Republicans cannot disown the suffering they caused during the conflict in Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein’s vice president has said, as she apologised to the families of alleged informers killed by the IRA.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill was speaking in her position with Sinn Fein amid calls for republican leadership to apologise for the crimes of the IRA’s internal security unit (ISU).
It follows the publication of the interim findings of Operation Kenova which examined 101 murders and abductions linked to the Provisional IRA’s so-called “nutting squad” responsible for interrogating, torturing and murdering people suspected of passing information to the security forces during the conflict.
The report calls on the republican leadership to apologise to bereaved relatives and victims of the ISU and those who suffered under linked campaigns of intimidation against them.
Speaking in her role as Sinn Fein vice president, Ms O’Neill apologised to the families of alleged informers who were killed by the IRA.
Asked by reporters if she accepted that the murder of alleged informants was wrong and if she wanted to take the opportunity to apologise to their families, Ms O’Neill said: “Yes, I’ve said it before and I’m going to repeat it again today for all those families out there that lost a loved one.
“I am sorry for every single loss of life and that is without exception.
“That’s for every person who was hurt or impacted by our conflict.
“I think it’s important that today as the Sinn Fein new generation, Good Friday Agreement generation, that I would repeat that for those families.
“I can only hope – because this is ultimately their day – that they can take some comfort from that.”
Ms O’Neill made the comments at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, where she also said there was a “deep legacy of suffering and trauma” due to injustices of the past.
She added: “We must never forget those who have died or been injured and their families. I am sorry for all the lives lost during the conflict without exception. Regrettably the path cannot be changed or cannot be undone.
“Neither can the suffering, the hurt or the political violence of conflict be disowned by republicans or by any other party to the conflict.
“People’s lives from every section of the community were trespassed upon during the conflict by British state forces, republicans, loyalists, and unimaginable grief and hurt and pain and suffering was inflicted.
“I would never ask any mother, father, wife, husband, son, daughter, brother or sister to forget the past or to move on. While thankfully the conflict is long over, the legacy of our past remains unresolved.”
The report calls on the Government to apologise for the security forces’ failings amid a “maverick” culture for handling agents and intelligence.
Ms O’Neill said an apology from the Government “should be forthcoming”.
Additionally asked if she believed it was feasible that the IRA could make an apology, Ms O’Neill said: “We all know the IRA have left the stage.
“What I wanted to do today in terms of responding to the report is speak directly to all those families out there.
“That I’m so sorry that we were born into conflict, that I’m so sorry that people were hurt, and that I am determined to try and look towards the future and build a better future for us all, because I think we all deserve that.”