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3 November 2011

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CONFLICT RESOLUTION | DEALING WITH THE LEGACY ISSUES

Political ex-prisoners trying to break the chains of the past

Motions passed at the 2011 Sinn Féin Ard Fheis

This Ard Fheis calls for the establishment of an Independent International Truth Commission as part of an effective truth recovery process to address legacy issues related to the past conflict, and for those who contributed to this conflict to engage with this Commission to assist victims, victims’ families and survivors to secure the closure they demand and deserve and also to contribute to genuine national reconciliation and an inclusive healing process.

This Ard Fheis calls for:

  • The immediate release of those prisoners currently held in Maghaberry on the basis of a revocation of licence, and who were originally sentenced for conflict-related charges.
  • The release of those prisoners sentenced for conflict-related charges prior to the signing of the Good Friday agreement, including Gerry McGeough

» BY MARK MOLONEY

WHEN political prisoners were released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement it was hoped that no more young Irish men and women would be forced to endure jail sentences for conflict-related actions.
But while prisoners were released from 1998 onwards, it was not unconditional. Many prisoners are technically released “on licence”. This means that should a prisoner breach the law, even for a minor offence, they may have their licence revoked and be sent back to prison to serve the full length of their original sentence handed down by a non-jury Diplock court.
In other circumstances some prisoners, such as Gerry McGeough, have been forced to serve up to two years in prison after being charged with conflict-related incidents which occurred before the Good Friday Agreement.
Political ex-prisoners also face regular discrimination in employment. Much of this comes down to that when applying for a job an applicant must tick a box as to whether or not they have any “criminal convictions”. Those who served time for political reasons are required to tick this box.
In 2007, the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister issued guidelines for employers to assist them in recruiting people with conflict-related convictions. The document advises employers that any conviction for a conflict-related offence which pre-dates the Good Friday Agreement should not be taken into account when dealing with job applications.
Meanwhile, the Sinn Féin teams on Strabane and Omagh councils put forward a motion which committed the councils to ensuring that “former political prisoners are allowed to compete for employment on exactly the same terms as every other citizen”.
Despite opposition from the DUP and UUP (who branded the motion “offensive”, “outrageous” and “divisive” — with Omagh DUP Councillor Bert Wilson going as far as storming out of the council chamber), both councils passed the motion.
Commenting on the motion, Strabane Sinn Féin Councillor Kieran McGuire said that while it “will not solve all the outstanding issues, it represents another important step in ensuring that former political prisoners are not discriminated against”. He said:
“Foremost of these outstanding issues is the need to fully ‘expunge’ all political convictions relating to the conflict which are still used as a discriminatory tool against former political prisoners.”
Speaking to An Phoblacht, Martin McGuinness said that the motions were “hugely important”.
“This is something which needs to be addressed in order to allow people to play a full role within society and to gain jobs.
“The majority of ex-prisoners are hugely and strongly supportive of the Peace Process and are people who work in their communities. But for them to be forbidden from achieving other jobs within society is an injustice which needs to be corrected.
“If we are to move forward, reconciling people within society and within the community, it’s very hard to do when people have convictions for pre-1998, political-related incidents which can lead  employers to be discouraged from employing them, and I think that is wrong.”
Sinn Féin has also criticised comments made by Secretary of State Owen Paterson who attempted to rule out a truth commission to deal with the legacy of the conflict.
Sinn Féin MLA Mitchel McLaughlin said:
“For Owen Paterson to attempt to rule out a truth commission style of approach to truth recovery is arrogant and completely ignores the fact that the British Government were parties to this conflict.”
Martin McGuinness said that the reason the British are ruling out the possibility of a truth commission is because “they have a huge amount to hide”, particulary “in relation to their intelligence agencies who were involved in the killings of nationalists in the North”.

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