Press Release – 17 April 2002
'Relatives for Justice would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to
the McBride family for taking such a brave stand on behalf of Peter's memory
and the moral victory they have achieved by highlighting the outrageous injustice done'
Reacting to today's decision in the High Court rejecting Jean McBride's
application to have Scots Guards Wright and Fisher removed from their
employment in the British army Director of Relatives for Justice, Mark
Thompson said:
" This decision confirms many things for the relatives of people killed
by British State forces in Ireland. Firstly a system of effective
impunity exists where even if on the extremely rare occasions British
army members are found guilty of murder, they are given cover and
protected by the establishment. In the eyes of the judiciary murdering
an innocent
nationalist is not seen as doing wrong.
" In the context of the peace process and supposedly moving towards finding
mechanisms of healing this decision reinforces the grief and hurt of not
only the McBride family but all families affected by state violence. For
them little has changed and victims strategies such as those launched last
week by the devolved government are completely undermined.
" While we all reflect on the implications of the judgement Relatives for
Justice would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the McBride
family for taking such a brave stand on behalf of Peter's memory and the
moral victory they have achieved by highlighting the outrageous injustice
done."
ENDS
