Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Westminster backs Army ‘immunity’
Limits proposal over Troubles killings
THE Government yesterday threw its weight behind a statute of limitations for Troubles killings involving British Army soldiers.
The proposal was made in response to an April Defence Committee report that concluded “the status quo was not sustainable”.
It said too much emphasis had been placed on bringing former soldiers before the courts and the Government “must not lose sight of its moral responsibility and commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant”. But the report did fall short of recommending an amnesty for all Troubles-related deaths.
The DUP’S Gavin Robinson is the only Northern Ireland MP sitting on the committee. The East Belfast representative said the report was attempting to redress the “imbalanced treatment of those who terrorised society and brave service personnel who ensured they would never succeed”.
He also welcomed support of his proposal to include “members of the RUC and security personnel”.
A statute of limitations could mean soldiers accused of crimes before the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 could avoid prosecution.
However, the Government also said there was “agreement current systems and structures are not delivering enough for victims, survivors and wider society”.
Sinn Fein’s Mid Ulster MP Francie Molloy said the “DUP co-sponsored Bill to grant British soldiers immunity from prosecution for war crimes is a gross violation of rights of victims’ families”.
In its response to the Defence Committee’s seventh report on the issue, the Government said it believes the Stormont House Agreement is the most effective option for legacy issues.
But in the findings, it said it intends to include a section on “alternative approaches to addressing the past” in its consultation on the draft Northern Ireland (Stormont House Agreement) Bill.