretty much every institution of that type between 1900 and 1980.
The times were different. It doesn’t mean that we should ignore what happened, but it does mean that we should not lose perspective. Jersey is not, contrary to what SS might think, the most evil place in the world. On the contrary, it is rather boring.
But I wish the UK Carers association would concentrate on matters nearer to their home, as at least in Jersey – thankfully – we don’t appear to have children being killed under the watch of social services who are too timid to intervene.
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I do feel there was a missed opportunity last week to have this debate and hope that this will be brought forward again. The Jersey judicial system is flawed and the States need urgent re reform in order to bring it into the 21st century.
The UK Care Leavers Association would not have made these comments without having supported evidence of an island connection. Their position as to UK children is completely justified.
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For once I find myself agreeing with Mad Foetus, Jersey definately isn’t the most evil place in the world. Perhaps we are all being too negative about the Island – it has a lot of atributes too.
To ensure we keep the positives we have to illustrate the negatives and learn from past mistakes, then try to prevent these from occurring again.
We can’t say for sure that children, or other vulnerable people, haven’t been killed under the watchful eye of social services. It would be naive to think the Island’s population are informed of the truth on each and every occasion there is a death. Even pathologists get things wrong.
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Michael Shelton,come on you know they can’t bear anyone from out there shining the light in here,as Esther said..let in some light….but then there are many people who deny the Holocaust….and for the same reasons…it does not suit their agenda,and no I am not in the for or agaist SS debate just openness and transparency….far too many incestuous agendas here………….
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Mad foetus Maybe it wouldn’t have been hot air if you had mistreated in care? Maybe then you would have a different attitude to things.
As you must be aware certain things have always been illegal regardless of the time period.
How does anyone know what really happened? Reality could have been/be better than reported, or the same, or worse, how does anyone know?
I don’t believe the Senator has made jersey out to be the worse place in the world, why would you say that? Most of what I have read, I wouldn’t classify as being extreme.
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Mad Foetus 14 – note last night’s headline.
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For those who are interested in the wider questions concerning the institutional abuse of children, especially in the UK, I would recommend an old but excellent book. The Author is Christian Wolmer and it is called: Forgotten Children
The Secret Abuse Scandal In Childrens Homes.
Jersey is not unusual, as Wolmer show.
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