Amnesty Youth’s latest campaign saw students petitioning to halt the Northern
Ireland legacy and Reconciliation bill, in a desperate effort to prevent complicit
Government action.
On the 22nd of February, members of Sheffield Universities Amnesty branch
were seen in the Students Union rallying peers and gathering signatures to
oppose the bill.
Saira Turner, a 3rd year Law student at the University highlighted the injustice of
the Bill.
She said, “Its awful, No one has really been held accountable”.
This petition comes in the wake of the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday
agreement, that saw a constitutional settlement in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Troubles occurred between the 1960s and 1990s. During
this time Amnesty estimate that over 3,600 people were killed and over 40,000
were injured.
The bill gives ‘impunity to murderers’ according to Amnesty, who’s petition to
revoke the bill is just 1000 signatures shy of its 12,000 signatures goal.
Turner explained, “A lot of the violence was state mandated and the new bill will call an effect of
Amnesty to murders and tortures. Admitting to their crimes will allow them to be
let off Scott free.”
“We are calling on Rishi Sunak to completely scrap the bill as appose to revising
it.”
Amnesty have also criticised the government ironic attempts to “reflect on the
impact the Agreement” with the pending anniversary.
The latest press conference saw Grainne Teggart, Deputy Director for Northern
Ireland at Amnesty International UK urging the government to retract the Bill:
“We need legislation that upholds rights, prioritises victims and ensures the rule
of law applies to all. This Bill must be dropped now.”
The Un and US congress have criticised this bill, which is currently in the house
of commons being put through the committee stage.