Northern Ireland: Government's appeal of Troubles Act judgement a 'betrayal'

Amnesty has today said the UK Government is betraying its own legacy commitments and failing victims by diluting its election promise to repeal and replace the widely opposed Troubles legacy Act. Amnesty made the comments today at a press conference in Belfast, held along with victims following the Government’s decision to seek to appeal a court of appeal judgment which found core parts of the Troubles Act including the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) to be unlawful.

Grainne Teggart, Amnesty UK Deputy Director in Northern Ireland said:

“The UK Government’s decision to appeal, is a betrayal of their own legacy commitments and fails victims. It is a staggering dilution of their pre-election position.

“The Government’s decision raises serious questions about their commitment to their own promise to repeal and replace the Troubles Act.

“The Government needs to own this change of direction. The categorical pledge by the Labour party prior to the election was to repeal and replace the Troubles Act. That pledge has been increasingly qualified over recent months, and we now see them propping up the legacy body established by the last Government.

“The Government should change course again, immediately, and fulfil their manifesto promise to repeal the Troubles Act. This should be done in full, as well as abandoning any attempt to prop up the ICRIR, which was condemned by the court ruling and by victims groups alike.

“Stormont House Agreement remains the foundation on which to build.”

On Friday 20 September, the Court of Appeal in Belfast ruled that the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information (ICRIR) was not human rights compliant in respect of effective victim participation and that the Troubles Legacy Act gives the UK Government too much veto power over the disclosure of material.

Martina Dillon, whose husband, Seamus, was shot and killed outside the Glengannon Hotel in Dungannon on 27 December 1997 said:

“Repeal and replace the universally-opposed Troubles Act as well as the investigations body which is a hangover from the last Government’s flawed plan. That’s what we were promised and that’s what we are now demanding.

“The Secretary of State should categorically not be seeking to prop up a body he should clearly see there are problems with. Anything short of the return of my inquest is unacceptable. Others who need inquests should have access to them too. Victims have waited long enough for justice for our husbands, brothers, sisters, and children. Enough is enough, we won’t be fobbed off again.”