MEETING: Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams and Jennifer McCann with the parents and uncle of Damien Walsh

Adams meets parents of Damien Walsh

SINN FÉIN President Gerry Adams MP and Jennifer McCann MLA have met the parents and uncle of 17-year-Damien Walsh, who was shot dead by the UDA/UFF in west Belfast in March 1993.
The meeting, at Stormont on Tuesday, was to discuss ongoing efforts by the family to ascertain the truth around Damien’s murder and to review the two current investigations taking place by the Historical Enquiries Team and the Police Ombudsman’s office.
Marian and Peter Walsh were accompanied by Damien’s uncle, Breandan O Lochlainn, who is also chair of VAST (Victims and Survivors Trust), which they and others established following Damien’s murder.
Damien Walsh was killed by the UFF while working at the Dairy Farm Complex at Twinbrook on 25 March 1993.  He was on a state-funded Youth Training Programme.
There is no doubt that collusion between British state forces (principally the RUC) and the UDA was responsible for Damien’s death. His was one of several hundred murders carried out by unionist death squads using weapons imported into the North via South Africa with the help of British Intelligence.
It is also known that the British Army was watching the Dairy Farm at the time of Damien’s murder, that informers played a role, and that the Historical Enquiries team has had DNA evidence of one of the killers for over two years and has done nothing about it.


REPORT
The Police Ombudsman’s office is now carrying out an investigation and a report is expected to be published, perhaps within the next few months. The HET is also carrying out an investigation.
Speaking after the meeting, Adams said:
“Damien Walsh is one of many hundreds of people killed by unionist death squads. His family, like many others, is seeking the truth about his murder and the role of the RUC, British Army and others in that. Sinn Féin supports them in their efforts and will do all we can to help.”