The Ulster Unionist Justice Spokesperson, Doug Beattie MC MLA, has described Sinn Fein’s comments on legacy as selective at best and sheer hypocrisy as worst.
Doug Beattie MC MLA said:
“Recent comments by the Sinn Fein leadership in relation to funding for legacy inquests, indicates either selective memory lapse or utter hypocrisy.
“With no hint of irony, Mary Lou McDonald spoke of families that have ‘waited for decades without answers and there is now no further excuse for delay.’ She then accused the British Government of ‘outrageous foot-dragging’ which she says is ‘entirely unacceptable. It is as if she wants people to believe that the present crop of outstanding legacy inquests are the only outstanding inquests.
“I wonder if Sinn Fein intends to call for funding to ensure the Ballygawley bus bombing atrocity is brought before the coroner? Or Teebane, La Mon, Claudy, Bloody Friday, and Birmingham?
“There are a whole host of atrocities that do not receive unique specialised funding and whose families deserve the truth as much as anyone that Sinn Fein selectively promote in an attempt to portray themselves as the victims’ champion instead of a long-term supporter of victim makers.
“The Sinn Fein leadership seems to have forgotten that party’s past and its role in endorsing, promoting and excusing the IRA. It also seems to have very conveniently forgotten that 90 per cent of deaths during the Troubles were due to the actions of terrorists and two thirds of all killings were the work of the IRA.”
“Every victim and survivor deserves truth and justice, not just a selective few that deserve promotion above the remainder. A comprehensive strategy for dealing with all those outstanding legacy inquests must be forthcoming, not one that pits victim against victim in a fight for truth and justice.
"To demand from others something that you are not prepared to do yourself is nothing less than hypocrisy. Sinn Fein have no credibility when it comes to talking about the rights of victims, because within their ranks they contain so many of those whose only rationale and intent was to create victims.”