15 April 1999 Edition
British delaying search for bodies
By Ned Kelly
The British government's refusal to enact amnesty legislation is blocking the search for the graves of nine people executed and buried by the IRA during the 1970s and early 1980s.
On March 29, the IRA said that after an 18-month inquiry carried out by a senior IRA officer, it had located the graves of nine of those it executed and had informed their families of this.
As the IRA was releasing its statement, accepting ``full responsibility'' for the killings and expressing regret ``that this has taken so long to resolve and for the prolonged anguish caused to the families'', the Dublin government said it would bring forward amnesty legislation and not use any information or evidence found in the search for the bodies to prosecute anyone.
Now, legislation is being prepared by the Dublin government and is expected to be ratified in Leinster House next week when TDs return after the Easter recess. Dublin Justice Minister John O'Donaghue pledged to introduce legislation so that ``evidence resulting from the process could not be used in the prosecution of offences''.
The British government, on the other hand, only committed itself to considering amnesty legislation, but as it stands, Secretary of State Mo Mowlam is now saying that similar legislation will not be enacted in Westminster until the end of April. The British government is also saying it wants to hold discussions with Dublin before making any decision. These delays, are clearly prolonging the anguish of the families and preventing a speedy resolution to the issue.
One of of relatives, Helen McKendry, whose mother, Jean McConville, was killed as an informer, reacted to the ddealay by saying: ``If they [the British government] wanted to they could get this sorted in the morning.''
The British government's refusal to enact amnesty legislation is blocking the search for the graves of nine people executed and buried by the IRA during the 1970s and early 1980s.
On March 29, the IRA said that after an 18-month inquiry carried out by a senior IRA officer, it had located the graves of nine of those it executed and had informed their families of this.
As the IRA was releasing its statement, accepting ``full responsibility'' for the killings and expressing regret ``that this has taken so long to resolve and for the prolonged anguish caused to the families'', the Dublin government said it would bring forward amnesty legislation and not use any information or evidence found in the search for the bodies to prosecute anyone.
Now, legislation is being prepared by the Dublin government and is expected to be ratified in Leinster House next week when TDs return after the Easter recess. Dublin Justice Minister John O'Donaghue pledged to introduce legislation so that ``evidence resulting from the process could not be used in the prosecution of offences''.
The British government, on the other hand, only committed itself to considering amnesty legislation, but as it stands, Secretary of State Mo Mowlam is now saying that similar legislation will not be enacted in Westminster until the end of April. The British government is also saying it wants to hold discussions with Dublin before making any decision. These delays, are clearly prolonging the anguish of the families and preventing a speedy resolution to the issue.
One of of relatives, Helen McKendry, whose mother, Jean McConville, was killed as an informer, reacted to the ddealay by saying: ``If they [the British government] wanted to they could get this sorted in the morning.''