Petition und Campaign „Justice in the case of Peter McBride“

Press statement regarding the stationing in Germany of the two murderers

of Irishman Peter McBride

26.03.2001

 Deutsch/German

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am addressing you as spokesperson for the Irish solidarity groups in Germany on the issue of the Irishman Peter McBride. Since last December we have been in contact with the German Defence Ministry  and in the meantime the Foreign Ministry regarding the stationing of two criminals in the Rhine Army who had been sentenced to life in prison for murder.

The German Ministry of Defence has confirmed in a written reply dated 31^st January that the two soldiers, Mark Wright and James Fischer, are stationed in Germany ,, and that they had requested the Foreign Ministry to “examine with regard to the protection of human rights in Europe whether, and if  necessary, which diplomatic measures are appropriate”.

The  Ministry of Defence has every reason to be concerned.  This really is an issue of two soldiers who shot down in cold blood a young Irishman whilst on patrol in Belfast. This poses the question of how seriously the armies in Europe are fighting racism amongst their ranks. The refusal of the British Army to discharge the soldiers and also their stationing in Germany is outrageous in view of the present efforts by the German government to combat the spread of radical right-wing ideas in the German army and racist motivated violence in our country.

An outline of the facts

·        In 1992 two British Army soldiers patrolling the New Lodge area of Belfast killed a young, unarmed Irishman who they had searched just a few minutes beforehand. Due to their daily control at that checkpoint Peter’s name and address were known to the soldiers. Despite knowing that he was unarmed they shot him in the back. A civil court sentenced the two soldiers due to the lack of mitigating circumstances to life in prison for murder.

·        The result of a campaign by part of the British Army and the British press led to the    release of the two soldiers on probation after serving three years of their sentence in September 1998 by the then Northern Ireland Minister.

Since then the British Army has been trying to play down the killing by saying that it took place “under special circumstances”. This complies with the requirements of their own guidelines which protect offenders from dishonourable discharge. Jean McBride has been fighting with the support of the Pat Finucane Human Rights Centre in Derry against attempts by the British Army to retrospectively legitimise the murder of her son.

Up to now the McBride family has won all the civil court proceedings. On the application of the McBride family the “special circumstances” on which the army council based their first decision was rejected by the Belfast High Court in 1999. The army had argued that the action was not carried out with intent to kill. This was a clear attempt to get a de facto revision of the civil court’s judgement which hadn’t recognised any mitigating circumstances. The army was instructed by the court to have their decision re-examined by a different army commission.. The army did not consider this a reason to revise their decision. In November 2000 they renewed their decision to maintain both soldiers in the army. Again the application of the McBride family for a legal clarification of this decision before the Belfast High Court has been permitted. The hearing is to take place before the Belfast High Court at the end of March.

The activities of the British Army in this case brings to light what can only be only be interpreted as anti-Irish racism. In the last ten years more than two thousand soldiers have been discharged for, in part, minor offences. For that reason it is difficult to understand why the British Army is going to such extreme lengths on behalf of these two who have been convicted of the crime of murder.

In the meanwhile protests against this outrage have become international. The Foreign Minister of the Irish Republic, Brian Cowen, has also condemned in sharp tones at a sitting of the Irish parliament, Dáil Eireann, the decision of the British Army council. He also assured the McBride family of his complete support.

In crass contrast to the position of the Irish minister the British Army is showing absolutely no indication whatsoever of either a reassessment or, even less, a condemnation of the deed. The contrary is in fact taking place. On the last anniversary of the murder the Pat Finucane Centre in Derry received a postcard with the cynical remarks, “Merry Christmas from all ranks”. The postcard originated from members of the Scots Guards the previous regiment of the two soldiers now stationed in Kenya.

The attitude of the British Army shows a frightening continuity.  One of the members of the army council who was involved in making the decision regarding the two soldiers was General Mike Jackson.  In 1972 Mike Jackson was adjutant on “Bloody Sunday” to the British Army commander, General Wilford. That was the Sunday in January 1972 in which 14 unarmed participants in a civil rights demonstration were shot down in cold blood by British soldiers. Shortly afterwards in order to exonerate the soldiers the victims were declared to be the perpetrators. Since March last year one of the most comprehensive and most expensive investigations in British legal history has been examining the blame of the British Army in this massacre. It is known today that officers at the time reformulated the statements of their subordinates in order to cover up the crime.

In their response  from March 2^nd  the (German) Foreign Ministry has refused to get involved in anyway in the issue because of the forthcoming court proceedings and because of the absence of possibilities for litigation.

We draw attention to the fact that the forthcoming court proceedings at the end of March will not be considering a re-evaluation of the case. What the court will be investigating is the validity of the argument that the British Army has violated existing British law.

We demand that the (German) Foreign Ministry takes a clear position against the abuse of human rights, in particular because it concerns the issue of human rights within Europe.

With the discussion about radical rightwing violence in this country in mind a false impression with regard to tolerance of racial hatred and violence should be avoid by the authorities.

We request that you report about this case, and, that you support our protest, and also, that you publish the enclosed statement.

We are at your disposal for any requests for further information which you might have.