British Govt Accused Of Attempting To 'Hide Its Role In The Conflict'

The British government is "intent on hiding its role in the conflict and putting its forces beyond the law", Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill has said.

The Deputy First Minister was responding after Boris Johnson confirmed that the UK government would bring forward legislation to ban all prosecutions related to the Troubles.

She said: "Once again the British government has shown its complete disregard for the people of the north, for victims of the conflict, for our peace process and for its agreements.

"Families who have campaigned with dignity and determination have been left angered and hurt by this further attempt by the British government to cover up the truth and put its forces beyond the law.

"Some of these families have been fighting for truth for five decades. They have been forced to take to the streets and to go to the courts in an attempt to find out the truth about the deaths of their loved ones.

"It's clear that the British government's objective is to end independent investigations, inquests, judicial reviews, civil cases and also prosecutions involving British soldiers already before the courts. 

"Such unilateral proposals are a clear breach of the British government's Stormont House Agreement and their New Decade New Approach commitments. This unilateral approach is opposed by all five main political parties in the north and the Irish government.

"These proposals are about putting British state forces who killed Irish citizens beyond the law. It is further insult to grieving families.

"This is about the British government simply protecting their own state forces and the policy makers responsible for shoot to kill, state murder and collusion; facilitating impunity and blocking accountability.

"If the current legacy process is to deliver for victims, in a human rights compliant manner, there can be no amnesty or statute of limitation for British state forces or intention to interfere with due legal process in respect of legacy inquests, judicial reviews, civil cases or prosecution cases involving British soldiers already before the courts.

"We will continue to demand the implementation of the internationally agreed Stormont House Agreement and stand with the families in their search for truth and justice."