Amnesty amnesia

Colm O’Gorman seeks to clarify Amnesty’s proposed study of Irish abortion legislation (MoS, November 9). Firstly he refers to ‘circumstances where human rights law requires it to be legal’.

Perhaps he could give us details of such laws. Even if there were such laws, surely Amnesty can recognise that it was set up by, among others, Nobel laureate Seán MacBride, who supported the 8th Amendment to the Constitution, to protect all human life.

Seemingly, this organisation objects to ‘safeguarding the pregnancy rather than prioritising the pregnant woman’s health needs’. As the World Health Organistaion confirms Ireland as one of the safest countries in the world for maternal care, much safer than those countries that have legalised abortion, such as Britain and the US, perhaps Mr O’Gorman could explain why they see the need for their study in Ireland rather than in those countries with a high maternal death rate.

He could also refer to efforts by Amnesty to highlight the vast numbers of babies aborted in China, India and other countries, simply because they are female. I have consistently sought evidence of protest at this evil practice but in vain.

As a former member of Amnesty, because of its opposition to the death penalty, I find it deeply hypocritical that it now opposes the death penalty in all cases except for the baby in the womb.

Mary Stewart,

Ardeskin, Donegal town.