As the British government's Northern Ireland Troubles (Reconciliation & Legacy) Act began shutting down all legacy investigations, inquests and hopes of justice on the part of many families, leading victims advocate, Mark Thompson of Relatives for Justice, traveled to Washington recently to meet key members of Congress and discuss the next steps in congressional opposition.
Thompson was able to speak with Senator Chuck Schumer, and give full briefings to Democratic Congressmen Bill Keating and Brendan Boyle, as well as Republican Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick and Mike Lawler. He also met with Friends of Ireland staff.
All the Congress members that Thompson met are already on record as opposing the legacy legislation but are working on new initiatives to highlight that opposition.
Thompson concluded each meeting by calling upon House and Senate representatives to: Stand with families across Ireland in opposing this harmful law; safeguard rights and justice as enshrined within the GFA; support the Irish government’s international case against the UK and press upon and hold the British Labour Party on their commitment to repeal the act if it returns to power after the next general election.
The series of key meetings was organized by members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Thompson was accompanied by National AOH Freedom for all Ireland Chair Martin Galvin.
While the American elected officials were already on record opposing the legislation, the Belfast man was able to brief them on the very latest developments. British Labour Party Shadow Secretary Hilary Benn had just that day reaffirmed his party’s pledge to “repeal and replace” the act if his heavily favored party takes office after the next British general election which must take place in less than a year from now.
However, and according to an AOH release,Thompson feared that the law and the new commission, which began operating on May 1, could cause irreparable damage to victims’ relatives before the Conservatives are ousted and a Labour government could repeal the act.
Stated the release: "In the months leading up to May 1st, British officials had delayed, failed to provide court ordered discovery records and brought unfounded court appeals to prevent Inquest Judges from reaching verdicts and funneling cases into the new British commission.
"Thompson cited examples of inquests closed down, and how British Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris had lodged appeals to stop Inquest Judges from releasing even a summary of reports about British agent involvement in collusion murders. This showed the real intent of the act was to conceal the truth."
The new British commission, called the Independent Commission for Reconciliation & Information Recovery (ICRIR) will be headed by retired British Chief Judge Declan Morgan who was appointed as its Chief Commissioner last year.
Thompson said: “Morgan embraced the draft legislation fully when he took up his post before its Westminster passage had even completed. This included the immunity provisions later declared unlawful by the courts in Belfast.The ICRIR will operate in secret, behind closed doors, where legal representation for families will not be permitted, where independent scrutiny is denied, and where the British will exercise maximum legislative control."
Thompson also noted that “Morgan has been joined by former RUC and PSNI Assistant Chief Constable, Peter Sheridan, who will head an ‘investigations’ unit. This is a clear conflict of interest. It is no coincidence that many of his old colleagues within RUC special branch have been to the fore in campaigning to have inquests, investigations and civil litigation shut down.
“The bottom line is that bad law makes for bad processes. Declan Morgan is overseeing a bad process that will ultimately cause further harm to families already re-traumatised by this new law."
Thompson was able to speak briefly with Senator Chuck Schumer, whose Foreign Policy adviser attended a full briefing along with Senator Chris Murphy’s adviser. He was able to have full meetings with Democratic Congressmen Bill Keating and Brendan Boyle, as well as Republican Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick and Mike Lawler. He also met Friends of Ireland staff.
All the congressmen and Senator Schumer are already on record as opposing the legislation but are working on new congressional initiatives to further highlight their opposition.
Thompson concluded each meeting by calling upon Congressional and Senate representatives to: “Stand with families across Ireland in opposing this harmful law; safeguard rights and justice as enshrined within the GFA; support the Irish government’s international case against the UK and to press upon and hold the British Labour Party on their commitment to repeal this Act if elected to office as the next British government."
He concluded each meeting by calling upon Congressional and Senate representatives to:
· “Stand with families across Ireland in opposing this harmful law;
· Safeguard rights and justice as enshrined within the GFA;
· Support the Irish government’s international case against the UK;
· Press upon and hold the British Labour Party on their commitment to repeal this Act if elected.
