‘British government obstruction of truth must end’ – Ruane
Sinn Féin MLA Caitriona Ruane said the British government must accept its involvement in the conflict and for dealing with its legacy.
She was speaking after a trilateral meeting with the British and Irish governments on the issue of the legacy of the conflict.
She told Newry Times, “It is clear that Theresa Villiers and the British government have been actively obstructing truth recovery when it comes to the activities of its forces and agents.
“They have reneged on the commitment to hold an inquiry into the murder of human rights lawyer Pat Finucane by British agents.
“The British government fears the outcome of any enquiry with the potential to expose British state collusion in political assassinations and their agent’s involvement in directing loyalist death squads – a policy which went to the very top of the Thatcher government,” she insisted.
“They continue to withhold information from the inquiries into the Loughinisland massacre, Dublin and Monaghan bombings, shelved the inquiry into the murder of 14 people in Derry on Bloody Sunday and rejected a demand for a Hillsborough-style inquiry into the Ballymurphy Massacre of 11 civilians.
“They have blocked truth recovery through injunctions, destroying documents and evidence. They have also refused to disclose information requested by the coroners’ courts and the Ombudsman’s office and failed to back the Haass proposals.
Ruane added, “The British government and their agents were active participants in the conflict. They must accept their responsibility for state killings and the role of their agents in loyalist death squads.”
Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=47001