North's State-sponsored killers and the law

by james Tue Nov 29, 2005 13:08

This is a peace process, following a war that lasted for 25 years. There were horrific attrocities on every side, from republicians, from loyalists, and from the british army and police and intelligence services. The only way to move forward, and i repeat forward, is to end the war.
Are you not aware that this is the result of a negotiated treaty, and deal, involving republicans unionists and the british and irish governments? and was voted on by all citizens of this country ??

I agree fully with you that the terms are broad and will without doubt include people and murders that have no right to claim political status. However it is essential, it was a dirty immoral war on both sides, and i doubt the british want their security services brought before tribunal after tribunal, and same on republican side. It is a comprimise and a chance to but the past behind and move on to build a Future.

by Duine Tue Nov 29, 2005 13:12

An mbeadh sé oscailte do ghaolta Mhister David Templeton cás príobháideach a chur ar an duine a ainmíodh, fiú amháin ar mhaithe le poiblíochta nó ar mahithe le próiseas caointe an theaghlaigh?

by Davy Carlin - Street Seen Tue Nov 29, 2005 16:02 carlindavid at hotmail dot com

On Sunday 27th November I had attended an opening of a memorial Garden in Ballymurphy, the estate into which I was born, and had lived several years of my life from 1970 onwards.

An estate in the 70’s and 80’s that housed 50 plus of my relatives through that time and houses many still today.

And as my wife and I looked at the 125 or so names on the plaques, I had seen, at a glance, no less that five names of men, women and children who in some way where related to Marie or I, that had been murdered by the state, may it have been by their 'legitimate army’ or by their loyalist playthings whom they directed.

On that matter I had also read at least twelve other family names I had known, while other names again I had seen being shot as a child.

Yet there are many more memorials and many more names of many more who I had known or who where close to us.

-Yet whatever the political debate and differences between the SDLP and the Shinners of who said or did what -‘, something I have not got time to go into presently,

- My belief, is fundamental’, that is, that when a state {and its agencies and associates} murders its own citizens, then everything, everything, needs to be done in the call for truth and justice.

To that end, many will not find any sort of closure until this is the case – indeed as I stood and looked at those names, and the youth of many, I felt a feeling stir within me and later had seen a look in my eyes that I had not seen since a child of seven.

I am to go into this in great depth, Truth and Justice' as I will do in regard to other aspects of the peace process which I believe are essential, this in my Dec input of my Diary which will be online in the short time ahead.

by Ryan Tue Nov 29, 2005 20:49

Murder is murder is murder -whether by the paramilitaries or the British government.
For more than 30 years of mindless violence Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom - the Unionist and loyalist populations were and are never going to agree to join a United Ireland at the barrel of a gun - it's that simple.
Personally as a Southerner I couldn't care less whether this island is united and certainly don't want it to be brought about by violating the democratic will of the majority of Unionists and loyalists.
But there never can never be peace on this island until there is peace and reconciliation -not a phoney armed peace with paramilitary gangs running criminal rackets using front political parties and not a phoney reconciliation with prisoners released and murderers getting away scot free.
If that is peace and reconciliation then the Irish and British governments are selling out the people of Ireland north and south to tyranny.

by The Pen Mon Dec 05, 2005 12:27

Where has the SDLP voice against state sponsored killings been in recent years? People who stated that state murder was policy of the British were labeled conspirators by the SDLP. So I think the fact that Alban and the SDLP are trying to jump on the bandwagon is a sad reflection of the sorry state of the party.

by my view Mon Dec 05, 2005 13:06

Murder was a crime last time I checked! How can you possibly brush 2,100 unsolved murders under the mat? SF, shame on you! You promise peace and equality, and you deliver us this, a total joke! you just want to take your upstanding and well trained soldiers of an ILLEGAL army back home, to civilsed people. Pathetic! The murderous wretches of both sides deserve nothing and definitely do not deserve amnesty from murder.
"Murder is murder is murder"
I never liked Thatcher but at least she knew what a crime was, unlike big Gerry from Belfast!

by Realist Tue Dec 06, 2005 12:13

Will 'my view take a look ast himself/herself, he/ she obviously dosent follow politics too closely. His statement seems to be a propaganda staement from the front page of the british daily mail.