NI parties hold "robust" talks with SOS over legacy proposals
Last updated 16th Jul 2021
Northern Ireland's five political parties have reiterated their rejections of the UK Governments legacy proposals following a virtual meeting with the Secretary of State this morning (Friday).
The plan includes proposals to put an end to civil actions, prosecutions, and inquests.
The arrangements effectively draws a line under all Troubles related prosecutions for incidents up to April 1998.
Victims groups, church leaders and politicians all hit out at the proposed "amnesty" and was met with widespread rejection and condemnation.
The meeting came as it was confirmed the Assembly will be recalled next week from its summer recess to discuss concerns over what politicians and victims have described as a “de facto amnesty'' for Troubles crimes.
Following the virtual meeting the DUP's leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, described talks as “robust” and said he insisted political parties in NI must have an input into plans to deal with legacy.
He said: “I think in fairness to the Secretary of State, he is willing to listen to what the political parties have to say.
“He made clear that the parties must have a role and an input into designing the process that takes this forward.
“The parties are clear, they want a legacy process to include the opportunity for families, for individuals, to pursue justice.
“I think the Secretary of State understands that so we will see in the discussions we will have in the weeks ahead where that will take us.
“The Secretary of State is indicating a willingness not just to listen to political parties, but to listen to victims.''
Alliance Party leader Naomi Long has also criticised the proposal and said her party would not “provide cover for anything'' that amounts to an amnesty over Troubles prosecutions.
Mrs Long said: “Alliance was clear with the governments today we will continue to engage in the legacy process in order to find a solution. But that solution needs to be based on the rule of law and due process.
“However, we will not provide cover for anything that amounts to an amnesty.
“I was clear in the meeting this process has to be centred on victims, who have been re-traumatised this week thanks to the actions of the UK Government.
“Any suggestion their right to access justice as been denied will hurt them further.
“The Prime Minister has stated in blunt and callous terms we need to draw a line under this issue and move on.
“That is easy said for those who have not suffered any loss, but it is harder to do when you have to live with that loss and pain on a daily basis.
“It is imperative we restore the focus back to the needs of victims - this should not be simply a political discussion.''
Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said the meeting between political leaders and the UK and Irish governments “did not provide any solutions for innocent victims''.
Mr Beattie said: “I made clear at the meeting that we would not be supporting a statute of limitations, which has always been our consistent position because it was always going to inevitably lead to an amnesty for terrorists.
“The UK Government must widen their proposals to incorporate a criminal justice element or they will risk inflicting more pain on innocent victims whose families have already sacrificed so much.
“Any proposals which snuff out any hope of justice need to be abandoned.
“The Irish Government needs to do more than what they are doing now.
“It's not good enough that the Irish Government comes to the table with warm smiles, but little else.
“Where is their command paper and what are they going to do?
“We need to widen the focus; we need to widen the lens and we need to look at both governments and their part within what happened here in Northern Ireland and further afield.
“Until we do that, we will always be failing our victims and survivors.''
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