The UK Government must apologise “as a bare minimum” to the families of 10 innocent civilians killed in west Belfast in 1971 in shootings involving the Army, Northern Ireland’s deputy First Minister said.
Speaking the day after a coroner ruled that the 10 people killed in Ballymurphy nearly 50 years ago were “entirely innocent”, Michelle O’Neill said Tuesday had been “a day for truth for the Ballymurphy families … but not a day of justice, and that’s what the families now need to see”.
She added: “That’s for everybody – all families are entitled to truth, all families are entitled to justice, all families are entitled to know what happened to their loved ones.
Mr Johnson made apology during call with Arlene Foster and Michelle O Neill
PM said conclusions of Ballymurphy inquest were deeply sad , spokesman said
Ms Foster is Northern Ireland s First Minister, whilst Ms O Neill is deputy and leader of Sinn Fein
Son of one of people killed rejected what he called a third party apology
John Teggart questioned why Mr Johnson did not say sorry publicly
John Teggart queried why Boris Johnson did not make a public apology.
A Downing Street spokesman said that in a conversation with First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Mr Johnson “apologised unreservedly on behalf of the UK Government”.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Jessica Taylor/PA)
However the apology was not referenced in either DUP or Sinn Fein statements following the virtual meeting which focused on coronavirus.
In a statement a Sinn Fein spokesperson said Ms O’Neill challenged Mr Johnson to apologise to the Ballymurphy families.
They said she was told that Secretary of State Brandon Lewis was intending to make a statement around Ballymurphy at Westminster on Thursday.
The Northâs Executive is to discuss further easing of the Covid-19 restrictions when it meets later on Thursday.
The outgoing First Minister Arlene Foster of the DUP said ministers would discuss international travel as well as the potential relaxing of rules around hugging, which will soon be allowed again in other parts of the UK.
Ms Foster said they had noted these developments but it would be âabsolutely wrongâ to prejudge what ministers will decide.
âWe will want to discuss that tomorrow, it is something we are discussing today amongst ourselves as well,â she said on Wednesday.
âWe know that there are a lot of people who have been waiting for that time, I know certainly I have in terms of my own mother, so I am looking forward to being able to have those discussions tomorrow,â she said.
Boris Johnson unreservedly apologises for huge anguish caused to Ballymuprhy families
Downing Street said Mr Johnson made the remarks during a call with the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
The spokesperson said Mr Johnson restated his Government’s intention to deliver a way forward in Northern Ireland that focuses on reconciliation, delivers for victims of the Troubles and ends the cycle of reinvestigations. File Picture
Wed, 12 May, 2021 - 17:59
Rebecca Black PA
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has “apologised unreservedly” for the events that led to the deaths of 10 innocent civilians in Ballymurphy 50 years ago.
He made the apology on behalf of the UK Government during a phone call with Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill.