RICHIESTO IL SOSTEGNO DEL SINN FEIN NELLA CAUSA PER IL RISARCIMENTO DALLA LIBIA
Il supporto del Sinn Fein alla causa promossa dai familiari delle vittime dei Troubles contro il governo libico, sarà un punto dell’ordine del giorno dell’Assembly
Oggi verrà richiesto ai membri dell’Assembly appartenenti al Sinn Fein, di appoggiare la richiesta di risarcimento danni avanzata dalle vittime dei Troubles, nei confronti della Libia di Gheddafi.
Come sottolinea Jeffrey Donaldson (DUP), il dibattito non deve esser considerato come una presa di posizione unionista contro i nazionalisti, perchè il terrorismo prescinde dalla suddivisione unionista-nazionalista, come dalla suddivisione tra protestanti e cattolici.
“Questa mozione dovrebbe essere considerata nel contesto delle vittime che devo essere ascoltate e aiutate nella loro richiesta di giustizia”.
Gordon Brown nei giorni scorsi ha offerto il proprio supporto, disponendo un sostegno, presso il Foreign Office di Tripoli, alla delegazione delle vittime che si recherà in territorio libico con lo scopo di ottenere un incontro con il Colonnello.
La richiesta di risarcimente è appoggiata anche dal SDLP.
Call for SF to support Libya compensation case (U TV)
Sinn Fein assembly members will be asked to back IRA victims’ compensation case against Libya during the first session of the Assembly on Monday.
Successive governments have already raised the issue of Libyan support for the IRA, including the supply of Semtex which was used by republican terrorists during the Troubles.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown recently added his voice to the chorus of demands for reparations from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
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DUP Assembly member Jeffrey Donaldson said: “It would significantly strengthen our case if we are able to tell the Libyan government that we enjoy full political support for our campaign.
“This debate should not be viewed as a unionist versus nationalist issue, as Libyan-sponsored terrorism made no distinction between Protestant and Catholic or unionist and nationalist.
“This motion should be considered in the context of victims being heard and their quest for justice being aided.”
Diplomatic pressure
The debate, in the name of Mr Donaldson and party colleague Nigel Dodds, supported the victims’ case against Tripoli and called on the UK Government to apply diplomatic pressure to pay the compensation.
Mr Donaldson cited former RUC Chief Constable Sir Hugh Annesley as calculating that in 1992 Libya was responsible for importing six tonnes of Semtex, 1,600 AK rifles, 300 machine guns, 500 hand guns, 20 SAM missiles and 50 rocket launchers.
Earlier, Mr Brown said he would provide dedicated Foreign Office staff to assist the victims, and diplomats at the British Embassy in Tripoli would accompany and advise them when they travel to Libya to seek direct talks with Colonel Gaddafi within the next few weeks.
SDLP MLA Alex Attwood said his party would be supporting payment of compensation to victims of paramilitary and state violence, including the Libyan and British governments.
An SDLP amendment to the DUP motion has been refused by Assembly staff. Mr Attwood said the financial assets of criminal groups needed to be seized.
The Five Demands 