Adams in truth body warning as PM meets Eames and Bradley
By Brian Rowan
Belfast Telegraph
Friday, 23 January 2009
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has again warned against setting up any truth process that is “established by and answerable to the British Government”.
An article by the west Belfast MP appeared in the latest edition of the republican newspaper An Phoblacht yesterday as Lord Robin Eames and Denis Bradley briefed the Prime Minister and Secretary of State in No.10.
At the heart of now imminent proposals for dealing with Northern Ireland’s violent past is a three-strong Legacy Commission, headed by an international chairman. The full report of the Consultative Group on the Past will be unveiled next Wednesday.
“Sinn Fein has concluded that the establishment of an Independent International Truth Commission is the best way of taking this forward,” Mr Adams wrote.
“But this cannot work if such a body is established by and answerable to the British Government,” he added.
The Sinn Fein President made similar comments in an interview with the Belfast Telegraph last November.
Lord Eames and former Policing Board vice-chairman Mr Bradley — co-chairs of the Consultative Group — were in London yesterday with officials to brief Prime Minister Brown and Secretary of State Woodward.
Their report comes at the end of a 19-month period of consultation, research and writing.
Yesterday, Mr Adams wrote: “The British State are protagonists in this conflict, they are not innocent observers.
“There are many victims’ organisations that fear that the Eames-Bradley proposals will not recognise this reality and allow the British State to continue its policy to date of cover-up and concealment,” the article continued.
He wrote that one way of achieving an independent process would be to have an international inquiry. “The United Nations or another reputable agency could be involved,” he said.
The IRA did not meet the Eames-Bradley Consultative Group — and how next week’s proposals are interpreted will determine whether future republican co-operation with The Legacy Commission is possible.
It is thought there will be a significant period of debate after the report is published next week.
'So venceremos, beidh bua againn eigin lá eigin. Sealadaigh abú.'
--Bobby Sands