Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Féin’s First Minister, has acknowledged the significant suffering and trauma that the Troubles wreaked upon Northern Ireland’s society. Each fatality resulted in “injustices and tragedies,” she voiced. However, when requested by Jon Boutcher, PSNI chief constable, to specifically apologise for the IRA’s ill-treatment and murders of alleged informers, she did not directly address this.
Following the long-anticipated Kenova interim report release, she made a statement expressing regret for any lives lost during the conflict. O’Neill, who mentioned that she was not acquainted with Freddie Scappaticci, expressed her condolences to those who had lost or been injured and their families.
Acknowledging the cross-sectional impact of the Troubles, she asserted the republicans cannot distance themselves from the pain and political violence. She noted that suffering was imposed by British state forces, republicans, and loyalists alike, causing widespread grief.
In light of the report findings, O’Neill called for an apology from the British government. The Kenova report concluded that republicans should express their regret for the IRA’s abhorrent actions and for fueling hostility towards the families of those wrongly accused by the group.
In a Belfast press conference, she reiterated her sorrow for every life lost in the conflict and for all those affected, voicing hope that families would find some solace in her words. O’Neill stressed the significance of her statement as part of Sinn Féin’s Good Friday Agreement generation.
According to the Kenova report, British operatives within the Provisional IRA were found to have consciously murdered other members of the faction. Responding to the findings, Sinn Féin’s president, Mary Lou McDonald, stated that the anguish perpetrated during the time of the Provisional IRA remains a painful part of history that cannot be undone or altered. She alluded to the ongoing quest for truth and recognition that continues to impact numerous families, even though the former conflict is now history. McDonald affirmed her commitment as Sinn Féin’s leader to foster reconciliation and help heal past suffering.
Meanwhile, the Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister, Micheál Martin, viewed the Provisional IRA’s history of violence as primarily attacking their own community. He recommended that Sinn Féin acknowledge the futility and incorrectness of their former militant campaign. In doing so, Martin pointed out that the Provisional IRA was responsible for over 1,700 deaths during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, more than any other group.
The conduct of the Provisional IRA’s ‘Internal Security Unit’ was condemned in the interim report for depicting the worst of human nature. Martin noted that this internal faction perpetrated human rights abuses and violence to suppress the nationalist community.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Christ Heaton-Harris, avoided commenting on the report’s detailed findings, citing ongoing court cases. Instead, he deferred governmental response until the full report becomes public. He also commented on the non-prosecution of 32 individuals connected with Kenova by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in North Ireland and highlighted the challenges associated with obtaining criminal convictions in such historical cases.
On the other hand, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson opined that the Kenova investigation has provides insights for the British government, stressing that the British intelligence effectively crippled the Provisional IRA through infiltration. He lauded the bravery of those within the security forces during the Troubles, rationalizing their role as crucial to combating terrorism, increasing community security, and promoting lasting peace.
Colum Eastwood, the frontman of SDLP, commented on the interim report, stating that it highlights the dreadful acts carried out by the IRA’s internal security unit, green-lighted by the IRA leadership and deplorably permitted by the British Government and security services.
He further established that the British security services had infiltrated the IRA at all stages, prompting him to urge both parties – the IRA and the British government – to tender distinct apologies to the families affected. Eastwood expressed that mere expressions of general or vague melancholy fall short and will be perceived as such by the victims and survivors.
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