Speaking after attending the court proceedings today the DUP MLA said, “The Kingsmill massacre has stood as overtly sectarian since 1976. It did not require an inquest to discover this, but it has at least been formally recognised that innocent workmen were selected for murder because of their religion. The question can rightly be posed as to how anyone can state that there was “no alternative” to the IRA’s sectarian slaughter of innocent people at Kingsmills.
Those who still bear the pain of what happened in 1976 have not seen anyone brough to justice, and now have faced obfuscation and evasion from authorities in the Republic of Ireland and others elsewhere. Some who talk most loudly about the need for truth appear only to mean this when it relates to the actions of the security forces.
Many of the victims lost faith in this process some time ago and it will be of no comfort to them that their stance has been justified. Even when granted an inquest it has not seen the kind of pressure for openness and truth which seems to be thrown behind other processes.
The families have been through decades of pain and grief because of the actions of republicans. Many of them are people of faith however who rely on the knowledge that even those who evade justice in this life, will not escape it forever.”
DUP Justice Spokesperson Joanne Bunting was also present in court today. She added “We will continue to stand with innocent victims. Many of those most affected by the Kingsmill massacre have passed away whilst others are now left feeling that they will never see the truth uncovered. There is also a fear that there are attempts to run down the clock in relation to other processes in anticipation of the implementation of the legacy act.
I have requested an update from the Police Ombudsman about the status of that report and sought assurances that it will be published without any delay and that it will not be impacted by the 1st May deadline.”