The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Energy, the Environment, and Cyber is this week hosting a public briefing entitled "Truth and Accountability for Victims of the Troubles in Northern Ireland."
The hearing, chaired by Congressman William Keating, was set for 12.30 eastern on Thursday, July 14 but has been rescheduled for Friday the 15th.
Those testifying before the subcommittee include Anna Bryson, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, School of Law, The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security, and Justice, Queen’s University Belfast; Alan McBride, Co-Coordinator, Wave Trauma Center, and Mark Thompson, Founding Member and CEO, Relatives for Justice.
According to a release from Keating's office, the purpose of the briefing "is to increase the understanding of the violence that occurred in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and provide a platform for notable individuals to address intergenerational trauma resulting from this violent period.
"Critically, the briefing will raise awareness of recent legislation introduced by the parliament of the United Kingdom that Chairman Keating believes threatens the peace and stability established in Northern Ireland almost 25 years ago by the signing of the Good Friday Agreement."
The briefing will be open to members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and will be live streamed on the House Foreign Affairs Committee website and on Chairman Keating’s twitter. The link is https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearings?ID=6E653BB0-DEE7-4379-B774-DBDE26A98760
The Ancient Order of Hibernians, meanwhile, will be delivering what it calls an "emergency briefing" to the subcommittee members.
Said an AOH statement: "The background to the Emergency Visit is the current accelerated passage through the UK parliament of a Bill (The NI Reconciliation (& Legacy) Bill) that will grant a blanket amnesty, principally to UK soldiers, intelligence agencies, former RUC (special branch), and consequently all others (illegal paramilitary organisations) involved in egregious and systemic human rights violations perpetrated during the conflict in the North of Ireland.
"This Bill breaches international human rights norms, common law, and the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) Peace Accord; an agreement brokered by the U.S. that safeguards and underpins the vindication and protection of human rights post-conflict in which over 3,600 people were killed and between 40,000-60,000 physically and psychologically injured.
"Much of this violence remains unresolved and efforts, including negotiated agreements reached by the British and Irish governments, and all the political parties, to resolve these outstanding human rights violations have subsequently been met by British bad faith and refusal to implement.
"The current UK Bill is a unilateral move by the Tory party and is opposed by the Irish government and all the political parties in Ireland and across the UK.
"The Bill undermines the rule of law by shutting down access to justice for victims by denying them the right to an independent police investigation, civil litigation, inquests, and Police Ombudsman investigations; the latter is a key body established as part of the GFA.
U.S. intervention has been crucial in maintaining positive forward momentum in which all citizens in the North of Ireland can realize their rights and entitlements enshrined in the GFA.
"This has been achieved through Congressional briefings resulting in sign-on letters to the UK Ambassador in Washington, D.C. and to the UK Prime Minister raising concerns and cautioning against actions that will undermine the GFA and deny rights. Actions have also included Congressional hearings, most recently the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and Resolutions – most recent House Resolution 888 and Senate Resolution 117, around the very issues now at hand and as contained in the current UK Bill."
