Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD said today that reports that the British government will bring forward an amnesty for British soldiers involved in the murders of Irish citizens is a devastating blow for families seeking truth and justice and yet another clear breach of international agreements.

Teachta McDonald said:

“The proposals being reported in London this morning that the British government is going to tear up international agreements on legacy to give British forces immunity from prosecution is a devastating blow to the families of victims of the conflict.

“Many of these families have spent decades trying to get the truth about the killings of their loved ones in the face of cover-up, willful destruction of evidence, and failures to investigate crimes including murder.

“What Boris Johnson and the British government is doing is an attempt to put British soldiers above the law and prevent investigations into murder, torture, shoot to kill and collusion involving British forces in Ireland.

“This is an attack on the rule of law.

“Let’s be clear, this is not about dealing with the legacy of our past. This is about continuing the decades-long cover-ups, and frustrating families in their efforts to get truth and justice.

“That is unacceptable and is yet another breach of an international agreement made at Stormont House to tackle the legacy issue.

“Sinn Féin will continue to support the victims of British state violence in their efforts to get truth.

“We have been in contact with the Irish government who are co-guarantors of our agreements about this unilateral betrayal of the victims of the conflict, and have urged them to stand up to a British government, which is acting in bad faith.

“Sinn Féin will make the case with the EU and the US administration to continue to press the British government to stand by their agreements and international obligations.”