Politicians North and South to support Troubles amnesty opposition

The cross-party delegation will meet victims' families at City Hall.

Victims' families have been opposing the proposals since they were revealed.

Published 30th Aug 2021
Last updated 30th Aug 2021

Families of Troubles victims opposing UK Government proposals to atop prosecutions pre-Good Friday Agreement will today (Monday) be supported by politicians from all over the Island of Ireland.

Representatives from the DUP, Sinn Fein, SDLP, and Alliance will come together with a delegation of Irish TDs and senators and meet a cross-community victims’ group at Belfast City Hall.

Travelling up from the Republic will be Fianna Fail Senator Mark Daly, Labour TD Brendan Howlin, Fine Gael TD Emer Currie, Green Party TD Patrick Costello, Fianna Fail TD James Lawless and independent Senator Victor Boyhan.

In July, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis announced plans for a statute of limitations which would end all prosecutions for Troubles incidents up to April 1998 and would apply to military veterans and ex-paramilitaries.

The proposals, which Boris Johnson said would allow Northern Ireland to “draw a line under the Troubles'', would also end all legacy inquests and civil actions related to the conflict.

Uproar has ensued since the announcement, with bereaved families saying the plans “breach basic human rights”.

Murder "no longer a crime"

Raymond McCord's son Raymond Jr was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries.

Mr McCord said it was “unheard of'' for political parties across the island of Ireland to unite on a single issue in this way.

He said: “In my lifetime, I can never remember politicians from Northern Ireland and the Republic, the main parties all getting together, to support one issue.

“Northern Ireland is 100 years old this year, people are talking about a centenary. 100 years later, politicians from both sides of the border unite with victims to take on the British government. You couldn't make it up.''

Raymond McCord Jr was 22 when he was beaten to death and his body dumped in a quarry, in an attack carried out by the UVF.

Mr McCord, himself from a unionist background, said the UK Government's proposals “are taking away hope'' from families that they can get justice for their loved ones.

He said: “The pathetic excuse that they give was that it would help families move on. I haven't heard one family say that.''

He added: “If somebody walks into a police station and admits to murder, they'll be told to go on home, because it's no longer a crime.''

Also attending today’s is Julie Hambleton, whose sister was killed in the IRA's Birmingham pub bombings, Cathy McIlvenny, whose sister and nephew were killed by loyalists, Michael Gallagher, whose son was killed in the Real IRA's Omagh bomb, Eugene Reavey, whose three brothers were killed by loyalists, Billy McManus, whose father was killed in the loyalist attack on Sean Graham bookmakers, and John Teggart, whose father Danny was killed by the army in Ballymurphy.

UK Gov - "realistic prospect" prosecutions fading

A UK Government spokesman said the planned statute of limitations does “not propose the prohibition of investigations into Troubles-related incidents''.

They added: “We recognise that access to information and accountability, via a thorough and robust investigative process, is absolutely vital to victims and survivors, and their families.

“That is why obtaining information, supported by full disclosure by the State, is the cornerstone of the proposals the UK Government has put forward.

“Under these proposals, an independent recovery body would support victims and survivors as they navigate the information recovery process, with specially trained family liaison officers providing a single point of contact to support individuals or families throughout the process.

“The current system for addressing the past is not working well for anybody; most importantly victims and survivors.

“It is delivering neither justice nor information to the vast majority of families.

“With the passage of time, the realistic prospect of securing prosecutions becomes vanishingly smaller.

“If our focus remains on criminal justice, we will fail almost every family. While this is a painful reality, to suggest otherwise does a disservice to victims and their families.''

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