Brendan Smith condemns proposed amnesty for legacy cases
Deputy Brendan Smith condemned the British Government's proposal for an amnesty on legacy issues, calling the idea "absolutely reprehensible" and "deplorable". He urged implementation of the Stormont House Agreement and warned that an amnesty would end investigations, prosecutions and deny families truth and closure.
Amnesty condemned
He said an amnesty would put an end to all investigations and prosecutions, cut off potential avenues to the truth and leave perpetrators without accountability.
Stormont House Agreement as alternative
He described the Stormont House Agreement as a balanced and comprehensive framework to deal with legacy issues and said it should be implemented rather than replacing investigations with a unilateral amnesty.
Families and lack of closure
He highlighted that many family members have invested huge time, effort and resources — and some have given up their lives — seeking the truth about loved ones. He said burying the most heinous crimes would deny families the closure and accountability they seek.
Glenanne Gang and collusion concerns
He said he met relatives of Glenanne Gang victims at the request of another deputy and warned that an amnesty could leave the British Army and others off the hook for activities and collusion involving loyalist paramilitaries and the Provisional IRA.
Political and international opposition
He noted the Northern Ireland Assembly voted unanimously last August against an amnesty and said the UN, the Council of Europe and senior political figures in the United States oppose such a move. He called for that message to be driven home to the British Government.
Media and victims' experiences
He referred to a recent television programme and described it as particularly sad for relatives who still have no closure, saying many have not been spoken to and their cases remain unresolved.
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The idea of an amnesty in regard to legacy issues as proposed by the British Government is absolutely reprehensible. An amnesty would mean putting an end to all investigations and prosecutions. The Stormont House Agreement is a balanced and comprehensive framework to deal with legacy issues and it should be implemented. It is unbelievable to think that any Government would want to cut off all potential avenues to the truth. Such an idea is absolutely deplorable. Some family members have invested huge time, effort, resources and some have given up their entire lives literally to try to get the truth in relation to what happened to a loved one, a sibling, a parent or whatever. And think then that a decision would be made by the British Government, a unilateral decision. Not alone are the political parties in this state and our Government against such an amnesty, but the Northern Ireland Assembly voted unanimously last August in opposition to that. We have the UN, the Council of Europe and senior political figures in the United States, and we want to drive that message home to the British Government that is totally unacceptable. Thank you. Deputy Smith cript nhé Forum мужic. Deputy Smith raised the issue of legacy. I met with some victims or relatives of the victims of the Glenyanne Gang recentlyre one, Deputy Tomchte he asked me to meet them, I met them. I am totally opposed to the British Government and is opposed to a number of reasons. reasons. Not only does it prevent the truth from getting out in respect of murder and killings from all groups, it leaves the British Army potentially off the hook in terms of some activities, collusion that was involved in the land gang, loyalist paramilitaries, provisional IRA, killings and murderers, to which there has been no closure and no accountability. Families are not getting enough information and why the most heinous of crimes would be buried by such an amnesty, I cannot comprehend. I do not understand how those who perpetrated such crimes should be left off the hook like that without any obligation to be accountable to the families and to give some closure to the families as to who murdered their loved ones. I saw last night's programme and it was particularly sad for the relatives of those who lost their lives that they have absolutely no closure. No one has spoken to them and it has not got resolved.
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