‘SF and IRA talk about truth but lied to Saville and Smithwick’

Jeffrey Donaldson said: “We hear republicans talk about a truth process and the need for truth, yet when the challenge has been brought to their door, I think, for example, of the Saville inquiry into the events in Londonderry in 1972. When Martin McGuinness, now Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, gave evidence to that inquiry, he refused to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, citing some IRA code that he had signed up to when he joined the Provisional IRA.”

The Lagan Valley MP also referred to the IRA’s refusal to co-operate with the Smithwick Tribunal’s review of the murder of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and RUC Superintendent Robert Buchanan, from Bready, in 1989.

“Sinn Féin agreed to co-operate with the Smithwick inquiry, which is investigating circumstances surrounding the murders of the two most senior officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary—Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan—killed by the IRA in south Armagh. Sinn Féin agreed to assist the inquiry with its investigation, and designated two IRA members from south Armagh to meet lawyers representing the Smithwick inquiry. It was a farce.

“The two IRA members arrived at the meeting; lawyers were present, there was a discussion, and questions were asked.

“Each time a question was asked that might in some remote way have caused the IRA members to implicate any member of the IRA in any way whatsoever, they left the room, made a phone call, came back in and said, ‘We cannot answer that question,’” he said.

Mr Donaldson also read out a macabre tally of all the 3,531 people estimated to have died here by organisation responsible for their deaths.

The Army killed 297 but: “Many of those were entirely lawful and legitimate, and were carried out by soldiers acting in the course of their duty to protect human life. The Ulster Defence Regiment, in which I was proud to serve, was responsible for eight deaths. When one hears the attacks that are made against the integrity, valour and sacrifice of the Ulster Defence Regiment, one would think that it was responsible for many more. I reiterate that those deaths were the result of soldiers acting in the course of duty. The Royal Ulster Constabulary, which is also demonised at times by Irish republicans, was responsible for 55 deaths. “Interestingly, the Garda, the Irish police, were responsible for four deaths and the Irish army for one.”

Referring to paramilitary killings he said the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) and the Irish People’s Liberation Organisation (IPLO) killed 135; the Provisional IRA killed 1,707; The Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Freedom Fighters killed 260 deaths; and the Ulster Volunteer Force killed 430.

Mr Donaldson said all of the deaths were regrettable.