Fifty years ago, on November 8 1974, our young 18-year-old brother was abducted in broad daylight, taken away and cruelly tortured and murdered by the UVF.
At the outset I would like to make it clear that the Finucane family, like many other families, deserve truth and justice. As a family we have been let down badly, our human rights have been trampled on by British governments, and pledges and promises have not materialised for our young brother Paul. It is shameful, cruel and so unfair.
Hilary Benn has pledged to repeal and replace this very toxic legacy act. I put it to Mr Benn, how can our family take you seriously?
For decades governments have failed us as a family. No-one in authority or the media ever beat a path to our door.
So several years ago, after constantly being told to go down the story-telling route, I wrote the book (A Young Life Stolen), telling the Armstrong family narrative.
Draw a line, forget the past, get on with your life, doesn’t stand easy with myself and family.
I don’t dwell on the past, but I refuse to let our young brother Paul enter the history books as just another statistic.
He was a loving son to our late parents James and Mary Armstrong and also to his remaining brothers and sisters.
I challenge Hilary Benn to sit down with me, look me in the face and convince me that his pledge to repeal and replace the legacy act is not nothing more than empty, hurtful and frustrating words.
Gerry Armstrong
Author of A Young Life Stolen
Belfast BT17
