Victims urge boycott of new Troubles legacy body during protest at its office
Troubles victims urged other families bereaved in the Northern Ireland conflict to boycott a new legacy truth recovery and investigations body as they protested outside its office.
The demonstration at the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) in Belfast came on the first anniversary of the implementation of a legal guillotine that halted inquests and civil court cases linked to the Troubles.
That move came as part of the last UK government's contentious Legacy Act.
The Act established the ICRIR as an alternative mechanism for families seeking truth and justice about the deaths of their loved ones.
The body is headed up by former Northern Ireland Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan.
While the Labour government has vowed to repeal and replace parts of the Act and reinstate inquests and civil cases, it is retaining the ICRIR.
Many bereaved families are unhappy with the retention of the commission and have vowed not to engage with it.
Victims have questioned the body's independence and its ability to uncover answers about Troubles crimes.
Last year the Court of Appeal in Belfast part allowed an appeal taken against the Legacy Act, ruling there were breaches of both human rights law and the Windsor Framework that governs post-Brexit arrangements in Northern Ireland.
Among its findings, the court found that a Government veto power over what sensitive material can be disclosed to bereaved families by the ICRIR is unlawful.
The court also ruled that the ICRIR does not provide victims and their next of kin adequate means to participate in its processes.
The Government has appealed the case to the Supreme Court.
However, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has also vowed to make reforms to how the ICRIR operates.
Paddy Clarke, whose brother Joey was killed by loyalist paramilitaries in south Belfast in 1975, was among victims who addressed the event outside the ICRIR office.
He said his family has been searching for the truth for 50 years.
'Every time we get near the truth, or anything like it, the Government introduces some new bill to hide the truth from the families,' he said.
'And I have absolutely no faith whatsoever in the ICRIR or any rings or bells they may put on it. The families know why it was introduced.
'They know it was introduced to protect the British Government, the state agents and the ex-veterans, to protect them, not to help the families.
'And I would say to the rest of the families to please do not get engaged with this ICRIR, it is only a charade.' Gary Duffy's great uncle Ambrose Hardy was killed in the New Lodge area of north Belfast in 1973 in shootings involving the British Army.
An inquest into his death and five others killed in same incidents was halted due to the Legacy Act.
Mr Duffy, who is a solicitor, told the crowd on Thursday: 'We cannot accept the inquest ending and this matter being investigated by this ICRIR.
'Our families, and I think all families of victims, cannot trust the ICRIR, and we would call on the British Government to immediately reinstate all legacy inquests and end this insistence that families can proceed to the ICRIR.' Grainne Teggart from Amnesty International also addressed the event. She said the Labour Government 'risks repeating the mistakes of its predecessors by choosing secrecy over transparency'.
'Today marks the one year anniversary of the Legacy Act's guillotine on truth,' she said.
'On the 1st of May last year the door slammed shut to victims seeking answers and accountability and the ICRIR, a body rejected by the victims here today, the very people it is supposed to serve, opened its doors.
'This body is no substitute for proper due process. The UK Government, like previous, is continuing a culture of impunity, denying families the truth and accountability to which they are entitled.
'We don't want empty words of claimed commitment to delivery for victims.
'We will judge this Government on its actions, and those actions demonstrate one thing – more delay, more obstruction, more litigation.
'Today, we say to the UK Government, we want urgent action, we want inquests for all, not just for some, and we want an end to the second-class treatment of those seeking accountability for the wrongs committed during the conflict.
'Instead of pursuing legal challenges, this Government must prioritise the parliamentary time needed to deliver legislation to replace the discredited Legacy Act.' A spokesperson for the ICRIR said: 'The commission has been operational for one year. Over 150 people have asked us to investigate on their behalf. Around 60 of those requests, relating to around 100 deaths during the Troubles/conflict, have already moved into the active investigation stage.
'These victims, survivors and families come from every background and community, and their numbers continue to grow.
'Our doors are open to everyone. We are committed to building trust and confidence in our work and are working with government, stakeholders and wider society to promote the necessary legislative reforms to achieve that.'
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