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The UK Government\u2019s proposals for dealing with the past in Northern Ireland have been criticized as MPs announced an inquiry.<\/p>\nThe UK Government\u2019s proposals for dealing with the past in Northern Ireland have been criticized as MPs announced an inquiry.<\/p>\n
In March, the Northern Ireland Office launched proposals which pledged to \u201cend the cycle of reinvestigations for the families of victims and veterans alike\u201d.<\/p>\n
The proposals included a single independent body to oversee information retrieval and investigation.<\/p>\n
They also proposed full police investigations only in cases with a \u201crealistic prospect\u201d of prosecution due to \u201cnew compelling\u201d evidence.<\/p>\n
The consultation document followed the New Decade, New Approach deal agreed by previous Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith and T\u00e1iniste Simon Coveney in January.<\/p>\n
They differed from previous proposals on dealing with the past contained in the 2014 Stormont House Agreement.<\/p>\n
The Government pledged in March to begin an \u201cintensive period of engagement\u201d with the Northern Ireland political parties, and the D\u00e1il, over the proposals.<\/p>\n
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster has announced an inquiry into the Government\u2019s approach to the region\u2019s troubled past.<\/p>\n
Committee chairman Simon Hoare said the inquiry will provide a forum for views to be shared and pledged the committee will do all in its power to ensure future legislation is \u201cbalanced, fair and appropriate to the circumstances in Northern Ireland\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is essential that the Government gets this right, not only for individuals and families affected, who want to know what happened to their loved ones, but to support reconciliation in Northern Ireland for future generations too,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in MP Francie Molloy described the Government\u2019s proposals as \u201cwholly unacceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is clear those proposals are designed to undermine the mechanisms already agreed by the British Government, the Irish Government and the political parties in the Stormont House Agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a further attempt to deny access to truth to families, some of whom have been waiting up to 50 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow it has been announced that a Westminster committee will examine these proposals.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of coming up with new proposals and inquiring into them, leading to further delays, the British Government needs to fulfill its obligations and immediately implement the legacy mechanisms contained in the Stormont House Agreement in a human rights-compliant manner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International\u2019s Northern Ireland campaign manager, claimed the proposals are \u201cnot compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey also represent a significant departure from the Stormont House Agreement. Ultimately, the current proposals amount to a further betrayal of victims and are the latest attempt to close down paths to justice,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cVictims\u2019 rights to truth, justice and accountability must be vindicated. Amnesty will be submitting to the Westminster inquiry to highlight a human rights-compatible way forward to finally deal with the past.\u201d<\/p>\n