MPs WERE urged to reject the UK government’s ‘cruel and contemptuous’ Northern Ireland legacy bill as it returned to the House of Commons for its final stages this week.
The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill aims to end criminal investigations and civil cases linked to the troubles, instead establishing an independent body to carry out inquiries with the power to offer immunity from prosecution to those who co-operate with it.
The proposals have been widely criticised by the Law Society of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland political parties, the Irish government, the Council of Europe, Amnesty International and the Westminster parliament’s joint committee on human rights as failing to fulfil the UK’s obligations under international human rights law.
The amended bill allows ongoing criminal investigations, inquests, the consideration of prosecution decisions and the publication of reports to continue until May 2024 as part of a ‘transition’ to the new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
Northern Ireland MPs must reject the ‘disgraceful’ Troubles Bill, said a statement by Amnesty International UK on Monday,
In advance of the highly controversial Northern Ireland Troubles Bill returning to the House of Commons on Tuesday, Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International UK’s Northern Ireland Deputy Director, said:
‘It is disgraceful that a bill universally opposed, and which betrays victims in the most cruel and contemptuous way possible, continues to be pushed through by the UK government.
‘The call to abandon this shameful bill has never been more urgent.
‘Now is the time for MPs to decide whether they will prop up the government’s plan to protect murderers or stand with victims and for their rights to truth and justice.
‘The stakes for victims could not be higher and we must not lose sight of the fact that there is a better, previously agreed, human rights-compliant and victim-centred way forward to deal with the legacy of the conflict.
‘As it stands, the UK government has chosen to ignore this. All eyes are now on MPs to see if they will do same.
‘MPs must also consider the dangerous international precedent which will be set by this bill; providing a blueprint for letting state forces and illegal armed groups off with murder and other serious crimes – a legacy no government should want to create.’
Michael O’Hare, whose 12-year-old sister Majella O’Hare was shot dead by a British soldier in County Armagh 47 years ago, said:
‘MPs need to pause and put themselves in my shoes. If your sister was shot and killed, you’d want the truth to come out and you’d rightly expect justice.
‘My sister Majella’s life mattered, she was taken from us in the most horrific way. This bill betrays her, my family and every victim still waiting for the accountability we’re all entitled to.
‘Shame on the UK government ignoring our pleas to drop the Bill. I call on MPs to show up, reject the Bill and tell government to think again.’
Troubles Bill: Deeply unpopular and damaging.
Amnesty further noted: ‘This week the NI Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill returns to House of Commons on Tuesday (18 July).
‘The bill has already been overwhelmingly rejected by victims and victims’ groups as well as Amnesty and other human rights organisations, Northern Ireland political parties and the Irish government.
‘It has also prompted serious and repeated concerns from the US Congress, the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, UN Special Rapporteurs, the Council of Europe Commissioner on Human Rights and the Committee of Ministers.
‘Last month, Amnesty UK commissioned Savanta to conduct a poll across England, Scotland and Wales in response to the significant opposition to the bill in Northern Ireland. The poll showed opposition to the Bill extends across all parts of the UK.
‘Polling results revealed that more than half (53%) of UK adults – and six in ten (58%) Tory voters – said that those accused of killings in relation to The Troubles, should not be able to receive immunity from prosecution in exchange for providing information about the crimes.
‘Nine in ten (87%) UK adults also said that people should still be prosecuted for serious crimes, such as murder, even if they were committed decades ago.’
- Shutting down of peaceful protest represents ‘evertything that is wrong with protest policing,’ said rights group, Liberty, last month.
Liberty said: ‘A peaceful protest organised by Amnesty International UK, Freedom from Torture, Liberty and a coalition of other human rights organisations to mark World Refugee Day was shut down on Tuesday, 20 June, after police approached staff and activists while they were setting up the event.
‘They had planned to hang two 50-metre banners off Westminster Bridge calling for ‘Compassion not cruelty: refugees welcome’.
‘However, as they prepared for the event, police approached and told the individuals that they should stop, citing a danger to the public. Amnesty has carried out similar bridge banner-drops on several occasions in recent years and the police have never previously objected.
‘Today’s events take place in the context of a much wider clampdown on peaceful protest in recent years – with the UK government handing ever-more broad and sweeping powers to the authorities and pressuring police to do much more to muzzle even non-violent protest.’
Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive at Amnesty International UK, said: ‘The prevention of this peaceful protest on Westminster Bridge represents everything that is wrong with protest policing today.
‘Our plan to drop a banner on the bridge to mark World Refugee Day, in solidarity with some of the most marginalised in society, was not something that warranted an instant shutdown, four police vans and a police boat.
‘The enforcement of an obscure bye-law today only underlines the brazen attitude police now have when they detect anything that might signify protest.
‘As we have said time and again, the right to protest is fundamental to a free and fair society, a right for which people have had to fight long and hard. Without the right to protest, everyone’s ability to hold the powerful to account suffers.
‘If today’s debacle is anything to go by – alongside the increasing clampdown on peaceful protest we are seeing across the country – then we have entered a very, very dark era for protest policing in the UK.’
Natasha Tsangarides, Associate Director of Advocacy at Freedom from Torture, said: ‘Today, we were prevented by police from unfurling a banner on Westminster Bridge which called for “Compassion Not Cruelty; Refugees Welcome”. This is yet another example of a clampdown on peaceful dissent against increasingly authoritarian laws being passed by this government.
‘A wide cross-section of British society – from footballers to faith leaders – has made clear that the UK government’s refugee ban Bill is inhumane. For more than 35 years we have provided clinical services to refugees and survivors of torture who are now at risk of expulsion under this policy.
‘Calling out the harmful consequences for survivors and campaigning for their human rights falls squarely within our duty. Our right to be able to do this is fundamental and Britain’s democracy is stronger for our efforts.’
Sam Grant, Advocacy Director at Liberty said: ‘The government’s broad and draconian anti-protest laws have paved the way for police to overreach their powers, and for people to be stopped from standing up to power.
‘This banner drop was important to stand against the government’s cruel Illegal Immigration Bill – which flies in the face of international human rights principles and will tear families and communities apart. We will continue to stand in solidarity with refugees and migrants and fight for their rights.
‘Either everyone has human rights or no one does. It’s not up to the government to pick and choose who does and doesn’t deserve them.’
