‘Nothing to fear’ in new legacy bill for NI Veterans: NIVM

The mainly GB-based Northern Ireland Veterans Movement (NIVM) said they can support the legislation for a number of reasons.

NIVM spokesman Paul Young said: “It is not what everybody wants but it is as close as we are going to get.

“This new commission that is in the bill, the day that that becomes law, then all of legacy institutions that are in existence now in Northern Ireland cease to exist completely. It will be all taken away from Northern Ireland, and the only people that will deal with the past is this new commission.

“And to get this immunity from prosecution you have to fully and meaningfully engage with the commission, and we say that any veterans – the 10% of deaths caused by the military or security forces – have all been investigated in the past to a very high degree and did not meet the standard for prosecution, so they almost certainly, automatically, when the commission looks at all the files, will probably be granted immunity from prosecution, because they will have been seen to have engaged with the commission in a full and meaningful way.

“Those cases are well-documented with forensics etc, so for soldiers and police officers to engage with that commission, it will hold no fear for them.”

To date, the NIVM stance on a ‘statute of limitations’ – viewed by many as an effective amnesty that will benefit former terrorists as well as security force members – has been at odds with most victims’ groups, political parties and Northern Ireland-based veterans’ groups.

Mr Young added: “Once they are given that immunity from prosecution, then those files will be sealed and never see the light of day again.

“Different ball game for terrorists – for those responsible for 90% of the deaths in Northern Ireland.

“For them to get immunity from prosecution, they will have to engage in a full and meaningful way and admit what they have done to get immunity.

“And if they don’t do that, then the commission will have access to all files held by the security forces and the courts, and can determine whether somebody that is appearing before them is telling the truth and engaging in a meaningful way.”

The NIVM spokesman said veterans have been unhappy at number of military veterans being prosecuted by the PPS in Northern Ireland while terrorist murders are largely forgotten.

“It sounds like it does what we have been campaigning for for the last number of years, and that is to stop the prosecutions – to take them away from Northern Ireland,” Mr Young added.

When the bill – which was mentioned in the Queen’s Speech on May 10 – was laid before the Commons by NI Secretary Brandon Lewis on Tuesday, East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson said the new legacy arrangements must be at pains to ensure “no moral equivalence” is drawn between police and soldiers and the paramilitaries.