McGlone Welcomes Assembly Call to Locate The ‘Disappeared’

SDLP deputy leader, Patsy McGlone, has welcomed the Assembly’s call on all groups and individuals who have any knowledge of the location of the remains of the ‘Disappeared’ to bring that information in confidence to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains without further delay. The call was made in a motion proposed by the SDLP and adopted without division by the Assembly.

Speaking afterwards Mr McGlone said, “It is important to note the facts behind the motion. The disappeared were abducted, murdered and secretly buried by members of paramilitary organisations; their families still grieve deeply for them. Those actions were designed deliberately to intimidate people and to create uncertainty and fear in the communities from which the victims were taken. The commission identified the disappeared as people who were abducted between 1972 and 1995. At the start of 2010, a further person was added to the list of the disappeared.

“Since 1999, the commission has tried to return the victims’ remains to their families. In July 2010, the remains of Charlie Armstrong were located at a site in County Monaghan and returned to his family. The burial sites of other victims who were abducted and, presumably, murdered remain to be found. Sinn Féin may believe that, in the words of their party president, it is a human rights violation that victims’ families have been unable to bury their dead. My party, along with the rest of society, recognises that the abductions and murders were the initial human rights violations. The fact that the people who were responsible have been granted immunity from prosecution in respect of any evidence that is gathered in the recovery of those remains is a disgrace. However, it is a fact that people must live with on the pathway to, we hope, discovery of those bodies.

“The families deserve for the remains of their loved ones to be returned. Today, we demand it. A number of times, I sat with the late Mrs Vera McVeigh, whose son was in the Public Gallery during the debate, in her home. I heard her worries, concerns and absolute, utter heartbreak that the remains of her young son had never been returned to her. It would have taken a tear from a stone to listen to that elderly lady speak of the disappearance of her son as though it were yesterday. There is still information out there that could lead to the return of Columba McVeigh’s remains; there are people who know where his remains are. If they have any respect for humanity or for a Christian burial, I implore them or anyone who is in a position to instruct them to tell them to come forward to allow people to bury their family members with dignity.

“They know that that is the right thing to do; occasionally, they have difficulty finding out the honourable thing to do. I plead with them to do what is both right and honourable: to come forward, state the truth and tell where the bodies are buried so that the families can visit those graves, pay respects to their loved ones and, after so many years, can say that their remains are back with their families.

“We believe that people out there have that information. The recent discovery of what is believed to be the body of Gerry Evans in a bog in Co Louth proves that to be the case.

“We call upon those individuals and groupings to bring that information to the commission without delay.”
 

ENDS