Ed Moloney with a piece that first featured on The Broken Elbow on 12 August 2013.
Sometimes the hypocrisy of government can be so brazen it literally takes the breath away. I am still struggling to retain my composure after reading a news story in The Irish Times today sent by a friend in Ireland.
The story dealt with a successful legal move by the NI Secretary, Theresa Villiers and the PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggot to prevent the relatives of three victims of the security forces from being able to read inquest documents because of British concerns “about the possible disclosure of any sensitive information on members of the security forces”.
Relatives of the three are attempting to re-open their cases and the information is potentially important to them in this effort.
A fuller account than The Irish Times’ is carried in the often excellent Detail website, which I recommend you read.
The three victims were IRA man Paddy McAdorey who was shot dead by a British Army sniper on the morning of internment, August 9th, 1971; Michael Donnelly who was killed by a plastic bullet in 1980 and Sadie Larmour, a Catholic woman who was shot dead in October 1979. Mrs Larmour’s death is especially intriguing. She was killed at her home in Rodney Drive, in the heart of the Falls Road by a UVF gunman who broke into her home. Why is her killing considered by Villiers and Baggot likely to lead to “sensitive information on members of the security forces?” Don’t we have a right to know?
The hypocrisy is breathtaking because at the same time these two individuals, Baggot directly and Villiers by virtue of her post in the British government, are demanding that all information in the archives of Boston College relating to a killing carried out by the IRA must be handed over, no exceptions allowed.
So here we have a classic example of double standards. Boston College must hand over everything but the British can seek to hide what they will, and probably will get away with it. Unless that it is public opinion can be mobilised to force them to play by the same rules they apply to everyone else. Over to you, Irish media. There’s a story here. You do remember what a story is don’t you?
Boston College Belfast Project Key Procedure
ReplyDeleteShouldn't expect journalists here to go sniffing out a good story. They spend their time trying to gag people whilst seeking a wee pat on the head for towing the government line.
ReplyDeleteNorth Korea, eat your heart out.
Its the same old RUC , sitting in HET HQ , with British MI5 , stalling the investigations of state forces murder and collusion with undercover units, some of whom were agents and within the UDR/UVF/UDA/RHC/UFF. which all boil down to being members of the UVF. I hope those PRONI documents were triple copied and place in a very safe place for future reference, because , Rest assured , MI5/RUC (HET) will not rest until it gets there hands on them. BIG BROTHER is at it AGAIN.
ReplyDeleteBelfast Project update: Decision by US is next step
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