AT the stroke of a pen the British government, not for the first time, trampled on their citizens' most basic human rights.
THERE IS NO BRITISH JUSTICE
The *orthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill is the official name for the blanket they intend to cast over what they did here. In their desperation to protect the reputation of rogue soldiers and cover up the activities of spymasters, Special Branch, MI5 and others, they've once again slapped thousands of people in the face.
The LIE'S HAVE IT!...
And once again they put the pressure on the victims and survivors of the conflict because this legislation intends to force them to forgive the killers of their loved ones. Accessing the justice system is the most basic of human rights, but Brandon Lewis (Secretary of State for NI) and his Tory legislators have cruelly yanked that carpet from under our feet.
@BrandonLewis and the Tory Party need to get their own house in order before lecturing us about ours.
The notion of reconciliation is enshrined in the right to justice. Is Lewis seriously trying to sell us the idea that by telling victims any hope of getting closure is gone, they will simply say "ah well forgive and forget, now what's for tea"? It's nonsense and it's brutal. The creation of a commission for truth and recovery is simply a red herring. Anyone guilty of a conflict-related crime between 1966 and 1998 is free to confess their sins in return for having their reputations cleaned and handed a get-out-of-jail free card.
What happens if they incriminate someone else and that person doesn't want to co-operate? It's a mess and will almost certainly be tested in a court of law.
It is surely a breach of the European Conversation of Human Rights, which, in case you have forgotten, remains enshrined in British law - for now. The Tories have already indicated they intend to further erode people's rights by repealing it. Victims have had to fight tooth and nail, in some cases for more than half a century, to secure some semblance of justice for their loved ones. Lewis has removed their right to use the justice system. Given that the murders of 3,000 of the 3,600 killed remain unsolved, they have had to live with the knowledge that convictions were unlikely.
They've had to live with state cover-ups, corrupt police and woeful investigative process, but they fought on.
It took the Ballymurphy families 40 years to finally clear their loved ones' names. Does Lewis actually think the ghosts of the past will be exorcised by forcing people to forgive? Victims have been ignored, abused and treated like something unpleasant on the sole of a British soldier's boot. They don't even have a right to an inquest, all doorways to justice have been slammed shut by a condescending government with a patronising pat on the head.
He may want to, but Lewis can't pretend the conflict didn't happen and hope he can bury British bad behaviour. Victims have spent generations making their voice heard - they won't stop now.
Follow these links to find out more on this story and more information on MI5 and British security services: British Government tried to prevent BBC News exposing MI5 Agent who used his secret status to terrorise and sexually abuse his partner.
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