In the Belfast Telegraph, Chris Thornton point to the Historical Enquiries Team’s record to date – 262 cases reviewed, £8million.. no charges brought. [They're in 1972 apparently - Ed] That’s, to borrow the words of the next Police Ombudsman, a very blunt instrument. He also reports that the NIO is to undertake a “stock take review” of the HET.. as the Eames/Bradley group consider the way forward. [move along now, nothing to see here - Ed]
I’ve been catching up on some reading, recently. Most pleasantly surprised by John Drennan’s latest opus from Gill and Macmillan, Cute Hoors and Pious Protestors… It’s early days yet, but I was struck by this paragraph, part of a dissection of Fianna Fail near the beginning: One of the more fatal consequences of our colonial [...] read our review »
If you want to get a flavour of the proceedings at the Political Studies Association conference on its opening day, then the Storify collation below will bring you some of the images, tweets and sounds of the day. Particular highlights included: the Opening Plenary with David Blunkett, Peter Riddell and Matthew Flinders; and the late [...] read our review »
It’s not published until 3rd March, but one book I recommend you place an advance order for from Slugger’s Bookstore is James Harkin’s Niche. Belfast émigré Harkin examines a number of stories from business, culture and politics and comes to a single insight: everywhere the broad middle is collapsing. He offers Woolworths as an iconic exemplar [...] read our review »
I think the HET is for the chopping block. Not because it isnt needed and not because it is not doing a good job but simply because they continually high light the mismanagement and out right failure of the government during the period of the troubles. I believe when the government bergan these enquiries the y saw it as a way to high light the extremes of Loyalist and Republican terrorism but as the spotlight has as often as not been refoccused back on them they will consign it to the dust bin out of expiediency
Bed Sean…….now!
peteb
your thirst for charges in every case, belies a limited understanding of justice.. like straining at putting square pegs in round holes….there are other cups to drink from which offer replenishment of that same thirst.
Why hang around old parched dry wells, when the oasis is just over the ridge? Is a toughie isn’t it?
Something must be surrendered, internally.
Letting go is the hardest part.. I’m with you all the way..
Cromwell
sectioning now!!
its in few interests, including some of those who who were sanctioning and creating the hET for it to get anywhere.
Whatever the grandstanding by politicians on both sides, the actual policy is to pretty much let it rest.
Should it have come as any surprise that no charges would be forthcoming?
Lord Stevens provided the PPS with something like 25 case files, which he believed contained sufficient evidence to warrant prosecution. The result? No charges were filed.
Clearly, those whose reputations are on the line in any inquiry are loath to indict themselves and equally reticent about holding their colleagues up to the public spot-light.
guys this whole process is called going round in circles, or more precisely “bakerism”
and its meant to deceive you.
In other words, you spend vast amounts of money, trying to find out that it wasn’t sectarianism that started the troubles, only to find out that it was sectarianism that started the troubles.
That the money would be better spent now tackling sectarianism, is clear to the wider world, but in norn iron that would be to admit that it was sectarianism which started the troubles..
So we’re in a Catch22
Bakerism is the philosophy that seeks to ignore these findings and pursue the effects of the troubles and not the causes.
And its that insanity of denial, where we’re treated to this HET theatre d’absurd , and keep going round in circles chasing our tails.
Pete – just for my edification – will people charged and convicted via this process spend time in jail ? Or does the earlt release thing cover them as well ?
For what it’s worth, which may not be very much if anything, to lay the whole of the Troubles onto sectarianism, without including the British government into the mix, is widely missing the mark.
From an historical perspective alone, the British government has been heavily involved in keeping the Protestants and Dissenters seperate and apart from the Catholics. After Wolfe Tone and the Rising of 1798, the British were most assuredly never again going to allow the have-nots to join together against English rule in Ireland.
Unfortunately, for two hundred odd years now, the British have been more than a little successful in that regard.
Dewi
“will people charged and convicted via this process spend time in jail ? Or does the earlt release thing cover them as well ?”
Probably both.
But let’s see the charges brought first.
parci
Having a bad hair day?.. again..
Ball peteb
I’ve provided a reason why your thinking/arguement is going round and round the roundabout.
Your mindset is part of the problem, not the solution
Care to attempt the ball?
Parci
“Your mindset is part of the problem, not the solution”
I’m long past taking lectures on playing the ball from you, if you don’t mind.
Now, getting back to the actual topic..
peteb
if you broke cover for just a second a chat might be worthwhile; I’m not interested in your posts, only your agenda.. why shouldn’t I ask you about that as you post abundantly.. its almost bakerotoole these days?
The shutters come up, I find that absurd, and a major weakness– Why do I have to play blind?
oh and bye the way I don’t come on here and just tell you: ” you’re a bollox”. I give you the courtesy of explaining through reason why you’re a bollox.
Which is ball no?
The HET will only be judged a success if senior Sinn Fein IRA death squad members are charged with the murders they carried out. Otherwise, if there is going to be a cover up, what’s the point. Adams, McGuinness and other Sinn Fein IRA terrorists would be in hiding if the whole truth was told about the situation.
There´s as much chance of Adams, McGuinness or the commander of the FRU going to prison as there is of Mandela going there. They are the survivors.
There is still a slim chance of some of the NI spearcarriers in Special Branch being had up but they´ve probably had too much time and assistance in destroying the files for anyone to get a conviction.
What is happening now are attempts to find the historical facts, which will include some items very discreditable to republicans. They will also, of course destroy the last vestiges of doubt about the credibility of unionism and unionists.
Britain´s glove puppets in Ireland only now coming to grips with the fact that hundreds of years residence qualifies them as natives, not just to the Irish but to the British as well.
lib2016 – “Britain´s glove puppets in Ireland”
If you keep talking like that, you’ll get an job with the SF IRA Unionist Outreach team!
People like yourself who use racist language when it comes to the Ulster-British should remember than those whom you consider as the ‘original’ natives were themselves from a different land.
In this world, it’s often a matter of how far you want to go back in time.
As regards Adams and McGuinness, you are probably right that they have got away with directing terrorism and murders. To make matters worse, the poor innocent victims have to sit at home and listen to Adams talking about the search for the truth. I guess the SF IRA leadership consider a few lies nothing compared to the killings they have carried out. I’m sure ‘Father’ Des Wilson will forgive them for their sins.