Clarity from the DUP as to the party’s stance on legacy stance would be welcome

In welcoming Gregory Campbell’s comments in Thursday’s News Letter that the government should consider alternative models put forward by advocates for innocent victims, it would be good to see greater clarity from him and the DUP on this subject.

(Mr Campbell’s article can be read here: ‘Terrorists were responsible for 90% of the Troubles killings and any legacy structures must reflect that,’ October 29)

Does Mr Campbell speak for the DUP collectively or for himself in a personal capacity?

Does the party support the alternative proposals provided by The Innocent Victims United (IVU) family of groups, which insisted that the planned Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) be abandoned and that legacy investigations remain under the auspices of the existing Legacy Investigations Branch (LIB) within the PSNI?

Further resources (initially proposed for an HIU) would need to be redirected to the LIB, with additional checks and balances put in place to monitor the quality and independence of the work.

To deal with the deficit of trust experienced by some who allege wrongdoing by the UK state, IVU proposed that such cases be referred to external forces for investigation.

Does the DUP support the resurrection from the dead of the Stormont House proposals or do they accept the NIO’s own conclusions — that community confidence does not exist for their implementation?

The underlying narrative within the recently published legacy report from the Northern Ireland Affairs Select committee (of which Mr Campbell is a member) was alarming and disappointing — namely that substantive support exists for the Stormont House legacy structures.

Is anyone listening to innocent victims and survivors concerns and frustrations on legacy? If they were truly listening, then they would move beyond the Stormont House proposals accepting that they represented a flawed attempt in dealing with legacy.

The associated draft bill was gravely flawed in construct because the proposals were strongly weighted against the UK state, with very limited abilities in which to hold terrorism or the Republic of Ireland state accountable for their actions and inactions.

For many years I have been seeking justice and truth around the murder of my father Thomas Irwin, murdered by the IRA in 1986. I am only too aware of the immense difficulties faced in getting answers, whether through the then HET or via subsequent avenues.

I am deeply saddened by the continued failure of those in authority to act in the interests of the innocent as opposed to the perpetrator.

Rev Alan Irwin, Fermanagh

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