We can’t have any ‘Nuremberg’ trials here, say loyalists
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A loyalist who had a prominent role in the 1994 ceasefire has warned against “Nuremberg-style trials” examining Northern Ireland’s past.
William ‘Plum’ Smith, a former prisoner who chaired the ceasefire news conference, said there was a choice to make — “closure” or “opening up a can of worms”.
“We are not going to allow our community to be the scapegoat for the conflict,” the former PUP chairman said.
His comments come just days before the October 2 deadline set by Secretary of State Shaun Woodward for contributions to a consultation on the Eames/Bradley recommendations for dealing with the past.
Those proposals include a Legacy Commission with Information-Recovery and Investigation Units.
The latter would take over the work of the Historical Enquiries Team — and it is that process of continuing investigations and arrests that is angering loyalists.
“How can you become involved in a truth and reconciliation process on one hand with arrests on the other hand?” Smith, a former Red Hand Commando prisoner, asked.
“You can’t have both at the same time. They contradict each other,” he argued.
“The continuing arrest of people — where does it stop? People involved in a conflict/|war did things that they wouldn’t normally do.”
But he said that war was now over.
“What is the point in handing in your guns and in going away if these people are still going to hound you?
“You asked us to go away and we went away. People are backtracking here.”
The Shankill loyalist said he believed “people are ready as an organisation to answer” — meaning to address the questions of the past — “but not as individuals”.
“Where are we going here?” he added.
He said it was time to end investigations, to “draw the line for everybody”, loyalist, republican and security forces.
“You can’t have the past buried for republicans and not for policemen or soldiers or whoever,” Mr Smith said.
Another senior loyalist who is part of the paramilitary leaderships told this newspaper the continuing investigations and arrests were “destabilising loyalism”.
“It’s causing grief all right,” he said. “People are asking: ‘who’s going to be next? What have we got out of it?’”
That was a reference to the peace process and what loyalists have achieved.
* Source: The Belfast Telegraph.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments