‘Scrap amnesty proposals and prosecute terrorists’ victims campaigner tells ex-UDR gathering

A leading victims campaigner has told former UDR members that the UK government must scrap ‘quasi-amensty’ plans for Troubles legacy cases and allow prosecutions to proceed where new and compelling evidence comes to light.
By The Newsroom
Published 28th Oct 2021, 18:31 BST
Kenny Donaldson of the South East Fermanagh Foundation at an event at Corick House, Clogher, Co. Tyrone, for former UDR members and families of UDR soldiers killed during the Troubles, in relation to a proposed statute of limitations on future prosecutions: Photo: Brian Lawless/PA WireKenny Donaldson of the South East Fermanagh Foundation at an event at Corick House, Clogher, Co. Tyrone, for former UDR members and families of UDR soldiers killed during the Troubles, in relation to a proposed statute of limitations on future prosecutions: Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Kenny Donaldson of the South East Fermanagh Foundation at an event at Corick House, Clogher, Co. Tyrone, for former UDR members and families of UDR soldiers killed during the Troubles, in relation to a proposed statute of limitations on future prosecutions: Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

South East Fermanagh Foundation director of services Kenny Donaldson was speaking at a gathering of ex-UDR soldiers in Clogher, Co Tyrone yesterday to oppose government legacy proposals. He said Tyrone was selected because it was the “worst-hit county” in terms of the murder of UDR members.

The UDR was “not flawless”, he added, but the actions of some members “do not define the regiment”, and are a “source of grave disappointment, frustration and anger for the overwhelming majority” of ex-members, he said.

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But he added that the state has “failed in its duty of care” to those who “went out to uphold the state and to serve the community, those who fought a terrorist insurrection and who prevented this country from descending into a circumstance of all-out civil war”.

He noted that the UK government has released terrorists from prison, provided them with Royal Prerogatives of Mercy, ‘On-the-Run’ letters and given them ‘cover’ with “an immoral victims definition”. Terrorists have also been allowed to erect illegal memorials across the landscape, “eulogise terrorism in almost every facet of society” and “control the narrative and daily rewrite history”.

Now, he said, the government legacy proposals, which he termed “a statute of limitations/quasi-amnesty” will bring about “the final corruption of the criminal justice process, equate terrorists with security forces and amount to the UK State murdering Justice”.

The campaigner urged the UK Government to “belatedly grow a backbone” and provide a scheme which would give;-

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:: A justice pathway which could act on the basis of new and compelling evidence

:: Robust new laws against the glorification of terrorism.

:: An acknowledgement process which confirms the illegitimacy of criminal violence for political objectives.

:: The removal of the current definition of victim which equates perpetrators and their innocent victims.

He added: “The implications for our democracy are severe if this plan progresses unchecked.”