Amnesty Northern Ireland Director: Theresa May Risks Looking like She Is Playing Part in Kincora Cover-up
By Chris McCullough
Home secretary Theresa May risks looking like she is now playing her part in a decades-long cover-up, says Amnesty International. The organisation has branded a statement from the Home Secretary, which excludes Kincora Boys’ Home from the UK child abuse inquiry, as a “missed opportunity” for truth. Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland programme director Patrick Corrigan said: “The Home Secretary risks looking like she is now playing her part in a decades-long cover-up.” The Ministerial statement named new panel members for the statutory inquiry into child sexual abuse in England and Wales, but did not address the call for Kincora to be included within its remit.
Amnesty International has repeatedly called for the paedophile abuse scandal at the Belfast children’s home to be included within the scope of the Westminster inquiry established by Home Secretary Theresa May and headed by New Zealand judge Lowell Goddard. Last month the Commons Home Affairs Committee also recommended that Kincora be included within the scope of the Westminster inquiry, rather than the Northern Ireland Historical Abuse Inquiry, which has no powers to compel evidence or witnesses from Britain. Former army intelligence officers have alleged that MI5 was involved in covering up the sexual abuse of children at the home, apparently to protect an intelligence-gathering operation it ran in the 1970s.
One of the victims, Richard Kerr, believes that Kincora was part of a wider paedophile ring across the UK which may have included locations such as Elm Guest House in London, which will be investigated by Justice Goddard’s inquiry. Mr Corrigan said: “The statement by the Home Secretary about the child abuse inquiry is a huge missed opportunity to demonstrate the government’s commitment to uncover the dark truth about Kincora. “By excluding Kincora from the only inquiry which has the power to establish the truth about the role the intelligence services may have played in the paedophile ring, the Home Secretary risks looking like she is now playing her part in a decades-long cover-up. “The Home Secretary says that child protection is a devolved matter. “She is neatly ignoring the fact that the Northern Ireland Assembly unanimously supports the inclusion of Kincora in the Westminster inquiry, because it knows that the local inquiry has no powers to compel evidence from MI5 and the Ministry of Defence and that it does not have the confidence of victims or potentially crucial witnesses. “Kincora should be investigated alongside claims of establishment involvement in child abuse rings in other parts of the UK. “With new allegations emerging of links between Kincora and paedophile rings elsewhere in the UK, the case for inclusion has never been stronger. “Kincora’s child abuse victims were badly let down in the 70s. “Sadly, they are being failed again now by this government.”
Meanwhile, Alliance MP Naomi Long said it looks increasingly likely the British Government is unwilling to deal with child abuse cases during the Troubles in any meaningful way. Mrs Long said the Home Secretary’s statement was “extremely disappointing” due to the exclusion of Kincora Boys’ Home. She added: “Alliance, the Assembly, the Home Affairs Select Committee and Amnesty International have all called for Kincora to be included in the Home Office’s inquiry. “But the Home Secretary has now ignored that call, making it look as if the Government is unwilling to deal with child abuse cases during the Troubles in any meaningful way. “It has become clearer recently, with Kincora and allegations over the IRA’s role in abuse, these issues during the Troubles were not handled how they ought to have been. “That leaves vulnerable people at risk and without justice. In this particular instance, the state has a case to answer.”
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