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| A mural commemorates the victims of the 1972 "Bloody Sunday" killings in the Bogside area of Londonderry (Derry), Northern Ireland (AFP Photo/PAUL FAITH) |
Dublin (AFP) - The Irish government said on Monday there must be "no amnesty" for British soldiers who committed crimes in Northern Ireland, after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson made historic prosecutions an election campaign issue.
Irish
Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said it was "very concerning" that the
British Conservative leader had pledged to end moves to bring criminal charges
against army veterans who had served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
Campaigning
for the December 12 election, Johnson pledged Monday, timed for the anniversary
of the World War I armistice, to amend human rights law to shield servicemen
from prosecutions for events before 2000.
The pledge
stokes the divisive debate over prosecutions for British troops involved in
killings during three decades of sectarian bloodshed in Northern Ireland.
More than
3,000 people were killed before the conflict wound down with the 1998 Good
Friday Agreement, signed with the accord of London and Dublin.
"This
is very concerning. Governments and parties have agreed an approach on legacy
and reconciliation in Northern Ireland," Coveney said in a statement.
"There
is no statute of limitations, no amnesty, for anyone who committed crimes in
NI. The law must apply to all, without exception, to achieve
reconciliation."
British
troops were despatched to the province to buttress law enforcement in 1969, as
Catholics opposed to British rule battled in the streets with Protestants who
wanted to remain part of the UK.
Initially
welcomed, their deployment transformed into the longest British Army operation
in history and was marred by a number of high profile killings.
According
to the Ulster University's Sutton Index of deaths, the British Army was
responsible for around 300 killings over the course of operations, which
officially ended in 2007.
But efforts
to bring soldiers to justice have been fraught with acrimony and legal
difficulty, and the issue continues to split British and Northern Irish
society.
Some feel
the prosecution of soldiers equates them with state-designated terrorists, such
as those acting for the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
Others feel
that an amnesty implies wrongdoing among all veterans, most of whom who served
honourably.
Johnson's
Conservatives have promised to protect ex-soldiers from "vexatious
claims", by legislating to ensure laws intended for peace time do not
apply to service personnel on military operations.
In his
message to the armed forces, Johnson said: "We salute you and we will
always support you."
At present
there are a number of inquiries and criminal cases under way dealing with
British Army killings.
Most
prominently, a Parachute Regiment serviceman is currently facing murder charges
for the killing of two civilians during "Bloody Sunday".
On January
30, 1972, soldiers opened fire on protesters in a majority Catholic area of the
city of Londonderry, killing 14.
The case
against the anonymous "Soldier F" -- who also faces four attempted
murder charges -- reached court for the first time in September.
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