END THIS HOUNDING NOW
Despite vow by Boris, STILL no action on law to protect veterans of the Troubles
MPS and former soldiers reacted with fury yesterday to Boris Johnson’s failure to bring in laws to protect Northern Ireland veterans from decades-old probes into the Troubles.
Back in January, the Prime Minister promised to deal with ‘legacy issues’ within 100 days – but the Mail can reveal that plans for a new Bill have stalled.
Critics believe the veterans are the pawns in a bigger game to keep Sinn Fein bound into the peace process, with one accusing ministers of ‘bending over backwards’ to appease republicans.
Another ex-soldier said the delays to the legislation meant veterans feared ‘going to our graves waiting for a knock on the door’.
The Mail revealed yesterday how a new witness had come forward to back Dennis Hutchings, 79, who is facing trial in Belfast next year for the attempted murder of farmhand John Pat Cunningham, 27.
The new evidence corroborates Mr Hutchings’ testimony that he fired only warning shots, and that another soldier, now deceased, must have shot Mr Cunningham.
Mr Hutchings, soon to be a great-great grandfather, was twice cleared over the killing of Mr Cunningham, in Co Tyrone in 1974, but was charged five years ago.
Mr Hutchings is one of six veterans of the Troubles facing charges arising out of deaths more than 40 years ago.
Mr Johnson first pledged to ‘protect people against unfair prosecutions’ in July last year during his battle for Prime Minister – and repeated the promise in January.
But there is no agreement on the details of legislation and no date for it to go before Parliament.
Tory MP Bob Stewart, who served in Northern Ireland, said: ‘We want a Bill to stop servicemen who were investigated properly at the time being repeatedly harassed.’ Former defence secretary Michael Fallon said: ‘ It has dragged on for too long.’
Labour MP Kevan Jones, who sits on the defence committee, said the Government had ‘failed’ on its commitment.
John Ross, a former Paratrooper who served 11 tours of Northern Ireland, said: ‘The difficulties for the Government are the Northern Ireland office trying to keep Sinn Fein in the political system.
‘ That was done, they have appeasement through the Good Friday Agreement and the soldiers are the scapegoats.’
The Overseas Operations Bill passing through Parliament offers protection to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, setting a five-year-limit to prosecutions.
Campaigners want similar protection for service personnel who served in the Troubles.
While ministers have promised to end vexatious prosecutions of Northern Ireland veterans in proposed legislation, they are still committed as part of the political process to deal with incidents dating back almost half a century.
A new Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) is planned as part of the Bill to look at unsolved killings on all sides during the Troubles.
The vast majority of Army killings would swiftly be thrown out. But that could still leave many veterans in their 70s and 80s in limbo, waiting for the new body to be set up, to investigate and then rule if there is new evidence.
Veteran Andrew Sayers, 65, now an activist helping veterans facing prosecution, said: ‘Lives have been put on hold – it adds to the continual stress.
‘It is still hanging over us after all these years and you don’t know if something is going to happen or not going to happen.’
Veterans feared the police turning up in the early hours of the morning and being ‘dragged away to Belfast’, he added. ‘Our expectation is they are going to treat us as if we were the Kray brothers.’
MP Julian Lewis, a former chairman of the defence committee, recommended a ‘truth recovery
Witness to a scandalous INJUSTICE?
From yesterday’s Mail
process’ – a public inquiry without the threat of prosecution to allow the families of those killed to find out what happened. He said: ‘If a person has been exonerated in the past, unless there is compelling new evidence, it shouldn’t happen again.’
A Whitehall source said Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis ‘remains committed to bringing forward a Bill in Parliament to address the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past’.
The source added: ‘This is an incredibly sensitive and emotive subject and it is right that we take the time necessary to develop our approach and engage across all communities and with all rele - vant stakeholders–civic and political–as we continue to progress this work. Dealing with the legacy of the past in Northern I reland is one of the most complicated challenges this Government faces .’
A government spokesman said: ‘ The Government has been clear that it will bring forward legislation to address the legacy of the Troubles which focuses on reconciliation, delivers for victims, and ends the cycle of investigations that has failed victims and veterans alike. We are committed to making progress on this as quickly as possible.’