Protestant and nationalist parties Northern Ireland Condemned the Westminster government for planning to introduce a statute of limitations for trouble-related crimes.
Rear Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson stated that these proposals would be “rejected by all those who support justice and the rule of law in Northern Ireland”, while SDLP leader Colum Eastwood described them as “serious malicious acts.”
Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis Tell the House of Commons that the statute of limitations is “the best way to help Northern Ireland move further on the road to reconciliation.”
He said this would apply to all trouble-related incidents, including former members of the security forces and former paramilitary personnel.
Sir Jeffrey said that any process of dealing with Northern Ireland’s past troubles must be “victim-centric”.
He said: “Victims will see these suggestions as centered on the perpetrator, not on the victim. This is an insult to the memories of innocent victims and their families who lost their lives in our troubles.
“There is no equivalence between soldiers and police who serve the country and those cowardly terrorists who hide behind masks and intimidate under the cover of darkness. We find that any such attempt is equivalently offensive.”
He added: “The Democratic Unity Party, whether publicly or privately, will and continue to oppose any form of amnesty. All people are equal before the law, and everyone is equal before the law.
“We will oppose any plan for an effective amnesty for those who have murdered and maimed for decades.”
Sinn Fein’s Deputy Chief Minister Michel O’Neill said that the British government’s proposal would protect the national army from their “dirty role” in Ireland.
She said, “I think again today, British government Their statement of intent has been listed, and it is communicated directly to the highest level of government, because this raises the question of why they want to do this.
“Especially considering that all five political parties here are opposed to the amnesty, all victim and survivor groups are opposed to the amnesty, as is the Irish government.
“So you have to ask a question, why is the British government going this way?
“In my opinion, this must be two things. It must be to protect the national army and its dirty role in Ireland.
“I think it is also necessary to protect those who direct the British state to murder and murder Irish citizens in litigation.”
SDLP leader Mr. Eastwood said: “Boris Johnson and Brandon Lewis have chosen to close justice for families that have been campaigning for the truth about their loved ones for decades. What’s worse, they use the language of reconciliation. It wraps it up.
“The message they send to victims of national and paramilitary murderers is that they should abandon the pursuit of the truth because they have become an obstacle to reconciliation. This is absolutely abnormal.”
He continued: “You cannot draw a line on the issue of injustice. Every political party in the North opposes the concept of amnesty for a reason-if we learn nothing, we will know that we have failed to deal with the past. Legacy affects and infects the present. It creates inter-generational injustice and makes reconciliation more difficult.”
Doug Beattie, the leader of the Ulster union, said Wednesday’s statement “intensified the unfair treatment that had already been done to the victims”.
“This is the wrong path, and it will affect the emotions of innocent victims and their families,” he said.
“No one has the right to deny that they hope that one day, eventually, they may see justice done.
“The Ulster Unity Party has consistently and unambiguously opposed any amnesty proposal.”
He added: “The British government has shown worrying naivety in these proposals. Guarantee full disclosure of government documents in exchange for “expectations.” Others will do the same when faced with evidence of past encounters. You never Will get the truth from the terrorists.
“There are thousands of families of victims who have never conducted high-profile investigations into the murder of their loved ones, and never even had the right to conduct a desktop review. It is not good enough. If there is new evidence, it should be pursued. “
Coalition MP Stephen Fary described the Westminster government’s plan as an “attack on the rule of law and human rights.”
He said: “This approach is entirely designed around the need to address the need for false narratives of unreasonable investigations of Army veterans.
“It is shocking that in order to achieve this goal, the government has facilitated a comprehensive de facto amnesty, including an amnesty for the Republican Party and allegiance terrorists.
“Before the law, everyone should be equal and remain equal. This is what we have when chasing lawbreakers, no matter where they come from.
“The government’s approach has now brought about the consequences of false equivalence between all veterans and terrorists, most of whom serve the community with honor and respect for the rule of law.”
