Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson
SINN Féin MEP Martina Anderson will this week host a series of meetings in the European Parliament in Strasbourg between EU departments and a delegation of people from the north of Ireland seeking truth and justice from British collusion.
She was speaking ahead of the delegation, which will take place on Monday and Tuesday, Apill 11 and 12, and is made up of a group of 12.
Ms Anderson said: “The question of the past continues to cast a shadow over the future for so many families who live with loss as a direct consequence of our conflict.
“After more than 40 years, the Ballymurphy families are still campaigning for the truth into the British army killings of their loved ones, so too are the families of the McGurks Bar Massacre.
“After 25 years the family of Patrick Finucane still seek the truth into the full extent of British state collusion in Pat’s murder and also the Jordan family as they seek the truth into the killing of their son IRA volunteer Pearse Jordan.
“In an attempt to bring their campaigns further and subsequently closer to truth and justice, I have set up a number of meetings with EU representatives.
“The group will meet with a representative from the Fundamental Rights Agency, who has responsibility for victims, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner representatives and with the Office of the Execution of Judgement.
Ms Anderson, a member of the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee in the European Parliament continues,
“Sinn Féin’s approach to the issue of legacy has been guided by the needs of families and our commitment to the universal application of the right to truth, consistent with international human rights standards.
“Indeed the British response to family demands for truth has been to engage their national security veto to prevent information and onward disclosure to victims, particularly families of British state violence and collusion.
“Each of these families has a right to information about the death of their loved one and I am hopeful that these meetings will bring them one step closer to achieving that,” added the Derry politician.
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