Brokenshire calls on the executive to ‘play part’ in dealing with past

Posted by Jim on November 23, 2016

John Manley. Irish News (Belfast). Tuesday, November 22, 2016

THE secretary of state has called on the Stormont executive to “play their part” in ensuring any process for dealing with the past is a success.

Nationalists have blamed the British government’s ‘national security veto’ for stalling progress, while disagreement between the DUP and Sinn Féin is thought to be holding up funding for historical inquests.

Writing in The Irish News today, James Brokenshire, pictured, says that since he took office in July many victims and survivors have voiced their disappointment and occasional anger at the failure to agree on a process for dealing with the past.

He says the British government is committed to implementing the Stormont House Agreement’s “balanced and proportionate structures” for dealing with legacy issues and that everyone in the north has a stake in making the new institutions work.

The secretary of state also signals the likelihood of a forthcoming public consultation but says the success or failure of the process does rest solely with the British government.

“It will not hinge on a national security ‘veto’ – that simplistic characterisation fails to recognise that the UK government has agreed to disclose all relevant material it holds to the Historical Investigation Unit, with appropriate, independent oversight of its onward transmission to ensure lives are protected today,” he writes.

Mr Brokenshire’s comments come against the background of a freshly published report on legacy by UN Special Rapporteur Pablo de Greiff which concluded that national security concerns cannot override the state’s obligations to provide information about the past.

The SDLP’s Alex Attwood described the secretary of state’s argument on national security as “disingenuous”.

“The national security veto is about London blocking disclosure on anything they think they don’t want to put into the public domain,” he said.

“To portray it otherwise dowses not build confidence this late in the conversation.”